| 235 | 236 | 237 | 238 | 239 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
|
'Oh, beautiful, beautiful! Beau-ti-ful indeed!' cried Brass. 'It's a treat
to hear him!'
'
'
Where will Mr Swiveller sit?' said Quilp, looking round.
Why, we'll buy another stool, sir,' returned Brass. 'We hadn't any
thoughts of having a gentleman with us, sir, until you were kind
enough to suggest it, and our accommodation's not extensive. We'll
look about for a second-hand stool, sir. In the meantime, if Mr
Swiveller will take my seat, and try his hand at a fair copy of this
ejectment, as I shall be out pretty well all the morning - '
'
Walk with me,' said Quilp. 'I have a word or two to say to you on
points of business. Can you spare the time?'
'
Can I spare the time to walk with you, sir? You're joking, sir, you're
joking with me,' replied the lawyer, putting on his hat. 'I'm ready, sir,
quite ready. My time must be fully occupied indeed, sir, not to leave
me time to walk with you. It's not everybody, sir, who has an
opportunity of improving himself by the conversation of Mr Quilp.'
The dwarf glanced sarcastically at his brazen friend, and, with a short
dry cough, turned upon his heel to bid adieu to Miss Sally. After a
very gallant parting on his side, and a very cool and gentlemanly sort
of one on hers, he nodded to Dick Swiveller, and withdrew with the
attorney.
Dick stood at the desk in a state of utter stupefaction, staring with all
his might at the beauteous Sally, as if she had been some curious
animal whose like had never lived. When the dwarf got into the street,
he mounted again upon the window-sill, and looked into the office for
a moment with a grinning face, as a man might peep into a cage. Dick
glanced upward at him, but without any token of recognition; and
long after he had disappeared, still stood gazing upon Miss Sally
Brass, seeing or thinking of nothing else, and rooted to the spot.
Miss Brass being by this time deep in the bill of costs, took no notice
whatever of Dick, but went scratching on, with a noisy pen, scoring
down the figures with evident delight, and working like a steam-
engine. There stood Dick, gazing now at the green gown, now at the
brown head-dress, now at the face, and now at the rapid pen, in a
state of stupid perplexity, wondering how he got into the company of
that strange monster, and whether it was a dream and he would ever
wake. At last he heaved a deep sigh, and began slowly pulling off his
coat.
Mr Swiveller pulled off his coat, and folded it up with great
elaboration, staring at Miss Sally all the time; then put on a blue
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