BOOK THE THIRD: A LONG LANE
Chapter 13: Give a Dog a Bad Name, and Hang Him (continued)
'Do not deceive yourself Mr Twemlow,' said the Jew, then
addressing him directly for the first time. 'There is no hope for
you. You must expect no leniency here. You must pay in full, and
you cannot pay too promptly, or you will be put to heavy charges.
Trust nothing to me, sir. Money, money, money.' When he had
said these words in an emphatic manner, he acknowledged Mr
Twemlow's still polite motion of his head, and that amiable little
worthy took his departure in the lowest spirits.
Fascination Fledgeby was in such a merry vein when the counting-
house was cleared of him, that he had nothing for it but to go to the
window, and lean his arms on the frame of the blind, and have his
silent laugh out, with his back to his subordinate. When he turned
round again with a composed countenance, his subordinate still
stood in the same place, and the dolls' dressmaker sat behind the
door with a look of horror.
'Halloa!' cried Mr Fledgeby, 'you're forgetting this young lady, Mr
Riah, and she has been waiting long enough too. Sell her her
waste, please, and give her good measure if you can make up your
mind to do the liberal thing for once.'
He looked on for a time, as the Jew filled her little basket with
such scraps as she was used to buy; but, his merry vein coming on
again, he was obliged to turn round to the window once more, and
lean his arms on the blind.
'There, my Cinderella dear,' said the old man in a whisper, and
with a worn-out look, 'the basket's full now. Bless you! And get
you gone!'
'Don't call me your Cinderella dear,' returned Miss Wren. 'O you
cruel godmother!'
She shook that emphatic little forefinger of hers in his face at
parting, as earnestly and reproachfully as she had ever shaken it at
her grim old child at home.
'You are not the godmother at all!' said she. 'You are the Wolf in
the Forest, the wicked Wolf! And if ever my dear Lizzie is sold
and betrayed, I shall know who sold and betrayed her!'
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