wet which dripped down
upon her own feminine person and fair apparel, sat placidly behind the
tea-board, erect and grizzly, contemplating the unhappiness of her
brother with a mind at ease, and content, in her amiable disregard of
self, to sit there all night, witnessing the torments which his
avaricious and grovelling nature compelled him to endure and forbade
him to resent. And this, it must be observed, or the illustration
would be incomplete, although in a business point of view she had the
strongest sympathy with Mr Sampson, and would have been beyond measure
indignant if he had thwarted their client in any one respect.

In the height of his boisterous merriment, Mr Quilp, having on some
pretence dismissed his attendant sprite for the moment, resumed his
usual manner all at once, dismounted from his cask, and laid his hand
upon the lawyer's sleeve.

'A word,' said the dwarf, 'before we go farther. Sally, hark'ee for a
minute.'

Miss Sally drew closer, as if accustomed to business conferences with
their host which were the better for not having air.

'Business,' said the dwarf, glancing from brother to sister. 'Very
private business. Lay your heads together when you're by yourselves.'

'Certainly, sir,' returned Brass, taking out his pocket-book and
pencil. 'I'll take down the heads if you please, sir. Remarkable
documents,' added the lawyer, raising his eyes to the ceiling, 'most
remarkable documents. He states his points so clearly that it's a
treat to have 'em! I don't know any act of parliament that's equal to
him in clearness.'

'I shall deprive you of a treat,' said Quilp. 'Put up your book. We
don't want any documents. So. There's a lad named Kit--'

Miss Sally nodded, implying that she knew of him.

'Kit!' said Mr Sampson.--'Kit! Ha! I've heard the name before, but I
don't exactly call to mind--I don't exactly--'

'You're as slow as a tortoise, and more thick-headed than a
rhinoceros,' returned his obliging client with an impatient gesture.

'He's extremely pleasant!' cried the obsequious Sampson. 'His
acquaintance with Natural History too is surprising. Quite a Buffoon,
quite!'

There is no doubt that Mr Brass intended some compliment or other; and
it has been argued with show of reason that he would have said Buffon,
but made use of a superfluous vowel. Be this as it may, Quilp gave him
no time for correction, as he performed that office himself by more
than tapping him on th