内容简介
(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed) At The Center of MartinChuzzlewit -- the novel Angus Wilson called "one of the mostsheerly exciting of all Dickens stories" -- is Martin himself, veryold, very rich, very much on his guard. What he suspects (with goodreason) is that every one of Iris close and distant relations. nowconverging in droves on the country inn where they believe he isdying, will stop at nothing to become the inheritor of Iris greatfortune. Having unjustly disinherited Iris grandson, young Martin,the old fellow now trusts no one but Mary Graham, the pretty girlhired as Iris companion. Though she has been made to understand shewill not inherit a penny, she remains old Chuzzlewit's only ally.As the viperish relations and hangers-on close in on him, we meetsome of Dickens's most marvelous characters -- among them Mr.Pecksniff (whose name has entered the language as a synonym forultimate hypocrisy and self-importance); the fabulously evil JonasChuzzlewit; the strutting reptile Tigg Montague; and theridiculous, terrible, comical Sairey Gamp. Reluctantly heading forAmerica in search of opportunity, the penniless young Martin goeswest, rides a riverboat, and is overtaken by bad company and mortaldanger -- while the battle for his grandfather's gold reveals newdepths of family treachery, cunning, and ruthlessness. And in sceneafter wonderful scene of conflict and suspense, of high excitementand fierce and hilarious satire, Dickens's huge saga of greedversus decency comes to its magnificent climax.