Master Humphrey's Clock Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1841 edition. Excerpt: ...Mr, Quilp, also embellished with a night-cap, emerged from the same door, and looked carefully up and down the street, and up at all the windows of the house from the opposite side. Finding that there was nobody in sight, he presently returned into the house with his legal friend, protesting, as the child heard from the staircase, that there was a league and plot against him, that he was in danger of being robbed and plundered by a band of conspirators, who prowled about the house at all seasons, and that he would delay no longer, but take immediate steps for disposing of the property, and returning to his own peaceful roof. Having growled forth these and a great many other threats of the same nature, he coiled himself once more in the child's little bed, and Nell crept softly up the stairs. It was natural enough that her short and unfinished dialogue with Kit should leave a strong impression on her mind, and influence her dreams that night, and her recollections for a long long time. Surrounded by unfeeling creditors and mercenary attendants upon the sick, and meeting in the height of her anxiety and sorrow with little regard or sympathy even from the women about her, it is not surprising that the affectionate heart of the child should have been touched to the quick by one kind and generous spirit, however uncouth the temple in which it dwelt. Thank Heaven that the temples of such spirits are not made with hands, and that they may be more worthily hung with poor patchwork than with purple and fine linen. CHAPTER THE TWELFTH. At length the crisis of the old man's disorder was past, and he began to mend. By very slow and feeble degrees his consciousness came back, but the mind was weakened and its functions were impaired. He was patient and quiet;...