g
about six pounds avoir-dupoise, in two minutes and a quarter, as he had
himself witnessed, and proved by his sense of taste; and further, that,
however the effect was produced, he had distinctly seen water boil and
bubble up when the single gentleman winked; from which facts he (Mr
Swiveller) was led to infer that the lodger was some great conjuror or
chemist, or both, whose residence under that roof could not fail at
some future days to shed a great credit and distinction on the name of
Brass, and add a new interest to the history of Bevis Marks.

There was one point which Mr Swiveller deemed it unnecessary to enlarge
upon, and that was the fact of the modest quencher, which, by reason of
its intrinsic strength and its coming close upon the heels of the
temperate beverage he had discussed at dinner, awakened a slight degree
of fever, and rendered necessary two or three other modest quenchers at
the public-house in the course of the evening.

CHAPTER 36

As the single gentleman after some weeks' occupation of his lodgings,
still declined to correspond, by word or gesture, either with Mr Brass
or his sister Sally, but invariably chose Richard Swiveller as his
channel of communication; and as he proved himself in all respects a
highly desirable inmate, paying for everything beforehand, giving very
little trouble, making no noise, and keeping early hours; Mr Richard
imperceptibly rose to an important position in the family, as one who
had influence over this mysterious lodger, and could negotiate with
him, for good or evil, when nobody else durst approach his person.

If the truth must be told, even Mr Swiveller's approaches to the single
gentleman were of a very distant kind, and met with small
encouragement; but, as he never returned from a monosyllabic conference
with the unknown, without quoting such expressions as 'Swiveller, I
know I can rely upon you,'--'I have no hesitation in saying, Swiveller,
that I entertain a regard for you,'--'Swiveller, you are my friend, and
will stand by me I am sure,' with many other short speeches of the same
familiar and confiding kind, purporting to have been addressed by the
single gentleman to himself, and to form the staple of their ordinary
discourse, neither Mr Brass nor Miss Sally for a moment questioned the
extent of his influence, but accorded to him their fullest and most
unqualified belief. But quite apart from, and independent of, this
source of popularity, Mr S