ful plan
succeeded he would make the grandfather give him back very much more
than he had loaned him. But when the old man continually wanted to
borrow more money and yet paid none back, the dwarf grew suspicious and
tried hard to find out what the great plan was. To do this he used to
question little Nell and try to persuade her to tell how her grandfather
passed the time.

She would never tell him anything, but one day, when she had brought a
message to his house, the dwarf hid in a closet and listened while the
child told his wife how her grandfather, every night after Quilp had
brought him money, went out and did not come home till daybreak, and
always sadly then. You see, little Nell was in such trouble that she had
to tell somebody about it and ask advice, and the dwarf's wife had
always been very kind to her.

When Quilp heard the story he guessed the secret--that her grandfather,
hoping to win more for little Nell, had gambled away all the money. He
was full of rage and sent word that he would loan no more.

The old man was in great grief at this. His mind had not been strong for
a long time, or this foolish and wrong plan would never have misled
him, and now, at the thought that he would have no more chance to win
the fortune for his grandchild, he fell ill. The child did her best to
comfort him, but he told her that if Quilp deserted them they would be
no better than beggars.

"Let us be beggars then, and be happy," said little Nell, putting her
arms around his neck. "I would rather beg than live as we do now. If you
are sorrowful now, let me know it. If you are weaker, let me be your
nurse. It breaks my heart to see you so and not to know why. Let us
leave this place and sleep in the fields in the country and never think
of money again, and I will beg for us both."

Neither had heard the dwarf, who had stolen into the shop behind them.
Little Nell shrieked when she saw him, and her grandfather sent her into
her own room.

"So that is the way all the money I have loaned you has gone!" sneered
Quilp. "Your precious scheme to make a fortune was the gaming-table!"

The old man cried out at this, trembling, that he had done it all for
little Nell; that he had never staked a single penny for himself, or
without praying that it might win for her good. He told how he had begun
gambling months before, knowing he must soon die, hoping thus to leave
her enough to live on; how, after losing all his own savings, h