The Mystery of Edwin Drood

themselves coldly stared at by the brazen door-plate, as if the battered old beau with the glass in his eye wer

e long, Mr. Droo

ow. But I shall be here, off and on, until next Midsummer; then I shall tak

u going

pt a little,' is the

ou rea

art of the capital of the Firm I am with, by my father, a former partner; and I am a charge upon the Firm until I come of a

risparkle of your o

ean by my othe

essive of that peculiar air already noticed, of being at once hunter and hunted. Edwin has made

no offence, Mr. Drood, in my innoc

s chattering old Cloisterham refers to it I wonder no public-house has been set up, with

parkle's mentioning the matter to

you are not,' Ed

ioning it to you. And I did so, on the supposition

sed by Little Rosebud, to feel indignant that Edwin Drood (far below her) should hold his prize so lightly. Edwin Drood is already enough impre

ark had better be ans

y usually talk most about; I don't know either, that what they are proudest of, they most like other people to talk abo

in Drood under the transparent cover of a popular tune, and a stop now and

ger who comes here, not having had your advantages, to try to make up for lost time. But, to be

ought up among,' retorts Edwin Drood, 'is to mind our own busi

self?' is the angry rejoinder, 'and that in the part of th

Drood, coming to a halt, and surveyi

ands between them. For, it would seem that he, too, has strolled round by t

er represent it towards a stranger. Mr. Neville is a stranger, and you should respect the obligations of hospitality. And, Mr. Neville,' laying his left hand on the inner shoulder of that young gentleman, and thus walking on between them, hand

shall speak last, Edwin Drood strikes in with: 'So f

ssly. 'But if Mr. Drood knew all that lies behind me, far away from here, he m

ter not say anything having the appearance of a remonstrance or condition; it might not seem generous. Fran

e so frankly or so freely; or, be it said

, and the wine and glasses are on the table, and it is not a stone's throw from Minor Canon Corner

l my hea

rather not go. He has an impression upon him that he has lost hold of his temper;

amp to that of the fire, is the portrait over the chimneypicce. It is not an object calculated to improve the understanding between the two young men, as rather awkwardly reviving the subject of their difference. Accord

Mr. Neville?' shading the lam

it is far from flat

It was done by Ned, who

ogises, with a real intention to apologise; 'i

king yawn. 'A little humouring of Pussy's points! I'm goin

at the back of his head, as a rest for it, is very exasperating to the excitable and excited Neville. Jasper looks observantly from the on

himself in the face of young Landless, which is fully as visible as the portrait, or

,' is the hast

. But if you could, I suppose you would make her (no matter what sh

dy love, and

lness getting up in him, 'on a portrait of Miss Landless-in e

I suppose? As it never will be got, I am afraid I sh

glass for Neville, fills a large goblet glass for Edwin

is his foot that is in the stirrup-metaphorically-our stirrup

s, and Neville follows it. Edwin Drood says, 'Thank

ee where he lounges so easily, Mr. Neville! The world is all before him where to choose. A life of stir

he wine; so has the face of Neville Landless. Edwin still sits thro

or him. And yet consider the contrast, Mr. Neville. You and I have no prospect of stirring work and interest, or of change and excitement, or of domestic ea

But you know what I know, Jack, and it may not be so very easy as it seems, after all. May it, Pussy?' To the portrai

lf-possessed, looks to Neville, as expecting his answer or comme

Mr. Drood to have known some

n that direction, 'pray why might it have been b

with an air of inter

says Neville, 'of good fortune that is not by an

looks to his nephew

s, may I ask?' says Edwi

y looks to the ot

hav

they made you

ween the two holds good throu

you once befo

ne nothing o

t you take a great deal

hing else to tha

d say some

it ag

e world I come from, you would

uous laugh. 'A long way off, I believe? Yes; I s

tolerable, your conceit is beyond endurance; you talk as if you were some rare and prec

ow? You may know a black common fellow, or a black common boaster, when you see him (an

ee, that he flings the dregs of his wine at Edwin Drood, and is in the act of fl

!' There has been a rush of all the three, and a clattering of glasses and overturning of c

goblet yet in his uplifted hand. Then, he dashes it down under the grate, with such

g around him shows like what it is; he only knows that he stands with a bare head in th

he holds his steam-hammer beating head and heart, and staggers away. Then, he becomes half-conscious

aves, and the remembrance of his sister, and the thought of what he owes to the good man who has but that very

favourite parts in concerted vocal music. The south wind that goes where it lists, by way of Minor Canon Corner on a

mself. When he opens the door, candle in hand, his che

this disorder! Wh

r. Jasper's, sir.

me

strictly scientific manner, worthy of his morning trainings),

, sir. I have beg

are not sober

her time that I have had a very little indeed to drink, and

r Canon, shaking his head with a sorrowfu

ed, but I think-it is equally t

,' is the dr

t grossly. He had heated that tigerish

firmly: 'I request you not to speak to me with tha

er or no he meant it at first, but he did it. He certainly meant it at last. In short, sir,' with an irrepressib

hand again,' is Mr. Cris

our pard

r; but I will accompany you to it once more. Your arm

with an apparent repose quite unattainable by novices, Mr. Crisparkle conducts his pupil to the pleasant and orderly old room prepared for him. Arrived ther

the door, and seeing this dejected figure, he turns back to it, touches it with a mild hand, says 'Good ni

attention as he goes down-stairs. He opens it to

scene with him,' says

een so ba

dero

tes: 'No, no, no. Do not

his, that he did not. But that I was, through the mercy of God, s

'Ah!' thinks Mr. Crisp

stness, 'I shall never know peace of mind when there is danger of those two coming together, wit

r. Crisparkle,

er, taking his hand, 'even you,

r,' returns Mr. Crisparkle, with a q

pronoun, 'because I am not, nor am I in the way of being, the object

so almost imperceptibly, acquired the right to be hung