The Major knocked, and at length a tall gentleman came forth, with a foil
and mask in one hand, and a fencing glove on the other.

Pendennis made him a deferential bow. "I believe I have the honour of
speaking to Captain Costigan--My name is Major Pendennis."

The Captain brought his weapon up to the salute, and said, "Major, the
honer is moine; I'm deloighted to see ye."




CHAPTER XI

Negotiation


The Major and Captain Costigan were old soldiers and accustomed to face
the enemy, so we may presume that they retained their presence of mind
perfectly; but the rest of the party assembled in Cos's sitting-room
were, perhaps, a little flurried at Pendennis's apparition. Miss
Fotheringay's slow heart began to beat no doubt, for her cheek flushed up
with a great healthy blush, as Lieutenant Sir Derby Oaks looked at her
with a scowl. The little crooked old man in the window-seat, who had been
witnessing the fencing-match between the two gentlemen (whose stamping
and jumping had been such as to cause him to give up all attempts to
continue writing the theatre music, in the copying of which he had been
engaged) looked up eagerly towards the new-comer as the Major of the
well-blacked boots entered the apartment distributing the most graceful