 confines of
injudiciousness perhaps, sir,« returned Brass, looking timidly at the dwarf's
cunning eyes, which were turned towards the fire and reflected its red light.
    »Why?« inquired Quilp, without looking up.
    »Why, you know, sir,« returned Brass, venturing to be more familiar: »- the
fact is, sir, that any allusion to these little combinings together, of friends,
for objects in themselves extremely laudable, but which the law terms
conspiracies, are - you take me, sir? - best kept snug and among friends, you
know.«
    »Eh!« said Quilp, looking up with a perfectly vacant countenance. »What do
you mean?«
    »Cautious, exceedingly cautious, very right and proper!« cried Brass,
nodding his head. »Mum, sir, even here - my meaning, sir, exactly.«
    »Your meaning exactly, you brazen scarecrow, - what's your meaning?«
retorted Quilp. »Why do you talk to me of combining together? Do I combine? Do I
know anything about your combinings?«
    »No no, sir - certainly not; not by any means,« returned Brass.
    »If you so wink and nod at me,« said the dwarf, looking about him as if for
his poker, »I'll spoil the expression of your monkey's face, I will.«
    »Don't put yourself out of the way I beg, sir,« rejoined Brass, checking
himself with great alacrity. »You're quite right, sir, quite right. I shouldn't
have mentioned the subject, sir. It's much better not to. You're quite right,
sir. Let us change it, if you please. You were asking, sir, Sally told me, about
our lodger. He has not returned, sir.«
    »No?« said Quilp, heating some rum in a little saucepan, and watching it to
prevent its boiling over. »Why not?«
    »Why, sir,« returned Brass, »he - dear me, Mr. Quilp sir -«
    »What's the matter?« said the dwarf, stopping his hand in the act of
carrying the saucepan to his mouth.
    »You have forgotten the water, sir,« said Brass. »And - excuse me, sir - but
it's burning hot.«
    Deigning no other than a practical answer to this remonstrance, Mr. Quilp
raised the hot saucepan to his lips, and
