If it be possible to imagine a man, with two eyes in his head, and both wide open, looking in no direction whatever, and seeing nothing, Newman appeared to be that man while Ralph Nickleby regarded him.
'How now ?' growled Ralph.
'Oh!' said Newman, throwing some intelligence into his eyes all at once, and dropping them on his master, 'I thought you rang.' With which laconic remark Newman turned round and hobbled away.
'Stop!' said Ralph.
Newman stopped; not at all disconcerted.
'I did ring.' 'I knew you did.' 'Then why do you offer to go if you know that ?' 'I thought you rang to say you didn't ring,' replied Newman.

'You often do.' 'How dare you pry, and peer, and stare at me, sirrah ?' demanded Ralph.
'Stare!' cried Newman, 'at YOU! Ha, ha!' which was all the explanation Newman deigned to offer.
'Be careful, sir,' said Ralph, looking steadily at him.

'Let me have no drunken fooling here.

Do you see this parcel ?' 'It's big enough,' rejoined Newman.
'Carry it into the city; to Cross, in Broad Street, and leave it there--quick.

Do you hear ?' Newman gave a dogged kind of nod to express an affirmative reply, and, leaving the room for a few seconds, returned with his hat.