Your head a little more to the light, Mrs. Pendennis,
if you please. I am tiring you, I dare say, but then, oh, I am doing it
so badly!"
I, for my part, thought Clive was making a very pretty drawing of my
wife, and having affairs of my own to attend to, would often leave her at
his chambers as a sitter, or find him at our lodgings visiting her. They
became the very greatest friends. I knew the young fellow could have no
better friend than Laura; and not being ignorant of the malady under
which he was labouring, concluded naturally and justly that Clive grew so
fond of my wife, not for her sake entirely, but for his own, because he
could pour his heart out to her, and her sweet kindness and compassion
would soothe him in his unhappy condition.
Miss Ethel, I have said, also professed a great fondness for Mrs.
Pendennis; and there was that charm in the young lady's manner which
speedily could overcome even female jealousy. Perhaps Laura determined
magnanimously to conquer it; perhaps she hid it so as to vex me and prove
the injustice of my suspicions: perhaps, honestly, she was conquered by
the young beauty, and gave her a regard and admiration which the other
knew she could inspire whenever she had the will.
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