eference for Pendennis over Bluebeard, those who
are aware of the latter's secret will understand that the young girl
could make no other choice, and the kind old lady who had constituted
herself Miss Bell's guardian was not ill pleased that she was to fulfil
the great purpose in life of young ladies and marry. She informed her
maid of the interesting event that very night, and of course Mrs.
Beck, who was perfectly aware of every single circumstance, and kept by
Martha, of Fairoaks, in the fullest knowledge of what was passing, was
immensely surprised and delighted. "Mr. Pendennis's income is so much;
the railroad will give him so much more, he states; Miss Bell has so
much, and may probably have a little more one day. For persons in their
degree, they will be able to manage very well. And I shall speak to my
nephew Pynsent, who I suspect was once rather attached to her,--but of
course that was out of the question ('Oh! of course, my lady; I should
think so indeed!')--not that you know anything whatever about it, or
have any business to think at all on the subject,--I shall speak to
George Pynsent, who is now chief secretary of the Tape and Sealing Wax
Office, and have Mr. Pendennis made something. And, Beck, in the morning
you will carry down my compliments to Major Pendennis, and say that I
shall pay him a visit at one o'clock."--"Yes," muttered the old lady,
"the Major must be reconciled, and he must leave his fortune to Laura's
children."

Accordingly, at one o'clock, the Dowager Lady Rockminster appeared at
Major Pendennis's, who was delighted, as may be imagined, to receive so
noble a visitor. The Major had been prepared, if not for the news which
her Ladyship was about to give him, at least with the intelligence
that Pen's marriage with Miss Amory was broken off. The young gentleman
bethinking him of his uncle, for the first time that day it must be
owned, and meeting his new servant in the hall of the hotel, asked after
the Major's health from Mr. Frosch; and then went into the coffee-room
of the hotel, where he wrote a half-dozen lines to acquaint his guardian
with what had occurred. "Dear uncle," he said, "if there has been
any question between us, it is over now. I went to Tunbridge Wells
yesterday, and found that somebody else had carried off the prize about
which we were hesitating. Miss A., without any compunction for me, has
bestowed herself upon Harry Foker, with his fifteen thousand a year. I
came in s