t
of Pen, who thought that she was as beautiful as an angel, and that
she sang like a nightingale; and when Hoppus came on as Sir Harcourt
Featherby, the young man of the piece, the gentlemen in the box declared
that Hoppus was getting too stale, and Tiptoff was for flinging Miss
Blenkinsop's bouquet to him.

"Not for the world," cried the daughter of the veteran Blenkinsop; "Lord
Colchicum gave it to me."

Pen remembered that nobleman's name, and with a bow and a blush said he
believed he had to thank Lord Colchicum for having proposed him at the
Megatherium Club, at the request of his uncle, Major Pendennis.

"What, you're Wigsby's nephew, are you?" said the peer. "I beg your
pardon, we always call him Wigsby." Pen blushed to hear his venerable
uncle called by such a familiar name. "We balloted you in last week,
didn't we? Yes, last Wednesday night. Your uncle wasn't there."

Here was delightful news for Pen! He professed himself very much obliged
indeed to Lord Colchicum, and made him a handsome speech of thanks, to
which the other listened with his double opera-glass up to his eyes.
Pen was full of excitement at the idea of being a member of this polite
Club.

"Don't be always looking at that box, you naughty creature," cried Miss
Blenkinsop.

"She's a dev'lish fine woman, that Mirabel," said Tiptoff; "though
Mirabel was a d----d fool to marry her."

"A stupid old spooney," said the peer.

"Mirabel!" cried out Pendennis.

"Ha! ha!" laughed out Harry Foker. "We've heard of her before, haven't
we, Pen?"

It was Pen's first love. It was Miss Fotheringay. The year before she
had been led to the altar by Sir Charles Mirabel, G.C.B., and formerly
envoy to the Court of Pumpernickel, who had taken so active a part
in the negotiations before the Congress of Swammerdam, and signed, on
behalf of H.B.M., the Peace of Pultusk.

"Emily was always as stupid as an owl," said Miss Blenkinsop.

"Eh! Eh! pas si bete," the old Peer said.

"Oh, for shame!" cried the actress, who did not in the least know what
he meant.

And Pen looked out and beheld his first love once again--and wondered
how he ever could have loved her.

Thus on the very first night of his arrival in London, Mr. Arthur
Pendennis found himself introduced to a Club, to an actress of genteel
comedy and a heavy father of the Stage, and to a dashing society of
jovial blades, old and young; for my Lord Colchicum, though stricken in
years, bald of head a