the East, from the West, from the South-East, from the Nor'West--'

During this digression, and indeed during the whole dialogue, Jonas had
been rocking on his chair, with his hands in his pockets and his head
thrown cunningly on one side. He looked at Mr Pecksniff now with such
shrewd meaning twinkling in his eyes, that Mr Pecksniff stopped, and
asked him what he was going to say.

'Ecod!' he answered. 'Pecksniff if I knew how you meant to leave your
money, I could put you in the way of doubling it in no time. It wouldn't
be bad to keep a chance like this snug in the family. But you're such a
deep one!'

'Jonas!' cried Mr Pecksniff, much affected, 'I am not a diplomatical
character; my heart is in my hand. By far the greater part of the
inconsiderable savings I have accumulated in the course of--I hope--a
not dishonourable or useless career, is already given, devised, and
bequeathed (correct me, my dear Jonas, if I am technically wrong), with
expressions of confidence, which I will not repeat; and in securities
which it is unnecessary to mention to a person whom I cannot, whom
I will not, whom I need not, name.' Here he gave the hand of his
son-in-law a fervent squeeze, as if he would have added, 'God bless you;
be very careful of it when you get it!'

Mr Jonas only shook his head and laughed, and, seeming to think better
of what he had had in his mind, said, 'No. He would keep his own
counsel.' But as he observed that he would take a walk, Mr Pecksniff
insisted on accompanying him, remarking that he could leave a card for
Mr Montague, as they went along, by way of gentleman-usher to himself at
dinner-time. Which he did.

In the course of their walk, Mr Jonas affected to maintain that close
reserve which had operated as a timely check upon him during the
foregoing dialogue. And as he made no attempt to conciliate Mr
Pecksniff, but, on the contrary, was more boorish and rude to him than
usual, that gentleman, so far from suspecting his real design, laid
himself out to be attacked with advantage. For it is in the nature of a
knave to think the tools with which he works indispensable to knavery;
and knowing what he would do himself in such a case, Mr Pecksniff
argued, 'if this young man wanted anything of me for his own ends, he
would be polite and deferential.'

The more Jonas repelled him in his hints and inquiries, the more
solicitous, therefore, Mr Pecksniff became to be initiated into the
golden mysteries at w