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'Take down the bill, were his parting words, as he looked out from between the curtains; 'and let nobody call me till I ring the bell. With that the curtains closed, and he seemed to snore immediately. 'This is a most remarkable and supernatural sort of house! said Mr Swiveller, as he walked into the office with the bill in his hand.
Swiveller, recovering very slowly from his illness, even with the strong tonic of his good fortune, and entering into the receipt of his annuity, bought for the Marchioness a handsome stock of clothes, and put her to school forthwith, in redemption of the vow he had made upon his fevered bed.
But, only one little whisper, Fred is the old min friendly?" Mr. Swiveller then leaned back in his chair and relapsed into silence; only to break it by observing, "Gentlemen, how does the case stand? Here is a jolly old grandfather, and here is a wild young grandson.
'I must indeed, said the patient, looking round the room. 'Whereabouts are my clothes? 'Oh, I'm so glad you haven't got any, replied the Marchioness. 'Ma'am! said Mr Swiveller, in great astonishment. 'I've been obliged to sell them, every one, to get the things that was ordered for you. But don't take on about that, urged the Marchioness, as Dick fell back upon his pillow.
To these various attentions, Mr Swiveller submitted in a kind of grateful astonishment beyond the reach of language. 'Gentlemen, said Dick, rousing himself from this pause, and turning round again, 'you'll excuse me. Men who have been brought so low as I have been, are easily fatigued. I am fresh again now, and fit for talking.
"Very ill, Marchioness, have I been?" "Dead, all but," replied the small servant. "I never thought you'd get better." Mr. Swiveller was silent for a long period. By and by he inquired how long he had been there. "Three weeks to-morrow." replied the small servant, "three long slow weeks." The bare thought of having been in such extremity caused Richard to fall into another silence.
'Next, said Dick, handing the purl, 'take a pull at that; but moderate your transports, you know, for you're not used to it. Well, is it good? 'Oh! isn't it? said the small servant. Mr Swiveller appeared gratified beyond all expression by this reply, and took a long draught himself, steadfastly regarding his companion while he did so.
The single gentleman smiled as if the light in which Mr Swiveller had put the question were not the clearest in the world, and proceeded to explain that they contemplated proceeding by stratagem in the first instance; and that their design was to endeavour to extort a confession from the gentle Sarah.
The whole of which appearances were so unexpected and bewildering, that Mr Swiveller, when he had taken two oranges and a little jelly, and had seen the strong man walk off with the empty basket, plainly leaving all that abundance for his use and benefit, was fain to lie down and fall asleep again, from sheer inability to entertain such wonders in his mind.
Richard Swiveller, who had been looking over the rim of the tumbler while his companion addressed the foregoing remarks to him with great energy and earnestness of manner, no sooner heard these words than he evinced the utmost consternation, and with difficulty ejaculated the monosyllable: 'What!
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