Miss Costigan came home from rehearsal, which she did in the
company of the faithful Mr. Bows, she found her father pacing up and
down their apartment in a great state of agitation, and in the midst of
a powerful odour of spirits-and-water, which, as it appeared, had not
succeeded in pacifying his disordered mind. The Pendennis papers were on
the table surrounding the empty goblets and now useless teaspoon which
had served to hold and mix the Captain's liquor and his friend's.
As Emily entered he seized her in his arms, and cried out, "Prepare
yourself, me child, me blessed child," in a voice of agony, and with
eyes brimful of tears.

"Ye're tipsy again, Papa," Miss Fotheringay said, pushing back her sire.
"Ye promised me ye wouldn't take spirits before dinner."

"It's to forget me sorrows, me poor girl, that I've taken just a drop,"
cried the bereaved father--"it's to drown me care that I drain the
bowl."

"Your care takes a deal of drowning, Captain dear," said Bows, mimicking
his friend's accent; "what has happened? Has that soft-spoken gentleman
in the wig been vexing you?"

"The oily miscreant! I'll have his blood!" roared Cos. Miss Milly,
it must be premised, had fled to her room out of his embrace, and was
taking off her bonnet and shawl there.

"I thought he meant mischief. He was so uncommon civil," the other said.
"What has he come to say?"

"O Bows! He has overwhellum'd me," the Captain said. "There's a hellish
conspiracy on foot against me poor girl; and it's me opinion that
both them Pendennises, nephew and uncle, is two infernal thrators and
scoundthrels, who should be conshumed from off the face of the earth."

"What is it? What has happened?" said Mr. Bows, growing rather excited.

Costigan then told him the Major's statement that the young Pendennis
had not two thousand, nor two hundred pounds a year; and expressed his
fury that he should have permitted such an impostor to coax and wheedle
his innocent girl, and that he should have nourished such a viper in his
own personal bosom. "I have shaken the reptile from me, however," said
Costigan; "and as for his uncle, I'll have such a revenge on that old
man, as shall make 'um rue the day he ever insulted a Costigan."

"What do you mean, General?" said Bows.

"I mean to have his life, Bows--his villanous, skulking life, my boy;"
and he rapped upon the battered old pistol-case in an ominous and savage
manner. Bows had often heard him appeal to tha