through the glad silence with hope and pleasure they were alone together once again every object was bright and fresh nothing reminded them otherwise than by contrast of the monotony and they had left behind church towers and and dark at other times now shone and dazzled in the sun each humble nook and comer rejoiced in light and the sky only by excessive distance shed its placid smile on everything beneath forth from the city while it yet went the two poor wandering they knew not whither the old shop los chapter � p of tower hill and brass of mai in the city of london gentleman one of her majesty s of the courts of king s bench and common at westminster and a of the high court of on and of any a knocking at the street door often repeated and up from a modest single rap to a perfect of � red in long with a veiy short interval between caused the said daniel to struggle a position and to stare at the ceiling with a indifference that he heard the noise and rather wondered at the same but couldn t be at the trouble of any thought upon the subject as the knocking however instead of itself to his la y state increased in vigour and became more as if in earnest remonstrance against his falling asleep again now that he had once opened his eyes daniel began by degrees to comprehend the possibility of there being somebody at the door and thus he gradually came to recollect that it was friday morning and he had ordered mrs to be in waiting upon him at an early hour mr brass after about in a great many strange attitudes and often twisting his face and eyes into an expression like that which is usually produced by eating very early in the season was by this time awake also seeing that mr invested himself in his every day garments he hastened to do the like putting on his shoes before his stockings and thrusting his legs into his coat sleeves and making such other small mistakes in his toilet as are not uncommon to those who dress in a hurry and labour under the agitation of having been suddenly roused while the attorney was thus engaged the dwarf was under the table muttering desperate on thb old shop himself and mankind in general and all objects to boot which suggested to mr brass the question what s the matter the key said the dwarf looking at him the door key � that s the matter d ye know anything of it how should i know anything of it sir returned mr brass how should you repeated with a you re a nice lawyer an t you you idiot not caring to represent to the dwarf in his present that the loss of a key by another person could scarcely be said to affect his brass s legal knowledge in any material degree mr brass humbly suggested that it must have forgotten over night and was doubtless at that moment in its native key hole that mr a strong conviction to the contrary founded on his of having carefully taken it out he was fain to admit this was possible and therefore went grumbling to the where sure enough he found it now just as mr laid his hand upon the lock saw with great astonishment that the were undone the knocking came again with most violence and the daylight which had been shining through the key hole was on the outside by a human eye the dwarf was very much exasperated and wanting somebody to his ill humour upon determined to dart out suddenly and favour mrs with a gentle acknowledgment of her attention in making that hideous uproar with this view he drew back the lock very silently and and opening the door all at once out upon the person on the other side who had at that moment raised the for another application and at whom the dwarf ran head first throwing out his hands and feet together and biting the air in the of his malice so far however from rushing upon somebody who offered no resistance and implored his mercy mr was no sooner in the arms of the individual whom he had taken for his wife than he found himself with two staggering blows on the head and two more of the same quality in the chest and closing with his such a shower of rained down upon his person as te him that he was in skilful and experienced hands thb old curiosity shop nothing by this reception he clung tight to his opponent and bit and away with such good will and that it was at least a couple of minutes before he was then and not until then daniel himself all flushed and in the middle of the street with mr richard performing a kind of dance round him and requiring to know whether he wanted any more there s plenty more of it at the same shop said mr by turns advancing and retreating in a threatening attitude a large and extensive always on hand � country orders executed with and despatch � will you have a little more sir � don t say no if you d rather not i thought it was somebody else said rubbing his shoulders why didn t you say who you were why didn t you say who you were returned dick instead of flying out of the house like a it was you that � that knocked said the dwarf getting up with a short groan was it yes i am the man replied dick that lady had begun when i came but she knocked too soft so i relieved her as he said this he pointed towards mrs who stood trembling at a little distance muttered the dwarf darting an 