.
    »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. »He always chokes himself when it
an't broth. Look at him, now! Did you ever see a horse with such a wall-eyed
expression as he's got? If it hadn't been for the joke of it, I wouldn't have
let him come in to-day; but I thought he'd amuse you.«
    The poor old subject of this humane speech, was, happily for himself, as
unconscious of its purport, as of most other remarks that were made in his
presence. But the mutton being tough, and his gums weak, he quickly verified the
statement relative to his choking propensities, and underwent so much in his
attempts to dine, that Mr. Jonas was infinitely amused: protesting that he had
seldom seen him better company in all his life, and that he was enough to make a
man split his sides with laughing. Indeed, he went so far as to assure the
sisters, that in this point of view he considered Chuffey superior to his own
father; which, as he significantly added, was saying a great deal.
    It was strange enough that Anthony Chuzzlewit, himself so old a man, should
take a pleasure in these gibings of his estimable son, at the expense of the
poor shadow at their table. But he did, unquestionably: though not so much - to
do him justice - with reference to their ancient clerk, as in exultation at the
sharpness of Jonas. For the same reason, that young man's coarse allusions, even
to himself, filled him with a stealthy glee: causing him to rub his hands and
chuckle covertly, as if he said in his sleeve, »I taught him. I trained him.
This is the heir of my bringing-up. Sly, cunning, and covetous, he'll not
squander my money. I worked for this;
