 more distinct trace of him to assist the
imagination of an inquirer, than a professional print or emblem of his calling
(much favoured in the trade), representing a hair-dresser of easy manners
curling a lady of distinguished fashion, in the presence of a patent upright
grand pianoforte.
    Noting these circumstances, Mr. Pecksniff, in the innocence of his heart,
applied himself to the knocker; but at the first double knock, every window in
the street became alive with female heads; and before he could repeat the
performance, whole troops of married ladies (some about to trouble Mrs. Gamp
themselves, very shortly) came flocking round the steps, all crying out with one
accord, and with uncommon interest, »Knock at the winder, sir, knock at the
winder. Lord bless you, don't lose no more time than you can help; knock at the
winder!«
    Acting upon this suggestion, and borrowing the driver's whip for the
purpose, Mr. Pecksniff soon made a commotion among the first-floor flower-pots,
and roused Mrs. Gamp, whose voice - to the great satisfaction of the matrons -
was heard to say, »I'm coming.«
    »He's as pale as a muffin,« said one lady, in allusion to Mr. Pecksniff.
    »So he ought to be, if he's the feelings of a man,« observed another.
    A third lady (with her arms folded) said she wished he had chosen any other
time for fetching Mrs. Gamp, but it always happened so with her.
    It gave Mr. Pecksniff much uneasiness to find, from these remarks, that he
was supposed to have come to Mrs. Gamp upon an errand touching - not the close
of life, but the other end. Mrs. Gamp herself was under the same impression,
for, throwing open the window, she cried behind the curtains, as she hastily
attired herself:
    »Is it Mrs. Perkins?«
    »No!« returned Mr. Pecksniff, sharply. »Nothing of the sort.«
    »What, Mr. Whilks!« cried Mrs. Gamp. »Don't say it's you, Mr. Whilks, and
that poor creetur Mrs. Whilks with not even a pincushion ready. Don't say it's
you, Mr. Whilks!«
    »It isn't Mr. Whilks,« said Pecksniff. »I don't know the man. Nothing of the
kind. A gentleman is dead; and some person being wanted in the house
