 window and leaned negligently out of it until a beer-boy happened to
pass, whom he commanded to set down his tray and to serve him with a pint of
mild porter, which he drank upon the spot and promptly paid for, with the view
of breaking ground for a system of future credit and opening a correspondence
tending thereto, without loss of time. Then, three or four little boys dropped
in, on legal errands from three or four attorneys of the Brass grade: whom Mr.
Swiveller received and dismissed with about as professional a manner, and as
correct and comprehensive an understanding of their business, as would have been
shown by a clown in a pantomime under similar circumstances. These things done
and over, he got upon his stool again and tried his hand at drawing caricatures
of Miss Brass with a pen and ink, whistling very cheerfully all the time.
    He was occupied in this diversion when a coach stopped near the door, and
presently afterwards there was a loud double-knock. As this was no business of
Mr. Swiveller's, the person not ringing the office bell, he pursued his
diversion with perfect composure, notwithstanding that he rather thought there
was nobody else in the house.
    In this, however, he was mistaken; for, after the knock had been repeated
with increased impatience, the door was opened, and somebody with a very heavy
tread went up the stairs and into the room above. Mr. Swiveller was wondering
whether this might be another Miss Brass, twin sister to the Dragon, when there
came a rapping of knuckles at the office door.
    »Come in!« said Dick. »Don't stand upon ceremony. The business will get
rather complicated if I've many more customers. Come in!«
    »Oh, please,« said a little voice very low down in the doorway, »will you
come and show the lodgings?«
    Dick leant over the table, and descried a small slipshod girl in a dirty
coarse apron and bib, which left nothing of her visible but her face and feet.
She might as well have been dressed in a violin-case.
    »Why, who are you?« said Dick.
    To which the only reply was, »Oh, please will you come and show the
lodgings?«
    There never was such an old-fashioned child in her looks and manner. She
must have been at work from her cradle. She seemed as much afraid of Dick, as
Dick was amazed at her.
    »I hav'n't got anything to do with the lodgings,
