er in, Sir,' retorted Brass. 'Ha, ha, ha!
We get a bit of timber in, Sir, and that's another advantage of my
sister's going to market for us. Miss Brass, Mr Richard is the--'

'Will you keep quiet?' interrupted the fair subject of these remarks,
looking up from her papers. 'How am I to work if you keep on
chattering?'

'What an uncertain chap you are!' returned the lawyer. 'Sometimes
you're all for a chat. At another time you're all for work. A man
never knows what humour he'll find you in.'

'I'm in a working humour now,' said Sally, 'so don't disturb me, if you
please. And don't take him,' Miss Sally pointed with the feather of
her pen to Richard, 'off his business. He won't do more than he can
help, I dare say.'

Mr Brass had evidently a strong inclination to make an angry reply, but
was deterred by prudent or timid considerations, as he only muttered
something about aggravation and a vagabond; not associating the terms
with any individual, but mentioning them as connected with some
abstract ideas which happened to occur to him. They went on writing
for a long time in silence after this--in such a dull silence that Mr
Swiveller (who required excitement) had several times fallen asleep,
and written divers strange words in an unknown character with his eyes
shut, when Miss Sally at length broke in upon the monotony of the
office by pulling out the little tin box, taking a noisy pinch of
snuff, and then expressing her opinion that Mr Richard Swiveller had
'done it.'

'Done what, ma'am?' said Richard.

'Do you know,' returned Miss Brass, 'that the lodger isn't up yet--
that nothing has been seen or heard of him since he went to bed
yesterday afternoon?'

'Well, ma'am,' said Dick, 'I suppose he may sleep his ten pound out, in
peace and quietness, if he likes.'

'Ah! I begin to think he'll never wake,' observed Miss Sally.

'It's a very remarkable circumstance,' said Brass, laying down his pen;
'really, very remarkable. Mr Richard, you'll remember, if this
gentleman should be found to have hung himself to the bed-post, or any
unpleasant accident of that kind should happen--you'll remember, Mr
Richard, that this ten pound note was given to you in part payment of
two years' rent? You'll bear that in mind, Mr Richard; you had better
make a note of it, sir, in case you should ever be called upon to give
evidence.'

Mr Swiveller took a large sheet of foolscap, and with a countenance of
profound gravity