ispered to Laura, across Cornet
Perch's shell-jacket, as Pen was performing cavalier seul before
them, drawling through that figure with a thumb in the pocket of each
waistcoat.

"Who?" said Laura.

"Arthur," answered Blanche, in French. "Oh, it's such a pretty name!"
And now the young ladies went over to Pen's side, and Cornet Perch
performed a pas seul in his turn. He had no waistcoat pocket to put his
hands into, and they looked large and swollen as they hung before him
depending from the tight arms in the jacket.

During the interval between the quadrille and the succeeding waltz, Pen
did not take any notice of Laura, except to ask her whether her partner,
Cornet Perch, was an amusing youth, and whether she liked him so well
as her other partner, Mr. Pynsent. Having planted which two daggers in
Laura's gentle bosom, Mr. Pendennis proceeded to rattle on with Blanche
Amory, and to make jokes good or bad, but which were always loud. Laura
was at a loss to account for her cousin's sulky behaviour, and ignorant
in what she had offended him; however, she was not angry in her turn at
Pen's splenetic mood, for she was the most good-natured and forgiving
of women, and besides, an exhibition of jealousy on a man's part is not
always disagreeable to a lady.

As Pen would not dance with her, she was glad to take up with the active
Chevalier Strong, who was a still better performer than Pen; and being
very fond of dancing, as every brisk and innocent young girl should be,
when the waltz music began she set off, and chose to enjoy herself with
all her heart. Captain Broadfoot on this occasion occupied the floor
in conjunction with a lady of proportions scarcely inferior to his own;
Miss Roundle, a large young woman in a strawberry-ice coloured crape
dress, the daughter of the lady with the grapes in her head, whose
bunches Pen had admired.

And now taking his time, and with his fair partner Blanche hanging
lovingly on the arm which encircled her, Mr. Arthur Pendennis set out
upon his waltzing career, and felt, as he whirled round to the music,
that he and Blanche were performing very brilliantly indeed. Very likely
he looked to see if Miss Bell thought so too; but she did not or would
not see him, and was always engaged with her partner Captain Strong. But
Pen's triumph was not destined to last long; and it was doomed that poor
Blanche was to have yet another discomfiture on that unfortunate night.
While she and Pen were wh