Tetterby himself, however, in his little parlour, as already mentioned, having the presence of a young family impressed upon his mind in a manner too clamorous to be disregarded, or to comport with the quiet perusal of a newspaper, laid down his paper, wheeled, in his distraction, a few times round the parlour, like an undecided carrier-pigeon, made an ineffectual rush at one or two flying little figures in bed-gowns that skimmed past him, and then, bearing suddenly down upon the only unoffending member of the family, boxed the ears of little Moloch′s nurse.
"You bad boy!" said Mr. Tetterby, "haven′t you any feeling for your poor father after the fatigues and anxieties of a hard winter′s day, since five o′clock in the morning, but must you wither his rest, and corrode his latest intelligence, with YOUR wicious tricks? Isn′t it enough, sir, that your brother ′Dolphus is toiling and moiling in the fog and cold, and you rolling in the lap of luxury with a—with a baby, and everything you can wish for," said Mr. Tetterby, heaping this up as a great climax of blessings, "but must you make a wilderness of home, and maniacs of your parents? Must you, Johnny? Hey?" At each interrogation, Mr. Tetterby made a feint of boxing his ears again, but thought better of it, and held his hand.
"Oh, father!" whimpered Johnny, "when I wasn′t doing anything, I′m sure, but taking such care of Sally, and getting her to sleep. Oh, father!"
"I wish my little woman would come home!" said Mr. Tetterby, relenting and repenting, "I only wish my little woman would come home! I ain′t fit to deal with ′em. They make my head go round, and get the better of me. Oh, Johnny! Isn′t it enough that your dear mother has provided you with that sweet sister?" indicating Moloch; "isn′t it enough that you were seven boys before without a ray of gal, and that your dear mother went through what she DID go through, on purpose that you might all of you have a little sister, but must you so behave yourself as to make my head swim?"
Softening more and more, as his own tender feelings and those of his injured son were worked on, Mr. Tetterby concluded by embracing him, and immediately breaking away to catch one of the real delinquents. A reasonably good start occurring, he succeeded, after a short but smart run, and some rather severe cross-country work under and over the bedsteads, and in and out among the intricacies of the chairs, in capturing this infant, whom he condignly punished, and bore to bed. This example had a powerful, and apparently, mesmeric influence on him of the boots, who instantly fell into a deep sleep, though he had been, but a moment before, broad awake, and in the highest possible feather. Nor was it lost upon the two young architects, who retired to bed, in an adjoining closet, with great privacy and speed. The comrade of the Intercepted One also shrinking into his nest with similar discretion, Mr. Tetterby, when he paused for breath, found himself unexpectedly in a scene of peace.
"My little woman herself," said Mr. Tetterby, wiping his flushed face, "could hardly have done it better! I only wish my little woman had had it to do, I do indeed!"
Mr. Tetterby sought upon his screen for a passage appropriate to be impressed upon his children′s minds on the occasion, and read the following.
"′It is an undoubted fact that all remarkable men have had remarkable mothers, and have respected them in after life as their best friends.′ Think of your own remarkable mother, my boys," said Mr. Tetterby, "and know her value while she is still among you!"
He sat down again in his chair by the fire, and composed himself, cross-legged, over his newspaper.
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