«
    »Oh fie! Oh fie, for shame!« cried Mr. Pecksniff. But they all laughed again
- especially Mr. Pecksniff.
    »I give you my honour that we do it,« said Montague.
    »Oh fie, fie!« cried Mr. Pecksniff. »You are very pleasant. That I am sure
you don't! That I am sure you don't! How can you, you know?«
    Again they all laughed in concert; and again Mr. Pecksniff laughed
especially.
    This was very agreeable indeed. It was confidential, easy, straightforward:
and still left Mr. Pecksniff in the position of being in a gentle way the Mentor
of the party. The greatest achievements in the article of cookery that the
Dragon had ever performed, were set before them; the oldest and best wines in
the Dragon's cellar saw the light on that occasion; a thousand bubbles,
indicative of the wealth and station of Mr. Montague in the depths of his
pursuits, were constantly rising to the surface of the conversation; and they
were as frank and merry as three honest men could be. Mr. Pecksniff thought it a
pity (he said so) that Mr. Montague should think lightly of mankind and their
weaknesses. He was anxious upon this subject; his mind ran upon it; in one way
or another he was constantly coming back to it; he must make a convert of him,
he said. And as often as Mr. Montague repeated his sentiment about building
fortunes on the weaknesses of mankind, and added frankly, »We do it!« just as
often as Mr. Pecksniff repeated »Oh fie! Oh fie, for shame! I am sure you don't.
How can you, you know?« laying a greater stress each time on those last words.
    The frequent repetition of this playful inquiry on the part of Mr.
Pecksniff, led at last to playful answers on the part of Mr. Montague; but after
some little sharp-shooting on both sides, Mr. Pecksniff became grave, almost to
tears; observing that if Mr. Montague would give him leave, he would drink the
health of his young kinsman, Mr. Jonas; congratulating him upon the valuable and
distinguished friendship he had formed, but envying him, he would confess, his
usefulness to his fellow-creatures. For, if he understood the objects of that
Institution with which he was newly and advantageously connected - knowing them
but imperfectly - they were calculated to do Good; and for his (Mr. Pecksniff's)
