on to the wing of
friendship and its never moulting a feather; but his faculties appeared
to be absorbed in the contemplation of Miss Sally Brass, at whom he
stared with blank and rueful looks, which delighted the watchful dwarf
beyond measure. As to the divine Miss Sally herself, she rubbed her
hands as men of business do, and took a few turns up and down the
office with her pen behind her ear.

'I suppose,' said the dwarf, turning briskly to his legal friend, 'that
Mr Swiveller enters upon his duties at once? It's Monday morning.'

'At once, if you please, Sir, by all means,' returned Brass.

'Miss Sally will teach him law, the delightful study of the law,' said
Quilp; 'she'll be his guide, his friend, his companion, his Blackstone,
his Coke upon Littleton, his Young Lawyer's Best Companion.'

'He is exceedingly eloquent,' said Brass, like a man abstracted, and
looking at the roofs of the opposite houses, with his hands in his
pockets; 'he has an extraordinary flow of language. Beautiful, really.'

'With Miss Sally,' Quilp went on, 'and the beautiful fictions of the
law, his days will pass like minutes. Those charming creations of the
poet, John Doe and Richard Roe, when they first dawn upon him, will
open a new world for the enlargement of his mind and the improvement of
his heart.'

'Oh, beautiful, beautiful! Beau-ti-ful indeed!' cried Brass. 'It's a
treat to hear him!'

'Where will Mr Swiveller sit?' said Quilp, looking round.

'Why, we'll buy another stool, sir,' returned Brass. 'We hadn't any
thoughts of having a gentleman with us, sir, until you were kind enough
to suggest it, and our accommodation's not extensive. We'll look about
for a second-hand stool, sir. In the meantime, if Mr Swiveller will
take my seat, and try his hand at a fair copy of this ejectment, as I
shall be out pretty well all the morning--'

'Walk with me,' said Quilp. 'I have a word or two to say to you on
points of business. Can you spare the time?'

'Can I spare the time to walk with you, sir? You're joking, sir,
you're joking with me,' replied the lawyer, putting on his hat. 'I'm
ready, sir, quite ready. My time must be fully occupied indeed, sir,
not to leave me time to walk with you. It's not everybody, sir, who
has an opportunity of improving himself by the conversation of Mr
Quilp.'

The dwarf glanced sarcastically at his brazen friend, and, with a short
dry cough, turned upon his heel to bid adieu to Miss