CHAPTER 3

Thechildwascloselyfollowedbyanelderlymanofremarkablyhardfeaturesandforbiddingaspect,andsolowinstatureastobequiteadwarf,thoughhisheadandfacewerelargeenoughforthebodyofagiant.Hisblackeyeswererestless,sly,andcunninghismouthandchin,bristlywiththestubbleofacoarsehardbeardandhiscomplexionwasoneofthatkindwhichneverlookscleanorwholesome.Butwhataddedmosttothegrotesqueexpressionofhisfacewasaghastlysmile,which,appearingtobethemereresultofhabitandtohavenoconnectionwithanymirthfulorcomplacentfeeling,constantlyrevealedthefewdiscolouredfangsthatwereyetscatteredinhismouth,andgavehimtheaspectofapantingdog.Hisdressconsistedofalargehigh-crownedhat,aworndarksuit,apairofcapaciousshoes,andadirtywhiteneckerchiefsufficientlylimpandcrumpledtodisclosethegreaterportionofhiswirythroat.Suchhairashehadwasofagrizzledblack,cutshortandstraightuponhistemples,andhanginginafrowzyfringeabouthisears.Hishands,whichwereofarough,coarsegrain,wereverydirtyhisfingernailswerecrooked,long,andyellow. Therewasampletimetonotetheseparticulars,forbesidesthattheyweresufficientlyobviouswithoutverycloseobservation,somemomentselapsedbeforeanyonebrokesilence.Thechildadvancedtimidlytowardsherbrotherandputherhandinhis,thedwarf(ifwemaycallhimso)glancedkeenlyatallpresent,andthecuriosity-dealer,whoplainlyhadnotexpectedhisuncouthvisitor,seemeddisconcertedandembarrassed. ‘Ah!’saidthedwarf,whowithhishandstretchedoutabovehiseyeshadbeensurveyingtheyoungmanattentively,‘thatshouldbeyourgrandson,neighbour!’ ‘Sayratherthatheshouldnotbe,’repliedtheoldman.‘Butheis.’ ‘Andthat?’saidthedwarf,pointingtoDickSwiveller. ‘Somefriendofhis,aswelcomehereashe,’saidtheoldman. ‘Andthat?’inquiredthedwarf,wheelingroundandpointingstraightatme. ‘AgentlemanwhowassogoodastobringNellhometheothernightwhenshelostherway,comingfromyourhouse.’ Thelittlemanturnedtothechildasiftochideherorexpresshiswonder,butasshewastalkingtotheyoungman,heldhispeace,andbenthisheadtolisten. ‘Well,Nelly,’saidtheyoungfellowaloud.‘Dotheyteachyoutohateme,eh?’ ‘No,no.Forshame.Oh,no!’criedthechild. ‘Toloveme,perhaps?’pursuedherbrotherwithasneer. ‘Todoneither,’shereturned.‘Theyneverspeaktomeaboutyou.Indeedtheyneverdo.’ ‘Idarebeboundforthat,’hesaid,dartingabitterlookatthegrandfather.‘IdarebeboundforthatNell.Oh!Ibelieveyouthere!’ ‘ButIloveyoudearly,Fred,’saidthechild. ‘Nodoubt!’ ‘Idoindeed,andalwayswill,’thechildrepeatedwithgreatemotion,‘butoh!Ifyouwouldleaveoffvexinghimandmakinghimunhappy,thenIcouldloveyoumore.’ ‘Isee!’saidtheyoungman,ashestoopedcarelesslyoverthechild,andhavingkissedher,pus