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Updated: May 5, 2025
The dwarf muttering a terrible oath looked round as if for some weapon with which to inflict condign punishment upon his disobedient wife. The submissive little woman hurriedly entreated him not to be angry, and promised to do as he bade her. 'Do you hear me, whispered Quilp, nipping and pinching her arm; 'worm yourself into her secrets; I know you can. I'm listening, recollect.
Six pound a year! 'Hem! croaked a strange voice. 'What's that about six pound a year? What about six pound a year? And as the voice made this inquiry, Daniel Quilp walked in with Richard Swiveller at his heels. 'Who said he was to have six pound a year? said Quilp, looking sharply round. 'Did the old man say it, or did little Nell say it?
And in any one of these his many cares, from first to last, Quilp never flagged nor faltered. At length, when they had played a great many rubbers and drawn pretty freely upon the case-bottle, Mr Quilp warned his lady to retire to rest, and that submissive wife complying, and being followed by her indignant mother, Mr Swiveller fell asleep.
Mr Quilp accompanied this admission with such an awful wink, indicative of old rovings and backslidings, that Mrs Jiniwin was indignant, and could not forbear from remarking under her breath that he might at least put off his confessions until his wife was absent; for which act of boldness and insubordination Mr Quilp first stared her out of countenance and then drank her health ceremoniously.
As the knocking, however, instead of accommodating itself to his lazy state, increased in vigour and became more importunate, as if in earnest remonstrance against his falling asleep again, now that he had once opened his eyes, Daniel Quilp began by degrees to comprehend the possibility of there being somebody at the door; and thus he gradually came to recollect that it was Friday morning, and he had ordered Mrs Quilp to be in waiting upon him at an early hour.
These unusual answers might naturally have provoked some more inquiries. Quilp, however, without uttering another word, withdrew his eyes from the small servant, stroked his chin more thoughtfully than before, and then, bending over the note as if to direct it with scrupulous and hair-breadth nicety, looked at her, covertly but very narrowly, from under his bushy eyebrows.
'No, replied the child, hurrying away, with the few articles of dress she had come to remove; 'never again! Never again. 'She's very sensitive, said Quilp, looking after her. 'Very sensitive; that's a pity. The bedstead is much about my size. I think I shall make it MY little room.
Perhaps some doubts of its pure delight presented themselves to Mr Swiveller, as he gave vent to one or two short abrupt sniffs, and looked incredulously at the grinning dwarf. 'Mr Swiveller, said Quilp, 'being pretty well accustomed to the agricultural pursuits of sowing wild oats, Miss Sally, prudently considers that half a loaf is better than no bread.
Go home again, you bird of evil note, go home! 'I have brought a letter, cried the meek little woman. 'Toss it in at the window here, and go your ways, said Quilp, interrupting her, 'or I'll come out and scratch you. 'No, but please, Quilp do hear me speak, urged his submissive wife, in tears. 'Please do! 'Speak then, growled the dwarf with a malicious grin. 'Be quick and short about it.
Beautiful, really. 'With Miss Sally, Quilp went on, 'and the beautiful fictions of the law, his days will pass like minutes. Those charming creations of the poet, John Doe and Richard Roe, when they first dawn upon him, will open a new world for the enlargement of his mind and the improvement of his heart. 'Oh, beautiful, beautiful! Beau-ti-ful indeed! cried Brass. 'It's a treat to hear him!
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