nvass the county, and he
hoped to get Pendennis's interest here. He spoke of Pen's triumph as
an orator at Oxbridge, and asked was he coming into parliament too? He
talked on very pleasantly, and greatly to Laura's satisfaction, until
Pen himself appeared, and, as has been said, found these gentlemen.

Pen behaved very courteously to the pair, now that they have found their
way into his quarters; and though he recollected with some twinges a
conversation at Oxbridge, when Pynsent was present, and in which after
a great debate at the Union, and in the midst of considerable excitement
produced by a supper and champagne-cup,--he had announced his intention
of coming in for his native county, and had absolutely returned thanks
in a fine speech as the future member; yet Mr. Pynsent's manner was
so frank and cordial, that Pen hoped Pynsent might have forgotten his
little fanfaronnade, and any other braggadocio speeches or actions which
he might have made. He suited himself to the tone of the visitors, then,
and talked about Plinlimmon and Magnus Charters, and the old set at
Oxbridge, with careless familiarity and high-bred ease, as if he lived
with marquises every day, and a duke was no more to him than a village
curate.

But at this juncture, and it being then six o'clock in the evening,
Betsy, the maid, who did not know of the advent of strangers, walked
into the room without any preliminary but that of flinging the door
wide open before her, and bearing in her arms a tray, containing three
tea-cups, a tea-pot, and a plate of thick bread-and-butter. All Pen's
splendour and magnificence vanished away at this--and he faltered and
became quite abashed. "What will they think of us?" he thought: and,
indeed, Wagg thrust his tongue in his cheek, thought the tea infinitely
contemptible, and leered and winked at Pynsent to that effect.

But to Mr. Pynsent the transaction appeared perfectly simple--there was
no reason present to his mind why people should not drink tea at six
if they were minded, as well as at any other hour; and he asked of Mr.
Wagg, when they went away, "What the devil he was grinning and winking
at, and what amused him?"

"Didn't you see how the cub was ashamed of the thick bread-and-butter?
I dare say they're going to have treacle if they are good. I'll take an
opportunity of telling old Pendennis when we get back to town," Mr. Wagg
chuckled out.

"Don't see the fun," said Mr. Pynsent.

"Never thought you