He gave Pen an emphatic God-bless-you when the lad went to bed;
and as they were about to part for the night, he seemed as if he was
going to say something to Mrs. Pendennis, but he bethought him that if he
spoke he might spoil her night's rest, and allowed her to sleep in peace.
The next morning he was down in the breakfast-room earlier than was his
custom, and saluted everybody there with great cordiality. The post used
to arrive commonly about the end of this meal. When John, the old
servant, entered, and discharged the bag of its letters and papers, the
Major looked hard at Pen as the lad got his--Arthur blushed, and put his
letter down. He knew the hand, it was that of old Costigan, and he did
not care to read it in public. Major Pendennis knew the letter, too. He
had put it into the post himself in Chatteris the day before.
He told little Laura to go away, which the child did, having a thorough
dislike to him; and as the door closed on her, he took Mrs. Pendennis's
hand, and giving her a look full of meaning, pointed to the letter under
the newspaper which Pen was pretending to read.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293