After delivering this speech all in a breath, and with extraordinary animation and pleasure, Mr. Peggotty put one of his large hands rapturously on each side of his niece’s face, and kissing it a dozen times, laid it 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!”