Don't be hard upon him, Jowl,' said Isaac List. 'He's very sorry for

giving offence. There - go on with what you were saying - go on.'

'I'm a jolly old tender-hearted lamb, I am,' cried Mr Jowl, 'to be sitting

here at my time of life giving advice when I know it won't be taken,

and that I shall get nothing but abuse for my pains. But that's the

way I've gone through life. Experience has never put a chill upon my

warm-heartedness.'

'I tell you he's very sorry, don't I?' remonstrated Isaac List, 'and that

he wishes you'd go on.'

Does he wish it?' said the other.

Ay,' groaned the old man sitting down, and rocking himself to and fro.

Go on, go on. It's in vain to fight with it; I can't do it; go on.'

I go on then,' said Jowl, 'where I left off, when you got up so quick. If

you're persuaded that it's time for luck to turn, as it certainly is, and

find that you haven't means enough to try it (and that's where it is, for

you know, yourself, that you never have the funds to keep on long

enough at a sitting), help yourself to what seems put in your way on

purpose. Borrow it, I say, and, when you're able, pay it back again.'

Certainly,' Isaac List struck in, 'if this good lady as keeps the wax-

works has money, and does keep it in a tin box when she goes to bed,

and doesn't lock her door for fear of fire, it seems a easy thing; quite a

Providence, I should call it - but then I've been religiously brought up.'

You see, Isaac,' said his friend, growing more eager, and drawing

himself closer to the old man, while he signed to the gipsy not to come

between them; 'you see, Isaac, strangers are going in and out every

hour of the day; nothing would be more likely than for one of these

strangers to get under the good lady's bed, or lock himself in the

cupboard; suspicion would be very wide, and would fall a long way

from the mark, no doubt. I'd give him his revenge to the last farthing

he brought, whatever the amount was.'

'But could you?' urged Isaac List. 'Is your bank strong enough?'

'Strong enough!' answered the other, with assumed disdain. 'Here, you

Sir, give me that box out of the straw!'

This was addressed to the gipsy, who crawled into the low tent on all

fours, and after some rummaging and rustling returned with a cash-

box, which the man who had spoken opened with a key he wore about

his person.

The Old Curiosity Shop