In his secret heart, Daniel Quilp was both surprised and troubled by the flight which had been made. It had not escaped his keen eye that some indispensable articles of clothing were gone with the fugitives, and knowing the old man’s weak state of mind, he marvelled what that course of proceeding might be in which he had so readily procured the concurrence of the child. It must not be supposed (or it would be a gross injustice to Mr. Quilp) that he was tortured by any disinterested anxiety on behalf of either. His uneasiness arose from a misgiving that the old man had some secret store of money which he had not suspected, and the bare idea of its escaping his clutches, overwhelmed him with mortification and self-reproach.
In this frame of mind, it was some consolation to him to find that Richard Swiveller, was, for different reasons, evidently irritated and disappointed by the same cause. It was plain, thought the dwarf, that he had come there on behalf of his friend, to cajole or frighten the old man out of some small fraction of that wealth of which they supposed him to have an abundance. Therefore it was a relief to vex his heart with a picture of the riches the old man hoarded, and to expatiate on his cunning in removing himself even beyond the reach of importunity.
“Well,” said Dick, with a blank look, “I suppose it’s of no use my staying here.”
“Not the least in the world,” rejoined the dwarf.
“You’ll mention that I called, perhaps?” said Dick.
Mr. Quilp nodded, and said he certainly would, the very first time he saw them.
“And say,” added Mr. Swiveller, “say, Sir, that I was wafted here upon the pinions of concord, that I came to remove, with the rake of friendship, the seeds of mutual wiolence and heartburning, and to sow in their place, the germs of social harmony. Will you have the goodness to charge yourself with that commission Sir?”
“Certainly!” rejoined Quilp.
“Will you be kind enough to add to it Sir,” said Dick, producing a very small limp card, “that that is my address, and that I am to be found at home every morning. Two distinct knocks, Sir, will produce the slavey at any time. My particular friends, Sir, are accustomed to sneeze when the door is opened to give her to understand that they are my friends and have no interested motives in asking if I’m at home. I beg your pardon; will you allow me to look at that card again?”
“Oh! by all means” rejoined Quilp.
“By a slight and not unnatural mistake Sir,” said Dick, substituting another in its stead, “I had handed you the pass-ticket of a select convivial circle called the Glorious Apollers, of which I have the honour to be Perpetual Grand. That is the proper document Sir. Good morning.”
Quilp bade him good day; the perpetual Grand Master of the Glorious Apollers, elevating his hat in honour of Mrs. Quilp, dropped it carelessly on the side of his head again, and disappeared with a flourish.
By this time certain vans had arrived for the conveyance of the goods, and divers strong men in carpet caps were balancing chests of drawers and other trifles of that nature upon their heads, and performing muscular feats which heightened their complexions considerably. Not to be behindhand in the bustle, Mr. Quilp went to work with surprising vigour; bustling and driving the people about, like an evil spirit; setting Mrs. Quilp upon all kinds of arduous and impracticable tasks; carrying great weights up and down with no apparent effort; kicking the boy from the wharf whenever he could get near him; and inflicting with his loads a great many sly bumps and blows upon the shoulders of Mr. Brass, as he stood upon the doorsteps to answer all the enquiries of curious neighbours, which was his department. His presence and example diffused such alacrity among the persons employed, that in a few hours the house was emptied of everything, but pieces of matting, empty porter-pots, and scattered fragments of straw.
Seated, like an African chief, on one of these pieces of matting, the dwarf was regaling himself in the parlour with bread and cheese and beer, when he observed, without appearing to do so, that a boy was prying in at the outer-door. Assured that it was Kit, though he saw little more than his nose, Mr. Quilp hailed him by his name; whereupon Kit came in and demanded what he wanted.
“Come here you Sir,” said the dwarf. “Well, so your old master and young mistress have gone.”
“Where?” rejoined Kit, looking round.
“Do you mean to say you don’t know where?” answered Quilp sharply. “Where have they gone, eh?”
“I don’t know,” said Kit.
“Come,” retorted Quilp, “let’s have no more of this. Do you mean to say that you don’t know they went away by stealth as soon as it was light this morning?”
“No,” said the boy, in evident surprise.
“You don’t know that?” cried Quilp. “Don’t I know that you were hanging about the house the other night like a thief, eh? Weren’t you told then?”
“No,” replied the boy.
“You were not?” said Quilp. “What were you told then, what were you talking about?”
Kit, who knew no particular reason why she should keep the matter secret now, related the purpose for which
