and Quilp himself, with his hands in his pockets, smiled in an

exquisite enjoyment of the commotion he occasioned.

'Don't be frightened, mistress,' said Quilp, after a pause. 'Your son

knows me; I don't eat babies; I don't like 'em. It will be as well to stop

that young screamer though, in case I should be tempted to do him a

mischief. Holloa, sir! Will you be quiet?'

Little Jacob stemmed the course of two tears which he was squeezing

out of his eyes, and instantly subsided into a silent horror.

'Mind you don't break out again, you villain,' said Quilp, looking

sternly at him, 'or I'll make faces at you and throw you into fits, I will.

Now you sir, why haven't you been to me as you promised?'

What should I come for?' retorted Kit. 'I hadn't any business with you,

no more than you had with me.'

'Here, mistress,' said Quilp, turning quickly away, and appealing from

Kit to his mother. 'When did his old master come or send here last? Is

he here now? If not, where's he gone?'

He has not been here at all,' she replied. 'I wish we knew where they

have gone, for it would make my son a good deal easier in his mind,

and me too. If you're the gentleman named Mr Quilp, I should have

thought you'd have known, and so I told him only this very day.'

Humph!' muttered Quilp, evidently disappointed to believe that this

was true. 'That's what you tell this gentleman too, is it?'

If the gentleman comes to ask the same question, I can't tell him

anything else, sir; and I only wish I could, for our own sakes,' was the

reply.

Quilp glanced at Richard Swiveller, and observed that having met him

on the threshold, he assumed that he had come in search of some

intelligence of the fugitives. He supposed he was right?

Yes,' said Dick, 'that was the object of the present expedition. I

fancied it possible - but let us go ring fancy's knell. I'll begin it.'

You seem disappointed,' observed Quilp.

A baffler, Sir, a baffler, that's all,' returned Dick. 'I have entered upon

a speculation which has proved a baffler; and a Being of brightness

and beauty will be offered up a sacrifice at Cheggs's altar. That's all,

sir.'

The Old Curiosity Shop