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Miss Wackleses in person, and delivered at the office door with much
giggling and joyfulness.
'
Ha!' said Quilp. 'It will be our turn to giggle soon. And that reminds
me - you spoke of young Trent - where is he?'
Mr Swiveller explained that his respectable friend had recently
accepted a responsible situation in a locomotive gaming-house, and
was at that time absent on a professional tour among the adventurous
spirits of Great Britain.
'
That's unfortunate,' said the dwarf, 'for I came, in fact, to ask you
about him. A thought has occurred to me, Dick; your friend over the
way - '
'
'
'
'
'
'
Which friend?'
In the first floor.'
Yes?'
Your friend in the first floor, Dick, may know him.'
No, he don't,' said Mr Swiveller, shaking his head.
Don't! No, because he has never seen him,' rejoined Quilp; 'but if we
were to bring them together, who knows, Dick, but Fred, properly
introduced, would serve his turn almost as well as little Nell or her
grandfather - who knows but it might make the young fellow's fortune,
and, through him, yours, eh?'
'
Why, the fact is, you see,' said Mr Swiveller, 'that they HAVE been
brought together.'
'
'
'
Have been!' cried the dwarf, looking suspiciously at his companion.
Through whose means?' 'Through mine,' said Dick, slightly confused.
Didn't I mention it to you the last time you called over yonder?'
'You know you didn't,' returned the dwarf.
'
I believe you're right,' said Dick. 'No. I didn't, I recollect. Oh yes, I
brought 'em together that very day. It was Fred's suggestion.'
'
And what came of it?'
'
Why, instead of my friend's bursting into tears when he knew who
Fred was, embracing him kindly, and telling him that he was his
grandfather, or his grandmother in disguise (which we fully expected),
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