Лавка древностей

Chapter 49

           

           ‘Ha!’criedthejealousdwarf,‘What’sthis!DotheyentertainvisitorswhileI’maway!’

           Asmotheredcoughfromabove,wasthereply.Hefeltinhispocketsforhislatch-key,buthadforgottenit.Therewasnoresourcebuttoknockatthedoor.

           ‘Alightinthepassage,’saidQuilp,peepingthroughthekeyhole.‘Averysoftknock;and,byyourleave,mylady,Imayyetstealuponyouunawares.Soho!’

           Averylowandgentlerapreceivednoanswerfromwithin.Butafterasecondapplicationtotheknocker,nolouderthanthefirst,thedoorwassoftlyopenedbytheboyfromthewharf,whomQuilpinstantlygaggedwithonehand,anddraggedintothestreetwiththeother.

           ‘You’llthrottleme,master,’whisperedtheboy.‘Letgo,willyou.’

           ‘Who’supstairs,youdog?’retortedQuilpinthesametone.‘Tellme.Anddon’tspeakaboveyourbreath,orI’llchokeyouingoodearnest.’

           Theboycouldonlypointtothewindow,andreplywithastifledgiggle,expressiveofsuchintenseenjoyment,thatQuilpclutchedhimbythethroatandmighthavecarriedhisthreatintoexecution,oratleasthavemadeverygoodprogresstowardsthatend,butfortheboy’snimblyextricatinghimselffromhisgrasp,andfortifyinghimselfbehindthenearestpost,atwhich,aftersomefruitlessattemptstocatchhimbythehairofthehead,hismasterwasobligedtocometoaparley.

           ‘Willyouanswerme?’saidQuilp.‘What’sgoingon,above?’

           ‘Youwon’tletonespeak,’repliedtheboy.‘Theyha,ha,ha!theythinkyou’reyou’redead.

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