You are as majestic as Mrs.Siddons." "Faith, I always said so," Costigan said, winking at his daughter; "Major, take a chair." Milly rose at this hint, took an uuripped satin garment off the only vacant seat, and brought the latter to Major Pendennis with one of her finest curtseys.
"You are as pathetic as Miss O'Neill," he continued, bowing and seating himself; "your snatches of song reminded me of Mrs.Jordan in her best time, when we were young men, Captain Costigan; and your manner reminded me of Mars.

Did you ever see the Mars, Miss Fotheringay ?" "There was two Mahers in Crow Street," remarked Miss Emily; "Fanny was well enough, but Biddy was no great things." "Sure, the Major means the god of war, Milly, my dear," interposed the parent.
"It is not that Mars I meant, though Venus, I suppose, may be pardoned for thinking about him," the Major replied with a smile directed in full to Sir Derby Oaks, who now re-entered in his shell-jacket; but the lady did not understand the words of which he made use, nor did the compliment at all pacify Sir Derby, who, probably, did not understand it either, and at any rate received it with great sulkiness and stiffness, scowling uneasily at Miss Fotheringay, with an expression which seemed to ask what the deuce does this man here?
Major Pendennis was not in the least annoyed by the gentleman's ill-humour.

On the contrary, it delighted him.

"So," thought he, "a rival is in the field;" and he offered up vows that Sir Derby might be, not only a rival, but a winner too, in this love-match in which he and Pen were engaged.
"I fear I interrupted your fencing lesson; but my stay in Chatteris is very short, and I was anxious to make myself known to my old fellow-campaigner Captain Costigan, and to see a lady nearer who had charmed me so much from the stage.

I was not the only man epris last night, Miss Fotheringay (if I must call you so, though your own family name is a very ancient and noble one).