had his private reason for disapproving of her: which we may mention on
some future occasion. Meanwhile Laura disappeared and wandered about the
premises seeking for Pen: whom she presently found in the orchard, pacing
up and down a walk there in earnest conversation with Mr. Smirke. He was
so occupied that he did not hear Laura's clear voice singing out, until
Smirke pulled him by the coat and pointed towards her as she came
running.

She ran up and put her hand into his. "Come in, Pen," she said, "there's
somebody come; uncle Arthur's come."

"He is, is he?" said Pen, and she felt him grasp her little hand. He
looked round at Smirke with uncommon fierceness, as much as to say, I am
ready for him or any man.--Mr. Smirke cast up his eyes as usual and
heaved a gentle sigh.

"Lead on, Laura," Pen said, with a half fierce, half comic air--"Lead on,
and say I wait upon my uncle." But he was laughing in order to hide a
great anxiety: and was screwing his courage inwardly to face the ordeal
which he knew was now before him.

Pen had taken Smirke into his confidence in the last two days, and after
the outbreak attendant on the discovery of Doctor Portman, and during
every one of those forty-eight hours which he had passed in Mr. Smirke's
society, had done nothing but talk to his tutor about Miss Fotheringay--
Miss Emily Fotheringay--Emily, etc., to all which talk Smirke listened
without difficulty, for he was in love himself, most anxious in all
things to propitiate Pen, and indeed very much himself enraptured by the
personal charms of this goddess, whose like, never having been before at
a theatrical representation, he had not beheld until now. Pen's fire and