house, where a brief epistle from that good gentleman to Mr Pinch announced the family's return by that night's coach. As it would pass the corner of the lane at about six o'clock in the morning, Mr Pecksniff requested that the gig might be in waiting at the finger-post about that time, together with a cart for the luggage. And to the end that he might be received with the greater honour, the young men agreed to rise early, and be upon the spot themselves.
It was the least cheerful day they had yet passed together. Martin was out of spirits and out of humour, and took every opportunity of comparing his condition and prospects with those of young Westlock; much to his own disadvantage always. This mood of his depressed Tom; and neither that morning's parting, nor yesterday's dinner, helped to mend the matter. So the hours dragged on heavily enough; and they were glad to go to bed early.
They were not quite so glad to get up again at half-past four o'clock, in all the shivering discomfort of a dark winter's morning; but they turned out punctually, and were at the finger-post full half-an-hour before the appointed time. It was not by any means a lively morning, for the sky was black and cloudy, and it rained hard; but Martin said there was some satisfaction in seeing that brute of a horse (by this, he meant Mr Pecksniff's Arab steed) getting very wet; and that he rejoiced, on his account, that it rained so fast. From this it may be inferred that Martin's spirits had not improved, as indeed they had not; for while he and Mr Pinch stood waiting under a hedge, looking at the rain, the gig, the cart, and its reeking driver, he did nothing but grumble; and, but that it is indispensable to any dispute that there should be two parties to it, he would certainly have picked a quarrel with Tom.
At length the noise of wheels was faintly audible in the distance and presently the coach came splashing through the mud and mire with one miserable outside passenger crouching down among wet straw, under a saturated umbrella; and the coachman, guard, and horses, in a fellowship of dripping wretchedness. Immediately on its stopping, Mr Pecksniff let down the window-glass and hailed Tom Pinch.
“Dear me, Mr Pinch! Is it possible that you are out upon this very inclement morning?”
“Yes, sir,” cried Tom, advancing eagerly, “Mr Chuzzlewit and I, sir.”
“Oh!” said Mr Pecksniff, looking not so much at Martin as at the spot on which he stood. “Oh! Indeed. Do me the favour to see to the trunks, if you please, Mr Pinch.”
Then Mr Pecksniff descended, and helped his daughters to alight; but neighter he nor the young ladies took the slightest notice of Martin, who had advanced to offer his assistance, but was repulsed by Mr Pecksniff's standing immediately before his person, with his back towards him. In the same manner, and in profound silence, Mr Pecksniff handed his daughters into the gig; and following himself and taking the reins, drove off home.
Lost in astonishment, Martin stood staring at the coach, and when the coach had driven away, at Mr Pinch, and the luggage, until the cart moved off too; when he said to Tom:
“Now will you have the goodness to tell me what THIS portends?”
“What?” asked Tom.
“This fellow's behaviour. Mr Pecksniff's, I mean. You saw it?”
“No. Indeed I did not,” cried Tom. “I was busy with the trunks.”
“It is no matter,” said Martin. “Come! Let us make haste back!” And without another word started off at such a pace, that Tom had some difficulty in keeping up with him.
He had no care where he went, but walked through little heaps of mud and little pools of water with the utmost indifference; looking straight before him, and sometimes laughing in a strange manner within himself. Tom felt that anything he could say would only render him the more obstinate, and therefore trusted to Mr Pecksniff's manner when they reached the house, to remove the mistaken impression under which he felt convinced so great a favourite as the new pupil must unquestionably be labouring. But he was not a little amazed himself, when they did reach it, and entered the parlour where Mr Pecksniff was sitting alone before the fire, drinking some hot tea, to find that instead of taking favourable notice of his relative and keeping him, Mr Pinch, in the background, he did exactly the reverse, and was so lavish in his attentions to Tom, that Tom was thoroughly confounded.
“Take some tea, Mr Pinch—take some tea,” said Pecksniff, stirring the fire. “You must be very cold and damp. Pray take some tea, and come into a warm place, Mr Pinch.”
Tom saw that Martin looked at Mr Pecksniff as though he could have easily found it in his heart to give HIM an invitation to a very warm place; but he was quite silent, and standing opposite that gentleman at the table, regarded him attentively.
“Take a chair, Pinch,” said Pecksniff. “Take a chair, if you please. How have things gone on in our absence, Mr Pinch?”
“You—you will be very much pleased with the grammar-school, sir,” said Tom. “It's nearly finished.”
“If you will have the goodness, Mr Pinch,” said Pecksniff, waving his hand and smiling, “we will not discuss anything connected with that question at present. What have YOU been doing, Thomas, humph?”
Mr Pinch looked from master to pupil, and from pupil to master, and was so perplexed and dismayed that he wanted presence of mind to answer the question. In this awkward interval, Mr Pecksniff (who was perfectly conscious of Martin's gaze, though he had never once glanced towards him) poked the fire very much, and when he couldn't do that any more, drank tea assiduously.
“Now, Mr Pecksniff,” said Martin at last, in a very quiet voice, “if you have sufficiently refreshed and recovered yourself, I shall be glad to hear what you mean by this treatment of me.”
“And what,” said Mr Pecksniff, turning his eyes on Tom Pinch, even more placidly and gently than before, “what have YOU been doing, Thomas, humph?”
When he had repeated this inquiry, he looked round the walls of the room as if he were curious to see whether any nails had been left there by accident in former times.
Tom was almost at his wit's end what to say between the two, and had already made a gesture as if he would call Mr Pecksniff's attention to the gentleman who had last addressed him, when Martin saved him further trouble, by doing so himself.
“Mr Pecksniff,” he said, softly rapping the table twice or thrice, and moving a step or two nearer, so that he could have touched him with his hand; “you heard what I said just now. Do me the favour to reply, if you please. I ask you'—he raised his voice a little here—'what you mean by this?”
“I will talk to you, sir,” said Mr Pecksniff in a severe voice, as he looked at him for the first time, “presently.”
“You are very obliging,” returned Martin; “presently will not do. I must trouble you to talk to me at once.”
Mr Pecksniff made a feint of being deeply interested in his pocketbook, but it shook in his hands; he trembled so.
“Now,” retorted Martin, rapping the table again. “Now. Presently will not do. Now!”
“Do you threaten me, sir?” cried Mr Pecksniff.
Martin looked at him, and made no answer; but a curious observer might have detected an ominous twitching at his mouth, and perhaps an involuntary attraction of his right hand in the direction of Mr Pecksniff's cravat.
“I lament to be obliged to say, sir,” resumed Mr Pecksniff, “that it would be quite in keeping with your character if you did threaten me. You have deceived me. You have imposed upon a nature which you knew to be confiding and unsuspicious. You have obtained admission, sir,” said Mr Pecksniff, rising, “to this house, on perverted statements and on false pretences.”
“Go on,” said Martin, with a scornful smile. “I understand you now. What more?”
“Thus much more, sir,” cried Mr Pecksniff, trembling from head to foot, and trying to rub his hands, as though he were only cold. “Thus much more, if you force me to publish your shame before a third party, which I was unwilling and indisposed to do. This lowly roof, sir, must not be contaminated by the presence of one who has deceived, and cruelly deceived, an honourable, beloved, venerated, and venerable gentleman; and who wisely suppressed that deceit from me when he sought my protection and favour, knowing that, humble as I am, I am an honest man, seeking to do my duty in this carnal universe, and setting my face against all vice and treachery. I weep for your depravity, sir,” said Mr Pecksniff; “I mourn over your corruption, I pity your voluntary withdrawal of yourself from the flowery paths of purity and peace;” here he struck himself upon his breast, or moral garden; “but I cannot have a leper and a serpent for an inmate. Go forth,” said Mr Pecksniff, stretching out his hand: “go forth, young man! Like all who know you, I renounce you!”
With what intention Martin made a stride forward at these words, it is impossible to say. It is enough to know that Tom Pinch caught him in his arms, and that, at the same moment, Mr Pecksniff stepped back so hastily, that he missed his footing, tumbled over a chair, and fell in a sitting posture on the ground; where he remained
