Pendennis, supported by the frigid politeness
of the Major her brother.
These rebuffs, however, did not put an end to the gossip, and slander
went on increasing about the unlucky Fairoaks' family. Glanders (H.P.), a
retired cavalry officer, whose half-pay and large family compelled him to
fuddle himself with brandy-and-water instead of claret after he quitted
the Dragoons, had the occasional entree at Fairoaks, and kept his friend
the Major there informed of all the stories which were current at
Clavering. Mrs. Pybus had taken an inside place by the coach to
Chatteris, and gone to the George on purpose to get the particulars. Mrs.
Speers's man, had treated Mr. Foker's servant to drink at Baymouth for a
similar purpose. It was said that Pen had hanged himself for despair in
the orchard, and that his uncle had cut him down; that, on the contrary,
it was Miss Costigan who was jilted, and not young Arthur; and that the
affair had only been hushed up by the payment of a large sum of money,
the exact amount of which there were several people in Clavering could
testify--the sum of course varying according to the calculation of the
individual narrator of the story.
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