he came back was at his heels was a shock headed awkward lad with an uncommonly wide mouth very red cheeks a turned up nose and certainly the most expression of face i ever saw he stopped short at the door on seeing a stranger in his hand a perfectly round old hat without any of a brim and resting himself now on one leg and now on the other and changing them constantly stood in the doorway looking into the with the most extraordinary i ever beheld i entertained a feeling towards the boy that minute for i felt that he was the comedy of the s life a long way wasn t it said ihe little old man why then it was a stretch master returned w the old curiosity shop did you find the house easily why then not over and above easy master said of course you have come back hungry why then i do consider myself rather so master was the answer the lad had a remarkable manner of standing sideways as he spoke and thrusting his head forward over his shoulder as if he could not get at his voice without that accompanying action i think he have amused one anywhere but the child s exquisite enjoyment of his and the relief it was to find that there was something she associated with merriment in a place that appeared so to her were quite irresistible it was a great point too that himself was flattered by the sensation he created and after several efforts to preserve his gravity into a loud roar and so stood with his mouth wide open and his eyes nearly shut laughing violently the old man had again into his former abstraction and took no notice of what passed but i remarked that when her laugh was over the child s bright eyes were tears called forth by the fulness of heart with which she welcomed her uncouth favourite after the little anxiety of the night as for himself whose laugh had been all the time one of that sort which very little change into a cry he carried a large of bread and meat and a of beer into a comer and applied himself to of them with great ah said the old man turning to me with a sigh as if i had spoken to him but that moment you don t know what you say when you tell me that i don t consider her you must not attach too great weight to a remark founded on first appearances my said i no returned the old man thoughtfully no come hither the little girl hastened from her seat and put her arm about his neck do i love thee said he do i love thee or no the child only answered by her caresses and laid her head upon his breast why dost thou b said the grandfather pressing her closer to him and glancing towards me is it because thou ths old curiosity shop know st i love thee and dost not like that i should seem to doubt it by my question well well � then let us say i love thee dearly indeed indeed you do replied the child witli great earnestness knows you do who in his bread and meat had been two thirds of his knife at every with the coolness of a stopped short in his operations on being thus appealed to and nobody isn t such a fool as to say he doesn t after which he himself for further conversation by taking a most prodigious at one bite she is poor now said the old man patting the child s cheek but i say again the time is coming when she shall be rich it has been a long time coming but it must come at last a very long time but it surely must come it has come to other men who do nothing but waste and riot when wiu it come to me i am very happy as i am gi said the child returned the old man thou dost not know � how should st thou then he muttered again between his teeth the time must come i am very sure it must it will be all the better for coming late and then he sighed and fell into his former musing state and still holding the child between his knees appeared to be insensible to everything around him by this time it wanted but a few minutes of midnight and i rose to go which recalled him to himself one moment sir he said now � near midnight and you still here get home get home and be true to your time in the morning for there s work to do good night there bid him good night and let him be good night said the child her eyes lighting up with merriment and kindness good night miss returned the boy and thank this gentleman interposed the old man but for whose care i might have lost my little g l to night no no master said that won t do that won t what do you mean cried the old man i d have found her master said i d have found her i d bet that i d find her if she above ground i would as quick as anybody master ha ha ha the old curiosity shop once more opening his mouth and shutting his eyes and laughing like a gradually backed to the door and roared himself out free of the room the boy was not slow in taking his departure when he had gone and the child was occupied in the table the old man said i haven t seemed to thank you sir enough for what you have done to night but i do thank you humbly and heartily and so does she and her thanks are better worth 