'Come here,' said Quilp, beckoning him to draw near. 'What's

injudicious, hey?'

'Nothing Sir - nothing. Scarcely worth mentioning Sir; but I thought

that song - admirably humorous in itself you know - was perhaps

rather - '

Yes,' said Quilp, 'rather what?'

Just bordering, or as one may say remotely verging, upon the

confines of injudiciousness perhaps, Sir,' returned Brass, looking

timidly at the dwarf's cunning eyes, which were turned towards the

fire and reflected its red light.

Why?' inquired Quilp, without looking up.

Why, you know, sir,' returned Brass, venturing to be more familiar: ' -

the fact is, sir, that any allusion to these little combinings together, of

friends, for objects in themselves extremely laudable, but which the

law terms conspiracies, are - you take me, sir? - best kept snug and

among friends, you know.'

Eh!' said Quilp, looking up with a perfectly vacant countenance.

What do you mean?'

'Cautious, exceedingly cautious, very right and proper!' cried Brass,

nodding his head. 'Mum, sir, even here - my meaning, sir, exactly.'

YOUR meaning exactly, you brazen scarecrow, - what's your

meaning?' retorted Quilp. 'Why do you talk to me of combining

together? Do I combine? Do I know anything about your combinings?'

'No no, sir - certainly not; not by any means,' returned Brass.

'if you so wink and nod at me,' said the dwarf, looking about him as if

for his poker, 'I'll spoil the expression of your monkey's face, I will.'

Don't put yourself out of the way I beg, sir,' rejoined Brass, checking

himself with great alacrity. 'You're quite right, sir, quite right. I

shouldn't have mentioned the subject, sir. It's much better not to.

You're quite right, sir. Let us change it, if you please. You were asking,

sir, Sally told me, about our lodger. He has not returned, sir.'

'No?' said Quilp, heating some rum in a little saucepan, and watching

it to prevent its boiling over. 'Why not?'

Why, sir,' returned Brass, 'he - dear me, Mr Quilp, sir - '

The Old Curiosity Shop