.

More Storms in the Puddle.
Pen's conduct in this business of course was soon made public, and angered his friend Doctor Portman not a little: while it only amused Major Pendennis.

As for the good Mrs.Pendennis, she was almost distracted when she heard of the squabble, and of Pen's unchristian behaviour.

All sorts of wretchedness, discomfort, crime, annoyance, seemed to come out of this transaction in which the luckless boy had engaged; and she longed more than ever to see him out of Chatteris for a while,--anywhere removed from the woman who had brought him into so much trouble.
Pen when remonstrated with by this fond parent, and angrily rebuked by the Doctor for his violence and ferocious intentions, took the matter au grand serieux, with the happy conceit and gravity of youth: said that he himself was very sorry for the affair, that the insult had come upon him without the slightest provocation on his part; that he would permit no man to insult him upon this head without vindicating his own honour, and appealing with great dignity to his uncle, asked whether he could have acted otherwise as a gentleman, than as he did in resenting the outrage offered to him, and in offering satisfaction to the person chastised?
"Vous allez trop vite, my good sir," said the uncle, rather puzzled, for he had been indoctrinating his nephew with some of his own notions upon the point of honour--old-world notions savouring of the camp and pistol a great deal more than our soberer opinions of the present day--"between men of the world I don't say; but between two schoolboys, this sort of thing is ridiculous, my dear boy--perfectly ridiculous." "It is extremely wicked, and unlike my son," said Mrs.Pendennis, with tears in her eyes, and bewildered with the obstinacy of the boy.
Pen kissed her, and said with great pomposity, "Women, dear mother, don't understand these matters--I put myself into Foker's hands--I had no other course to pursue." Major Pendennis grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

The young ones were certainly making great progress, he thought.