Our Mutual Friend

of Mr Riah. She often moralized over her work on the tricks and the manners of that venerable cheat, but made her little purchases elsewhere, and lived a secluded life. After much co

was silent on this theme, and principally dilated on the back

inger, 'you'll force me to run away from you, after all, you will; and

er (he had come to such a pass that he was least alive in the latter state), it was always on the conscience of the paralytic scarecrow that he had betrayed his sharp parent for sixty threepennyworths of rum, which were all gone, and that her sharpness would infallibly detect his hav

ll sweet voice a mournful little song which might have been the song of the doll she was dressing, bemoaning the brittl

?' said Fledgeby, com

as you, young man. Quite a coincidence. You're not

w are you?' s

s Wren. 'A very unfortunate parent, worried o

passed for ordinary-sized eyes, as he stared about him for

uently it's of no use talking to you upon a family sub

e your acquaintance,

bite her thread, looked

now,' said Fl

s Wren, choppi

o come and have a talk with you about o

y address; did he

him,' said Fledge

ked Miss Wren, with shrewd distrust. 'A goo

aid Fledgeby.

ing over the doll on which her art was being

ledgeby, sha

his time, and sticking to him still?

m is the word,'

th a concentrated air, and asked, a

u in th

ledgeby, rather flatt

asked Mi

two negatives, as if he were not absolutel

then?' deman

eman, I am,'

. 'Yes, to be sure! That accounts for your having so much time to give to in

t a fresh track. 'Let's get back to the dodgerest of the dodgers,' said he. 'What's he up t

, sir, I am sure!' retur

; 'and I have a fancy that I should like to have anoth

ay, sir, I am sure!' M

re she is gone,'

o say, sir, really,

hitch, that that agreeable gentleman was for some time at a loss ho

's your name, if

ss Wren's cool answer; 'because you had i

k alive. It'll pay better, I assure you,' said Fledgeby, bestowing an in

lay there, and not in the conversation; 'perhaps you'll explain your meaning, young man, which is Greek to me.-You must have another touch of blue in your trimming, my dear.' Having addresse

d Fledgeby.-'Are

out the slightest appearance of so doing. 'Ano

ed by the circumstances under which he found himse

s Wren, in a sprightly tone, 'being best suited

his way. It'll lead in a roundabout manner to your buying damage and was

ttle Eyes, that I don't notice your answering for Pubsey and Co.

'that to get the most of your materials for not

dressmaker with many knowing nods, 'that it'

ake so free, Miss Jenny, as to offer the remark, that you and Judah were too thick together to last. You can't come to be i

r, with her eyes upon her work, 'tha

his own deep way in everything. In most things he'll get it by hook or by crook, but-hang it all!-don't let him have his own deep way in

s having his own way?

called it,' s

eep way, in

because it's looking alive. It's what I should expect to f

ried Mi

,' Mr Fledgeby explai

h-

se his motive is a dark motive. Now, whatever his motive is, it's necessary to his motive'-Mr Fledgeby's constructive powers were not equal to the avoidance of some tautology here-'that i

, sat looking at it, needle in hand but not working, for some moments. She then briskly

d'ye

adilly,' repl

re you

you

Jenny, in her abrupte

e in the day,'

appointment in Bond Street at ten precisely. When I've dropped 'em there, I'll drive round

live indeed!' crie

olls' dressmaker, dabbing two dabs at him wit

nd waste question shall be settled first. It shall be m

ay, you

er, clipping and snipping and stitching, and stitching and snipping and c

olf Co? Can't make it out. Pubsey true to Co, and Co to Pubsey? Pubsey false to Co, and Co to Pubsey? Can't make it out. What said Little Eyes? "Now, candidly?" Ah! However the cat jumps, he's a liar. That's all I can make out at present; but you may go to bed in th

tched old boy whenever she caught his eye as he shivered and shook. What are popularly called 'the trembles' being in full force upon him that evening, and likewise what are popularly called 'the horrors,' he had a very bad time of it; which was not made better by his being so remorseful as frequently to m

nd Street, and set down the two ladies punctually, and then directed her equipage to conduct her to the Albany. Arrived at the doorway of the house in w

e?' said the lady

p stairs to M

g for the gentleman. His business with Mr Fledgeby will very soon be transacte

ase, as if prepared to oppose her going up, by force. The lady being of a stature t

you listen?' a

ening,' said t

' asked the lady,

g somewhere?' said the dressm

wer-bath, perhaps,' rem

s beating a ca

t, I dare say,' repl

nature. But she had never seen so singular a smile as that upon this lady's face. It twitched her nostrils open in a remarkable manner, and contracted her li

lady, watching

hing the matter!' s

inquired

about her. 'But I never heard such odd noise

eturned the lady with a signifi

ady looked at her. Meanwhile the dressmaker listened with amazement to the odd noises which still

; and then came running down stairs, a gentleman with

done, Alfred?' i

eplied the gentleman, as

as soon as you like,' said t

litely, 'and say, if you please, that they come from Mr Alfred Lammle, with his com

Mr Alfred Lammle, if you'll be so good. Compliments, on leaving England,' the lady and gentleman walked away quite deliberately, and Miss Jenny and her crutch-stick w

at Fledgeby's bell. No one answered; but, from within the chambers, there proceed

Little Eyes choking

it wider, and the spluttering continuing, she took the liberty of opening an inner door, and then beheld the extraordinary spectacle of M

. Fire! Oh my eye! A glass of water. Give me a glass of water. Shut th

t for Fledgeby's relief: who, gasping, spluttering, and rattling in his th

roat, and in my wind-pipe. Ugh! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ah-h-h-h!' And here, crowing fearfully, with his eyes s

to the wall. 'Oh I smart so! Do put something to my back and arms, and legs and shoulders. Ugh! It's down my throat again and can't

rst place to address her ministration to the salt and snuff, gave him more water and slapped his back. But, the latter application was b

him into an easy-chair: where, with his eyes red and watery, with his features swollen

take salt and snuff, young

ismal youth replied. 'It

d it?' aske

into my mouth and up my nose and down my throat-Ow! Ow! Ow! Ah-h-

Miss Jenny, showing

with the air of an acquaintance. 'He broke it

ed the lady he had left in the ha

, 'she was holding his hat, was she

lfred Lammle's compliments on his leaving England."' Miss Jenny said it with such spiteful satisfaction, and such a hitch of her chin

inquired Miss Jenny, with a n

ease. We had better keep it quiet. Will you b

ed, Mr Fledgeby came wallowing out of the ea

e kindness to look at my back and shoulders. They must be in an awful state, for I hadn't got my dressing-gown on, when the brute came rushing in. Cut my sh

s Jenny, alluding to

edgeby, rocking himself.

rashing as even Mr Fledgeby merited. 'You may well smart, young man!' exclaimed Miss Jenny. And stealthily rubbed

suffering Fledgeby, still rocking and moaning. 'Does it loo

a silent chuckle. 'It looks a

' he said; 'you'll find brown paper in a dresser-drawer there, and a bottle of vinegar on a shel

ix. You'll want six,'

ered Mr Fledgeby, groaning an

the vinegar, and skilfully cut out and steeped six large plasters. When they were all

a little pepper? Just a few grains? I think the young man's tric

and got it down, and sprinkled all the plasters with a judicious hand. She then went back to Mr Fl

dolls' dressmaker. 'Now I hop

not, for he cried by way of

to his bed: upon which he climbed groaning. 'Business between you and me being out of the question to-day, yo

ledgeby. 'No, I ain't.

ts native element. She then shut the bedroom door, and all the other doors, and going down stairs and emerging from the Albany into the busy streets, took omnibus for Saint Mary Axe: