emove unpleasantnesses. But mind: not one word, if you please,
about the story."

Mrs. Pendennis said, with perfect sincerity, that she was exceedingly
glad to hear the news: and hoped Mr. Smirke, who was a very kind and
amiable man, would have a deserving wife: and when her visitor
went away, Helen and her brother talked of the matter with great
satisfaction, the kind lady rebuking herself for her haughty behaviour
to Mr. Smirke, whom she had avoided of late, instead of being grateful
to him for his constant attention to Arthur.

"Gratitude to this kind of people," the Major said, "is very well; but
familiarity is out of the question. This gentleman gives his lessons and
receives his money like any other master. You are too humble, my good
soul. There must be distinctions in ranks, and that sort of thing. I
told you before, you were too kind to Mr. Smirke."

But Helen did not think so: and now that Arthur was going away, and she
bethought her how very polite Mr. Smirke had been; how he had gone on
messages for her; how he had brought books and copied music; how he had
taught Laura so many things, and given her so many kind presents, her
heart smote her on account of her ingratitude towards the Curate;--so
much so, that when he came down from study with Pen, and was hankering
about the hall previous to his departure, she went out and shook hands
with him with rather a blushing face, and begged him to come into her
drawing-room, where she said they now never saw him. And as there was to
be rather a good dinner that day, she invited Mr. Smirke to partake of
it; and we may be sure that he was too happy to accept such a delightful
summons.

Eased, by the above report, of all her former doubts and misgivings
regarding the Curate, Helen was exceedingly kind and gracious to Mr.
Smirke during dinner, redoubling her attentions, perhaps, because Major
Pendennis was very high and reserved with his nephew's tutor. When
Pendennis asked Smirke to drink wine, he addressed him as if he was a
Sovereign speaking to a petty retainer, in a manner so condescending,
that even Pen laughed at it, although quite ready, for his part, to be
as conceited as most young men are.

But Smirke did not care for the impertinences of the Major so long as he
had his hostess's kind behaviour; and he passed a delightful time by her
side at table, exerting all his powers of conversation to please her,
talking in a manner both clerical and worldly, about