o,' he added, in
a lower voice as he drew closer to me, 'who knows how dear she is to
me, and seeks to wound me even there, because there is a stranger
nearby.'

'Strangers are nothing to me, grandfather,' said the young fellow
catching at the word, 'nor I to them, I hope. The best they can do, is
to keep an eye to their business and leave me to mind. There's a friend
of mine waiting outside, and as it seems that I may have to wait some
time, I'll call him in, with your leave.'

Saying this, he stepped to the door, and looking down the street
beckoned several times to some unseen person, who, to judge from the
air of impatience with which these signals were accompanied, required a
great quantity of persuasion to induce him to advance. At length there
sauntered up, on the opposite side of the way--with a bad pretense of
passing by accident--a figure conspicuous for its dirty smartness,
which after a great many frowns and jerks of the head, in resistance of
the invitation, ultimately crossed the road and was brought into the
shop.

'There. It's Dick Swiveller,' said the young fellow, pushing him in.
'Sit down, Swiveller.'

'But is the old min agreeable?' said Mr Swiveller in an undertone.

Mr Swiveller complied, and looking about him with a propitiatory smile,
observed that last week was a fine week for the ducks, and this week
was a fine week for the dust; he also observed that whilst standing by
the post at the street-corner, he had observed a pig with a straw in
his mouth issuing out of the tobacco-shop, from which appearance he
augured that another fine week for the ducks was approaching, and that
rain would certainly ensue. He furthermore took occasion to apologize
for any negligence that might be perceptible in his dress, on the
ground that last night he had had 'the sun very strong in his eyes'; by
which expression he was understood to convey to his hearers in the most
delicate manner possible, the information that he had been extremely
drunk.

'But what,' said Mr Swiveller with a sigh, 'what is the odds so long as
the fire of soul is kindled at the taper of conwiviality, and the wing
of friendship never moults a feather! What is the odds so long as the
spirit is expanded by means of rosy wine, and the present moment is the
least happiest of our existence!'

'You needn't act the chairman here,' said his friend, half aside.

'Fred!' cried Mr Swiveller, tapping his nose, 'a word to the wise is
sufficient f