His gaze again encountered Mr Pecksniff, as he said, composedly: 'Of course you know that he has made his matrimonial choice ?' 'Oh dear!' cried Mr Pecksniff, rubbing his hair up very stiff upon his head, and staring wildly at his daughters.

'This is becoming tremendous!' 'You know the fact ?' repeated Martin 'Surely not without his grandfather's consent and approbation my dear sir!' cried Mr Pecksniff.

'Don't tell me that.

For the honour of human nature, say you're not about to tell me that!' 'I thought he had suppressed it,' said the old man.
The indignation felt by Mr Pecksniff at this terrible disclosure, was only to be equalled by the kindling anger of his daughters.

What! Had they taken to their hearth and home a secretly contracted serpent; a crocodile, who had made a furtive offer of his hand; an imposition on society; a bankrupt bachelor with no effects, trading with the spinster world on false pretences! And oh, to think that he should have disobeyed and practised on that sweet, that venerable gentleman, whose name he bore; that kind and tender guardian; his more than father--to say nothing at all of mother--horrible, horrible! To turn him out with ignominy would be treatment much too good.