[The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens]@TWC D-Link bookThe Old Curiosity Shop CHAPTER 42 7/16
Experience has never put a chill upon my warm-heartedness.' 'I tell you he's very sorry, don't I ?' remonstrated Isaac List, 'and that he wishes you'd go on.' 'Does he wish it ?' said the other. 'Ay,' groaned the old man sitting down, and rocking himself to and fro. 'Go on, go on.
It's in vain to fight with it; I can't do it; go on.' 'I go on then,' said Jowl, 'where I left off, when you got up so quick. If you're persuaded that it's time for luck to turn, as it certainly is, and find that you haven't means enough to try it (and that's where it is, for you know, yourself, that you never have the funds to keep on long enough at a sitting), help yourself to what seems put in your way on purpose.
Borrow it, I say, and, when you're able, pay it back again.' 'Certainly,' Isaac List struck in, 'if this good lady as keeps the wax-works has money, and does keep it in a tin box when she goes to bed, and doesn't lock her door for fear of fire, it seems a easy thing; quite a Providence, I should call it--but then I've been religiously brought up.' 'You see, Isaac,' said his friend, growing more eager, and drawing himself closer to the old man, while he signed to the gipsy not to come between them; 'you see, Isaac, strangers are going in and out every hour of the day; nothing would be more likely than for one of these strangers to get under the good lady's bed, or lock himself in the cupboard; suspicion would be very wide, and would fall a long way from the mark, no doubt.
I'd give him his revenge to the last farthing he brought, whatever the amount was.' 'But could you ?' urged Isaac List.
'Is your bank strong enough ?' 'Strong enough!' answered the other, with assumed disdain.
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