Hobnell's gaping companions, to know if
any of the blackguards would come on? But they held back with a growl,
and retreated as Doctor Portman came up to his wicket, and Mr. Hobnell,
with his nose and lip bleeding piteously, emerged from the grave.
Pen, looking death and defiance at the lads, who retreated towards' their
side of the churchyard, walked back again through the Doctor's wicket,
and was interrogated by that gentleman. The young fellow was so agitated
he could scarcely speak. His voice broke into a sob as he answered. "The
---- coward insulted me, sir," he said; and the Doctor passed over the
oath, and respected the emotion of the honest suffering young heart.
Pendennis the elder, who like a real man of the world had a proper and
constant dread of the opinion of his neighbour, was prodigiously annoyed
by the absurd little tempest which was blowing in Chatteris, and tossing
about Master Pen's reputation. Doctor Portman and Captain Glanders had to
support the charges of the whole Chatteris society against the young
reprobate, who was looked upon as a monster of crime.
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