Page 378 - Oliver Twist

’That is my name,’ said the old gentleman. ’This is my friend, Mr. Grimwig.
Grimwig, will you leave us for a few minutes?’

’T believe,’ interposed Miss Maylie, ’that at this period of our interview, T

need not give that gentleman the trouble of going away. Tf T am correctly
informed, he is cognizant of the business on which T wish to speak to you.’

Mr. Brownlow inclined his head. Mr. Grimwig, who had made one very
stiff bow, and risen from his chair, made another very stiff bow, and

dropped into it again.

’T shall surprise you very much, T have no doubt,’ said Rose, naturally

embarrassed; ’but you once showed great benevolence and goodness to a
very dear young friend of mine, and T am sure you will take an interest in

hearing of him again.’

’Tndeed!’ said Mr. Brownlow.

’Oliver Twist you knew him as,’ replied Rose.

The words no sooner escaped her lips, than Mr. Grimwig, who had been
affecting to dip into a large book that lay on the table, upset it with a great

crash, and falling back in his chair, discharged from his features every
expression but one of unmitigated wonder, and indulged in a prolonged and

vacant stare; then, as if ashamed of having betrayed so much emotion, he
jerked himself, as it were, by a convulsion into his former attitude, and
looking out straight before him emitted a long deep whistle, which seemed,

at last, not to be discharged on empty air, but to die away in the innermost
recesses of his stomach.

Mr. Browlow was no less surprised, although his astonishment was not
expressed in the same eccentric manner. He drew his chair nearer to Miss

Maylie’s, and said,

’Do me the favour, my dear young lady, to leave entirely out of the question
that goodness and benevolence of which you speak, and of which nobody