in. I'm going away now. I'm off directly. I mean to go and
live wherever the fancy seizes me--at the wharf--at the
counting-house--and be a jolly bachelor. You were a widow in
anticipation. Damme,' screamed the dwarf, 'I'll be a bachelor in
earnest.'

'You can't be serious, Quilp,' sobbed his wife.

'I tell you,' said the dwarf, exulting in his project, 'that I'll be a
bachelor, a devil-may-care bachelor; and I'll have my bachelor's hall
at the counting-house, and at such times come near it if you dare. And
mind too that I don't pounce in upon you at unseasonable hours again,
for I'll be a spy upon you, and come and go like a mole or a weazel.
Tom Scott--where's Tom Scott?'

'Here I am, master,' cried the voice of the boy, as Quilp threw up the
window.

'Wait there, you dog,' returned the dwarf, 'to carry a bachelor's
portmanteau. Pack it up, Mrs Quilp. Knock up the dear old lady to
help; knock her up. Halloa there! Halloa!'

With these exclamations, Mr Quilp caught up the poker, and hurrying to
the door of the good lady's sleeping-closet, beat upon it therewith
until she awoke in inexpressible terror, thinking that her amiable
son-in-law surely intended to murder her in justification of the legs
she had slandered. Impressed with this idea, she was no sooner fairly
awake than she screamed violently, and would have quickly precipitated
herself out of the window and through a neighbouring skylight, if her
daughter had not hastened in to undeceive her, and implore her
assistance. Somewhat reassured by her account of the service she was
required to render, Mrs Jiniwin made her appearance in a flannel
dressing-gown; and both mother and daughter, trembling with terror and
cold--for the night was now far advanced--obeyed Mr Quilp's directions
in submissive silence. Prolonging his preparations as much as
possible, for their greater comfort, that eccentric gentleman
superintended the packing of his wardrobe, and having added to it with
his own hands, a plate, knife and fork, spoon, teacup and saucer, and
other small household matters of that nature, strapped up the
portmanteau, took it on his shoulders, and actually marched off without
another word, and with the case-bottle (which he had never once put
down) still tightly clasped under his arm. Consigning his heavier
burden to the care of Tom Scott when he reached the street, taking a
dram from the bottle for his own encouragement, and giving the boy a
rap o