" So upon
a day when it was arranged that Pen was to dine at home, and pass the
evening with his mother, the two elderly gentlemen drove over to
Chatteris in the Doctor's chaise, and there, like a couple of jolly
bachelors, dined at the George Inn, before proceeding to the play.
Only two other guests were in the room,--an officer of the regiment
quartered at Chatteris, and a young gentleman whom the Doctor thought he
had somewhere seen. They left them at their meal, however, and hastened
to the theatre. It was Hamlet over again. Shakspeare was Article XL. of
stout old Doctor Portman's creed, to which he always made a point of
testifying publicly at least once in a year.
We have described the play before, and how those who saw Miss Fotheringay
perform in Ophelia saw precisely the same thing on one night as on
another. Both the elderly gentlemen looked at her with extraordinary
interest, thinking how very much young Pen was charmed with her.
"Gad," said the Major, between his teeth, as he surveyed her when she was
called forward as usual, and swept her curtsies to the scanty audience,
"the young rascal has not made a bad choice.
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