with a gentle pride and love upon his broad chest, and patted it as if his hand had been a lady’s.

Then he let her go; and as she ran into the little chamber where I used to sleep, looked round upon us, quite hot and out of breath with his uncommon satisfaction.

‘If you two gent’lmen — gent’lmen growed now, and such gent’lmen — ’ said Mr. Peggotty.

‘So th’ are, so th’ are!’ cried Ham. ‘Well said! So th’ are. Mas’r Davy bor’ — gent’lmen growed — so th’ are!’

‘If you two gent’lmen, gent’lmen growed,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘don’t ex-cuse me for being in a state of mind, when you understand matters, I’ll