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. the negative.
' inn land of strangers,
JIIARTIN OHUZZLEWIT.
house, like a thief in the night, or I should rather say,
for we can never be too particular on the,,snbject of
Truth, like a thief in the day-time; bringing your dis
solute companions with you, to plant themselves with
their backs against the insides of parlour doors, and pre-
vent the entrance or issuing forth of any, of my house-
hold;” Mark had taken up this position, and held it
quite unmoved; “ but ‘would you also strike at vener-
able Virtue? .VVould you? .Know that it is not defence-
less. ,;I-will be its shield, young man. Assail me. Come
on, sir. Fire away I”
- .‘.‘Pecksnifr’,” said the old man, in a feeble voice.
‘f Calm yourself.. Be quiet." .
- ‘.‘.I can’t be calm,” cried Mr. Pecksniff, “ and I won’t
be quiet. My benefactor and my friend I, Shall even
my house be no refuge for your hoary pillow I ”
‘ ‘,‘.Stand aside I” said the old man, stretching out his
hand; “and let me see what it is, I used to love so
dearly.”
,-.‘,‘ It is quite right that you should see it, my friend,”
said Mr. PecksniE. “It is well that you should see it,
inynoble sir. It is desirable that you should contem-
plate it in its true proportions. Behold it I There it is,
sir.“ There it is l” .
Martin could hardly be a mortal man, and not express
in his face something of the anger and disdain, with
which Mr. Pecksniif inspired him. But beyond this, he
evinced no knowledge whatever of that gentleman’s
presence or existence. True, he had once, and that at
first, glanced at him involuntarily, and with supreme
contempt ; but for any other heed he took of him, there
might have been nothing in his place save empty air.
As Mr. Pecksnitf withdrew from between them, agree-
ably. to the- wish just new expressed (which he did,
during the delivery of the observations last recorded),
oldlllartin, who had taken Mary Graham's hand in his,
and whispered kindly to her, as telling her she had no
cause to be alarmed, gently pushed her from him, be-
hind his chair ; and looked steadily at his grandson.
: “And that,” he said, “is he. Ah I that is he I
what you wish to say. But come no nearer.” .
“His sense of justice is so fine,” said Mr. Pecksniff,
“ that he will hear even him, although he knows before-
hand that nothin can come of it. Ingenuous rnindl”
Mr. Pecksniff di not address himself inimediately to
any person in saying this, but assuming the position of
the Chorus in a Greek Tragedy, delivered his opinion as
a commentary onthe proccedin s. .
:.“Grandfather !” said Martin, with great earnestness.
“ From a painful ‘journey, from a hard life, from a sick
bed, from privation and distress, from gloom i1I1(I.(IlS-
appointment,‘ from almost hopelessness and despair, I
have comeback to you.” ,
“ Rovers of this sort,” observed Mr. Pecksnitf as
Chorus,',; “very commonly come back when they tied
they don’t meet with the success they expected in their
n.1ZI.l't111(Ilng,I'aY:1gCS.” . , , ,
.“ But for this faithful man," said Martin, turning to-
wards Mark, .“. whom I first knew in this place, and who
Went away with me voluntarily, as a servant, but has
been, throughout, my zealous and devoted friend; but
for him,'I must have died abroad. Far from homen fa!‘
from any help or consolation; far from the probability
even of mywretched fate being ever known to any one
Iwho cared to hear it-oh that you would let me say, of
ein known to on I’’ i ,
. Tlige old man linked at Mr. Pecksniff. Mr. Pecksnlif
looked at him. “ Did you Speak, 111)’ W0Fi11.‘7' 5”‘ 7 Said
Mr..Pecksniif, with a smile. The old man aiisivercd in
,‘fI.know what you thought,’ said Mr.
‘Pecksniff, with another smile. ‘.‘ Let him go on, my
friend; The development of self-interhest in the hu’r,nan
mind is always a curious study. Let hirn go on, sir. .
“Go on I’’ observed the old man‘; in a nicchanical
obedience, it appeared, to Mr. Pocksniffs suggestion. '
i‘.‘ I. have been so wretched and so poor,” said Martin,
“that I am indebted to the charitable help of a stranger,
for the means of returning here.
All this tells against me in your mind, know. . I have
given you cause to think I have been driven here wholly
by,want,' and have not been led on, in any degree, by af-
fection yor . regret. . lVhen I , parted’ from.‘ you, Grand-
Say
1135
father, I deserved that suspicion, but I do not. now, I do
not now.” , , . i
The Chorus put its hand in its waistcoat, and smiled.
“ Let him go on, my worthy sir,” it said. “ I know what
you are thinking of, but don’t express it prematurelyf’. ‘
Old Martin raised his eyes to Mr. Pecksniff’s face, and
appearing to derive renewed instructioufrom his looks
and words, said once again : ' i
“ G0'on I” i
"I have little more to say,” returned Martin. “And
as I say it now, with little or no hope, Grandfather;
wjiatever dawn of liopel had on entering the room;
believe it to be true. At least believe it to be true.’-’
“Beautiful Truth l” exclaimed the Chorus, looking
upward. “ How is your name profaned by vicious per-
sons ! You don’t live in a well, my holy principle, but
on the lips of false mankind. It is hard to bear with
mankind, dear sir,”-addressing the elder Mr- Chuzzle-
wit ; “ but let us do so, meekly. It is our duty so to do.
Let us be among the Few who do their duty. lf,” pur-
sued the Chorus, soaring up into a lofty tiight, "as the .
poet informs us, England expects Every man to do his
duty, England is the most sanguine country on the face
of the earth, and will find itself continually disap-
pointed.” . .
“ Upon that subject,” said Martin, looking calmlyiat
the old man as he spoke, but glancing once at Mary,
whose face was now buried in her hands, upon the back
of his easy chair: “ upon that subject, which first oc.
casioned a division between us, my mind and heart are
incapable of change. lVhatever influence they have un-
dergone, sincethat unhappy time, has not been one to
weaken but to strengthen me. I cannot profess sorrow
for that, nor irresolution in that, nor shame in that.
Nor would you wish me, I know. But that Imight have
trusted to yourlove, if I had thrown myself manfully
upon it ; that I might have won you over, with case, if
I had been more yielding, and more considerate ; that I
should have best remembered myself in forgetting my-
self, and rccollecting you ; reflection, solitude, and
misery, have taught me. I came, resolved to say this,
and to ask your forgiveness: not so much in hope for
the future, as in regret for the past : for all that I would
ask of you, is, that you would aid me to live. Ilclp me
to get honest work to do, and I would do it. My con-if
dition places me at the disadvantage of seeming to have
only my selfish ends to serve, but try if that be so, or
not. Try if I be self-willed, obdurate, and haughty, as
I was ; or have been disciplined in a rough school. Let
the voice of nature and association plead between us,
Grandfather; and do not, for one fault, however thank-
less, quite reject me 1”
As he ceased, the grey head of the old man droopcd ‘
again; and he concealed his face behind his outspread
fingers. -
“ My dear sir,” cried Mr. Pcclisnilf, bending over him,
“you must not give way to this. It is very natural, and
very amiable, but you must not allow the s inmeless con-
duct of one whom you long ago cast off, to move you so
far. Rouse yourself. Think,” said Mr. Pecksniff,
“think of Me, my friend.” , : ,
“ I will,” returned old Martin, looking up into his face.
“ You recall me to m self. I will.” .
“ “’hy, what,” sai Mr. Pccksnitf, sitting down beside
him in a chair which he drew up for the purpose, and
tapping him playfully on the arm, “ what is the matter
with my strong-minded com atriot, if I may venture to
take the liberty of calling iim by that endearing ex-
pression ! Shall I have to scold my coadjutor, or to rea-
son with an intellect like his? I t ink not." . r V
“No, no. There is no occasion,” said the oldman,
"‘ A momentary feeling. Nothing more." . -
“Indignation,” observed Mr. Pecksnitf. “icfll bring
the scalding tear into the honest eye, I know "-he wiped
his own elaborately. “But we have higher duties to
perform than that. Rouse yourself, Mr. Chuzzlewit.
Shall I give expression to ‘your thoughts, my friend? 3?
“ Yes,” said old Martin, leaning back in his chair, and
looking at him, half in vacancy and half in admiration,
as if he werefascinated by the man. “ Speak. for me,
Pecksniii‘. Thank you.’ You are true to me. Thank
youl”, . . . - 1
9’