g on the threshold, as if he
thought he had, from his vineyard, heard a modest rap, but was not quite
certain.

Seeing a gentleman and lady before him, he started back in as much
confusion as a good man with a crystal conscience might betray in mere
surprise. Recognition came upon him the next moment, and he cried:

'Mr Chuzzlewit! Can I believe my eyes! My dear sir; my good sir! A
joyful hour, a happy hour indeed. Pray, my dear sir, walk in. You find
me in my garden-dress. You will excuse it, I know. It is an ancient
pursuit, gardening. Primitive, my dear sir. Or, if I am not mistaken,
Adam was the first of our calling. MY Eve, I grieve to say is no more,
sir; but'--here he pointed to his spade, and shook his head as if he
were not cheerful without an effort--'but I do a little bit of Adam
still.'

He had by this time got them into the best parlour, where the portrait
by Spiller, and the bust by Spoker, were.

'My daughters,' said Mr Pecksniff, 'will be overjoyed. If I could feel
weary upon such a theme, I should have been worn out long ago, my dear
sir, by their constant anticipation of this happiness and their repeated
allusions to our meeting at Mrs Todgers's. Their fair young friend,
too,' said Mr Pecksniff, 'whom they so desire to know and love--indeed
to know her, is to love--I hope I see her well. I hope in saying,
"Welcome to my humble roof!" I find some echo in her own sentiments.
If features are an index to the heart, I have no fears of that. An
extremely engaging expression of countenance, Mr Chuzzlewit, my dear
sir--very much so!'

'Mary,' said the old man, 'Mr Pecksniff flatters you. But flattery from
him is worth the having. He is not a dealer in it, and it comes from his
heart. We thought Mr--'

'Pinch,' said Mary.

'Mr Pinch would have arrived before us, Pecksniff.'

'He did arrive before you, my dear sir,' retorted Pecksniff, raising his
voice for the edification of Tom upon the stairs, 'and was about, I dare
say, to tell me of your coming, when I begged him first to knock at my
daughters' chamber, and inquire after Charity, my dear child, who is not
so well as I could wish. No,' said Mr Pecksniff, answering their looks,
'I am sorry to say, she is not. It is merely an hysterical affection;
nothing more, I am not uneasy. Mr Pinch! Thomas!' exclaimed Pecksniff,
in his kindest accents. 'Pray come in. I shall make no stranger of you.
Thomas is a friend of mine, of rather long-standing, Mr Chuzzle