CHAPTER 2

eyyoucanhardlycount.IwanttoseeherandIwill.’ ‘Here’samoralisttotalkofpoisonedminds!Here’sagenerousspirittoscornscraped-upshillings!’criedtheoldman,turningfromhimtome.‘Aprofligate,sir,whohasforfeitedeveryclaimnotonlyuponthosewhohavethemisfortunetobeofhisblood,butuponsocietywhichknowsnothingofhimbuthismisdeeds.Aliartoo,’headded,inalowervoiceashedrewclosertome,‘whoknowshowdearsheistome,andseekstowoundmeeventhere,becausethereisastrangernearby.’ ‘Strangersarenothingtome,grandfather,’saidtheyoungfellowcatchingattheword,‘norItothem,Ihope.Thebesttheycando,istokeepaneyetotheirbusinessandleavemetomine.There’safriendofminewaitingoutside,andasitseemsthatImayhavetowaitsometime,I’llcallhimin,withyourleave.’ Sayingthis,hesteppedtothedoor,andlookingdownthestreetbeckonedseveraltimestosomeunseenperson,who,tojudgefromtheairofimpatiencewithwhichthesesignalswereaccompanied,requiredagreatquantityofpersuasiontoinducehimtoadvance.Atlengththeresaunteredup,ontheoppositesideoftheway—withabadpretenseofpassingbyaccident—afigureconspicuousforitsdirtysmartness,whichafteragreatmanyfrownsandjerksofthehead,inresistanceoftheinvitation,ultimatelycrossedtheroadandwasbroughtintotheshop. ‘There.It’sDickSwiveller,’saidtheyoungfellow,pushinghimin.‘Sitdown,Swiveller.’ ‘Butistheoldminagreeable?’saidMrSwivellerinanundertone. MrSwivellercomplied,andlookingabouthimwithapropitiatorysmile,observedthatlastweekwasafineweekfortheducks,andthisweekwasafineweekforthedusthealsoobservedthatwhilststandingbythepostatthestreet-corner,hehadobservedapigwithastrawinhismouthissuingoutofthetobacco-shop,fromwhichappearanceheauguredthatanotherfineweekfortheduckswasapproaching,andthatrainwouldcertainlyensue.Hefurthermoretookoccasiontoapologizeforanynegligencethatmightbeperceptibleinhisdress,onthegroundthatlastnighthehadhad‘thesunverystronginhiseyes’bywhichexpressionhewasunderstoodtoconveytohishearersinthemostdelicatemannerpossible,theinformationthathehadbeenextremelydrunk. ‘Butwhat,’saidMrSwivellerwithasigh,‘whatistheoddssolongasthefireofsouliskindledatthetaperofconwiviality,andthewingoffriendshipnevermoultsafeather!Whatistheoddssolongasthespiritisexpandedbymeansofrosywine,andthepresentmomentistheleasthappiestofourexistence!’ ‘Youneedn’tactthechairmanhere,’saidhisfriend,halfaside. ‘Fred!’criedMrSwiveller,tappinghisnose,‘awordtothewiseissufficientforthem—wemaybegoodandha