did that
dog live, in kennel, stable-yard, or house, whose life was half as hard
as Mr Pecksniff's with his gentle child.

The father and daughter were sitting at their breakfast. Tom had
retired, and they were alone. Mr Pecksniff frowned at first; but having
cleared his brow, looked stealthily at his child. Her nose was very red
indeed, and screwed up tight, with hostile preparation.

'Cherry,' cried Mr Pecksniff, 'what is amiss between us? My child, why
are we disunited?'

Miss Pecksniff's answer was scarcely a response to this gush of
affection, for it was simply, 'Bother, Pa!'

'Bother!' repeated Mr Pecksniff, in a tone of anguish.

'Oh! 'tis too late, Pa,' said his daughter, calmly 'to talk to me like
this. I know what it means, and what its value is.'

'This is hard!' cried Mr Pecksniff, addressing his breakfast-cup. 'This
is very hard! She is my child. I carried her in my arms when she wore
shapeless worsted shoes--I might say, mufflers--many years ago!'

'You needn't taunt me with that, Pa,' retorted Cherry, with a spiteful
look. 'I am not so many years older than my sister, either, though she
IS married to your friend!'

'Ah, human nature, human nature! Poor human nature!' said Mr Pecksniff,
shaking his head at human nature, as if he didn't belong to it. 'To
think that this discord should arise from such a cause! oh dear, oh
dear!'

'From such a cause indeed!' cried Cherry. 'State the real cause, Pa, or
I'll state it myself. Mind! I will!'

Perhaps the energy with which she said this was infectious. However that
may be, Mr Pecksniff changed his tone and the expression of his face for
one of anger, if not downright violence, when he said:

'You will! you have. You did yesterday. You do always. You have no
decency; you make no secret of your temper; you have exposed yourself to
Mr Chuzzlewit a hundred times.'

'Myself!' cried Cherry, with a bitter smile. 'Oh indeed! I don't mind
that.'

'Me, too, then,' said Mr Pecksniff.

His daughter answered with a scornful laugh.

'And since we have come to an explanation, Charity,' said Mr Pecksniff,
rolling his head portentously, 'let me tell you that I won't allow it.
None of your nonsense, Miss! I won't permit it to be done.'

'I shall do,' said Charity, rocking her chair backwards and forwards,
and raising her voice to a high pitch, 'I shall do, Pa, what I please
and what I have done. I am not going to be crushed in everything, depend
upon it. I've b