Martin Chuzzlewit

ARCHITECTURAL, AND EXACT RELATION OF THE PROGRESS MADE BY

do; or in more prosaic phrase, the tip of that feature in the sweet girl's countenance was always very red at breakfast-time. For the most part, indeed, it wore, at that season of the day, a scraped and frosty look, as if it had been rasped; while

nlargement, and fell into a strange kind of flutter for want of some kind hand to scrape his bread, and cut him off in the article of sugar with a lump, and pay him those other little attentions to which he was accustomed. There was something almost awful, too, about the self-possession of the new pupil; who 'troubled' Mr Pecksniff for the loaf, and helped himself to a rasher of that gentleman's own particular and private bacon, with all the coolness in life. He even seemed to think that he was doing quite a regular thing, and to expect that Mr Pinch would follow

of these severe trials, though with something of a mysterious understanding among themselves. When

I desert our quiet home to pursue the giddy round of pleasu

r!' cried t

fessional business; and I promised my girls, long ago, that whenever that happened again, they should accompany me. We shall go forth to-night by the heavy coach-like the dove of old, my dear

dies will enjoy thei

cy, clapping her hands. 'Good gracious,

yself, in the days of my childhood, that pickled onions grew on trees, and that every elephant was born with an impregnable castle on his back. I have not found the fact to be so; far from it; and yet those visions

tately choked in his tea; for he had that very morning re

not run away in our absence. We leave you in charge of everything. There is no mystery; all is free and open. Un

nder, I think, s

me. Unlike that young man, my dear Martin, you are forbidden to enter no corner of this house; but are requested to make you

ses; but as no such animal chanced at that time to be grazing on Mr Pecksniff's estate, this request must be considered rather as a polite compliment that a substantial hospital

onument to a Lord Mayor of London; or a tomb for a sheriff; or your notion of a cow-house to be erected in a nobleman's park. Do you know, now,' said Mr Peck

ans appeared to rel

lated to refine the mind and give it a classical tendency. An ornamental turnpike has a remar

iff pleased,' said

, merrily, 'I shall be very curious to see what you make of the grammar-school. Who knows but a young man of your taste might hit upon something, impracticable and unlikely in itself, but which I could put into shape? For it really is, my dear Martin, it really is in th

ndeed, as some people said (and these were the old enemies again!) was unquestionably very surprising, and almost miraculous; as there were cases on record in which the masterly introduction of an additional back window, or a kitchen door,

easing pursuit. There are a cart-load of loose bricks, and a score or two of old flower-pots, in the back yard. If you could pile them up my dear Martin, into any form which would remind me on my return say of St. Peter's at Rome, or the Mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople,

the young man returned, he was very taciturn and dull, in which state he remained all day; so that Tom, after trying h

k; and then Miss Mercy sent for him to come and mend her box; and then he wrote the fullest possible cards for all the luggage; and then he volunteered to carry it all downstairs; and after that to see it safely carried on a couple of barrows to the old finger-post at the end of the lane; and then to mind it till the

uch a distance being a serious consideration, when one's not rich. She will be glad to see my hand, poor girl, and to hear that Pecksniff is as kind as ever. I would have asked John Westlock to call and see her, and tell her all about me by word of m

holy for half a minute or so, but he found comf

g ever got here. I must have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I am sure, to have ever come across Pecksniff. And here have I fallen again into my usual good luck with the new pupil! Such an affable, generous, free fellow, as he is, I never saw. Why, we we

nate adieux of that young lady, approached as Mr Pinch spoke, followed by Miss Charity and Mr Pecksniff. As the coach appear

ister, Thomas. Yes, oh yes, it shall be delivered, Mr Pinch. Make yo

ccurred to his mind before), and thanked him earnestly. The Miss Pecksniffs, according to a custom they had, were amu

quite brisk. Even when the coach had rolled away with the olive-branches in the boot and the family of doves inside, he stood waving his hand and bowing; so much gratified by the unusually courteous demeanour of the you

, together with the sharp air of the wintry afternoon, roused them both at

are!' said Tom; 'w

e than was the matter yesterday, and much more, I hope, th

nd scarcely ever felt more disposed to be good company. It was a ver

have thought he would have had enough to do to

keeps his word, and says, "My dear Pinch, I often think of you,"

low,' said Martin, somewhat peevishly:

looking wistfully in his companion's fac

of a place, and fresh to all the delights of being his own master in London, can have much leisure or inclinati

dued tone, that to be sure it was unreasonable to expect

know best,' M

he had made this rejoinder, they fell into a blank silence again

of which liberal arrangement, they had the happiness to find awaiting them in the parlour two chaotic heaps of the remains of last night's pleasure, consisting of certain filmy bits of oranges, some mummied sandwiches, various disrupted masses of the geological cake, and sever

sat moodily down before it, in the most comfortable chair he could find. That he might the better squeeze himself into the small corner that was left for him, Mr Pi

ig

his surpassing appreciation of the husky sandwiches, which crumbled in his mouth like saw-dust; the unspeakable relish with which he swallowed the thin wine by drops, and smacked his lips, as though it were so rich and generous that to lose an atom of its fruity flavour were a sin; the look with which he paused sometimes, with his glass in his h

s flavour too; some would have seized him by his honest hand, and thanked him for the lesson that his simple nature taught them. Some would have laughe

, nodding approvingly. '

laughed again; and said, as soon a

ch a fellow as

u do find me strange, because I have hardly seen anything

ill nearer to the fire, and spreading his feet out on the fender. 'Deuce

all take it as being

in, glancing down at Mr Pinch, who was by

all!' cr

to him; 'that I have been bred up from childhood with great expectations, and have always been taught to believe that I should be, one day,

inquired Mr Pinc

no parents these many years.

he young man's hand with his own and t

oper to be fond of parents when we have them, and to bear them in remembrance after they're dead, if you have ever known anything of them. But as I

ut on his companion pausing in this place, he started, and

nts-there is no doubt about that; I'll not disguise the fact from you-but he has two very great faults, which are the staple of his bad side. In the

ndeed?'

en, time out of mind, the failings of our family; and I believe there's some truth in it. But I can't say of my own knowledge. All

said Mr Pinch.

in the way of respect, and submission, and self-denial when his wishes were in question, and so forth. I have borne a great deal from him, because I have been under obligations to him (if one can ever be said to be under obligations to one's own grandfather), and be

the world to help anybody out of a d

hunt for the precise expression I want. Now I come to the cream of

into his face with

nd entirely dependent upon the pleasure of my grandfather; and if he were to know that she favoured my passion, she

e her as I am sure you do, and yet in consideration

pettishly: 'don't make yourself ridiculous, my

Tom. 'I thought you meant that

use of my being in love?' said Martin: 'unless to ke

guess what she said when you told her,' he

me girlish notions about duty and gratitude, and all the rest of it, which are r

natural!' and, in his great satisfaction,

htway attacked me in private, and charged me with designing to corrupt the fidelity to himself (there you observe his selfishness), of a young creature whom he had trained and educated to be his only disinterested and faithful companion, when he should have

der, and looked at the fire

ays do; and the upshot of it was, that I was to renounce her, or be renounced by him. Now you must bear in mind, Pinch, that I am not only desperately fond of her (for though she is poor, her

suggestion was not so well received as he had expected; fo

llow you a

said Tom, 'I though

of my character, did I not? I was going to say, if you had given me leave,

ng up his mouth, and no

I was not going to yield to him, or give way

o,' sa

he urged, the more I was

sure!'

reless wave of both hands, as if the subject were quite settled, and nothin

uch as he might have assumed if some uncommonly difficult conundrum had

course, you had

joining country. From that place I came to Salisbury, and there I saw Pecksniff's advertisement, which I answered, having always had some natural taste, I believe, in th

osed Tom, rubbing his hands: 's

ly counter to all his opinions as I could. Well! As I said before, here I am. My engagement with the young lady I have been telling you about is likely to be a tolerably long one; for neither her prospects nor mine are very bright; a

er,' remarked Tom Pi

same time, of course it's not very hard upon her to be obliged to yield to the necessity of the case; first, because she loves

ainly;' so long, that he might have taken a n

d Martin, 'which brings it to an end. You remember what you told me las

ating himself in the chair from which the other had la

was

ed Tom, looking fixedly at him, and spea

f, I have no doubt that she came and went with my grandfather.-Don't you drink

d Tom, setting down the empty glass he had f

ier he would have seen her; and that now she might be, for anything he knew, hundreds of miles aw

regarded him (either in fact, or as he supposed) with kindness, and in a spirit of lenient construction. Whatever his own thoughts had been a few moments before-an

ht it is that it should be. That never ran smooth yet,' said Tom, with a smile which, despite the homeliness of his face, was pleasanter to see than many a proud beauty's brightest glance; 'what never ran smooth yet, can hardly be expected to change its character for us; s

air towards the fire again, 'I should not hesitate to avail myself of your services if you could help me at all; but mercy on us!'-Here he rumpled his hair impatiently with his

inclination,' s

nt for anything, I shouldn't want help. I tell you what you

that?' de

d to

h enthusiasm. 'Excuse my leaving you in the dark a moment, an

e of to-day, and the novelty of everything about me; and in such a case, there's no greater lux

all!' cr

see me getting drowsy (unless you feel tired), for it's pleasa

r tried tha

s when we're both in the right humour. Don

beside his bed. Martin had in the meantime made himself as comfortable as circumstances would permit, by constructing

oud, please,' h

o,' sa

ure you'r

all!' cr

ite read

re as if they were living and highly cherished creatures, made his own selectio

the backs of the chairs. 'He is very young to have so much trouble. How trustful a

o snuff the candle, until its wick looked like a mushroom. He gradually became so much interested, that he quite forgot to replenish the

er I dreamed of being frozen. Do call for