care the
wather boils," a voice would cry not unfrequently, a well-known voice to
Pen, which made the lad blush and start when he heard it first--that of
the venerable Captain Costigan; who was now established in London, and
one of the great pillars of the harmonic meetings at the Fielding's
Head.

The Captain's manners and conversation brought very many young men to
the place. He was a character, and his fame had begun to spread soon
after his arrival in the metropolis, and especially after his daughter's
marriage. He was great in his conversation to the friend for the
time being (who was the neighbour drinking by his side), about "me
daughther." He told of her marriage, and of the events previous and
subsequent to that ceremony; of the carriages she kept; of Mirabel's
adoration for her and for him; of the hundther pounds which he was at
perfect liberty to draw from his son-in-law, whenever necessity urged
him. And having stated that it was his firm intention to "dthraw next
Sathurday, I give ye me secred word and honour next Sathurday, the
fourteenth, when ye'll see the money will be handed over to me at
Coutts's, the very instant I present the cheque," the Captain would
not unfrequently propose to borrow a half-crown of his friend until the
arrival of that day of Greek Calends, when, on the honour of an officer
and gentleman, he would repee the thrifling obligetion.

Sir Charles Mirabel had not that enthusiastic attachment to his
father-in-law, of which the latter sometimes boasted (although in other
stages of emotion Cos would inveigh, with tears in his eyes, against the
ingratitude of the child of his bosom, and the stinginess of the wealthy
old man who had married her); but the pair had acted not unkindly
towards Costigan; had settled a small pension on him, which was paid
regularly, and forestalled with even more regularity by poor Cos; and
the period of the payments was always well known by his friend at
the Fielding's Head, whither the honest Captain took care to repair,
bank-notes in hand, calling loudly for change in the midst of the full
harmonic meeting. "I think ye'll find that note won't be refused at the
Bank of England, Cutts, my boy," Captain Costigan would say. "Bows,
have a glass? Ye needn't stint yourself to-night, anyhow; and a glass of
punch will make ye play con spirito." For he was lavishly free with his
money when it came to him, and was scarcely known to button his breeches
pocket, except wh