Miss Sally said I wasn't to, because people wouldn't believe the

attendance was good if they saw how small I was first.'

'Well, but they'll see how small you are afterwards, won't they?' said

Dick.

'Ah! But then they'll have taken 'em for a fortnight certain,' replied the

child with a shrewd look; 'and people don't like moving when they're

once settled.'

This is a queer sort of thing,' muttered Dick, rising. 'What do you

mean to say you are - the cook?'

Yes, I do plain cooking;' replied the child. 'I'm housemaid too; I do all

the work of the house.'

I suppose Brass and the Dragon and I do the dirtiest part of it,'

thought Dick. And he might have thought much more, being in a

doubtful and hesitating mood, but that the girl again urged her

request, and certain mysterious bumping sounds on the passage and

staircase seemed to give note of the applicant's impatience. Richard

Swiveller, therefore, sticking a pen behind each ear, and carrying

another in his mouth as a token of his great importance and devotion

to business, hurried out to meet and treat with the single gentleman.

He was a little surprised to perceive that the bumping sounds were

occasioned by the progress up-stairs of the single gentleman's trunk,

which, being nearly twice as wide as the staircase, and exceedingly

heavy withal, it was no easy matter for the united exertions of the

single gentleman and the coachman to convey up the steep ascent.

But there they were, crushing each other, and pushing and pulling

with all their might, and getting the trunk tight and fast in all kinds of

impossible angles, and to pass them was out of the question; for

which sufficient reason, Mr Swiveller followed slowly behind, entering

a new protest on every stair against the house of Mr Sampson Brass

being thus taken by storm.

To these remonstrances, the single gentleman answered not a word,

but when the trunk was at last got into the bed-room, sat down upon

it and wiped his bald head and face with his handkerchief. He was

very warm, and well he might be; for, not to mention the exertion of

getting the trunk up stairs, he was closely muffled in winter garments,

though the thermometer had stood all day at eighty-one in the shade.

I believe, sir,' said Richard Swiveller, taking his pen out of his mouth,

that you desire to look at these apartments. They are very charming

apartments, sir. They command an uninterrupted view of - of over the

way, and they are within one minute's walk of - of the corner of the

The Old Curiosity Shop