knew no more of his designs
than he thought proper to communicate, saw that the dwarf perfectly
understood their relative position, and fully entered into the
character of his friend. It is something to be appreciated, even in
knavery. This silent homage to his superior abilities, no less than a
sense of the power with which the dwarf's quick perception had already
invested him, inclined the young man towards that ugly worthy, and
determined him to profit by his aid.

It being now Mr Quilp's cue to change the subject with all convenient
expedition, lest Richard Swiveller in his heedlessness should reveal
anything which it was inexpedient for the women to know, he proposed a
game at four-handed cribbage, and partners being cut for, Mrs Quilp
fell to Frederick Trent, and Dick himself to Quilp. Mrs Jiniwin being
very fond of cards was carefully excluded by her son-in-law from any
participation in the game, and had assigned to her the duty of
occasionally replenishing the glasses from the case-bottle; Mr Quilp
from that moment keeping one eye constantly upon her, lest she should
by any means procure a taste of the same, and thereby tantalising the
wretched old lady (who was as much attached to the case-bottle as the
cards) in a double degree and most ingenious manner.

But it was not to Mrs Jiniwin alone that Mr Quilp's attention was
restricted, as several other matters required his constant vigilance.
Among his various eccentric habits he had a humorous one of always
cheating at cards, which rendered necessary on his part, not only a
close observance of the game, and a sleight-of-hand in counting and
scoring, but also involved the constant correction, by looks, and
frowns, and kicks under the table, of Richard Swiveller, who being
bewildered by the rapidity with which his cards were told, and the rate
at which the pegs travelled down the board, could not be prevented from
sometimes expressing his surprise and incredulity. Mrs Quilp too was
the partner of young Trent, and for every look that passed between
them, and every word they spoke, and every card they played, the dwarf
had eyes and ears; not occupied alone with what was passing above the
table, but with signals that might be exchanging beneath it, which he
laid all kinds of traps to detect; besides often treading on his wife's
toes to see whether she cried out or remained silent under the
infliction, in which latter case it would have been quite clear that
Tren