en he
went away at night, to leave a joke exploding behind him. No personal
calamities or distresses (of which that humourist had his share in
common with the unjocular part of mankind) could altogether keep his
humour down. Whatever his griefs might be, the thought of a dinner
rallied his great soul; and when he saw a lord, he saluted him with a
pun.

Wenham went up, then, with a smug smile and whisper, to Mrs. Bungay, and
looked at her from under his eyes, and showed her the tips of his shoes.
Wagg said she looked charming, and pushed on straight at the young
nobleman, whom he called Pop, and to whom he instantly related a funny
story, seasoned with what the French call gros sel. He was delighted
to see Pen, too, and shook hands with him, and slapped him on the back
cordially; for he was full of spirits and good-humour. And he talked in
a loud voice about their last place and occasion of meeting at Baymouth;
and asked how their friends of Clavering Park were, and whether Sir
Francis was not coming to London for the season; and whether Pen had
been to see Lady Rockminster, who had arrived--fine old lady, Lady
Rockminster! These remarks Wagg made not for Pen's ear so much as for
the edification of the company, whom he was glad to inform that he paid
visits to gentlemen's country seats, and was on intimate terms with the
nobility.

Wenham also shook hands with our young friend--all of which scenes Mrs.
Bungay remarked with respectful pleasure, and communicated her ideas to
Bungay, afterwards, regarding the importance of Mr. Pendennis--ideas by
which Pen profited much more than he was aware.

Pen, who had read, and rather admired some of her works (and expected to
find in Miss Bunion a person somewhat resembling her own description
of herself in the 'Passion-Flower,' in which she stated that her youth
resembled--

"A violet, shrinking meanly
When blows the March wind keenly;
A timid fawn, on wild-wood lawn,
Where oak-boughs rustle greenly,--"

and that her maturer beauty was something very different, certainly, to
the artless loveliness of her prime, but still exceedingly captivating
and striking), beheld, rather to his surprise and amusement, a large and
bony woman in a crumpled satin dress, who came creaking into the room
with a step as heavy as a grenadier's. Wagg instantly noted the straw
which she brought in at the rumpled skirt of her dress, and would
have stooped to pick it up: but Miss B