f that gentleman and
his learned sister, he had lighted upon Mr Swiveller, who chanced at
the moment to be sprinkling a glass of warm gin and water on the dust
of the law, and to be moistening his clay, as the phrase goes, rather
copiously. But as clay in the abstract, when too much moistened,
becomes of a weak and uncertain consistency, breaking down in
unexpected places, retaining impressions but faintly, and preserving no
strength or steadiness of character, so Mr Swiveller's clay, having
imbibed a considerable quantity of moisture, was in a very loose and
slippery state, insomuch that the various ideas impressed upon it were
fast losing their distinctive character, and running into each other.
It is not uncommon for human clay in this condition to value itself
above all things upon its great prudence and sagacity; and Mr
Swiveller, especially prizing himself upon these qualities, took
occasion to remark that he had made strange discoveries in connection
with the single gentleman who lodged above, which he had determined to
keep within his own bosom, and which neither tortures nor cajolery
should ever induce him to reveal. Of this determination Mr Quilp
expressed his high approval, and setting himself in the same breath to
goad Mr Swiveller on to further hints, soon made out that the single
gentleman had been seen in communication with Kit, and that this was
the secret which was never to be disclosed.

Possessed of this piece of information, Mr Quilp directly supposed that
the single gentleman above stairs must be the same individual who had
waited on him, and having assured himself by further inquiries that
this surmise was correct, had no difficulty in arriving at the
conclusion that the intent and object of his correspondence with Kit
was the recovery of his old client and the child. Burning with
curiosity to know what proceedings were afoot, he resolved to pounce
upon Kit's mother as the person least able to resist his arts, and
consequently the most likely to be entrapped into such revelations as
he sought; so taking an abrupt leave of Mr Swiveller, he hurried to her
house. The good woman being from home, he made inquiries of a
neighbour, as Kit himself did soon afterwards, and being directed to
the chapel be took himself there, in order to waylay her, at the
conclusion of the service.

He had not sat in the chapel more than a quarter of an hour, and with
his eyes piously fixed upon the ceiling was chuckli