Крамка старожитностей

Chapter 9

           ‘There’sburningfeverhere,andsomethingnowandthentowhichIfeartogiveaname.’

           Thedwarfsaidneveraword,butwatchedhiscompanionashepacedrestlesslyupanddowntheroom,andpresentlyreturnedtohisseat.Hereheremained,withhisheadboweduponhisbreastforsometime,andthensuddenlyraisingit,said,

           ‘Once,andonceforall,haveyoubroughtmeanymoney?’

           ‘No!’returnedQuilp.

           ‘Then,’saidtheoldman,clenchinghishandsdesperately,andlookingupwards,‘thechildandIarelost!’

           ‘Neighbour,’saidQuilpglancingsternlyathim,andbeatinghishandtwiceorthriceuponthetabletoattracthiswanderingattention,‘letmebeplainwithyou,andplayafairergamethanwhenyouheldallthecards,andIsawbutthebacksandnothingmore.Youhavenosecretfrommenow.’

           Theoldmanlookedup,trembling.

           ‘Youaresurprised,’saidQuilp.‘Well,perhapsthat’snatural.Youhavenosecretfrommenow,Isay;no,notone.Fornow,Iknow,thatallthosesumsofmoney,thatallthoseloans,advances,andsuppliesthatyouhavehadfromme,havefoundtheirwaytoshallIsaytheword?’

           ‘Aye!’repliedtheoldman,‘sayit,ifyouwill.’

           ‘Tothegaming-table,’rejoinedQuilp,‘yournightlyhaunt.Thiswasthepreciousschemetomakeyourfortune,wasit;thiswasthesecretcertainsourceofwealthinwhichIwastohavesunkmymoney(ifIhadbeenthefoolyoutookmefor);thiswasyourinexhaustiblemineofgold,yourElDorado,eh?’

           ‘Yes,’criedtheoldman,turninguponhimwithgleamingeyes,‘itwas.Itis.

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