the Major, with a yellow face, a bristly beard, a wig out of curl, and
strong rheumatic griefs shooting through various limbs of his uneasy
body, descended at the little lodge-gate at Fairoaks, where the porteress
and gardener's wife reverentially greeted him, and, still more
respectfully, Mr. Morgan, his man.

Helen was on the look-out for this expected guest, and saw him from her
window. But she did not come forward immediately to greet him. She knew
the Major did not like to be seen at a surprise, and required a little
preparation before he cared to be visible. Pen, when a boy, had incurred
sad disgrace by carrying off from the Major's dressing-table a little
morocco box, which it must be confessed contained the Major's back teeth,
which he naturally would leave out of his jaws in a jolting mail-coach,
and without which he would not choose to appear. Morgan, his man, made a
mystery of mystery of his wigs: curling them in private places:
introducing them mysteriously to his master's room;--nor without his head
of hair would the Major care to show himself to any member of his family,
or any acquaintance. He went to his apartment then and supplied these
deficiencies; he groaned, and moaned, and wheezed, and cursed Morgan
through his toilet, as an old buck will, who has been up all night with a
rheumatism, and has a long duty to perform. And finally being belted,
curled, and set straight, he descended upon the drawing-room, with a
grave majestic air, such as befitted one who was at once a man of
business and a man of fashion.

Pen was not there, however; only Helen, and little Laura sewing at her
knees; and to whom he never presented more than a forefinger, as he did
on this occasion after saluting his sister-in-law. Laura took the finger
trembling and dropped it--and then fled out of the room. Major Pendennis
did not want to keep her, or indeed to have her in the house at all, and