"Here's a sovereign apiece.", tailpiece for Chapter XXXVII of Dickens's Old Curiosity Shop by Thomas Worth in the first Household Edition volume published by Harper & Bros., New York (1872), 119: 4 ⅛ x 5 3⁄16 inches (10.5 x 13.6 cm) framed. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Context of the Illustration: Codlin and Short mention Jerry the dog-trainer
"A man of the name of Jerry, sir," said Short, turning from his selfish colleague to their new acquaintance, "wot keeps a company of dancing dogs, told me, in a accidental sort of way, that he had seen the old gentleman in connexion with a travelling wax-work, unbeknown to him. As they’d given us the slip, and nothing had come of it, and this was down in the country that he’d been seen, I took no measures about it, and asked no questions — But I can, if you like."
"Is this man in town?" said the impatient single gentleman. "Speak faster."
"No, he isn’t, but he will be to-morrow, for he lodges in our house," replied Mr. Short rapidly.
"Then bring him here," said the single gentleman. "Here’s a sovereign a-piece. If I can find these people through your means, it is but a prelude to twenty more. Return to me to-morrow, and keep your own counsel on this subject — though I need hardly tell you that; for you’ll do so for your own sakes. Now, give me your address, and leave me." [Chapter XXXVII, 119]
Related Material about The Old Curiosity Shop
- Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop (homepage)
- The Old Curiosity Shop Illustrated: A Team Effort by "The Clock Works"
- Illustrated Editions of The Old Curiosity Shop
- Kyd's Characters from Dickens (1889)
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Dickens, Charles. The Old Curiosity Shop. Illustrated by Thomas Worth. The Household Edition. 16 vols. New York: Harper & Bros., 1872. I.
Created 25 August 2020
Last modified 25 November 2020