. James's
Street, of which he is a member.

The virtuous hostess of Bryanstone Square was quite civil and
good-humoured when Mr. Pendennis appeared at her house; and my surprise
was not inconsiderable when I found the whole party from Saint Pancras
there assembled--Mr. Binnie; the Colonel and his son; Mrs. Mackenzie,
looking uncommonly handsome and perfectly well-dressed; and Miss Rosey,
in pink crape, with pearly shoulders and blushing cheeks, and beautiful
fair ringlets--as fresh and comely a sight as it was possible to
witness. Scarcely had we made our bows, and shaken our hands, and
imparted our observations about the fineness of the weather, when,
behold! as we look from the drawing-room windows into the cheerful
square of Bryanstone, a great family coach arrives, driven by a family
coachman in a family wig, and we recognise Lady Anne Newcome's carriage,
and see her ladyship, her mother, her daughter, and her husband, Sir
Brian, descend from the vehicle. "It is quite a family party," whispers
the happy Mrs. Newcome to the happy writer conversing with her in the
niche of the window. "Knowing your intimacy with our brother, Colonel
Newcome, we thought it would please him to meet you here. Will you be so
kind as to take Miss Newcome to dinner?"

Everybody was bent upon being happy and gracious. It was "My dear
brother, how do you do?" from Sir Brian. "My dear Colonel, how glad we
are to see you! how well you look!" from Lady Anne. Miss Newcome ran up
to him with both hands out, and put her beautiful face so close to his
that I thought, upon my conscience, she was going to kiss him. And Lady
Kew, advancing in the frankest manner, with a smile, I must own, rather
awful, playing round her many wrinkles, round her ladyship's hooked
nose, and displaying her ladyship's teeth (a new and exceedingly
handsome set), held out her hand to Colonel Newcome, and said briskly,
"Colonel, it is an age since we met." She turns to Clive with equal
graciousness and good-humour, and says, "Mr. Clive, let me shake hands
with you; I have heard all sorts of good of you, that you have been
painting the most beautiful things, that you are going to be quite
famous." Nothing can exceed the grace and kindness of Lady Anne Newcome
towards Mrs. Mackenzie: the pretty widow blushes with pleasure at this
greeting; and now Lady Anne must be introduced to Mrs. Mackenzie's
charming daughter, and whispers in the delighted mother's ear, "She
is lovely!" R