Chapter 52

by Charles Dickens

　　Nicholas despairs of rescuing Madeline Bray, but plucks up hisSpirits again, and determines to attempt it. Domestic Intelligenceof the Kenwigses and LillyvicksFinding that Newman was determined to arrest his progress at anyhazard, and apprehensive that some well-intentioned passenger,attracted by the cry of 'Stop thief,' might lay violent hands uponhis person, and place him in a disagreeable predicament from whichhe might have some difficulty in extricating himself, Nicholas soonslackened his pace, and suffered Newman Noggs to come up with him:which he did, in so breathless a condition, that it seemedimpossible he could have held out for a minute longer.'I will go straight to Bray's,' said Nicholas. 'I will see thisman. If there is a feeling of humanity lingering in his breast, aspark of consideration for his own child, motherless and friendlessas she is, I will awaken it.''You will not,' replied Newman. 'You will not, indeed.''Then,' said Nicholas, pressing onward, 'I will act upon my firstimpulse, and go straight to Ralph Nickleby.''By the time you reach his house he will be in bed,' said Newman.'I'll drag him from it,' cried Nicholas.'Tut, tut,' said Noggs. 'Be yourself.''You are the best of friends to me, Newman,' rejoined Nicholas aftera pause, and taking his hand as he spoke. 'I have made head againstmany trials; but the misery of another, and such misery, is involvedin this one, that I declare to you I am rendered desperate, and knownot how to act.'In truth, it did seem a hopeless case. It was impossible to makeany use of such intelligence as Newman Noggs had gleaned, when helay concealed in the closet. The mere circumstance of the compactbetween Ralph Nickleby and Gride would not invalidate the marriage,or render Bray averse to it, who, if he did not actually know of theexistence of some such understanding, doubtless suspected it. Whathad been hinted with reference to some fraud on Madeline, had beenput, with sufficient obscurity by Arthur Gride, but coming fromNewman Noggs, and obscured still further by the smoke of hispocket-pistol, it became wholly unintelligible, and involved in utterdarkness.'There seems no ray of hope,' said Nicholas.'The greater necessity for coolness, for reason, for consideration,for thought,' said Newman, pausing at every alternate word, to lookanxiously in his friend's face. 'Where are the brothers?''Both absent on urgent business, as they will be for a week tocome.''Is there no way of communicating with them? No way of getting oneof them here by tomorrow night?''Impossible!' said Nicholas, 'the sea is between us and them. Withthe fairest winds that ever blew, to go and return would take threedays and nights.''Their nephew,' said Newman, 'their old clerk.''What could either do, that I cannot?' rejoined Nicholas. 'Withreference to them, especially, I am enjoined to the strictestsilence on this subject. What right have I to betray the confidencereposed in me, when nothing but a miracle can prevent this sacrifice?''Think,' urged Newman. 'Is there no way.''There is none,' said Nicholas, in utter dejection. 'Not one. Thefather urges, the daughter consents. These demons have her in theirtoils; legal right, might, power, money, and every influence are ontheir side. How can I hope to save her?''Hope to the last!' said Newman, clapping him on the back. 'Alwayshope; that's a dear boy. Never leave off hoping; it don't answer. Doyou mind me, Nick? It don't answer. Don't leave a stone unturned.It's always something, to know you've done the most you could. But,don't leave off hoping, or it's of no use doing anything. Hope,hope, to the last!'Nicholas needed encouragement. The suddenness with whichintelligence of the two usurers' plans had come upon him, the littletime which remained for exertion, the probability, almost amountingto certainty itself, that a few hours would place Madeline Bray forever beyond his reach, consign her to unspeakable misery, andperhaps to an untimely death; all this quite stunned and overwhelmedhim. Every hope connected with her that he had suffered himself toform, or had entertained unconsciously, seemed to fall at his feet,withered and dead. Every charm with which his memory or imaginationhad surrounded her, presented itself before him, only to heightenhis anguish and add new bitterness to his despair. Every feeling ofsympathy for her forlorn condition, and of admiration for herheroism and fortitude, aggravated the indignation which shook him inevery limb, and swelled his heart almost to bursting.But, if Nicholas's own heart embarrassed him, Newman's came to hisrelief. There was so much earnestness in his remonstrance, and suchsincerity and fervour in his manner, odd and ludicrous as it alwayswas, that it imparted to Nicholas new firmness, and enabled him tosay, after he had walked on for some little way in silence:'You read me a good lesson, Newman, and I will profit by it. Onestep, at least, I may take--am bound to take indeed--and to that Iwill apply myself tomorrow.''What is that?' asked Noggs wistfully. 'Not to threaten Ralph? Notto see the father?''To see the daughter, Newman,' replied Nicholas. 'To do what, afterall, is the utmost that the brothers could do, if they were here, asHeaven send they were! To reason with her upon this hideous union,to point out to her all the horrors to which she is hastening;rashly, it may be, and without due reflection. To entreat her, atleast, to pause. She can have had no counsellor for her good.Perhaps even I may move her so far yet, though it is the eleventhhour, and she upon the very brink of ruin.''Bravely spoken!' said Newman. 'Well done, well done! Yes. Verygood.''And I do declare,' cried Nicholas, with honest enthusiasm, 'that inthis effort I am influenced by no selfish or personalconsiderations, but by pity for her, and detestation and abhorrenceof this scheme; and that I would do the same, were there twentyrivals in the field, and I the last and least favoured of them all.''You would, I believe,' said Newman. 'But where are you hurryingnow?''Homewards,' answered Nicholas. 'Do you come with me, or I shallsay good-night?''I'll come a little way, if you will but walk: not run,' said Noggs.'I cannot walk tonight, Newman,' returned Nicholas, hurriedly. 'Imust move rapidly, or I could not draw my breath. I'll tell youwhat I've said and done tomorrow.'Without waiting for a reply, he darted off at a rapid pace, and,plunging into the crowds which thronged the street, was quickly lostto view.'He's a violent youth at times,' said Newman, looking after him;'and yet like him for it. There's cause enough now, or the deuce isin it. Hope! I said hope, I think! Ralph Nickleby and Gride withtheir heads together! And hope for the opposite party! Ho! ho!'It was with a very melancholy laugh that Newman Noggs concluded thissoliloquy; and it was with a very melancholy shake of the head, anda very rueful countenance, that he turned about, and went ploddingon his way.This, under ordinary circumstances, would have been to some smalltavern or dram-shop; that being his way, in more senses than one.But, Newman was too much interested, and too anxious, to betakehimself even to this resource, and so, with many desponding anddismal reflections, went straight home.It had come to pass, that afternoon, that Miss Morleena Kenwigs hadreceived an invitation to repair next day, per steamer fromWestminster Bridge, unto the Eel-pie Island at Twickenham: there tomake merry upon a cold collation, bottled beer, shrub, and shrimps,and to dance in the open air to the music of a locomotive band,conveyed thither for the purpose: the steamer being speciallyengaged by a dancing-master of extensive connection for theaccommodation of his numerous pupils, and the pupils displayingtheir appreciation of the dancing-master's services, by purchasingthemselves, and inducing their friends to do the like, divers light-blue tickets, entitling them to join the expedition. Of these light-blue tickets, one had been presented by an ambitious neighbour toMiss Morleena Kenwigs, with an invitation to join her daughters; andMrs Kenwigs, rightly deeming that the honour of the family wasinvolved in Miss Morleena's making the most splendid appearancepossible on so short a notice, and testifying to the dancing-masterthat there were other dancing-masters besides him, and to allfathers and mothers present that other people's children could learnto be genteel besides theirs, had fainted away twice under themagnitude of her preparations, but, upheld by a determination tosustain the family name or perish in the attempt, was still hard atwork when Newman Noggs came home.Now, between the italian-ironing of frills, the flouncing oftrousers, the trimming of frocks, the faintings and the comings-toagain, incidental to the occasion, Mrs Kenwigs had been so entirelyoccupied, that she had not observed, until within half an hourbefore, that the flaxen tails of Miss Morleena's hair were, in amanner, run to seed; and that, unless she were put under the handsof a skilful hairdresser, she never could achieve that signaltriumph over the daughters of all other people, anything less thanwhich would be tantamount to defeat. This discovery drove MrsKenwigs to despair; for the hairdresser lived three streets andeight dangerous crossings off; Morleena could not be trusted to gothere alone, even if such a proceeding were strictly proper: ofwhich Mrs Kenwigs had her doubts; Mr Kenwigs had not returned frombusiness; and there was nobody to take her. So, Mrs Kenwigs firstslapped Miss Kenwigs for being the cause of her vexation, and thenshed tears.'You ungrateful child!' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'after I have gone throughwhat I have, this night, for your good.''I can't help it, ma,' replied Morleena, also in tears; 'my hairwill grow.''Don't talk to me, you naughty thing!' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'don't!Even if I was to trust you by yourself and you were to escape beingrun over, I know you'd run in to Laura Chopkins,' who was thedaughter of the ambitious neighbour, 'and tell her what you're goingto wear tomorrow, I know you would. You've no proper pride inyourself, and are not to be trusted out of sight for an instant.'Deploring the evil-mindedness of her eldest daughter in these terms,Mrs Kenwigs distilled fresh drops of vexation from her eyes, anddeclared that she did believe there never was anybody so tried asshe was. Thereupon, Morleena Kenwigs wept afresh, and they bemoanedthemselves together.Matters were at this point, as Newman Noggs was heard to limp pastthe door on his way upstairs; when Mrs Kenwigs, gaining new hopefrom the sound of his footsteps, hastily removed from hercountenance as many traces of her late emotion as were effaceable onso short a notice: and presenting herself before him, andrepresenting their dilemma, entreated that he would escort Morleenato the hairdresser's shop.'I wouldn't ask you, Mr Noggs,' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'if I didn't knowwhat a good, kind-hearted creature you are; no, not for worlds. Iam a weak constitution, Mr Noggs, but my spirit would no more let meask a favour where I thought there was a chance of its beingrefused, than it would let me submit to see my children trampleddown and trod upon, by envy and lowness!'Newman was too good-natured not to have consented, even without thisavowal of confidence on the part of Mrs Kenwigs. Accordingly, avery few minutes had elapsed, when he and Miss Morleena were ontheir way to the hairdresser's.It was not exactly a hairdresser's; that is to say, people of acoarse and vulgar turn of mind might have called it a barber's; forthey not only cut and curled ladies elegantly, and childrencarefully, but shaved gentlemen easily. Still, it was a highlygenteel establishment--quite first-rate in fact--and there weredisplayed in the window, besides other elegancies, waxen busts of alight lady and a dark gentleman which were the admiration of thewhole neighbourhood. Indeed, some ladies had gone so far as toassert, that the dark gentleman was actually a portrait of thespirted young proprietor; and the great similarity between theirhead-dresses--both wore very glossy hair, with a narrow walkstraight down the middle, and a profusion of flat circular curls onboth sides--encouraged the idea. The better informed among the sex,however, made light of this assertion, for however willing they were(and they were very willing) to do full justice to the handsome faceand figure of the proprietor, they held the countenance of the darkgentleman in the window to be an exquisite and abstract idea ofmasculine beauty, realised sometimes, perhaps, among angels andmilitary men, but very rarely embodied to gladden the eyes ofmortals.It was to this establishment that Newman Noggs led Miss Kenwigs insafety. The proprietor, knowing that Miss Kenwigs had threesisters, each with two flaxen tails, and all good for sixpenceapiece, once a month at least, promptly deserted an old gentlemanwhom he had just lathered for shaving, and handing him over to thejourneyman, (who was not very popular among the ladies, by reasonof his obesity and middle age,) waited on the young lady himself.Just as this change had been effected, there presented himself forshaving, a big, burly, good-humoured coal-heaver with a pipe in hismouth, who, drawing his hand across his chin, requested to know whena shaver would be disengaged.The journeyman, to whom this question was put, looked doubtfully atthe young proprietor, and the young proprietor looked scornfully atthe coal-heaver: observing at the same time:'You won't get shaved here, my man.''Why not?' said the coal-heaver.'We don't shave gentlemen in your line,' remarked the youngproprietor.'Why, I see you a shaving of a baker, when I was a looking throughthe winder, last week,' said the coal-heaver.'It's necessary to draw the line somewheres, my fine feller,'replied the principal. 'We draw the line there. We can't go beyondbakers. If we was to get any lower than bakers, our customers woulddesert us, and we might shut up shop. You must try some otherestablishment, sir. We couldn't do it here.'The applicant stared; grinned at Newman Noggs, who appeared highlyentertained; looked slightly round the shop, as if in depreciationof the pomatum pots and other articles of stock; took his pipe outof his mouth and gave a very loud whistle; and then put it in again,and walked out.The old gentleman who had just been lathered, and who was sitting ina melancholy manner with his face turned towards the wall, appearedquite unconscious of this incident, and to be insensible toeverything around him in the depth of a reverie--a very mournfulone, to judge from the sighs he occasionally vented--in which he wasabsorbed. Affected by this example, the proprietor began to clipMiss Kenwigs, the journeyman to scrape the old gentleman, and NewmanNoggs to read last Sunday's paper, all three in silence: when MissKenwigs uttered a shrill little scream, and Newman, raising hiseyes, saw that it had been elicited by the circumstance of the oldgentleman turning his head, and disclosing the features of MrLillyvick the collector.The features of Mr Lillyvick they were, but strangely altered. Ifever an old gentleman had made a point of appearing in public,shaved close and clean, that old gentleman was Mr Lillyvick. Ifever a collector had borne himself like a collector, and assumed,before all men, a solemn and portentous dignity as if he had theworld on his books and it was all two quarters in arrear, thatcollector was Mr Lillyvick. And now, there he sat, with the remainsof a beard at least a week old encumbering his chin; a soiled andcrumpled shirt-frill crouching, as it were, upon his breast, insteadof standing boldly out; a demeanour so abashed and drooping, sodespondent, and expressive of such humiliation, grief, and shame;that if the souls of forty unsubstantial housekeepers, all of whomhad had their water cut off for non-payment of the rate, could havebeen concentrated in one body, that one body could hardly haveexpressed such mortification and defeat as were now expressed in theperson of Mr Lillyvick the collector.Newman Noggs uttered his name, and Mr Lillyvick groaned: thencoughed to hide it. But the groan was a full-sized groan, and thecough was but a wheeze.'Is anything the matter?' said Newman Noggs.'Matter, sir!' cried Mr Lillyvick. 'The plug of life is dry, sir,and but the mud is left.'This speech--the style of which Newman attributed to Mr Lillyvick'srecent association with theatrical characters--not being quiteexplanatory, Newman looked as if he were about to ask anotherquestion, when Mr Lillyvick prevented him by shaking his handmournfully, and then waving his own.'Let me be shaved!' said Mr Lillyvick. 'It shall be done beforeMorleena; it is Morleena, isn't it?''Yes,' said Newman.'Kenwigses have got a boy, haven't they?' inquired the collector.Again Newman said 'Yes.''Is it a nice boy?' demanded the collector.'It ain't a very nasty one,' returned Newman, rather embarrassed bythe question.'Susan Kenwigs used to say,' observed the collector, 'that if evershe had another boy, she hoped it might be like me. Is this onelike me, Mr Noggs?'This was a puzzling inquiry; but Newman evaded it, by replying to MrLillyvick, that he thought the baby might possibly come like him intime.'I should be glad to have somebody like me, somehow,' said MrLillyvick, 'before I die.''You don't mean to do that, yet awhile?' said Newman.Unto which Mr Lillyvick replied in a solemn voice, 'Let me beshaved!' and again consigning himself to the hands of thejourneyman, said no more.This was remarkable behaviour. So remarkable did it seem to MissMorleena, that that young lady, at the imminent hazard of having herear sliced off, had not been able to forbear looking round, somescore of times, during the foregoing colloquy. Of her, however, MrLillyvick took no notice: rather striving (so, at least, it seemedto Newman Noggs) to evade her observation, and to shrink intohimself whenever he attracted her regards. Newman wondered verymuch what could have occasioned this altered behaviour on the partof the collector; but, philosophically reflecting that he would mostlikely know, sooner or later, and that he could perfectly afford towait, he was very little disturbed by the singularity of the oldgentleman's deportment.The cutting and curling being at last concluded, the old gentleman,who had been some time waiting, rose to go, and, walking out withNewman and his charge, took Newman's arm, and proceeded for sometime without making any observation. Newman, who in power oftaciturnity was excelled by few people, made no attempt to breaksilence; and so they went on, until they had very nearly reachedMiss Morleena's home, when Mr Lillyvick said:'Were the Kenwigses very much overpowered, Mr Noggs, by that news?''What news?' returned Newman.'That about--my--being--''Married?' suggested Newman.'Ah!' replied Mr Lillyvick, with another groan; this time not evendisguised by a wheeze.'It made ma cry when she knew it,' interposed Miss Morleena, 'but wekept it from her for a long time; and pa was very low in hisspirits, but he is better now; and I was very ill, but I am bettertoo.''Would you give your great-uncle Lillyvick a kiss if he was to askyou, Morleena?' said the collector, with some hesitation.'Yes; uncle Lillyvick, I would,' returned Miss Morleena, with theenergy of both her parents combined; 'but not aunt Lillyvick. She'snot an aunt of mine, and I'll never call her one.'Immediately upon the utterance of these words, Mr Lillyvick caughtMiss Morleena up in his arms, and kissed her; and, being by thistime at the door of the house where Mr Kenwigs lodged (which, as hasbeen before mentioned, usually stood wide open), he walked straightup into Mr Kenwigs's sitting-room, and put Miss Morleena down in themidst. Mr and Mrs Kenwigs were at supper. At sight of theirperjured relative, Mrs Kenwigs turned faint and pale, and Mr Kenwigsrose majestically.'Kenwigs,' said the collector, 'shake hands.''Sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'the time has been, when I was proud toshake hands with such a man as that man as now surweys me. The timehas been, sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'when a wisit from that man hasexcited in me and my family's boozums sensations both nateral andawakening. But, now, I look upon that man with emotions totallysurpassing everythink, and I ask myself where is his Honour, whereis his straight-for'ardness, and where is his human natur?''Susan Kenwigs,' said Mr Lillyvick, turning humbly to his niece,'don't you say anything to me?''She is not equal to it, sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, striking the tableemphatically. 'What with the nursing of a healthy babby, and thereflections upon your cruel conduct, four pints of malt liquor a dayis hardly able to sustain her.''I am glad,' said the poor collector meekly, 'that the baby is ahealthy one. I am very glad of that.'This was touching the Kenwigses on their tenderest point. MrsKenwigs instantly burst into tears, and Mr Kenwigs evinced greatemotion.'My pleasantest feeling, all the time that child was expected,' saidMr Kenwigs, mournfully, 'was a thinking, "If it's a boy, as I hopeit may be; for I have heard its uncle Lillyvick say again and againhe would prefer our having a boy next, if it's a boy, what will hisuncle Lillyvick say? What will he like him to be called? Will he bePeter, or Alexander, or Pompey, or Diorgeenes, or what will he be?"And now when I look at him; a precious, unconscious, helplessinfant, with no use in his little arms but to tear his little cap,and no use in his little legs but to kick his little self--when Isee him a lying on his mother's lap, cooing and cooing, and, in hisinnocent state, almost a choking hisself with his little fist--whenI see him such a infant as he is, and think that that uncleLillyvick, as was once a-going to be so fond of him, has withdrawedhimself away, such a feeling of wengeance comes over me as nolanguage can depicter, and I feel as if even that holy babe was atelling me to hate him.'This affecting picture moved Mrs Kenwigs deeply. After severalimperfect words, which vainly attempted to struggle to the surface,but were drowned and washed away by the strong tide of her tears,she spake.'Uncle,' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'to think that you should have turnedyour back upon me and my dear children, and upon Kenwigs which isthe author of their being--you who was once so kind andaffectionate, and who, if anybody had told us such a thing of, weshould have withered with scorn like lightning--you that littleLillyvick, our first and earliest boy, was named after at the veryaltar! Oh gracious!''Was it money that we cared for?' said Mr Kenwigs. 'Was it propertythat we ever thought of?''No,' cried Mrs Kenwigs, 'I scorn it.''So do I,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'and always did.''My feelings have been lancerated,' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'my heart hasbeen torn asunder with anguish, I have been thrown back in myconfinement, my unoffending infant has been rendered uncomfortableand fractious, Morleena has pined herself away to nothing; all thisI forget and forgive, and with you, uncle, I never can quarrel. Butnever ask me to receive her, never do it, uncle. For I will not, Iwill not, I won't, I won't, I won't!''Susan, my dear,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'consider your child.''Yes,' shrieked Mrs Kenwigs, 'I will consider my child! I willconsider my child! My own child, that no uncles can deprive me of;my own hated, despised, deserted, cut-off little child.' And, here,the emotions of Mrs Kenwigs became so violent, that Mr Kenwigs wasfain to administer hartshorn internally, and vinegar externally, andto destroy a staylace, four petticoat strings, and several smallbuttons.Newman had been a silent spectator of this scene; for Mr Lillyvickhad signed to him not to withdraw, and Mr Kenwigs had furthersolicited his presence by a nod of invitation. When Mrs Kenwigs hadbeen, in some degree, restored, and Newman, as a person possessed ofsome influence with her, had remonstrated and begged her to composeherself, Mr Lillyvick said in a faltering voice:'I never shall ask anybody here to receive my--I needn't mention theword; you know what I mean. Kenwigs and Susan, yesterday was a weekshe eloped with a half-pay captain!'Mr and Mrs Kenwigs started together.'Eloped with a half-pay captain,' repeated Mr Lillyvick, 'basely andfalsely eloped with a half-pay captain. With a bottle-nosed captainthat any man might have considered himself safe from. It was inthis room,' said Mr Lillyvick, looking sternly round, 'that I firstsee Henrietta Petowker. It is in this room that I turn her off, forever.'This declaration completely changed the whole posture of affairs.Mrs Kenwigs threw herself upon the old gentleman's neck, bitterlyreproaching herself for her late harshness, and exclaiming, if shehad suffered, what must his sufferings have been! Mr Kenwigsgrasped his hand, and vowed eternal friendship and remorse. MrsKenwigs was horror-stricken to think that she should ever havenourished in her bosom such a snake, adder, viper, serpent, and basecrocodile as Henrietta Petowker. Mr Kenwigs argued that she musthave been bad indeed not to have improved by so long a contemplationof Mrs Kenwigs's virtue. Mrs Kenwigs remembered that Mr Kenwigs hadoften said that he was not quite satisfied of the propriety of MissPetowker's conduct, and wondered how it was that she could have beenblinded by such a wretch. Mr Kenwigs remembered that he had had hissuspicions, but did not wonder why Mrs Kenwigs had not had hers, asshe was all chastity, purity, and truth, and Henrietta all baseness,falsehood, and deceit. And Mr and Mrs Kenwigs both said, withstrong feelings and tears of sympathy, that everything happened forthe best; and conjured the good collector not to give way tounavailing grief, but to seek consolation in the society of thoseaffectionate relations whose arms and hearts were ever open to him.'Out of affection and regard for you, Susan and Kenwigs,' said MrLillyvick, 'and not out of revenge and spite against her, for she isbelow it, I shall, tomorrow morning, settle upon your children, andmake payable to the survivors of them when they come of age ofmarry, that money that I once meant to leave 'em in my will. Thedeed shall be executed tomorrow, and Mr Noggs shall be one of thewitnesses. He hears me promise this, and he shall see it done.'Overpowered by this noble and generous offer, Mr Kenwigs, MrsKenwigs, and Miss Morleena Kenwigs, all began to sob together; andthe noise of their sobbing, communicating itself to the next room,where the children lay a-bed, and causing them to cry too, Mr Kenwigsrushed wildly in, and bringing them out in his arms, by two and two,tumbled them down in their nightcaps and gowns at the feet of MrLillyvick, and called upon them to thank and bless him.'And now,' said Mr Lillyvick, when a heart-rending scene had ensuedand the children were cleared away again, 'give me some supper.This took place twenty mile from town. I came up this morning, andhave being lingering about all day, without being able to make up mymind to come and see you. I humoured her in everything, she had herown way, she did just as she pleased, and now she has done this.There was twelve teaspoons and twenty-four pound in sovereigns--Imissed them first--it's a trial--I feel I shall never be able toknock a double knock again, when I go my rounds--don't say anythingmore about it, please--the spoons were worth--never mind--nevermind!'With such muttered outpourings as these, the old gentleman shed afew tears; but, they got him into the elbow-chair, and prevailedupon him, without much pressing, to make a hearty supper, and by thetime he had finished his first pipe, and disposed of half-a-dozenglasses out of a crown bowl of punch, ordered by Mr Kenwigs, incelebration of his return to the bosom of his family, he seemed,though still very humble, quite resigned to his fate, and ratherrelieved than otherwise by the flight of his wife.'When I see that man,' said Mr Kenwigs, with one hand round MrsKenwigs's waist: his other hand supporting his pipe (which made himwink and cough very much, for he was no smoker): and his eyes onMorleena, who sat upon her uncle's knee, 'when I see that man asmingling, once again, in the spear which he adorns, and see hisaffections deweloping themselves in legitimate sitiwations, I feelthat his nature is as elewated and expanded, as his standing aforesociety as a public character is unimpeached, and the woices of myinfant children purvided for in life, seem to whisper to me softly,"This is an ewent at which Evins itself looks down!"'