feat it in the very outset, before a step was taken.

In his secret heart, Daniel Quilp was both surprised and troubled by
the flight which had been made. It had not escaped his keen eye that
some indispensable articles of clothing were gone with the fugitives,
and knowing the old man's weak state of mind, he marvelled what that
course of proceeding might be in which he had so readily procured the
concurrence of the child. It must not be supposed (or it would be a
gross injustice to Mr Quilp) that he was tortured by any disinterested
anxiety on behalf of either. His uneasiness arose from a misgiving
that the old man had some secret store of money which he had not
suspected; and the idea of its escaping his clutches, overwhelmed him
with mortification and self-reproach.

In this frame of mind, it was some consolation to him to find that
Richard Swiveller was, for different reasons, evidently irritated and
disappointed by the same cause. It was plain, thought the dwarf, that
he had come there, on behalf of his friend, to cajole or frighten the
old man out of some small fraction of that wealth of which they
supposed him to have an abundance. Therefore, it was a relief to vex
his heart with a picture of the riches the old man hoarded, and to
expatiate on his cunning in removing himself even beyond the reach of
importunity.

'Well,' said Dick, with a blank look, 'I suppose it's of no use my
staying here.'

'Not the least in the world,' rejoined the dwarf.

'You'll mention that I called, perhaps?' said Dick.

Mr Quilp nodded, and said he certainly would, the very first time he
saw them.

'And say,' added Mr Swiveller, 'say, sir, that I was wafted here upon
the pinions of concord; that I came to remove, with the rake of
friendship, the seeds of mutual violence and heart-burning, and to sow
in their place, the germs of social harmony. Will you have the
goodness to charge yourself with that commission, Sir?'

'Certainly!' rejoined Quilp.

'Will you be kind enough to add to it, Sir,' said Dick, producing a
very small limp card, 'that that is my address, and that I am to be
found at home every morning. Two distinct knocks, sir, will produce
the slavey at any time. My particular friends, Sir, are accustomed to
sneeze when the door is opened, to give her to understand that they ARE
my friends and have no interested motives in asking if I'm at home. I
beg your pardon; will you allow me to look at that card again?'