to whom he could
apply for even the most trivial assistance, was Huckaback--whom,
however, he knew to be really little better off than himself; and whom,
moreover, he felt to be treating him more and more coldly, as the week
wore on, without his hearing of any the least tidings from Saffron Hill.
Huckaback evidently felt now scarcely any interest or pleasure in the
visits of his melancholy friend, and was plainly disinclined to talk
about his affairs. At length he quite turned up his nose with disgust,
whenever Titmouse took out the well-worn note of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon,
and Snap, (which was almost dropping in pieces with being constantly
carried about in his pocket, taken in and out, and folded and unfolded,)
for the purpose of conning over its contents, as if there might yet
linger in it some hitherto undiscovered source of consolation. Poor
Titmouse, therefore, looked at it on every such occasion with as eager
and vivid an interest as ever; but it was glanced at by Huckaback with a
half-averted eye, and a cold drawling, yawning "Ya--a--as--I
see--I--dare--say!" While his impressions of Titmouse's bright prospects
were thus being rapidly effaced, his smarting recollections of the
drubbing he had received became more distinct and frequent, his feelings
of resentment more lively, nor the less so, because the expression of
them had been stifled, (while he had considered the star of Titmouse to
be in the ascendant,) till the time for setting them into motion and
action, had gone by. In fact, the presence of Titmouse, suggesting such
thoughts and recollections, became intolerable to Huckaback; and
Titmouse's perceptions (dull as they naturally were, but a little
quickened by recent suffering) gave him more and more distinct notice of
this circumstance, at the precise time when he meditated applying for
the loan of a few shillings. These feelings made him as humble towards
Huckaback, and as tolerant of his increasing rudeness and ill-humor, as
he felt abject towards Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap; for, unless he
could succeed in wringing some trifling loan from Huckaback, (if he
really had it in his power to advance him _anything_,) Titmouse really
could not conjecture what was to become of him. Various faint but
unadroit hints and feelers of his had been thrown away upon Huckaback,
who did not, or would not, comprehend them. At length, however, a sudden
and fearful pressure compelled poor Titmouse to speak out. Gripe, the