The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-08-06

weak and ill all da :, said he should not leave
home. The clild's eyes sparlSled at the intelll-
gence, but her Joy subsidized when they reverted
60 his worn and sickly face.
seTwo DAYS." he said, "two whole clear days
have passed, and there is no reply. What did
he tell thee, Nell?
efExactly what 1 told you, dear grandfather,
indeed"
eeTrue," said the old man, family eyes
but tell me again, Nell My head fails me-
What was it that he told thee Nothing more
than that he would see me tomorrow or next
day ? That was in the note.o
'sNothng more," said the child. Shall go to
him again tomorrow, dear grandfather Very
early will be there and back, before break
fasti
The old man shook his head, and signing
mournfully, drew her towards him.
se'Twould be of no use, my dear, no earthly
use. But ifhe deserts me, Nell, at this moment;
il he deserts me now, whenI should, with his as
sistance, be racompensed for all the time and
money have lost, and all the agony Of mind
have undergone, which makes me what you see.
am ruined, and-worse, far worse than that
have ruined thee, for whom l ventured all. If
we are beggars-"
"What il we are, said the child boldly "Lct
us be beggars, and be happy"
stBeggars-and happym said the old man.
ssPoor childr'
eeDear grandfather" cried the girl with an en-
orgy which shone in her flushed face, trembling
voice, and imprisoned gesture, t1 am not a
child in that think, but even if am, oh hear
me pray that we may beg, or work in open roads
or fields, to earn scanty living, rather than
live as we do now.o
etNelly!" said the old man.
eyes, yes, rather than live as we do now" the
child repeated, more earnestly than before. I'll
YOU are sorrowful, let me know why and be sor-
rowful too; if you waste away and are paler
and weaker every day, let me be your nurse and
try to comfort you. If you are poor, let us be
poor together, but let me be with you, do let me
be with you; do notl let see such change and
not know why, or shall break my he art and
die Dear grandfather, let as leave this sad
place Tomorrow, and beg way from door to
door"
The old man covered his face with his hands,
and hid it in the pillow Of the couch on which
he lay.
esLet us be beggars,' said the child passing
an arm round his neck, SCI have no fear but we
shall have enough, am sure we shall. Let us
walk through country places, and sleep in fields
and under trees, and never think of money again,
or any thing that can make you sad, but rest at
nights and have the sun and wind upon our faces
in the day, and thank God together. Let us
never set foot in dark rooms or melancholy
houses any more, but wander up and down wher-
ever we like to go, and when you tired, you
shall stop to rest in the peasantest place that
can find, and will so and beg for both"
The child's voice was lost in sobs as she drop.
ped upon the old mans neck; did she weep
alon'.
it scene for other eyes. And yet other ears and
eyes were there, and greedily taking in all that
passed, and moreover, they the and
eyes of no less person than Mr.. Daniel Quilp,
who, having entered unseen when the child first
placed herself at the old mans side, RETAINED
q Ill.
cacy-from intetrupting the conversation, and
stood looking with his accustomed grin.-
Standing, however, being trescme attitude to
a gentleman already fatigued with walking, and
the dwarf baing enc of that kinaof persons whe
usually make themselves at home, he cast
his eyes upon a chair, into which he skipped with
uncommon agility, and perching himself on the
back with his feet upon the seat, was thus en-
abled to leok on and listen with greater comfort
to himself, besides gratifying at the same time
that taste fOr doing something fantastic and
monkey-lille, which on all occasions had strong,
possession OF him. Here, then, he sat, one heg
cooked careIesslv over the other his chm resting
on the palm of his hand, his head turned little
on one side, and his ugly features twisted into a
complacent grimace. And in this position the
old man, happening in course of time, to leok
that way, at length CHANGED to see him, to his
unbounded .astonishment
The child uttered suppressed Shrek on be-
holding this agreeable figure; in their first SIR
prise, beth she and the old man, not knowing
what to say, and half doubtingits reality, looked
shrinkiagl5 at it, Not at all disconnected by this
reception, Daniel Quilp preserved the same 1T
titude, merely nodding twice orthricc with great
condescension. At length the old man pronouEc-
cd his naane, and inquired how he came there.
ssThrough the door," said Quilp, pointing over
his SHOULDER with his thumb. I<Pm not quite
small enough to get through key-holes. Iwish
| 4 - fol L. x,-.tb
ticularly, .and in prvate-with nobody present,
neighber Good bye, little Nellyo
Nelly locked at the OLE man, who nodded 80
her to retire, and kissed her cheek.
ssAhr' said the dwarf, ssnacIinghis lips, f'whst
nice kiss that was-jusi upon the rosy part
What a capital kiss"
Nell was none the slower in going away, for
this remark. Quilp lookeS after her with an adj
miring leer. and when she had closed the door,
fell to complimenting the old man upon her
charms.
"Such fresh, blooming, modest little bud,
neighbour said Quilp, nursing his shert leg, and
making his eyes twinkle very much; "such a
chubby, rose, cosy-little Nell /"
eerbe old man answered by a forced Smile, and
was plainly struggling with feeling of the
keenest and most exquisite impatience. 1t was
not lost upon Quiip, who delighted in terturins
him. or indeed any body else when he could.
s.She's so,' said Quilp, speaking very slowly,
and fcigning TO be quite absorbed in the subject;
ESQ small, SO compact, so beautifully modelled,
so fair, with such blue veins and such transpa-
rent skin, and such little feet, and such winning
ways--but bless me, you're nervous. Why,neigh-
Dor, what's the matter? i swear to you," con-
.nued the dwarf, -dismounting from the chair
and sitting down IN it, with a careful slowness
of gesture very different from the rapidity with
which he had sprung up unheard, 81 swear to
YOU that had no idea old blood ran fast or
kapt so warm. thought it was sluggish in its
courses, and cool--quite cool. am pretty sure
it ought to be. Yours must be out of order,
neighbor."
81 believe il is,n groaned the old man, clasping
his head with both hands. esThere's burning
fever here, and something now and then to which
1 fear to give a name"
The dwarf said never werd, but watched
his companion as he paced restlessly up and down