children are slumbering once more in their own beds, and the watchful
housewife tenderly pretends to sleep.

Old Pendennis had no special labours or bills to encounter on the
morrow, as he had no affection at home to soothe him. He had always
money in his desk sufficient for his wants; and being by nature and
habit tolerably indifferent to the wants of other people, these latter
were not likely to disturb him. But a gentleman may be out of temper
though he does not owe a shilling and though he may be ever so selfish,
he must occasionally feel dispirited and lonely. He had had two or three
twinges of gout in the country-house where he had been staying: the
birds were wild and shy, and the walking over the ploughed fields had
fatigued him deucedly: the young men had laughed at him, and he had been
peevish at table once or twice: he had not been able to get his whist
of an evening: and, in fine, was glad to come away. In all his dealings
with Morgan, his valet, he had been exceedingly sulky and discontented.
He had sworn at him and abused him for many days past. He had scalded
his mouth with bad soup at Swindon. He had left his umbrella in the
railroad carriage: at which piece of forgetfulness, he was in such a
rage, that he cursed Morgan more freely than ever. Both, the chimneys
smoked furiously in his lodgings; and when he caused the windows to be
flung open, he swore so acrimoniously, that Morgan was inclined to fling
him out of window too, through that opened casement. The valet swore
after his master, as Pendennis went down the street on his way to the
Club.

Bays's was not at all pleasant. The house had been new painted, and
smelt of varnish and turpentine, and a large streak of white paint
inflicted itself on the back of the old boy's fur-collared surtout. The
dinner was not good: and the three most odious men in all London--old
Hawkshaw, whose cough and accompaniments are fit to make any man
uncomfortable; old Colonel Gripley, who seizes on all the newspapers;
and that irreclaimable old bore Jawkins, who would come and dine at the
next table to Pendennis, and describe to him every inn-bill which he had
paid in his foreign tour: each and all of these disagreeable personages
and incidents had contributed to make Major Pendennis miserable; and the
Club waiter trod on his toe as he brought him his coffee. Never alone
appear the Immortals. The Furies always hunt in company: they pursued
Pendennis from home to the Clu