Martin Chuzzlewit

D TO THE READER, WITH WHOM HE MAY, I

through the mist which had obscured it all day, looked brightly down upon a li

yranny of nipping winds and early frosts-took heart and brightened up; the stream which had been dull and sullen all day long, broke out into a cheerful smile; the birds began to chirp and twitter on the naked boughs, as though the hopeful creatures half believed that winter had gone by, and spring had come already. The vane upon

up the rich brown earth, and wrought a graceful pattern in the stubbled fields. On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels; others stripped of all their garniture, stood, each the centre of its little heap of bright red leaves, watching their slow decay; others again, still wearing theirs, had them all crunched and crackled up, as though they had been burnt; about the stems of some were piled, in

the west an airy city, wall heaped on wall, and battlement on battlement; the light was all withdrawn; the shining chur

thering leaves no longer quiet, hurried to and fro in search of shelter from its chill pursuit; the labourer unyoked his horses, and with

und profusely. The strong smith and his men dealt such strokes upon their work, as made even the melancholy night rejoice, and brought a glow into its dark face as it hovered about the door and windows, peeping curiously in above the shoulders of a dozen loungers. As to this idle company, there they stood

r if it had any influence on that hoarse companion, it was but to make him roar his cheerful song the louder, and by consequence to make the fire burn the brighter, and the sparks to dance more gayly yet; at length, they whizzed so madly round and round, that it was

l, some here, some there, rolling over each other, whirling round and round upon their thin edges, taking frantic flights into the air, and playing all manner of extraordinary gambols in the extremity of their distress. Nor was this enough for its malicious fury; for not content with driving th

edges; and, in short, went anywhere for safety. But the oddest feat they achieved was, to take advantage of the sudden opening of Mr Pecksniff's front-door, to dash wildly into his passage; whither the wind following close upon them, and finding the back-door open, incontinently blew out the lighted candle held by Miss Pecksniff, and slammed the front-door against Mr Pecksni

e suggestive in its aspect than street doors usually are; for he continued to lie there, rather a lengthy and unreasonable time, without so much as wondering whether he was hurt or no; neither, when Miss Pecksniff inquired through the key-hole in a shrill voice, which might have belonged to a wind in its teens, 'W

, to the ideal inflicter of a run

aps from having caught i

ishing the candles before mentioned pretty rapidly, and of reducing the number of brass knobs on his street door from four or five hundred (which had previously been ju

ks and the gallows, Miss Pecksniff was about to close the door again, when Mr Pecksni

ied Miss Pecksni

he parlour; and the two Miss Pecksniffs, with many incoheren

t. 'Pa! Speak, Pa! Do not

ery wide open, and to drop his lower jaw, somewhat after the manner of a toy nut-cracker; and as his hat had fallen off, and his face was pale, and his

aid Mr Pecksnif

lf!' cried the youn

ain!' exclaim

Pecksniff ran out again to pick up his hat, his brown paper parcel, his umbrella, his gloves, and other small articles; an

s, on the back of his head. These injuries having been comforted externally, with patches of pickled brown paper, and Mr Pecksniff having been comforted internally, with some stiff brandy-and-water, the eldest Miss Pecksniff sat down to make the tea, which w

ness, and kittenish buoyancy. She was the most arch and at the same time the most artless creature, was the youngest Miss Pecksniff, that you can possibly imagine. It was her great charm. She was too fresh and guileless, and too full of child-like vivacity, was the youngest Miss Pecksniff, to wear combs in her hair, or to turn it up, or to frizzle it, or braid it. She wore it in a crop, a lo

r sister! What a pleasant sight was that the contrast they presented; to see each loved and loving one sympathizing with, and devoted to, and leaning on, and yet correcting and counter-checking, and, as it were, antidoting, the other! To behold each damsel in her very admiration of her sister, setting up in business for herself on an entirely different principle, and announcing no connection with over-the-way, and if the q

pt than a copy book. Some people likened him to a direction-post, which is always telling the way to a place, and never goes there; but these were his enemies, the shadows cast by his brightness; that was all. His very throat was moral. You saw a good deal of it. You looked over a very low fence of white cravat (whereof no man had ever beheld the tie for he fastened it behind), and there it lay, a valley between two jutting heights of collar, serene and whiskerless before you. It seemed to say, on the part of Mr Pecksniff, 'The

OR.' In one sense, and only one, he may be said to have been a Land Surveyor on a pretty large scale, as an extensive prospect lay stretched out before the windows of his house. Of his architec

otherwise valuable); entreated him, from that moment, to consider himself one of the family; complimented him highly on his parents or guardians, as the case might be; and turned him loose in a spacious room on the two-pair front; where, in the company of certain drawing-boards, parallel rulers, very stiff-legged compasses, and two, or perhaps three, other young gentlemen, he improved himself, for three or five years, according to his articles, in making elevations of Salisbury Cathedral from every possible point of sight;

d,' said Mr Pecksniff, glancing round the table when

gested Charity

ry pleasure is transitory. We can't even eat, long. If we indulge in harmless fluids, we

unk, Pa,' urged the

ty, my love. Even such a thing as this,' said Mr Pecksniff, laying the fore-finger of his left hand upon the brown paper patch on the top of his head, 'slight casual baldne

been casting about for a new moral, and not quite successfully, 'which is

her father's knee, and laid her blooming cheek upon it. Miss Charity drew her cha

ntly smiling, and shaking his head at the fire-'I have again been fortunate

papa?' ask

e advantages of the best practical architectural education with the comforts of a home, and the constant association wit

lding up her finger arch

t Mr Pecksniff was in the frequent habit of using any word that occurred to him as having a good sound, and rounding a sentence well without much care for its m

trong trustfulness in sounds and forms was

Pa?' inquired the

erry being fond for Mercy. 'What

hands with the most winning giggle in the world, 'what a merce

ow the two Miss Pecksniffs slapped each other after this, and then

and distinctly; 'well looking enough. I do not p

ng their eyes uncommonly wide at this announcement, and in looking for the moment

world, I hope? We are not all arrayed in two opposite ranks; the offensive and the defensive. Some fe

lanthropy which reassured the sisters. They

, and looking at the fire as a man might, who was cracking a joke with it: 'I am weary of such arts. If our inclinations

ocosely (though still with a kind of saintly waggishness) that the younger one was moved to sit upon his knee forthwith, put her fair arms round his neck, and kiss

ir, as he resumed his tranquil face. 'What folly is this! Let us take heed how we laugh without re

no,' said

ired yesterday. And his box was packed, I know; f

ady, 'and had Mr Pinch to dine with him. They spent the e

with his face all manner of colours, and his eyes as dull as if they had been boiled, and his head aching dreadfully, I am sure from

ig

done better than choose for his companion one who, at the close of a long intercourse, had endeavoured, as he knew, to wound my feelings. I am not quite sure that this was

scornful an emphasis on the name as if it would have given her unspeakable ple

to expect in Mr Pinch some development of those better qualities, the possession of which in our own persons inspires our humble self-respect. No,' continued Mr Pecksniff. 'No! Heaven forbid that I should say, nothing can be expected from Mr Pinch; or tha

'There is the creature! Now mark my words, he has come back with John Westlock for his box, an

e from the house, but after a brief murmuring of question and answ

ksniff-not severely; on

uncouth make at the best, which, being shrunk with long wear, was twisted and tortured into all kinds of odd shapes; but notwithstanding his attire, and his clumsy figure, which a great stoop in his shoulders, and a ludicrous habit he had of thrusting his head forward, by no means redeemed, one would not have been dispos

, and from Charity to Mr Pecksniff again, several times; but the young ladies being as intent upon the f

r Pecksniff: I beg your p

, but without looking round. 'Pray be seated, Mr Pinch. Ha

it rather wider open than before, and beckoning nervously to some

and looking at him with an aspect of the deepest melancholy, 'I

my word, sir

rposed the other, 'the better. I u

stlock, sir, going away for good and all, wishes to leave none but friends behind him. Mr Westl

erences!' cr

ferences!'

oceed;' but Mr Pinch was so very much at a loss how to resume, and looked so helplessly at the two Miss Pecksniffs, that the conversation would most probably h

blood between us, pray. I am sorry we have ever differed, and extremely s

ksniff, mildly, 'no ill-w

ch, in an undertone; 'I knew he

tlock, advancing a step or two, and bespeak

ecksniff, in his

shake ha

John. I have forgiven you. I had already forgiven you, even before you ceased to reproach

ards him, with a hearty disgust of h

e eye was fixed upon him as it had been from the firs

,' said the youth, 'I'll not have it

giveness is a high quality; an exalted virtue; far above your control or influence, John.

ng I have done him! He'll not even remember the five hundred pounds he had with me under false pretences; o

e conduct of that misguided person'-and here, although he spoke like one at peace with all the world, he used an emphasis that plainly said "I have my eye upon the rascal now"-'that misgui

d from his daughters. Sounds floated on the air, moreover, as if t

proud and glad to say that I forgive him. Nay! I beg,' cried Mr Pecksniff, raising his voice, as Pinch appeared about to speak, 'I beg that individual not to offer a remark; he will truly oblige me by not uttering one word, just now. I am not sure that I am equal to th

capable of expressing. 'Ladies, good evening. Come, Pinch, it's not worth thinking o

hither poor Mr Pinch, after lingering irresolutely in the parlour for a few seconds, expressing in his countenance the

bent their steps. For some minutes they walked along in silence, until at length young Westlock burst int

another lengthened silence-'You haven't half enough

, I'm sure. It's compliment to say so. If I h

his companion tartly: 'All

of what you call the devil in me, too, or how could I make Pecksniff so uncomfortable? I wouldn't have occasioned him so much

!' returned

h. 'Bless my soul, John, is it nothing to see a man moved to that extent and know one's

anything for you that you do want? Does he shed employment for you, instruction for you, pocket money f

am a great eater; I can't disguise from myself t

mpanion, with no less indignation th

r Pinch only repeated in an undertone that he had a strong

eful. John, there is scarcely a sin in the world that is in my eyes such a crying one as ingratitude;

re I say anything more to you, just run over the reasons you have for being grateful to

nch, 'he took me as his pupil

tly unmoved by this instance of gen

I am his assistant, he allows me a salary; when his business improves, my prospects are to improve too. All this, and a great deal more, is in the second place. And in the very prologue and preface to the first place, John, you must consider this, w

ctively changed his manner as he sat down on the box (they had by this time reached the finger-pos

the best fellows in the wo

knew Pecksniff as well as I do, you might

e,' returned the other, 'and not a

his, I am afraid,' said Pin

amous fellow! he never scraped and clawed into his pouch all your po

of his large knees, and nodding hi

advancement, which he knew (and no man better) never would be realised! He never speculated and traded on her pride

nd's face, as if he were a little dou

of any use to him; because your wonderful faith in his pretensions is of inestimable service in all his mean disputes; because your honesty reflects honesty on him; because your wandering about this little place all your s

at his friend with a more troubled aspect than

lous,' rejoined the other, 'e

madness,'

the thousand useless odds and ends you do (and which, of course, he taught you), eh, Tom? Who but a madman would suppose you advertised him hereabouts, much cheaper and much better than a chalker on the walls could, eh, Tom? As well might one suppose that he doesn't on all occasions pour out his whole heart and soul to you; that he doesn't make you a very liberal and indeed rather an

breath; and gazing wistfully in his face as if he were unable to settle in his own mind what expression it wore, and were desirous to draw from it as good a clue to his real meaning as it was possible to obtain in the dark, was about to a

shall write to you

. I can hardly believe you're going. It seems, now, but

rung up to his seat upon the roof. Off went the mail at a canter down the dark roa

at certain intervals, to bear my friends away into the world. You're more exulting and rampant than usual tonight, I think; and you may well crow over