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purl down to its very dregs, and had nearly maddened the people of
the house, and at both the next doors, and over the way - that he shut
up the music-book, extinguished the candle, and finding himself
greatly lightened and relieved in his mind, turned round and fell
asleep.
He awoke in the morning, much refreshed; and having taken half an
hour's exercise at the flute, and graciously received a notice to quit
from his landlady, who had been in waiting on the stairs for that
purpose since the dawn of day, repaired to Bevis Marks; where the
beautiful Sally was already at her post, bearing in her looks a
radiance, mild as that which beameth from the virgin moon.
Mr Swiveller acknowledged her presence by a nod, and exchanged his
coat for the aquatic jacket; which usually took some time fitting on,
for in consequence of a tightness in the sleeves, it was only to be got
into by a series of struggles. This difficulty overcome, he took his seat
at the desk.
'I say' - quoth Miss Brass, abruptly breaking silence, 'you haven't seen
a silver pencil-case this morning, have you?'
'
I didn't meet many in the street,' rejoined Mr Swiveller. 'I saw one - a
stout pencil-case of respectable appearance - but as he was in
company with an elderly penknife, and a young toothpick with whom
he was in earnest conversation, I felt a delicacy in speaking to him.'
'
'
No, but have you?' returned Miss Brass. 'Seriously, you know.'
What a dull dog you must be to ask me such a question seriously,'
said Mr Swiveller. 'Haven't I this moment come?'
'
Well, all I know is,' replied Miss Sally, 'that it's not to be found, and
that it disappeared one day this week, when I left it on the desk.'
'Halloa!' thought Richard, 'I hope the Marchioness hasn't been at work
here.'
'
There was a knife too,' said Miss Sally, 'of the same pattern. They
were given to me by my father, years ago, and are both gone. You
haven't missed anything yourself, have you?'
Mr Swiveller involuntarily clapped his hands to the jacket to be quite
sure that it WAS a jacket and not a skirted coat; and having satisfied
himself of the safety of this, his only moveable in Bevis Marks, made
answer in the negative.
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