expressive countenance of Mr Chuckster, between whom and himself

a fraternal greeting ensued.

'You're devilish early at this pestiferous old slaughter-house,' said that

gentleman, poising himself on one leg, and shaking the other in an

easy manner.

Rather,' returned Dick.

Rather!' retorted Mr Chuckster, with that air of graceful trifling which

so well became him. 'I should think so. Why, my good feller, do you

know what o'clock it is - half-past nine a.m. in the morning?'

'Won't you come in?' said Dick. 'All alone. Swiveller solus. ‘'Tis now the

witching - '

‘Hour of night!’'

‘When churchyards yawn,’'

‘And graves give up their dead.’'

At the end of this quotation in dialogue, each gentleman struck an

attitude, and immediately subsiding into prose walked into the office.

Such morsels of enthusiasm are common among the Glorious Apollos,

and were indeed the links that bound them together, and raised them

above the cold dull earth.

Well, and how are you my buck?' said Mr Chuckster, taking a stool. 'I

was forced to come into the City upon some little private matters of

my own, and couldn't pass the corner of the street without looking in,

but upon my soul I didn't expect to find you. It is so everlastingly

early.'

Mr Swiveller expressed his acknowledgments; and it appearing on

further conversation that he was in good health, and that Mr

Chuckster was in the like enviable condition, both gentlemen, in

compliance with a solemn custom of the ancient Brotherhood to which

they belonged, joined in a fragment of the popular duet of 'All's Well,'

with a long shake' at the end.

And what's the news?' said Richard.

The town's as flat, my dear feller,' replied Mr Chuckster, 'as the

surface of a Dutch oven. There's no news. By-the-bye, that lodger of

yours is a most extraordinary person. He quite eludes the most

vigorous comprehension, you know. Never was such a feller!'

The Old Curiosity Shop