Lillyvick caught Miss
Morleena up in his arms, and kissed her; and, being by this time at the
door of the house where Mr Kenwigs lodged (which, as has been before
mentioned, usually stood wide open), he walked straight up into Mr
Kenwigs's sitting-room, and put Miss Morleena down in the midst. Mr and
Mrs Kenwigs were at supper. At sight of their perjured relative, Mrs
Kenwigs turned faint and pale, and Mr Kenwigs rose majestically.

'Kenwigs,' said the collector, 'shake hands.'

'Sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'the time has been, when I was proud to shake
hands with such a man as that man as now surweys me. The time has been,
sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, 'when a wisit from that man has excited in me and
my family's boozums sensations both nateral and awakening. But, now, I
look upon that man with emotions totally surpassing everythink, and I
ask myself where is his Honour, where is 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 table
emphatically. 'What with the nursing of a healthy babby, and the
reflections upon your cruel conduct, four pints of malt liquor a day is
hardly able to sustain her.'

'I am glad,' said the poor collector meekly, 'that the baby is a healthy
one. I am very glad of that.'

This was touching the Kenwigses on their tenderest point. Mrs Kenwigs
instantly burst into tears, and Mr Kenwigs evinced great emotion.

'My pleasantest feeling, all the time that child was expected,' said Mr
Kenwigs, mournfully, 'was a thinking, "If it's a boy, as I hope it may
be; for I have heard its uncle Lillyvick say again and again he would
prefer our having a boy next, if it's a boy, what will his uncle
Lillyvick say? What will he like him to be called? Will he be Peter, or
Alexander, or Pompey, or Diorgeenes, or what will he be?" And now when
I look at him; a precious, unconscious, helpless infant, 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 I see him a lying on his mother's
lap, cooing and cooing, and, in his innocent state, almost a choking
hisself with his little fist--when I see him such a infant as he is, and
think that that uncle Lillyvick, as was once a-going to be so fond of
him, has withdrawed himself away, such a feeling of wengeance comes over
me as no language can