Pendennis having written his article, and reviewed it appro-
vingly as it lay before him in its wet proof sheet at the office of
the paper, bethought him that he would cross the water, and
regale himself with the fireworks and other amusements of
Vauxhall. So he affably put in his pocket the order which
admitted "Editor of Pall-Mall Gazette and friend" to that
place of recreation , and paid with the coin of the realm a suf-
ficient sum to enable him to cross Waterloo Bridge. The walk
thence to the Gardens was pleasant, the stars were shining in
the skies above, looking down upon the royal property, whence
the rockets and Roman candles had not yet ascended to out-
shine the stars.

BefoVe you enter the enchanted ground, where twenty
thousand additional lamps are burned every night as usual,
most of us have passed through the black and dreary passage



24



and wickets which hide the splendours of Vauxhall from
uninitiated men. In the walls of this passage are two
holes strongly illuminated, in the midst of which you see
two gentlemen at desks , where they will take either your
money as a private individual, or your order of admission
if you are provided with that passport to the Gardens. Pen
went to exhibit his ticket at the last-named orifice, where,
however, a gentleman and two ladies were already in parley
before him.

The gentleman, whose hat was very much on one side, and
who wore a short and shabby cloak in an excessively smart
manner, was crying out in a voice which Pen at once recog-
nised —

"Bedad, Sir, if ye doubt me honour, will ye obleege me by
stipping out of that box, and — "

"Lor, Capting! " cried the elder lady,

"Don't bother me," said the man in the box.

"And ask Mr. Hodgen himself, who 's in the gyardens, to
let these leedies pass. Don't be froightened, me dear Madam,
I 'm not going to quarl with this gintleman , at anyreet before
leedies. Will ye go. Sir, and desoire Mr. Hodgen, (whose
orther I keem in with, and he 's me most intemate friend, and
I know he 's goan to sing the 'Body Snatcher' here to-
noight,) with Captain Costigan's compliments, to stip out and
let in the leedies — for meself, Sir, oi 've seen Vauxhall, and I
scawrun any interfayrance on moi account: but for these
leedies, one of them has never been there , and oi should think
ye 'd harly take advantage of me misfartune in losing the
tickut, to deproive her of her pleasure."

"It ain't no use, Captain. I can't go about your business,"
the check-taker said ; on which the Captain swore an oath, and
the elder lady said, "Lor, ow provokin! "

As for the young one, she looked up at the Captain and



25



said, " Never mind, Captain Costigan, I 'm sure I don't want to
go at all. Come away. Mamma." And with this, although she
did not want to go at all, her feelings overcame her, and she
began to cry.

"Me poor child ! " the Captain said. " Can ye see that. Sir,
and will ye not let this innocent creature in? "

"It ain't my business," cried the door-keeper, peevishly,
out of the illuminated box. And at this minute Arthur came
up, and recognising Costigan, said, " Don't you know me. Cap-
tain? Pendennis ! " And he took off his hat and made a bow
to the two ladies. "Me dear boy! Me dear friend !" cried the
Captain, extending towards Pendennis the grasp of friendship ;
and he rapidly explained to the other what he called "a most
unluckee conthratong." He had an order for Vauxhall, ad-
mitting two , from Mr. Hodgen , then within the Gardens , and
singing (as he did at the back-kitchen and the nobility's con-
certs, the "Body Snatcher," the "Death of General Wolfe,"
the "Banner of Blood," and other favourite melodies); and,
having this order for the admission of two persons, he thought
that it would admit three , and had come accordingly to the
Gardens with his friends. But, on his way, Captain Costigan
had lost the paper of admission — it was not forthcoming at
all; and the leedies must go back again, to the great dis-
appointment of one of them, as Pendennis saw.

Arthur had a great deal of good-nature for everybody, and
sympathised with the misfortunes of all sorts of people: how
could he refuse his sympathy in such a case as this? He had
seen the innocent face as it looked up to the Captain , the ap-
pealing look of the girl, the piteous quiver of the mouth, and
the final outburst of tears. If it had been his last guinea in
the world, he must have paid it to have given the poor little
thing pleasure. She turned the sad imploring eyes away
directly they lighted upon a stranger, and began to wipe them



26



with her handkerchief. Arthur looked very handsome and
kind as he stood before the women, with his hat off, blushing,
bowing, generous, a gentleman. "Who are they?" he asked
of himself. He thought he had seen the elder lady before.

"If I can be of any service to you, Captain Costigan," the
young man said, "I hope you will command me; is there any
difficulty about taking these ladies into the garden? Will you
kindly make use of my purse? And — and I have a ticket
myself which will admit two — I hope, Ma'am, you will permit
me?"

The first impulse of the Prince of Fairoaks was to pay for
the whole party, and to make away with his newspaper order
as poor Costigan had done with his own ticket. But his in-
stinct, and the appearance of the two women told hira that they
would be better pleased if he did not give himself the airs of a
grand seigneur, and he handed his purse to Costigan, and
laughingly pulled out his ticket with one hand, as he offered
the other to the elder of the ladies — ladies was not the word —
they had bonnets and shawls, and collars and ribbons, and the
youngest showed a pretty little foot and boot under her
modest grey gown, but his Highness of Fairoaks was courteous
to every person who wore a petticoat, whatever its texture
was, and the humbler the wearer, only the more stately and
polite in his demeanour.

"Fanny, take the gentleman's arm," the elder said ; " since
you will be so very kind — I 've seen you often come in at our
gate. Sir, and go in to Captain Strong's at No. 4."

Fanny made a little curtsey, and put her hand under Ar-
thur's arm. It had on a shabby little glove, but it was pretty
and small. She was not a child, but she was scarcely a woman
as yet; her tears had dried up, and her cheek mantled with
youthful blushes, and her eyes glistened with pleasure and
gratitude, as she looked up into Arthur's kind face.



27



Arthur, in a protecting way, put his other hand upon the
little one resting on his arm. "Fanny 's a very pretty little
name," he said, "and so you know me, do you?"

"We keep the lodge, Sir, at Shepherd's Inn," Fanny said
with a curtsey ; " and I 've never been at Vauxhall , Sir, and Pa
didn't like me to go — and — and — O — O — law, how beau-
tiful!" She shrank back as she spoke, starting with wonder
and delight as she saw the Royal Gardens blaze before her
with a hundred million of lamps , with a splendour such as the
finest fairy tale, the finest pantomime she had ever witnessed
at the theatre, had never realised. Pen was pleased with her
pleasure, and pressed to his side the little hand which clung so
kindly to him. "What would I not give for a little of this
pleasure? " said the blase young man.

"Your purse , Pendennis , me dear boy," said the Captain's
voice behind him. "Will ye count it? it 's all roight — no —
ye thrust in old Jack Costigan (he thrusts me, ye see, Madam).
Ye 've been me preserver, Pen, (I 've known um since choild-
hood, Mrs. Bolton; he 's the proproietor of Fairoaks Castle,
and many 's the cooper of Clart I 've dthrunk there with the
first nobilitee of his neetive countee) — Mr. Pendennis, ye ve
been me preserver, and oi thank ye ; me daughtther will thank
ye; — Mr. Simpson, your humble, servant, Sir."

If Pen was magnificent in his courtesy to the ladies , what
was his splendour in comparison to Captain Costigan's bowing
here and there, and crying bravo to the singers?

A man, descended like Costigan, from a long line of Hi-
bernian kings, chieftains, and other magnates and sheriflfs of
the county, had of course too much dignity and self-respect to
walk arrum-in-arrum (as the Captain phrased it) with a lady
who occasionally swept his room out, and cooked his mutton
chops. In the course of their journey from Shepherd's Inn to
Vauxhall Gardens, Captain Costigan had walked by the side



28



of the two ladies , in a patronising and affable manner pointing
out to them the edifices worthy of note, and discoorsing, ac-
cording to his wont, about other cities and countries which he
had visited, and the people of rank and fashion with whom he
had the honour of an acquaintance. Nor could it be expected,
nor, indeed, did Mrs. Bolton expect, that, arrived in the Royal
property, and strongly illuminated by the flare of the twenty
thousand additional lamps, the Captain could relax from his
dignity, and give an arm to a lady who was, in fact, little better
than a housekeeper or charwoman.

But Pen, on his part, had no such scruples. Miss Fanny
Bolton did not make his bed nor sweep his chambers; and he
did not choose to let go his pretty little partner. As for Fanny,
her colour heightened, and her bright eyes shone the brighter
with pleasure, as she leaned for protection on the arm of such
a fine gentleman as Mr. Pen. And she looked at numbers of
other ladies in the place, and at scores of other gentlemen un-
der whose protection they were walking here and there ; and
she thought that her gentleman was handsomer and grander
looking than any other gent in the place. Of course there
were votaries of pleasure of all ranks there — rakish young
surgeons, fast young clerks and commercialists, occasional
dandies of the Guard regiments , and the rest. Old Lord Col-
chicum was there in attendance upon Mademoiselle Caracoline,
who had been riding in the ring; and who talked her native
French very loud, and used idiomatic expressions of exceeding
strength as she walked about, leaning on the arm of his lord-
ship.

Colchium was in attendance upon Mademoiselle Caracoline,
little Tom Tufthunt was in attendance upon Lord Colchium;
and rather pleased, too, with his position. When Don Juan
scales the wall, there 's never a want of a Leporello to hold the
ladder. Tom Tufthunt was quite happy to act as friend to the



29



elderly viscount, and to carve the fowl, and to make the salad
at supper. When Pen and his young lady met the Viscount's
party, that noble peer only gave Arthur a passing leer of re-
cognition as his lordship's eyes passed from Pen's face under
the bonnet of Pen's companion. But Tom Tufthunt wagged
his head very good-naturedly at Mr. Arthur, and said, " How
are you, old boy ? " and looked extremely knowing at the god-
father of this history.

" That is the great rider at Astley's ; I have seen her there,"
Miss Bolton said, looking after Mademoiselle Caracoline;
"and who is that old man? is it not the gentleman in the ring?'*

" That is Lord Viscount Colchicum, Miss Fanny," said Pen,
with an air of protection. He meant no harm ; he was pleased
to patronise the young girl, and he was not displeased that she
should be so pretty, and that she should be hanging upon his
arm, and that yonder elderly Don Juan should have seen her
there.

Fanny was very pretty ; her eyes were dark and brilliant ;
her teeth were like little pearls ; her mouth was almost as red as
Mademoiselle Caracoline's when the latter had put on her ver-
milion. And what a difference there was between the one's
voice and the other's, between the girl's laugh and the wo-
man^s! It was only very lately, indeed, that Fanny, when
looking in the little glass over the Bows-Costigan mantelpiece
as she was dusting it, had begun to suspect that she was a
beauty. But a year ago, she was a clumsy, gawky girl, at whom
her father sneered, and of whom the girls at the day-school
(Miss Minifer's, Newcastle Street, Strand; MissM., the younger
sister, took the leading business at theNorwich circuit in 182 — ;
and she herself had played for two seasons with some credit
T. R. E. O., T. R. S. W., until she fell down a trap-door and
broke her leg) ; the girls at Fanny's school, we say, took no ac-
count of her , and thought her a dowdy little creature as long



30



as she remained under Miss Minifer's instruction. And it was
unremarked and almost unseen In the dark porter's lodge of
Shepherd's Inn, that this little flower bloomed Into beauty.

So this young person hung upon Mr. Pen's arm, and they
paced the gardens together. Empty as London was, there
were still some two millions of people left lingering about It,
and amongst them, one or two of the acquaintances of Mr. Ar-
thur Pendcnnls.

Amongst them, silent and alone, pale, with his hands in his
pockets, and a rueful nod of the head to Arthur as they met,
passedHenry Foker, Esq. Young Henry was trying to ease
his mind by moving from place to place , and from excitement
to excitement. But he thought about Blanche as he saun-
tered in the dark walks ; he thought aboutBlanche as he looked
at the devices of the lamps. He consulted the fortune-teller
about her, and was disappointed when that gipsy told him that
he was in love with a dark lady who would make him happy,
and at the concert, though Mr. Momus sang his most stunning
comic songs, and asked his most astonishing riddles, never did
a kind smile come to visit Foker's lips. In fact, he never heard
Mr. Momus at all.

Pen and Miss Bolton were hard by listening to the same
concert, and the latter remarked, and Pen laughed at, Mr. Fo-
ker's wo-begone face.

Fanny asked what It was that made that old -looking little
man so dismal? "I think he Is crossed In love! " Pen said.
"Isn't that enough to make any man dismal, Fanny?" And
he looked down at her, splendidly protecting her, like Egmont
at Clara in Goethe's play, or Leicester at Amy in Scott's
novel.

"Crossed In love is he? poor gentleman ," said Fanny with
a sigh, and her eyes turned round towards him with no little



31



kindness and pity — but Harry did not see the beautiful dark
eyes.

"How 'ly do , Mr. Pendennis ! " — a voice broke in here —
it was that of a young man in a large white coat with a red
neckcloth, over which a dingy short collar was turned so as to
exhibit a dubious neck — with a large pin of bullion or other
metal , and an imaginative waistcoat with exceedingly fanciful
glass buttons, and trowsers that cried with a loud voice, "Come
look at me and see how cheap and tawdry I am ; my master,
what a dirty buck ! " and a little stick in one pocket of his coat,
and a lady in pink satin on the other arm — "How dy do —
Forget me, I dare say? Huxter, — Clavering."

"How do you do, Mr. Huxter," the Prince of Fairoaks
said in his most princely manner — " I hope you are very well."

"Pretty bobbish , thanky." — And Mr. Huxter wagged his
head. "I say, Pendennis, you 've been coming it uncommon
strong since we had the row at Wapshot's, don't you remember.
Great author, hay ? Go about with the swells. Saw your name
in the Morning Post. I suppose you 're too much of a swell to
come and have a bit of supper with an old friend? — Charter-
house Lane to-morrow night, — some devilish good fellows
from Bartholomew's, and some stunning gin punch. Here's
my card," And with this Mr. Huxter released his hand from
the pocket where his cane was, and pulling off the top of his
card case with his teeth produced thence a visiting ticket,
which he handed to Pen.

"You are exceedingly kind, lam sure," said Pen: "but
I regret that I have an engagement which will take me out of
town to-morrow night." And the Marquis of Fairoaks won-
dering that such a creature as this could have the audacity to
give him a card, put Mr. Huxter's card into his waistcoat
pocket with a lofty courtesy. Possibly Mr. Samuel Huxter was
not aware that there was any great social difference between



32



Mr. Arthur Pendennis and himself. Mr. Huxter's father -was
a surgeon and apothecary at Clavering, just as Mr. Penden-
nis's papa had been a surgeon and apothecary at Bath. But
the impudence of some men is beyond all calculation.

"Well, old fellow, never mind," said Mr. Huxter, who,
always frank and familiar, was from vinous excitement even
more affable than usual. "If ever you are passing, look up at
our place, — I 'm mostly at home Saturdays; and there 's ge-
nerally a cheese in the cupboard. Ta, Ta. — There 's the
bell for the fire-works ringing. Come along, Mary." And
he set off running with the rest of the crowd in the direction of
the fire-works.

So did Pen presently, when this agreeable youth was out of
sight, begin to run with his little companion ; Mrs. Bolton fol-
lowing after them, with Captain Costigan at her side. But the
Captain was too majestic and dignified in his movements to
run for friend or enemy, and he pursued his course with the
usual jaunty swagger which distinguished his steps , so that he
and his companion were speedily distanced by Pen and Miss
Fanny.

Perhaps Arthur forgot, or perhaps he did not choose to
remember, that the elder couple had no money in their
pockets, as had been proved by their adventure at the en-
trance of the Gardens ; howbeit. Pen payed a couple of shil-
lings for himself and his partner, and with her hanging close
on his arm, scaled the staircase which leads to the firework
gallery. The Captain and mamma might have followed them
if they liked, but Arthur and Fanny were too busy to look
back. People were pushing and squeezing there beside and
behind them. One eager individual rushed by Fanny, and
elbowed her so, that she fell back with a little cry, upon which,
of course, Arthur caught her adroitly In his arms, and, just



33



for protection , kept her so defended , until they mounted the
stair, and took their places.

Poor Foker sate alone on one of the highest benches , his
face illuminated by the fire- works, or in their absence by the
moon. Arthur saw him, and laughed, but did not occupy him-
self about his friend much. He was engaged with Fanny. How
she wondered ! how happy she was ! how she cried O, 0, O, as
the rockets soared into the air, and showered down in azure,
and emerald, and vermilion. As these wonders blazed and
disappeared before her, the little girl thrilled and trembled
with delight at Arthur's side — her hand was under his arm
still, he felt it pressing him as she looked up delighted.

"How beautiful they are. Sir I " she cried.

"Don't call me Sir, Fanny," Arthur said.

A quick blush rushed up into the girl's face. "What shall
I call you?" she said, in a low voice, sweet and tremulous.
" What would you wish me to say. Sir? "

"Again, Fanny! Well, I forgot; it is best so, my dear,"
Fendennis said, very kindly and gently. "I may call you
Fanny?"

" O yes 1 " she said, and the little hand pressed his arm once
more very eagerly, and the girl clung to him so that he could
feel her heart beating on his shoulder.

"I may call you Fanny , because you are a young girl, and
a good girl, Fanny, and I am an old gentleman. But you
mustn't call me anything but Sir , or Mr. Fendennis , if you
like; for we live in very different stations , Fanny; and don't
think I speak unkindly ; and — and why do you take your hand
away , Fanny ? Are you afraid of me ? Do you think I would
hurt you? Not for all the world, my dear little girl. And —
and look how beautiful the moon and stars are, and how calmly
they shine when the rockets have gone out, and the noisy
wheels have done hissing and blazing. When I came here to-
Pendennis. III. 3



34



night I did not think I should have had such a pretty little
companion to sit by my side, and see these fine fire- works. You
must know I live by myself, and work very hard. I write in
books and newspapers, Fanny ; and I was quite tired out, and
expected to sit alone all night; and — don't cry, my dear,
dear, little girl." Here Pen broke out, rapidly putting an
end to the calm oration which he had begun to deliver; for the
sight of a woman's tears always put his nerves in a quiver, and
he began forthwith to coax her and soothe her, and to utter a
hundred-and-twenty little ejaculations of pity and sympathy,
which need not be repeated here, because they would be ab-
surd in print. So would a mother's talk to a child be absurd
in print; so would a lover's to his bride. That sweet artless
poetry bears no trandation; and is too subtle for gramma-
rian's clumsy definitions. You have but the same four letters
to describe the salute which you perform on your grandmo-
ther's forehead, and that which you bestow on the sacred
cheek of your mistress ; but the same four letters and not one
of them a labial. Do we mean to hint that Mr. Arthur Penden-
nis made any use of the monosyllable in question? Not so.
In the first place , it was dark: the fire- works were over, and
nobody could see him; secondly, he was not a man to have
this kind of secret, and tell it ; thirdly and lastly, let the honest
fellow who has kissed a pretty girl , say what would have been
his own conduct in such a delicate juncture?

Well, the truth is, that however you may suspect him,
and whatever you would have done under the circumstances,
or Mr. Pen would have liked to do , he behaved honestly, and
like a man. "I will not play with this little girl's heart," he
said within himself , " and forget my own or her honour. She
seems to have a great deal of dangerous and rather contagious
sensibility, and I am very glad the fire-works are over, and
that I can take her back to her mother. Come along, Fanny ;



35



mind the steps, and lean on me. Don't stumble, you heedless
little thing ; this is the way , and there is your mamma at the
door."

And there, indeed, Mrs. Bolton was, unquiet in spirit,
and grasping her umbrella. She seized Fanny with maternal
fierceness and eagerness , and uttered some rapid abuse to the
girl in an under tone. The expression in Captain Costigan's
eye — standing behind the matron and winking at Pendennis
from under his hat — was, I am bound to say, indefinably
humorous.

It was so much so, that Pen could not refrain from bursting
into a laugh. "You should have taken my arm, ISIrs. Bolton,"
he said, offering it. "I am very glad to bring Miss Fanny back
quite safe to you. We thought you would have followed us up
into the gallery. We enjoyed the fire-works, didn't we? "

" O yes ! " said Miss Fanny, with rather a demure look.

"And the bouquet was magnificent, " said Pen. "And it
is ten hours since I had anything to eat , ladies ; and I wish you
would permit me to invite you to supper. "

"Dad," said Costigan, "I'd loike a snack tu; only I
forgawt me purse , or I should have invoited these leedies to a
collection. "

Mrs. Bolton with considerable asperity said, She ad an
eadache, and would much rather go ome.

"A lobster salad is the best thing in the world for a head-
ache , " Pen said gallantly, " and a glass of wine I 'm sure will
do you good. Come, Mrs. Bolton, be kind to me and oblige
me. I shan't have the heart to sup without you, and upon my
word I have had no dinner. Give me your arm : give me the
umbrella. Costigan, I 'm sure you '11 take care of Miss Fanny;
and I shall think Mrs. Bolton angry with me, unless she will
favour me with her society. And we will all sup quietly, and
go back in a cab together."



36



The cab , the lobster salad, the frank and good-humoured
look of Pendennis, as he smilingly invited the worthy matron,
subdued her suspicions and her anger. Sincehe w^0M/c?be so
obliging, she thought she could take a little bit of lobster, and
so they all marched away to a box; and Costigan called for a
waither with such a loud and belligerent voice, as caused one
of those officials instantly to run to him.

The carte was examined on the wall, and Fanny was asked
to choose her favourite dish; upon which the young creature
said she was fond of lobster , too , but also owned to a partiality
for raspberry-tart. This delicacy was provided by Pen, and
a bottle of the most frisky champagne was moreover ordered
for the delight of the ladies. Little Fanny drank this ; — what
other sweet Intoxication had she not drunk In the course of
the night?

When the supper, which was very brisk and gay , was over,
and Captain Costigan and Mrs. Bolton had partaken of some
of the rack punch that Is so fragrant at Vauxhall, the bill was
called and discharged by Pen with great generosity, — "loike
a foin young English gentleman of th' olden toime , be Jove, "

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