The Old Curiosity Shop

a dwarf, though his head and face were large enough for the body of a giant. His black eyes were restless, sly, and cunning; his mouth

attered in his mouth, and gave him the aspect of a panting dog. His dress consisted of a large high-crowned hat, a worn dark suit, a pair of capacious shoes, and a dirty white neckerchief sufficiently limp and crumpled to disclose the greater portion of his

lapsed before any one broke silence. The child advanced timidly towards her brother and put her hand in his, the dwarf (if we may call him so)

t above his eyes had been surveying the young man at

uld not be,’ replied th

he dwarf, pointing

as welcome here as

dwarf, wheeling round and

ng Nell home the other night when she

or express his wonder, but as she was talking to the y

ung fellow aloud. ‘Do they

ame. Oh, no!’ c

ps?’ pursued her b

. ‘They never speak to me abo

a bitter look at the grandfather. ‘I dare be

dearly, Fred,’

do

great emotion, ‘but oh! If you would leave off vexing

g kissed her, pushed her from him: ‘There — get you away now you have said your

ntil she had gained her little room and closed the

kee,

uilp is my name. You might remember.

d the other, ‘You have some infl

d Mr Quilp

w of his mysteri

ed Quilp, with

shunned and dreaded as if I brought the plague? He’ll tell you that I have no natural affection; and that I care no more for Nell, for her own sake, than I do for him. Let him say so. I care for the whim, then, of coming to and fro and reminding her of my existence. I

r, as his companion turne

t,’ said Mr Quilp, to whom th

said Mr Swiveller, ‘I will with your permission, attempt a slight remark. I

iel Quilp; for the orato

as not the sort of thing calculated to expand the souls and promote the social harmony of the contending parties, I took upon mysel

to the dwarf, and leaning on his shoulder and stooping down to get a

d to the old m

?’ deman

d Mr Swiveller slapping his

door, where he gave a great cough to attract the dwarf’s attention and gain an opportunity of expressing in dumb show, the closest confidence and most inviolab

r dear relations. Thank God I acknowledge none! Nor need you either,’ he added, tu

a kind of helpless desperation. ‘It is easy

f I was in your ca

violent,

rs Quilp, pretty Mrs Quilp, obedient, timid, loving Mrs Quilp. But that reminds me — I have left her all alone, and she will be anxious and know not a moment’s peace till I return. I know she

ound again — with something fantastic even in his manner of performing this slight action — and, dropping his shaggy brows and cock

self for fear of accidents, as, being in gold, it was something large and heavy for Nell to carry in her bag.

pe so,’ said the old man w

ghbour, I would I knew in what good investment all these suppli

haggard look. ‘Yes, you’re right

the dwarf watched him sharply, while he passed into the little sitting-room and locked it in an iron safe above the chimney-piece; and after mu

y again, though her doing so HAS procured me an honour I didn’t expect.’ With that he bowed and leered at me, and with a ke

any thanks to the former occasion of our being together, I willingly yielded to his persuasions, and sat down, pretending to examine some curious miniatures and a few old medals whi

, the breath of freshness and youth which seemed to rustle through the old dull house and hover round the child. It was curious, but not so pleasant, to turn from the beauty and grace of the girl, to the stooping

my thoughts, as he laid his

hee — I do not ask it for myself, but thee. Such miseries must fall on thy innocent

lly into his face,

knowing no companions of thy own age nor any childish pleasures; of the solitutde in which thou has grown to be what thou art, a

ied the child in

ith the best. But I still look forward, Nell, I still look forward, and if I should be forced to leave thee, meanwhile, how have I fitted thee for struggles with

er arms about the old man’s neck, then left him and hurried

o triumph yet. All is for her sake. I have borne great poverty myself, and would spare her the sufferings that poverty carries with it. I would spare her the miseries that brought her mother, my own dear child, to an early grave. I would leave her — not with reso

of what he had said himself, led me to suppose that he was a wealthy man. I could form no comprehension of his character, unless he were one of those miserable wretches who, having made gain the sole end and object of their lives and having succeeded in amassing great riches, are co

when he did set down, he tucked up his sleeves and squared his elbows and put his face close to the copy-book and squinted horribly at the lines — how, from the very first moment of having the pen in his hand, he began to wallow in blots, and to daub himself with ink up to the very roots of his hair — how, if he did by accident form a letter properly, he immediately smeared it out again with his arm in his preparations to make another — how, at every fresh mistake, there was a fresh burst of merriment from the child and louder and not less

the reader, I shall for the convenience of the narrative detach myself from its further course, and l