her. Go home again, you bird of evil note, go home!' 'I have brought a
letter,' cried the meek little woman.

'Toss it in at the window here, and go your ways,' said Quilp,
interrupting her, 'or I'll come out and scratch you.'

'No, but please, Quilp--do hear me speak,' urged his submissive wife,
in tears. 'Please do!'

'Speak then,' growled the dwarf with a malicious grin. 'Be quick and
short about it. Speak, will you?'

'It was left at our house this afternoon,' said Mrs Quilp, trembling,
'by a boy who said he didn't know from whom it came, but that it was
given to him to leave, and that he was told to say it must be brought
on to you directly, for it was of the very greatest consequence.--But
please,' she added, as her husband stretched out his hand for it,
'please let me in. You don't know how wet and cold I am, or how many
times I have lost my way in coming here through this thick fog. Let me
dry myself at the fire for five minutes. I'll go away directly you
tell me to, Quilp. Upon my word I will.'

Her amiable husband hesitated for a few moments; but, bethinking
himself that the letter might require some answer, of which she could
be the bearer, closed the window, opened the door, and bade her enter.
Mrs Quilp obeyed right willingly, and, kneeling down before the fire to
warm her hands, delivered into his a little packet.

'I'm glad you're wet,' said Quilp, snatching it, and squinting at her.
'I'm glad you're cold. I'm glad you lost your way. I'm glad your eyes
are red with crying. It does my heart good to see your little nose so
pinched and frosty.'

'Oh Quilp!' sobbed his wife. 'How cruel it is of you!'

'Did she think I was dead?' said Quilp, wrinkling his face into a most
extraordinary series of grimaces. 'Did she think she was going to have
all the money, and to marry somebody she liked? Ha ha ha! Did she?'

These taunts elicited no reply from the poor little woman, who remained
on her knees, warming her hands, and sobbing, to Mr Quilp's great
delight. But, just as he was contemplating her, and chuckling
excessively, he happened to observe that Tom Scott was delighted too;
wherefore, that he might have no presumptuous partner in his glee, the
dwarf instantly collared him, dragged him to the door, and after a
short scuffle, kicked him into the yard. In return for this mark of
attention, Tom immediately walked upon his hands to the window, and--if
the expression be allowable--looked