Where's Sikes, you thief ?' The hump-backed man stared, as if in excess of amazement and indignation; then, twisting himself, dexterously, from the doctor's grasp, growled forth a volley of horrid oaths, and retired into the house.

Before he could shut the door, however, the doctor had passed into the parlour, without a word of parley.
He looked anxiously round; not an article of furniture; not a vestige of anything, animate or inanimate; not even the position of the cupboards; answered Oliver's description! 'Now!' said the hump-backed man, who had watched him keenly, 'what do you mean by coming into my house, in this violent way?
Do you want to rob me, or to murder me?
Which is it ?' 'Did you ever know a man come out to do either, in a chariot and pair, you ridiculous old vampire ?' said the irritable doctor.
'What do you want, then ?' demanded the hunchback.

'Will you take yourself off, before I do you a mischief?
Curse you!' 'As soon as I think proper,' said Mr.Losberne, looking into the other parlour; which, like the first, bore no resemblance whatever to Oliver's account of it.

'I shall find you out, some day, my friend.' 'Will you ?' sneered the ill-favoured cripple.

'If you ever want me, I'm here.