 it a greater degradation to borrow, for the supply of his
necessities, from Newman Noggs, than to teach French to the little Kenwigses for
five shillings a week, accepted the offer, with the alacrity already described,
and betook himself to the first floor with all convenient speed.
    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.
    »How do you do, Mr. Johnson?« said Mrs. Kenwigs. »Uncle - Mr. Johnson.«
    »How do you do, sir?« said Mr. Lillyvick - rather sharply; for he had not
known what Nicholas was, on the previous night, and it was rather an aggravating
circumstance if a tax collector had been too polite to a teacher.
    »Mr. Johnson is engaged as private master to the children, uncle,« said Mrs.
Kenwigs.
    »So you said just now, my dear,« replied Mr. Lillyvick.
    »But I hope,« said Mrs. Kenwigs, drawing herself up, »that that will not
make them proud; but that they will bless their own good fortune, which has born
them superior to common people's children. Do you hear, Morleena?«
    »Yes, ma,« replied Miss Kenwigs.
    »And when you go out in the streets, or elsewhere, I desire that you don't
boast of it to the other children,« said Mrs. Kenwigs; »and that if you must say
anything about it, you don't say no more than We've got a private master comes
to teach us at home, but we ain't proud, because ma says it's sinful. Do you
hear, Morleena?«
    »Yes, ma,« replied Miss Kenwigs again.
    »Then mind you recollect, and do as I tell you,« said Mrs. Kenwigs. »Shall
Mr. Johnson begin, uncle?«
    »I am ready to hear, if Mr. Johnson is ready to commence, my dear,« said the
collector, assuming the air of a profound critic.
