And as there was to
be rather a good dinner that day, she invited Mr. Smirke to partake of
it; and we may be sure that he was too happy to accept such a delightful
summons.
Eased, by the above report, of all her former doubts and misgivings
regarding the Curate, Helen was exceedingly kind and gracious to Mr.
Smirke during dinner, redoubling her attentions, perhaps, because Major
Pendennis was very high and reserved with his nephew's tutor. When
Pendennis asked Smirke to drink wine, he addressed him as if he was a
Sovereign speaking to a petty retainer, in a manner so condescending,
that even Pen laughed at it, although quite ready, for his part, to be as
conceited as most young men are.
But Smirke did not care for the impertinences of the Major so long as he
had his hostess's kind behaviour; and he passed a delightful time by her
side at table, exerting all his powers of conversation to please her,
talking in a manner both clerical and worldly, about the Fancy Bazaar,
and the Great Missionary Meeting, about the last new novel, and the
Bishop's excellent sermon about the fashionable parties in London, an
account of which he read in the newspapers--in fine, he neglected no art,
by which a College divine who has both sprightly and serious talents, a
taste for the genteel, an irreproachable conduct, and a susceptible
heart, will try and make himself agreeable to the person on whom he has
fixed his affections.
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