Page 1246 - bleak-house

cipally, and he’s what you may call a dealer in bills. That’s
about what YOU are, you know, ain’t you?’ said Mr. Bucket,
stopping a little to address the gentleman in question, who
was exceedingly suspicious of him.
He seemed about to dispute this designation of himself
when he was seized with a violent fit of coughing.
‘Now, moral, you know!’ said Mr. Bucket, improving the
accident. ‘Don’t you contradict when there ain’t no occa-
sion, and you won’t be took in that way. Now, Mr. Jarndyce,
I address myself to you. I’ve been negotiating with this gen-
tleman on behalf of Sir Leicester Dedlock, Baronet, and one
way and another I’ve been in and out and about his premises
a deal. His premises are the premises formerly occupied by
Krook, marine store dealer—a relation of this gentleman’s
that you saw in his life-time if I don’t mistake?’
My guardian replied, ‘Yes.’
‘Well! You are to understand,’ said Mr. Bucket, ‘that
this gentleman he come into Krook’s property, and a good
deal of magpie property there was. Vast lots of waste-paper
among the rest. Lord bless you, of no use to nobody!’
The cunning of Mr. Bucket’s eye and the masterly man-
ner in which he contrived, without a look or a word against
which his watchful auditor could protest, to let us know
that he stated the case according to previous agreement and
could say much more of Mr. Smallweed if he thought it ad-
visable, deprived us of any merit in quite understanding
him. His difficulty was increased by Mr. Smallweed’s be-
ing deaf as well as suspicious and watching his face with the
closest attention.

1246 Bleak House