Mr. Pinch looked from master to pupil, and from pupil to master, and was so perplexed and dismayed that he wanted presence of mind to answer the question. In this awkward interval, Mr. Pecksniff (who was perfectly conscious of Martin's gaze, though he had never once glanced towards him) poked the fire very much, and when he couldn't do that any more, drank tea assiduously.
`Now, Mr. Pecksniff,' said Martin at last, in a very quiet voice, `if you have sufficiently refreshed and recovered yourself, I shall be glad to hear what you mean by this treatment of me.'
`And what,' said Mr. Pecksniff, turning his eyes on Tom Pinch, even more placidly and gently than before, `what have you been doing, Thomas, humph?'
When he had repeated this inquiry, he looked round the walls of the room as if he were curious to see whether any nails had been left there by accident in former times.
Tom was almost at his wit's end what to say between the two, and had already made a gesture as if he would call Mr. Pecksniff's attention to the gentleman who had last addressed him, when Martin saved him further trouble by doing so himself.
`Mr. Pecksniff,' he said, softly rapping the table twice or thrice, and moving a step or two nearer, so that he could have touched him with his hand; `you heard what I said just now. Do me the favour to reply, if you please. I ask you:' he raised his voice a little here: `what you mean by this?'
`I will talk to you, sir,' said Mr. Pecksniff in a severe voice, as he looked at him for the first time, `presently.'
`You are very obliging,' returned Martin; `presently will not do. I must trouble you to talk to me at once.'
Mr. Pecksniff made a feint of being deeply interested in his pocketbook, but it shook in his hands; he trembled so.
`Now,' retorted Martin, rapping the table again. `Now. Presently will not do. Now!'
`Do you threaten me, sir?' cried Mr. Pecksniff.
Martin looked at him, and made no answer; but a curious observer might have detected an ominous twitching at his mouth, and perhaps an involuntary attraction of his right hand in the direction of Mr. Pecksniff's cravat.
`I lament to be obliged to say, sir,' resumed Mr. Pecksniff, `that it would be quite in keeping with your character if you did threaten me. You have deceived me. You have imposed upon a nature which you knew to be confiding and unsuspicious. You have obtained admission, sir,' said Mr. Pecksniff, rising, `to this house, on perverted statements and on false pretences.'
`Go on,' said Martin, with a scornful smile. `I understand you now.
What more?'