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Here, he was received by Mrs Kenwigs with a genteel air, kindly intended to assure him of her protection and support; and here, too, he found Mr Lillyvick and Miss Petowker; the four Miss Kenwigses on their form of audience; and the baby in a dwarf porter's chair with a deal tray before it, amusing himself with a toy horse without a head; the said horse being composed of a small wooden cylinder, not unlike an Italian iron, supported on four crooked pegs, and painted in ingenious resemblance of red wafers set in blacking.
Miss Morleena approaching to do homage, in compliance with this injunction, was summarily caught up and kissed by Mr Lillyvick; and thereupon Mrs Kenwigs darted forward and kissed the collector, and an irrepressible murmur of applause broke from the company who had witnessed his magnanimity.
Newman, who in power of taciturnity was excelled by few people, made no attempt to break silence; and so they went on, until they had very nearly reached Miss 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.
'Oh dear, Mrs Kenwigs, said Miss Petowker, 'while Mr Noggs is making that punch to drink happy returns in, do let Morleena go through that figure dance before Mr Lillyvick. 'No, no, my dear, replied Mrs Kenwigs, 'it will only worry my uncle. 'It can't worry him, I am sure, said Miss Petowker. 'You will be very much pleased, won't you, sir?
Lightening the way with such pleasantry as this, they arrived at the tailor's house in no time; and here they made quite a little party, there being present besides Mr Lillyvick and Mrs Lillyvick, not only Miss Snevellicci's mama, but her papa also.
'Lor, what nonsense he talks! exclaimed Mrs Lillyvick in answer to the inquiring look of Nicholas. 'Nobody has said anything to me. 'Said, Henrietta! cried the collector. 'Didn't I see him Mr Lillyvick couldn't bring himself to utter the word, but he counterfeited the motion of the eye. 'Well! cried Mrs Lillyvick. 'Do you suppose nobody is ever to look at me?
Everybody having eaten everything, the table was cleared in a most alarming hurry, and with great noise; and the spirits, whereat the eyes of Newman Noggs glistened, being arranged in order, with water both hot and cold, the party composed themselves for conviviality; Mr Lillyvick being stationed in a large armchair by the fireside, and the four little Kenwigses disposed on a small form in front of the company with their flaxen tails towards them, and their faces to the fire; an arrangement which was no sooner perfected, than Mrs Kenwigs was overpowered by the feelings of a mother, and fell upon the left shoulder of Mr Kenwigs dissolved in tears.
Lillyvick, who collected a water-rate, and who she fondly hoped, would make her children his heirs.
'Family! said Nicholas. 'What family? 'The Kenwigses of course, rejoined Mr Lillyvick. 'If my niece and the children had known a word about it before I came away, they'd have gone into fits at my feet, and never have come out of 'em till I took an oath not to marry anybody or they'd have got out a commission of lunacy, or some dreadful thing, said the collector, quite trembling as he spoke.
Mr Lillyvick stood higher than ever; for he had shown his power; hinted at his property and testamentary intentions; gained great credit for disinterestedness and virtue; and, in addition to all, was finally accommodated with a much larger tumbler of punch than that which Newman Noggs had so feloniously made off with. 'I say!
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