a
defiance into his looks which that gentleman indignantly returned.

'Did you speak to me, sir?' said Mr Cheggs, following him into a
corner. 'Have the kindness to smile, sir, in order that we may not be
suspected. Did you speak to me, sir'?

Mr Swiviller looked with a supercilious smile at Mr Chegg's toes, then
raised his eyes from them to his ankles, from that to his shin, from
that to his knee, and so on very gradually, keeping up his right leg,
until he reached his waistcoat, when he raised his eyes from button to
button until he reached his chin, and travelling straight up the middle
of his nose came at last to his eyes, when he said abruptly,

'No, sir, I didn't.'

`'Hem!' said Mr Cheggs, glancing over his shoulder, 'have the goodness
to smile again, sir. Perhaps you wished to speak to me, sir.'

'No, sir, I didn't do that, either.'

'Perhaps you may have nothing to say to me now, sir,' said Mr Cheggs
fiercely.

At these words Richard Swiviller withdrew his eyes from Mr Chegg's
face, and travelling down the middle of his nose and down his waistcoat
and down his right leg, reached his toes again, and carefully surveyed
him; this done, he crossed over, and coming up the other leg, and
thence approaching by the waistcoat as before, said when had got to his
eyes, 'No sir, I haven't.'

'Oh, indeed, sir!' said Mr Cheggs. 'I'm glad to hear it. You know where
I'm to be found, I suppose, sir, in case you should have anything to
say to me?'

'I can easily inquire, sir, when I want to know.'

'There's nothing more we need say, I believe, sir?'

'Nothing more, sir'--With that they closed the tremendous dialog by
frowning mutually. Mr Cheggs hastened to tender his hand to Miss Sophy,
and Mr Swiviller sat himself down in a corner in a very moody state.

Hard by this corner, Mrs Wackles and Miss Wackles were seated, looking
on at the dance; and unto Mrs and Miss Wackles, Miss Cheggs
occasionally darted when her partner was occupied with his share of the
figure, and made some remark or other which was gall and wormwood to
Richard Swiviller's soul. Looking into the eyes of Mrs and Miss Wackles
for encouragement, and sitting very upright and uncomfortable on a
couple of hard stools, were two of the day-scholars; and when Miss
Wackles smiled, and Mrs Wackles smiled, the two little girls on the
stools sought to curry favour by smiling likewise, in gracious
acknowledgement of which attention the old lady frowned them d