present, and generally came downstairs to Mrs. Creed's own room.

The Doctor and the Major consulting together as they often did, groaned
in spirit over that information. Major Pendennis openly expressed his
disappointment; and, I believe, the Divine himself was ill pleased at not
being able to jack a hole in poor Miss Fotheringay's reputation.

Even about Pen himself, Mrs. Creed's reports were desperately favourable.
"Whenever he come," Mrs. Creed said, "She always have me or one of the
children with her. And Mrs. Creed, marm, says she, if you please, marm,
you'll on no account leave the room when that young gentleman's here. And
many's the time I've seen him a lookin' as if he wished I was away, poor
young man: and he took to coming in service-time, when I wasn't at home,
of course: but she always had one of the boys up if her Pa wasn't at
home, or old Mr. Bowser with her a teaching of her her lesson, or one of
the young ladies of the theayter."

It was all true: whatever encouragements might have been given him before
he avowed his passion, the prudence of Miss Emily was prodigious after
Pen had declared himself: and the poor fellow chafed against her hopeless
reserve, which maintained his ardour as it excited his anger.

The Major surveyed the state of things with a sigh. "If it were but a
temporary liaison," the excellent man said, "one could bear it. A young
fellow must sow his wild oats, and that sort of thing. But a virtuous
attachment is the deuce. It comes of the d----d romantic notions boys get
from being brought up by women."

"Allow me to say, Major, that you speak a little too like a man of the
world," replied the Doctor. "Nothing can be more desirable for Pen than a