Martin Chuzzlewit

S ARE INTRODUCED; ON THE SAME

rain, snow, sleet, and hail, had changed his colour from a gaudy blue to a faint lack-lustre shade of grey. But there he hung; rearing, in a state of monstrous imbecility, on his hind legs; waxing, wi

e conceded to the whole brood of dragons of modern times, that they have made a great advance in civilisation and refinement. They no longer demand a beautiful virgin for breakfast every morning, with as much regularity as any tame single gentleman expects his hot roll, but rest content with the society of

first sight, appear to be; for the present business of these pages in with the dragon who had his retreat in Mr Pecksniff's n

ecincts, as on the evening next after that upon which the incidents, detailed in the last chapter occurred; when there was such a hurrying up and down stairs of feet, such a glancing of lights, such a whispering of voices, such a smoking and sputtering of wood newly lighted in

e old gentleman, who had taken this step by reason of his sudden illness in the carriage, suffering the most horrible cramps and spasms, yet protesting and vowing in the very midst of his pain, that he wouldn't have a doctor sent for, and wouldn't t

hour, he would entertain but one. That was that he should go to bed. And it was in the preparation o

e plainly entertained, at times, for his life, nor the great pain he underwent, influenced his resolution in the least degree. He would have no person sent for. The worse he grew, the more rigid and inflexible he b

his being wanted, that he was not at home. He had gone some miles away, and was not expected home until late at night; so the landlady, being by this time pretty well beside herself, dispatched the same messenger in all haste for Mr Pecksniff, as a learned man who could bear a deal of responsibility

nto bed without him; and in the course of two hours, he gradually became so far better that there were much longer intervals than at first between his terms of suffe

eavoured, with a strange air of secrecy and distrust, to make use of the writing materials which he had ordered to be placed on a table be

d passed through her state of weeds, and burst into flower again; and in full bloom she had continued ever since; and in full bloom she was now; with roses on her ample skirts, and roses on her bodice, roses in her cap, roses in her cheeks,-aye, and roses, worth the gathering too, on her lips, for that matter. She had still a bright black eye, and jet black hair; was comely,

o the association of ideas; but it was a good, dull, leaden, drowsy place, where every article of furniture reminded you that you came there to sleep, and that you were expected to go to sleep. There was no wakeful reflection of the fire there, as in your modern chambers, which upon the darkest nights have a watchful consciousness of French polish; the old Spanish mahogany winked at it now and then, as a dozing cat or dog might, nothing more. The very size and shape, and hopeless immovability of the bedstead, and wardrobe, and in a minor degree of even the chair

t an instant at a time. It soon deserted them, and even the distant bed with its strange burden, for the young creatu

bundantly shown, but now, in her tending of the sick gentleman. She was short in stature; and her figure was slight, as became her years; but all the charms of youth and maidenhood set it off, and clustered on her gentle brow. Her face was very pale

unpretending dress. She had sat, at first looking anxiously towards the bed; but seeing that the patient remained quiet, and was busy with his writing, she had softly moved her chair into its present plac

as accurate note and observation as only woman can take of woman. An

in this way before, miss? I

l before, but not so ill

f the Dragon, 'that you had the prescrip

uch an emergency. We nev

we are in the habit of travelli

t meeting the young lady's eyes immediately afterwards,

ter a short pause, 'being so bent on having no

alarmed to-night. He-he

eturned the hostess, sensible o

lightly smiling with a quick perception of what the land

enses might that when a gentleman is ill, he looks so much older than he really is? That I should have called you "Miss," too, ma'am!' But when she h

y, but not without confusion on her own part, 'I meant not

up, and hurriedly drawing beneath the coverle

wards the bed, but stopped imm

asis. 'Why do you ask me? If I had call

he landlady; a suggestion by the way (as she felt a moment after she h

if I had the plague! But they're all afraid of me,' he added, leaning helplessly backw

ered landlady, rising, and going towards him. 'Be

'What do you know about fancies? Who told

ig

unimpaired good humour. 'Dear heart alive, there is no harm in the word, sir, if it is

fixing on her two dark eyes whose brightness was exaggerated by the paleness of his hollow cheeks, as they in turn, together with his s

be thinking it, rather than addressing her. 'But you lose no time. Yo

in at him. At first she had recoiled involuntarily, supposing him disordered in his mind; but the slow composure of his manner, and

t? Being here, it is not very hard

pon his arm; 'reflect how short a time we have been in

confidence in favour of the landlady, but either remembering her tender nursing, or being moved i

furnish entertainment, both to man and beast. 'Now, you will be well again

ess arm upon the coverlet; 'why do you talk to me of friends! Can yo

, gently, 'this young lady

hose hope and confidence were utterly exhausted. 'I suppose she is. He

ding it in the flame of the taper burnt it to ashes. That done, he extinguished the light, and

asioned Mrs Lupin not a little consternation. But the young lady evincing no surprise, curiosity, or alarm, whispered her, with many thanks for her solicitude and compan

induce her to take it. But now, in sheer wonder and amazement at these mysteries, she withdrew at once, and repairing straightway to her own little parlour below stairs, sat down in her easy-chair

ening, M

advancing to receive him, 'I a

ksniff, 'if I can be of service. I am very gl

oad, has been so very bad upstair

has been so very bad upstairs, has he?

f's manner was so bland, and he nodded his head so soothingly, and showed in everything such an affable sense of his own excellence, that anybody would have been, as Mrs Lupin was, comforted by the mere voice and presence of such a man;

warming his hands before the fire, as benevolently as if

quite tranquil,'

ranquil,' said Mr Pecksnif

led her with it. It was not much when Mrs Lupin said it, but it was a whole book when Mr Pecksniff said it. 'I

'for he talks, sir, in the strangest way you ever heard. He is far from easy in his tho

But though he said this in the plainest language, he didn't sp

nobody within hearing, and then looking down upon the floor. 'I am very much afraid, sir, that

in his manner as nearly approaching to severity as any expression o

ing; '-I beg your pardon, sir, but I have been so hurried t

hands) as if it were a widow's back, or an orphan's back, or an enemy's back, or a b

ith all my heart,' observed the hostess, earnestly,

in,' said Mr Pecksniff g

this worthy man unblushingly maintained that he always said of what was very bad, th

'is very natural, and I have no doubt co

ngers through his hair, thrust one hand gently in the bosom

Mrs Lupin, when they re

ecksniff, 'ente

n for Mr Pecksniff always walked softly. The old gentleman was st

his head a melancholy roll, 'I am afraid that this looks artful.

me the young lady, hearing footsteps, rose. Mr Pecksniff glanced at the volume

was fearful of that beforehand. I am appreh

?' inquired the object

to his lips, and substituted another word: 'this young stranger, Mrs Lupin, will excuse me for replying briefly, that I reside in this village; it may be in a

gained a clear insight into the patient's disorder, he took his seat in a large arm-chair, and in an attitude of some thoughtfulness and much comfort, waited for his wak

an end. By little and little he removed the bed-clothes from about his head, and turned still more towards the side where Mr Pecksniff sat. In course of time his e

Gradually his hands became tightly clasped upon the elbows of the chair, his eyes dilated with surprise, his mouth opened, his hair stood more erect upon his forehead than its custom

Martin Ch

ld man, with all the disposition that he clearly enterta

nged, before you had come here to disturb him in his sleep. Why, I dreamed of this fellow!

sin-' said M

. 'In his very first words he asserts his relationship! I knew he would; they all do it! Near or distant, blood or water, it'

st degree compassionate and dispassionate; for he had by this time recovered from his surprise,

aid Martin, c

ther, sir, need you entertain the least misgiving that I shall repeat that obnoxious word which has given you so much offence already. Why should I? What do

nough,' mutter

time, that if I had wished to insinuate myself into your good opinion, I should have been, of all things, careful not to address

motion of his legs beneath the bed-clothes, that there was reason in this, a

ffer my services to a stranger. I make no offer of them to you, because I know you would distrust me if I did. But lying on that bed, sir, I regard you as a stranger, and I have just

ant with ingenuous honesty, that Mrs Lupin almost wondered not to see a stain

l times. Mrs Lupin and the young lady gazed in silence at the counterpane. Mr Pecksniff toye

I thought you spoke. Mrs Lupin,' he continued, slowly rising 'I am not aware that I can be of a

of posture on the old man's part, which brought his face towards

fter another pause, 'you may command my leisure; but I must stipulate, in ju

uge in his garden, and relates her personal memoirs in incomprehensible pantomime. But without stopping to make any inquiry on this point, Martin Chuzzlewit signed to his young companion to withdraw, which she immediately did, along with the landlady leaving him and Mr Pecksniff alone together. For some time they l

u as to a total stranger,'

urning round of his eyes in their sockets before he opened them, th

ot a miser sir, though even that charge is made against me, as I hear, and currently believed. I have no pleasure in hoardi

e looked at this moment as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. He rather looked as if any quantity of butter

oring it up; and others theirs in parting with it; but I have no gratification connected with the thing. Pain and bitterness are the only go

nstantly mounted to his face, or Martin Chuzzlewit wou

e, 'good Christian stranger, that is a main part of my trouble. In other hands, I have known money do good; in other hands I have known it triumphed in, and boasted of with reason, as the master-key to all the brazen gates that close upon the paths to worldly honour, fortune, and enjoyment.

yourself, sir?' e

oolish wish) was, that he turned every thing he touched into gold. The curse of my existence, and the realisation of my own mad desir

his head, and sai

the latent corruption that lay hid within it waiting for such as I to bring it forth. Treachery, deceit, and low design; hatred of competitors, real or fancied, for my favour; meanness, falsehood, baseness, and servility; or,' and here he looked closely in his cousin's eyes, 'or an assumption of honest independence, almost worse than all; these are the beauties which my wealth has brought to light. Brother against brother, child against parent, friends treading on the faces of friends, this is the social company by whom my way has

elaborate demonstration of intending to deliver something very oracular indeed; trusting to the certainty of the old man int

red such domestic strife and discord, by tarrying even with members of my own family; I have been such a lighted torch in peaceful homes, kindling up all the inflammable gases and vapours in their moral atmosphere, which, but for me, might have proved harmless

ksniff, laying his hand upon his

prefer the word, adopted. For a year or more she has been my constant companion, and she is my only one. I have taken, as she knows, a solemn oath never to leave her sixpence when I die, but while I live I make her an annual allowance; not extravagant in its amount and yet not stinted. There is a compact between us that no term of affectionate cajolery shall ever be addressed by either to the other,

k upon his pillow. Mr Pecksniff as slowly ros

huzzl

the other. 'Enough of

ause I have a duty to discharge, from which, depend upo

us, the old man cast an angry glance towards the candlestick, as if he were possessed by a strong inclination to launch it at

e. I will not say,' continued Mr Pecksniff, drawing out his pocket-handkerchief, and winking with both eyes at once, as it were, against his will, 'I will not say that you are mistaken in me. While you are in your present mood I would not say so for the world. I almost wish, indeed, that I had a different nature, that I might repress even this sligh

ehind his pocket-handkerchief. Then, smiling faintly, a

oe among the curtains, as if he were literally rising above all worldly considerations, and were fain to hold on tight, to keep himself from darting skyward like a rocket, 'I tell you without fear or favour, that it will not do for you to be unmindful of your grandson, young Martin, who has the strongest natural claim upon you. It will not do, sir,' repeated

e inserting it in his waistcoat, departed. There was emotion in his manner, bu

on his face of silent wonder, not unmixed w

has just gone out? Why not! He has conspired against me, like the rest, and they are but bird

e burnt paper in the candlestick. He did so, at first, in pure a

ng in the bed; 'after filling me with cares and miseries all my life, it will perpetuate discord and bad passions when I am dead. So it always is. What lawsuits grow out of the graves of rich men, every day

adow in these reflections, and in the histo