Who's up stairs, you dog?' retorted Quilp in the same tone. 'Tell me.

And don't speak above your breath, or I'll choke you in good earnest.'

The boy could only point to the window, and reply with a stifled giggle,

expressive of such intense enjoyment, that Quilp clutched him by the

throat and might have carried his threat into execution, or at least

have made very good progress towards that end, but for the boy's

nimbly extricating himself from his grasp, and fortifying himself

behind the nearest post, at which, after some fruitless attempts to

catch him by the hair of the head, his master was obliged to come to a

parley.

Will you answer me?' said Quilp. 'What's going on, above?'

You won't let one speak,' replied the boy. 'They - ha, ha, ha! - they

think you're - you're dead. Ha ha ha!'

Dead!' cried Quilp, relaxing into a grim laugh himself. 'No. Do they?

Do they really, you dog?'

They think you're - you're drowned,' replied the boy, who in his

malicious nature had a strong infusion of his master. 'You was last

seen on the brink of the wharf, and they think you tumbled over. Ha

ha!'

The prospect of playing the spy under such delicious circumstances,

and of disappointing them all by walking in alive, gave more delight to

Quilp than the greatest stroke of good fortune could possibly have

inspired him with. He was no less tickled than his hopeful assistant,

and they both stood for some seconds, grinning and gasping and

wagging their heads at each other, on either side of the post, like an

unmatchable pair of Chinese idols.

'Not a word,' said Quilp, making towards the door on tiptoe. 'Not a

sound, not so much as a creaking board, or a stumble against a

cobweb. Drowned, eh, Mrs Quilp! Drowned!'

So saying, he blew out the candle, kicked off his shoes, and groped his

way up stairs; leaving his delighted young friend in an ecstasy of

summersets on the pavement.

The bedroom-door on the staircase being unlocked, Mr Quilp slipped

in, and planted himself behind the door of communication between

that chamber and the sitting-room, which standing ajar to render

both more airy, and having a very convenient chink (of which he had

often availed himself for purposes of espial, and had indeed enlarged

with his pocket-knife), enabled him not only to hear, but to see

distinctly, what was passing.

The Old Curiosity Shop