Two good beds, one-and-sixpence; supper and beer one shilling; total

two shillings and sixpence,' replied the Valiant Soldier.

Now, Nell had still the piece of gold sewn in her dress; and when she

came to consider the lateness of the hour, and the somnolent habits of

Mrs Jarley, and to imagine the state of consternation in which they

would certainly throw that good lady by knocking her up in the middle

of the night - and when she reflected, on the other hand, that if they

remained where they were, and rose early in the morning, they might

get back before she awoke, and could plead the violence of the storm

by which they had been overtaken, as a good apology for their absence

she decided, after a great deal of hesitation, to remain. She therefore

took her grandfather aside, and telling him that she had still enough

left to defray the cost of their lodging, proposed that they should stay

there for the night.

If I had had but that money before - If I had only known of it a few

minutes ago!' muttered the old man.

'We will decide to stop here if you please,' said Nell, turning hastily to

the landlord.

I think that's prudent,' returned Mr Groves. 'You shall have your

suppers directly.'

Accordingly, when Mr Groves had smoked his pipe out, knocked out

the ashes, and placed it carefully in a corner of the fire-place, with the

bowl downwards, he brought in the bread and cheese, and beer, with

many high encomiums upon their excellence, and bade his guests fall

to, and make themselves at home. Nell and her grandfather ate

sparingly, for both were occupied with their own reflections; the other

gentlemen, for whose constitutions beer was too weak and tame a

liquid, consoled themselves with spirits and tobacco.

As they would leave the house very early in the morning, the child was

anxious to pay for their entertainment before they retired to bed. But

as she felt the necessity of concealing her little hoard from her

grandfather, and had to change the piece of gold, she took it secretly

from its place of concealment, and embraced an opportunity of

following the landlord when he went out of the room, and tendered it

to him in the little bar.

Will you give me the change here, if you please?' said the child.

Mr James Groves was evidently surprised, and looked at the money,

and rang it, and looked at the child, and at the money again, as

though he had a mind to inquire how she came by it. The coin being

genuine, however, and changed at his house, he probably felt, like a

The Old Curiosity Shop