 assented Mr. Pecksniff, in a manner which implied that he
himself was misunderstood most cruelly, but would not complain.
    Anthony glanced at his son as he sat beside Miss Charity, and then at Mr.
Pecksniff, and then at his son again, very many times. It happened that Mr.
Pecksniff's glances took a similar direction; but when he became aware of it, he
first cast down his eyes, and then closed them; as if he were determined that
the old man should read nothing there.
    »Jonas is a shrewd lad,« said the old man.
    »He appears,« rejoined Mr. Pecksniff in his most candid manner, »to be very
shrewd.«
    »And careful,« said the old man.
    »And careful, I have no doubt,« returned Mr. Pecksniff.
    »Lookye!« said Anthony in his ear. »I think he is sweet upon your daughter.«
    »Tut, my good sir,« said Mr. Pecksniff, with his eyes still closed; »young
people, young people. A kind of cousins, too. No more sweetness than is in that,
sir.«
    »Why, there is very little sweetness in that, according to our experience,«
returned Anthony. »Isn't there a trifle more here?«
    »Impossible to say,« rejoined Mr. Pecksniff. »Quite impossible! You surprise
me.«
    »Yes, I know that,« said the old man, drily. »It may last; I mean the
sweetness, not the surprise; and it may die off. Supposing it should last,
perhaps (you having feathered your nest pretty well, and I having done the same)
we might have a mutual interest in the matter.«
    Mr. Pecksniff, smiling gently, was about to speak, but Anthony stopped him.
    »I know what you are going to say. It's quite unnecessary. You have never
thought of this for a moment; and in a point so nearly affecting the happiness
of your dear child, you couldn't as a tender father, express an opinion; and so
forth. Yes, quite right. And like you! But it seems to me, my dear Pecksniff,«
added Anthony, laying his hand upon his sleeve, »that if you and I kept up the
joke of pretending not to see this, one of us might possibly be placed in a
position of disadvantage; and as I am very unwilling to be that party myself,
you will excuse my taking the liberty of putting
