'Ask him, father.' 'Are you ready for your dinner, Chuffey ?' asked the old man 'Yes, yes,' said Chuffey, lighting up into a sentient human creature at the first sound of the voice, so that it was at once a curious and quite a moving sight to see him.

'Yes, yes.

Quite ready, Mr Chuzzlewit.

Quite ready, sir.

All ready, all ready, all ready.' With that he stopped, smilingly, and listened for some further address; but being spoken to no more, the light forsook his face by little and little, until he was nothing again.
'He'll be very disagreeable, mind,' said Jonas, addressing his cousins as he handed the old man's portion to his father.