Лавка древностей

Chapter 51

           SoMrQuilpclimbeduptothetopofatallstooltowritethenote,andthesmallservant,carefullytutoredforsuchemergencies,lookedonwithhereyeswideopen,ready,ifhesomuchasabstractedawafer,torushintothestreetandgivethealarmtothepolice.

           AsMrQuilpfoldedhisnote(whichwassoonwritten:beingaveryshortone)heencounteredthegazeofthesmallservant.Helookedather,longandearnestly.

           ‘Howareyou?’saidthedwarf,moisteningawaferwithhorriblegrimaces.

           Thesmallservant,perhapsfrightenedbyhislooks,returnednoaudiblereply;butitappearedfromthemotionofherlipsthatshewasinwardlyrepeatingthesameformofexpressionconcerningthenoteormessage.

           ‘Dotheyuseyouillhere?isyourmistressaTartar?’saidQuilpwithachuckle.

           Inreplytothelastinterrogation,thesmallservant,withalookofinfinitecunningmingledwithfear,screweduphermouthverytightandround,andnoddedviolently.WhethertherewasanythinginthepeculiarslynessofheractionwhichfascinatedMrQuilp,oranythingintheexpressionofherfeaturesatthemomentwhichattractedhisattentionforsomeotherreason;orwhetheritmerelyoccurredtohimasapleasantwhimtostarethesmallservantoutofcountenance;certainitis,thatheplantedhiselbowssquareandfirmlyonthedesk,andsqueezinguphischeekswithhishands,lookedatherfixedly.

           ‘Wheredoyoucomefrom?’hesaidafteralongpause,strokinghischin.

           ‘Idon’tknow.’

           ‘What’syourname?’

           ‘Nothing.’

           ‘Nonsense!’retortedQuilp.

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