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glimmered, like two red sparks, in their sunken sockets. His gaunt and bony figure was enveloped in the identical red roquelaure, or wide wrapping cloak, of which lady Clancarras had made such honourable mention; and, as he put aside its ample folds, both his pockets were discovered to be stuffed with bundles of papers. An ill-combed wig, half pushed off his head by a crop of grizzled hair beginning to grow under it, completed the grotesqueness of his appearance. His companion, Mr. Montfort, of whom we shall speak more hereafter, was, in his person and address, every thing that was elegant and gentlemanlike. Mr. Pendennis introduced him as a gentleman, to whose ingenuity and research he had been much indebted since they had travelled together, and whose graphic talents promised to enrich his forthcoming work upon Ireland with the most beautiful features of the scenery they had passed through.

Mr. Pendennis and Mr. Montfort had

first met in the Tyrol, and after pursuing their journey through Switzerland, and along part of the Rhine, had liked each other's company so well, that they agreed to visit Ireland together. Lady Louisa Southwell, who had herself travelled in the Tyrolese, addressed to our travellers, with her accustomed urbanity, some observations respecting the history and character of the country and its inhabitants. Mr. Montfort's replies completed the favourable impression his appearance had begun; while the countenance of Pendennis, notwithstanding his personal disadvantages, brightened into good-humour and intelligence the moment he began to speak. The conversation was kept up, with unabated spirit, till the summons to supper, which soon took place, as, in the country, sir Charles and lady Louisa still adhered to this somewhat-antiquated custom. Pendennis, by the manner in which he did honour to the feast, did not seem to consider it as a custom "more honour

ed in the breach than the observance." One unlucky retrospection appeared to give more pain than pleasure. After taking wine with lady Louisa and Miss Southwell, our tourist asked her ladyship's permission to propose a toast, with which, he said, it was his custom to begin or close every repast." I mean," he added, with solemnity, "The memory of my first patron, the excellent earl of Desborough."

At the mention of her father, tears rushed into the eyes of lady Louisa, and the venerable parent, who had closed his life full of years and honours, seemed still mourned by his daughter with all the poignancy of unexpected and recent affliction. Sir Charles Southwell too appeared disturbed; but his emotion was of no tender kind. Unconscious of the effect he had produced, Pendennis resumed-" In all my wanderings I have never forgot the kindness extended to my unprotected youth, from the hour that chance intro

duced

duced me to the worthiest and most generous of men. An accident, which at first appeared of a serious and alarming nature, was the cause of his lordship's becoming, for a few days, an inmate beneath the humble roof of my father, a curate at East Looe, in Cornwall. The earl found me a 'wild and wayward boy,' and thought he discovered the germ of talent in me. He distinguished me by his notice, and his goodwill did not end with the trifling service that called it forth. My kind patron enabled me to pursue the line of studies most congenial to my taste; and had I continued to be guided by his counsels, instead of an eccentric meteor on the horizon of literature, I might, by this time, have been a shining light in the church."

There was a mixture of feeling, absurdity, and latent vanity, in this profession of regret, which, at another time, lady Louisa would have found highly amusing. As it was, bitter recollections repressed the rising smile. Her ladyship tried to

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turn the conversation from lord Desborough, by addressing herself more particularly to Mr. Montfort; but she started at the sound of his voice, and often, when she could do it without being observed, would fix her penetrating eyes on his face, as if trying to disentangle the ideas that his presence awakened in her mind. The dexterity of Miss O'Reilly at length succeeded in once more directing the discourse into a safe channel. She spoke to Pendennis of his tour-raised his curiosity, by describing the most interesting objects in the vicinity of Meadowscourt-and at length set him talking, or rather romancing, so pleasantly, about his forthcoming work, that sir Charles was really entertained, and even lady Louisa was cheated into a smile.

When Pendennis's stock of marvellous stories nearly failed, Miss O'Reilly sup plied him with new ones that were natives of the soil; and they thus continued, as if inspired by each other, till every disagreeable

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