CHAPTER 3

hedherfromhim:‘There—getyouawaynowyouhavesaidyourlesson.Youneedn’twhimper.Wepartgoodfriendsenough,ifthat’sthematter.’ Heremainedsilent,followingherwithhiseyes,untilshehadgainedherlittleroomandclosedthedoorandthenturningtothedwarf,saidabruptly, ‘Harkee,Mr—’ ‘Meaningme?’returnedthedwarf.‘Quilpismyname.Youmightremember.It’snotalongone—DanielQuilp.’ ‘Harkee,MrQuilp,then,’pursuedtheother,‘Youhavesomeinfluencewithmygrandfatherthere.’ ‘Some,’saidMrQuilpemphatically. ‘Andareinafewofhismysteriesandsecrets.’ ‘Afew,’repliedQuilp,withequaldryness. ‘Thenletmetellhimonceforall,throughyou,thatIwillcomeintoandgooutofthisplaceasoftenasIlike,solongashekeepsNellhereandthatifhewantstobequitofme,hemustfirstbequitofher.WhathaveIdonetobemadeabugbearof,andtobeshunnedanddreadedasifIbroughttheplague?He’lltellyouthatIhavenonaturalaffectionandthatIcarenomoreforNell,forherownsake,thanIdoforhim.Lethimsayso.Icareforthewhim,then,ofcomingtoandfroandremindingherofmyexistence.IwillseeherwhenIplease.That’smypoint.Icamehereto-daytomaintainit,andI’llcomehereagainfiftytimeswiththesameobjectandalwayswiththesamesuccess.IsaidIwouldstoptillIhadgainedit.Ihavedoneso,andnowmyvisit’sended.ComeDick.’ ‘Stop!’criedMrSwiveller,ashiscompanionturnedtowardthedoor.‘Sir!’ ‘Sir,Iamyourhumbleservant,’saidMrQuilp,towhomthemonosyllablewasaddressed. ‘BeforeIleavethegayandfestivescene,andhallsofdazzlinglight,sir,’saidMrSwiveller,‘Iwillwithyourpermission,attemptaslightremark.Icamehere,sir,thisday,undertheimpressionthattheoldminwasfriendly.’ ‘Proceed,sir,’saidDanielQuilpfortheoratorhadmadeasuddenstop. ‘Inspiredbythisideaandthesentimentsitawakened,sir,andfeelingasamutualfriendthatbadgering,baiting,andbullying,wasnotthesortofthingcalculatedtoexpandthesoulsandpromotethesocialharmonyofthecontendingparties,Itookuponmyselftosuggestacoursewhichisthecoursetobeadoptedtothepresentoccasion.Willyouallowmetowhisperhalfasyllable,sir?’ Withoutwaitingforthepermissionhesought,MrSwivellersteppeduptothedwarf,andleaningonhisshoulderandstoopingdowntogetathisear,saidinavoicewhichwasperfectlyaudibletoallpresent, ‘Thewatch-wordtotheoldminis—fork.’ ‘Iswhat?’demandedQuilp. ‘Isfork,sir,fork,’repliedMrSwivellerslappinghispocket.‘Youareawake,sir?’ Thedwarfnodded.MrSwivellerdrewbackandnoddedlikewise,thendrewalittlefurtherbackandnoddedagain,andsoon.Bythesemeansheintimereachedthedoor,wherehegaveagreatcoughtoattractthedwarf’sattentionandgainanopportunityofexpressingindumbshow,theclosestconfidenceandmostinviolablesecrecy.Havingperformedtheserious