you were dead sir said dick gently sliding to the ground and the short and the long of it is that we cannot allow single gentlemen to into this establishment and sleep like double gentlemen without paying extra for it indeed cried the yes sir indeed returned dick to his destiny and saying whatever came uppermost an equal quantity of was never got out of one bed and and if you re going to sleep in that way you must pay for a room instead of being thrown into a greater passion by these the into a broad grin and looked at mr with twinkling eyes he was a brown faced man and appeared and more thk old shop from having a white on as it was clear that he was a fellow in some respects mr was relieved to find him in such good humour and to encourage him in it smiled himself the in the of being so rudely roused had pushed his very much on one side of his bald head this gave him a eccentric air which now that he had leisure to observe it charmed mr exceedingly therefore by way of he expressed his hope that the gentleman was going to get up and j that he would never do so any more come here you impudent rascal was the s answer as he re entered his room mr followed him in leaving the stool outside but the ruler in case of a surprise he rather congratulated himself on his prudence when the single gentleman without notice or explanation of any kind double locked the door can you drink anything was his next inquiry mr that he had very recently been the pangs of thirst but that he was still open to a modest if the materials were at hand without another word spoken on either side the took from his great trunk a kind of temple shining as of polished silver and placed it carefully on the table greatly interested in his proceedings mr observed him closely into one little chamber of this temple he dropped an egg into another some coffee into a third a compact piece of raw from a neat tin case into a fourth he poured some water then with the aid of a box and some matches he procured a light and applied it to a spirit lamp which had a place of its own below the temple then he shut down the of all the little chambers then he opened them and then by some wonderful and unseen agency the was done the egg was boiled the coffee was accurately prepared and his breakfast was ready hot water � said the handing it to mr with as much coolness as if he had a kitchen fire before him � extraordinary rum � sugar � and a travelling glass mix for yourself and make haste dick complied his eyes wandering all the time from the the old shop temple on the table seemed to do to the great trunk which seemed to hold everything the took his breakfast like a man who was used to work these miracles and thought nothing of them the man of the house is a lawyer is he not said the dick nodded the rum was amazing the woman of the house � what s she a said dick the single gentleman perhaps because he had met with such things in his travels or perhaps because he was a single gentleman evinced no surprise but merely inquired wife or sister sister said dick � so much the better said the single gentleman he can get rid of her when he likes i want to do as i like young man he added after a short silence to go to bed when i like get up when i like come in when i like go out when i like � to be asked no questions and be surrounded by no in this last respect servants are the devil there s only one here and a very little one said dick and a very little one repeated the well the place wiu suit me will it yes said dick i suppose said the dick nodded assent and drained his glass let them know my humour said the single gentleman rising if they disturb me they lose a good tenant if they know me to be that they know enough if they try to know more it s a notice to quit it s better to understand these things at once good day i beg your pardon said dick halting in his passage to the door which the prepared to open when he who thee has left but the name � what do you mean it � but the name said dick � has left but the name � in case of letters or � i never have any returned the or in case anybody should call nobody ever calls on me if any mistake should arise from not having the name don t say it was my fault sir added dick still lingering � oh blame not the thb old curiosity shop i blame nobody said the with such that in a moment dick found himself on the staircase and the locked door between them mr brass and miss sally were lurking hard by h been indeed only from the by mr s abrupt exit as their utmost exertions had enabled them to a word of the interview however in consequence of a quarrel for which though limited of necessity to and and such quiet had lasted the whole time they hurried him down to the office to hear his of the conversation this mr gave them � as regarded tlie wishes and character of the single gentleman and poetical as concerned the great trunk of which he gave a description more remarkable for of imagination than a strict to truth declaring with many strong that 