tleman who attends to that matter isn't in at present, will
you?' said Miss Brass.

'I will, ma'am,' replied Dick.

'I shan't be very long,' said Miss Brass, retiring.

'I'm sorry to hear it, ma'am,' rejoined Dick when she had shut the
door. 'I hope you may be unexpectedly detained, ma'am. If you could
manage to be run over, ma'am, but not seriously, so much the better.'

Uttering these expressions of good-will with extreme gravity, Mr
Swiveller sat down in the client's chair and pondered; then took a few
turns up and down the room and fell into the chair again.

'So I'm Brass's clerk, am I?' said Dick. 'Brass's clerk, eh? And the
clerk of Brass's sister--clerk to a female Dragon. Very good, very
good! What shall I be next? Shall I be a convict in a felt hat and a
grey suit, trotting about a dockyard with my number neatly embroidered
on my uniform, and the order of the garter on my leg, restrained from
chafing my ankle by a twisted belcher handkerchief? Shall I be that?
Will that do, or is it too genteel? Whatever you please, have it your
own way, of course.'

As he was entirely alone, it may be presumed that, in these remarks, Mr
Swiveller addressed himself to his fate or destiny, whom, as we learn
by the precedents, it is the custom of heroes to taunt in a very bitter
and ironical manner when they find themselves in situations of an
unpleasant nature. This is the more probable from the circumstance of
Mr Swiveller directing his observations to the ceiling, which these
bodily personages are usually supposed to inhabit--except in theatrical
cases, when they live in the heart of the great chandelier.

'Quilp offers me this place, which he says he can insure me,' resumed
Dick after a thoughtful silence, and telling off the circumstances of
his position, one by one, upon his fingers; 'Fred, who, I could have
taken my affidavit, would not have heard of such a thing, backs Quilp
to my astonishment, and urges me to take it also--staggerer, number
one! My aunt in the country stops the supplies, and writes an
affectionate note to say that she has made a new will, and left me out
of it--staggerer, number two. No money; no credit; no support from
Fred, who seems to turn steady all at once; notice to quit the old
lodgings--staggerers, three, four, five, and six! Under an
accumulation of staggerers, no man can be considered a free agent. No
man knocks himself down; if his destiny knocks him down, his destiny
m