第163章

`His son a pattern!' cried old Martin. `How can you tell me that? My brother had in his wealth the usual doom of wealth, and root of misery.

He carried his corrupting influence with him, go where he would; and shed it round him, even on his hearth. It made of his own child a greedy expectant, who measured every day and hour the lessening distance between his father and the grave, and cursed his tardy progress on that dismal road.'

`No!' cried Mr. Pecksniff, boldly. `Not at all, sir!'

`But I saw that shadow in his house,' said Martin Chuzzlewit, `the last time we met, and warned him of its presence. I know it when I see it, do I not? I, who have lived within it all these years!'

`I deny it,' Mr. Pecksniff answered, warmly. `I deny it altogether.

That bereaved young man is now in this house, sir, seeking in change of scene the peace of mind he has lost. Shall I be backward in doing justice to that young man, when even undertakers and coffinmakers have been moved by the conduct he has exhibited; when even mutes have spoken in his praise, and the medical man hasn't known what to do with himself in the excitement of his feelings! There is a person of the name of Gamp, sir--Mrs. Gamp--ask her. She saw Mr. Jonas in a trying time. Ask her, sir. She is respectable, but not sentimental, and will state the fact. A line addressed to Mrs.

Gamp, at the Birdshop, Kingsgate Street, High Holborn, London, will meet with every attention, I have no doubt. Let her be examined, my good sir.

Strike, but hear! Leap, Mr. Chuzzlewit, but look! Forgive me, my dear sir,' said Mr. Pecksniff, taking both his hands, `if I am warm; but I am honest, and must state the truth.'

In proof of the character he gave himself, Mr. Pecksniff suffered tears of honesty to ooze out of his eyes.

The old man gazed at him for a moment with a look of wonder, repeating to himself, `Here now! In this house!' But he mastered his surprise, and said, after a pause:

`Let me see him.'

`In a friendly spirit, I hope?' said Mr. Pecksniff. `Forgive me, sir but he is in the receipt of my humble hospitality.'

`I said,' replied the old man, `let me see him. If I were disposed to regard him in any other than a friendly spirit, I should have said keep us apart.'

`Certainly, my dear sir. So you would. You are frankness itself, I know.

I will break this happiness to him,' said Mr. Pecksniff, as he left the room, `if you will excuse me for a minute, gently.'

He paved the way to the disclosure so very gently, that a quarter of an hour elapsed before he returned with Mr. Jonas. In the meantime the young ladies had made their appearance, and the table had been set out for the refreshment of the travellers Now, however well Mr. Pecksniff, in his morality, had taught Jonas the lesson of dutiful behaviour to his uncle, and however perfectly Jonas, in the cunning of his nature, had learnt it, that young man's bearing, when presented to his father's brother, was anything but manly or engaging.

Perhaps, indeed, so singular a mixture of defiance and obsequiousness, of fear and hardihood, of dogged sullenness and an attempt at enraging and propitiation, never was expressed in any one human figure as in that of Jonas, when, having raised his downcast eyes to Martin's face, he let them fall again, and uneasily closing and unclosing his hands without a moment's intermission, stood swinging himself from side to side, waiting to be addressed.

`Nephew,' said the old man. `You have been a dutiful son, I hear.'

`As dutiful as sons in general, I suppose,' returned Jonas, looking up and down once more. `I don't brag to have been any better than other sons; but I haven't been any worse, I dare say.'

`A pattern to all sons, I am told,' said the old man, glancing towards Mr. Pecksniff.

`Ecod!' said Jonas, looking up again for a moment, and shaking his head, `I've been as good a son as ever you were a brother. It's the pot and the kettle, if you come to that.'

`You speak bitterly, in the violence of your regret,' said Martin, after a pause. `Give me your hand.'

Jonas did so, and was almost at his ease. `Pecksniff,' he whispered, as they drew their chairs about the table; `I gave him as good as he brought, eh? He had better look at home, before he looks out of window, I think?'

Mr. Pecksniff only answered by a nudge of the elbow, which might either be construed into an indignant remonstrance or a cordial assent; but which, in any case, was an emphatic admonition to his chosen son-in-law to be silent. He then proceeded to do the honours of the house with his accustomed ease and amiability.