ate. It becomes us,
Mr Richard, sir, to--'

Here the chaste Sarah heaved a loud sigh.

'Dear me!' said Mr Sampson, 'you too! Is anything the matter? Mr
Richard, sir--'

Dick, glancing at Miss Sally, saw that she was making signals to him,
to acquaint her brother with the subject of their recent conversation.
As his own position was not a very pleasant one until the matter was
set at rest one way or other, he did so; and Miss Brass, plying her
snuff-box at a most wasteful rate, corroborated his account.

The countenance of Sampson fell, and anxiety overspread his features.
Instead of passionately bewailing the loss of his money, as Miss Sally
had expected, he walked on tiptoe to the door, opened it, looked
outside, shut it softly, returned on tiptoe, and said in a whisper,

'This is a most extraordinary and painful circumstance--Mr Richard,
sir, a most painful circumstance. The fact is, that I myself have
missed several small sums from the desk, of late, and have refrained
from mentioning it, hoping that accident would discover the offender;
but it has not done so--it has not done so. Sally--Mr Richard,
sir--this is a particularly distressing affair!'

As Sampson spoke, he laid the bank-note upon the desk among some
papers, in an absent manner, and thrust his hands into his pockets.
Richard Swiveller pointed to it, and admonished him to take it up.

'No, Mr Richard, sir,' rejoined Brass with emotion, 'I will not take it
up. I will let it lie there, sir. To take it up, Mr Richard, sir,
would imply a doubt of you; and in you, sir, I have unlimited
confidence. We will let it lie there, Sir, if you please, and we will
not take it up by any means.' With that, Mr Brass patted him twice or
thrice on the shoulder, in a most friendly manner, and entreated him to
believe that he had as much faith in his honesty as he had in his own.

Although at another time Mr Swiveller might have looked upon this as a
doubtful compliment, he felt it, under the then-existing circumstances,
a great relief to be assured that he was not wrongfully suspected.
When he had made a suitable reply, Mr Brass wrung him by the hand, and
fell into a brown study, as did Miss Sally likewise. Richard too
remained in a thoughtful state; fearing every moment to hear the
Marchioness impeached, and unable to resist the conviction that she
must be guilty.

When they had severally remained in this condition for some minutes,
Miss Sally all at once