'Quite, master. But I should say that if he turns up anywhere, he'll

come ashore somewhere about Grinidge to-morrow, at ebb tide, eh,

mate?'

The other gentleman assented, observing that he was expected at the

Hospital, and that several pensioners would be ready to receive him

whenever he arrived.

Then we have nothing for it but resignation,' said Mr Brass; 'nothing

but resignation and expectation. It would be a comfort to have his

body; it would be a dreary comfort.'

'Oh, beyond a doubt,' assented Mrs Jiniwin hastily; 'if we once had

that, we should be quite sure.'

'With regard to the descriptive advertisement,' said Sampson Brass,

taking up his pen. 'It is a melancholy pleasure to recall his traits.

Respecting his legs now - ?'

'Crooked, certainly,' said Mrs Jiniwin. 'Do you think they WERE

crooked?' said Brass, in an insinuating tone. 'I think I see them now

coming up the street very wide apart, in nankeen' pantaloons a little

shrunk and without straps. Ah! what a vale of tears we live in. Do we

say crooked?'

'I think they were a little so,' observed Mrs Quilp with a sob.

'Legs crooked,' said Brass, writing as he spoke. 'Large head, short

body, legs crooked - '

Very crooked,' suggested Mrs Jiniwin.

'We'll not say very crooked, ma'am,' said Brass piously. 'Let us not

bear hard upon the weaknesses of the deceased. He is gone, ma'am, to

where his legs will never come in question. - We will content

ourselves with crooked, Mrs Jiniwin.'

I thought you wanted the truth,' said the old lady. 'That's all.'

Bless your eyes, how I love you,' muttered Quilp. 'There she goes

again. Nothing but punch!'

This is an occupation,' said the lawyer, laying down his pen and

emptying his glass, 'which seems to bring him before my eyes like the

Ghost of Hamlet's father, in the very clothes that he wore on work-a-

days. His coat, his waistcoat, his shoes and stockings, his trousers,

his hat, his wit and humour, his pathos and his umbrella, all come

before me like visions of my youth. His linen!' said Mr Brass smiling

The Old Curiosity Shop