| 166 | 167 | 168 | 169 | 170 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
|
scoring, but also involved the constant correction, by looks, and
frowns, and kicks under the table, of Richard Swiveller, who being
bewildered by the rapidity with which his cards were told, and the rate
at which the pegs travelled down the board, could not be prevented
from sometimes expressing his surprise and incredulity. Mrs Quilp too
was the partner of young Trent, and for every look that passed
between them, and every word they spoke, and every card they played,
the dwarf had eyes and ears; not occupied alone with what was
passing above the table, but with signals that might be exchanging
beneath it, which he laid all kinds of traps to detect; besides often
treading on his wife's toes to see whether she cried out or remained
silent under the infliction, in which latter case it would have been
quite clear that Trent had been treading on her toes before. Yet, in the
most of all these distractions, the one eye was upon the old lady
always, and if she so much as stealthily advanced a tea-spoon
towards a neighbouring glass (which she often did), for the purpose of
abstracting but one sup of its sweet contents, Quilp's hand would
overset it in the very moment of her triumph, and Quilp's mocking
voice implore her to regard her precious health. And in any one of
these his many cares, from first to last, Quilp never flagged nor
faltered.
At length, when they had played a great many rubbers and drawn
pretty freely upon the case-bottle, Mr Quilp warned his lady to retire
to rest, and that submissive wife complying, and being followed by her
indignant mother, Mr Swiveller fell asleep. The dwarf beckoning his
remaining companion to the other end of the room, held a short
conference with him in whispers.
'
It's as well not to say more than one can help before our worthy
friend,' said Quilp, making a grimace towards the slumbering Dick. 'Is
it a bargain between us, Fred? Shall he marry little rosy Nell by-and-
by?'
'
You have some end of your own to answer, of course,' returned the
other.
'Of course I have, dear Fred,' said Quilp, grinning to think how little
he suspected what the real end was. 'It's retaliation perhaps; perhaps
whim. I have influence, Fred, to help or oppose. Which way shall I use
it? There are a pair of scales, and it goes into one.'
'Throw it into mine then,' said Trent.
'It's done, Fred,' rejoined Quilp, stretching out his clenched hand and
opening it as if he had let some weight fall out. 'It's in the scale from
this time, and turns it, Fred. Mind that.'
Page
Quick Jump
|