by easy stage = gradually, little-by-little, step-by-step

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am on the right track with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following brief excerpt from Dickens’ “Barnaby Rudge”?

“Twilight had given place to night some hours, and it was high noon in those quarters of the town in which 'the world' condescended to dwell--the world being then, as now, of very limited dimensions and easily lodged--when Mr Chester reclined upon a sofa in his dressing-room in the Temple, entertaining himself with a book.He was dressing, as it seemed, by easy stages, and having performed half the journey was taking a long rest.“

by easy stages = gradually, step-by-step, little-by-little, bit-by-bit

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

Yes [ but you do not need the hyphens : little by little/step by step/bit by bit