d having it in his possession, proposes
to extort money from us all. The d----d rascal supposed I was cognisant
of it," said Pen, white with anger; "asked me if I would give him an
annuity to keep it quiet; threatened me, me, as if I was trafficking
with this wretched old Begum's misfortune, and would extort a seat in
Parliament out of that miserable Clavering. Good heavens! was my uncle
mad, to tamper in such a conspiracy? Fancy our mother's son, Laura,
trading on such a treason!"

"I can't fancy it, dear Arthur," said Laura, seizing Arthur's hand, and
kissing it.

"No!" broke out Warrington's deep voice, with a tremor; he surveyed the
two generous and loving young people with a pang of indescribable love
and pain. "No. Our boy can't meddle with such a wretched intrigue as
that. Arthur Pendennis can't marry a convict's daughter; and sit in
Parliament as member for the hulks. You must wash your hands of the
whole affair, Pen. You must break off. You must give no explanations
of why and wherefore, but state that family reasons render a match
impossible. It is better that those poor women should fancy you false
to your word than that they should know the truth. Besides, you can
get from that dog Clavering--I can fetch that for you easily enough an
acknowledgment that the reasons which you have given to him as the head
of the family are amply sufficient for breaking off the union. Don't you
think with me, Laura?" He scarcely dared to look her in the face as he
spoke. Any lingering hope that he might have--any feeble hold that he
might feel upon the last spar of his wrecked fortune, he knew he was
casting away; and he let the wave of his calamity close over him. Pen
had started up whilst he was speaking, looking eagerly at him. He turned
his head away. He saw Laura rise up also and go to Pen, and once more
take his hand and kiss it. "She thinks so too--God bless her!" said
George.

"Her father's shame is not Blanche's fault, dear Arthur, is it?" Laura
said, very pale, and speaking very quickly. "Suppose you had been
married, would you desert her because she had done no wrong? Are you not
pledged to her? Would you leave her because she is in misfortune? And if
she is unhappy, wouldn't you console her? Our mother would, had she been
here." And, as she spoke, the kind girl folded her arms round him, and
buried her face upon his heart.

"Our mother is an angel with God," Pen sobbed out. "And you are the
dearest and best of