"Quilp looks into the Attorney's Parlour" — Furniss's eighteenth illustration for Dickens's "The Old Curiosity Shop" (1910)

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Quilp looks into the Attorney's Parlour

While Miss Sally Brass and her brother were plying their pens at a great pace, the top sash of the window was lowered from without, and Quilp thrust in his head. "Hallo!" he said, standing on tip-toe on the window-sill. "Is there anybody at home?"

Harry Furniss

1910

14 x 8.6 cm, vignetted

Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop, The Charles Dickens Library Edition, facing V, facing 256.

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Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

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Context for the Illustration: Quilp instals Dick Swiveller as the Brasses' Clerk

While they were thus employed, the window was suddenly darkened, as by some person standing close against it. As Mr Brass and Miss Sally looked up to ascertain the cause, the top sash was nimbly lowered from without, and Quilp thrust in his head.

"Hallo!" he said, standing on tip-toe on the window-sill, and looking down into the room. "Is there anybody at home? Is there any of the Devil’s ware here? Is Brass at a premium, eh?"

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the lawyer in an affected ecstasy. "Oh, very good, Sir! Oh, very good indeed! Quite eccentric! Dear me, what humour he has!"

"Is that my Sally?" croaked the dwarf, ogling the fair Miss Brass. "Is it Justice with the bandage off her eyes, and without the sword and scales? Is it the Strong Arm of the Law? Is it the Virgin of Bevis?"

"What an amazing flow of spirits!" cried Brass. "Upon my word, it’s quite extraordinary!"

"Open the door," said Quilp, "I’ve got him here. Such a clerk for you, Brass, such a prize, such an ace of trumps. Be quick and open the door, or if there’s another lawyer near and he should happen to look out of window, he’ll snap him up before your eyes, he will." [Chapter XXXIII, 256]

Related Material about The Old Curiosity Shop

Bibliography

Dickens, Charles. The Old Curiosity Shop. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. The Charles Dickens Library Edition. 18 vols. London: Educational Book Company, 1910. V.

Created 8 May 2020

Last modified 27 November 2020