At length, as I was looking out at the iron gate of Bartholomew

Close into Little Britain, I saw Mr. Jaggers coming across the road

towards me. All the others who were waiting, saw him at the same

time, and there was quite a rush at him. Mr. Jaggers, putting a hand

on my shoulder and walking me on at his side without saying

anything to me, addressed himself to his followers.

First, he took the two secret men.

"Now, I have nothing to say to you," said Mr. Jaggers, throwing his

finger at them. "I want to know no more than I know. As to the

result, it's a toss-up. I told you from the first it was a toss-up.

Have you paid Wemmick?"

"We made the money up this morning, sir," said one of the men,

submissively, while the other perused Mr. Jaggers's face.

"I don't ask you when you made it up, or where, or whether you made

it up at all. Has Wemmick got it?"

"Yes, sir," said both the men together.

"Very well; then you may go. Now, I won't have it!" said Mr

Jaggers, waving his hand at them to put them behind him. "If you

say a word to me, I'll throw up the case."

"We thought, Mr. Jaggers--" one of the men began, pulling off his

hat.

"That's what I told you not to do," said Mr. Jaggers. "You thought!

I think for you; that's enough for you. If I want you, I know where

to find you; I don't want you to find me. Now I won't have it. I

won't hear a word."

The two men looked at one another as Mr. Jaggers waved them behind

again, and humbly fell back and were heard no more.

"And now you!" said Mr. Jaggers, suddenly stopping, and turning on

the two women with the shawls, from whom the three men had meekly

separated. - "Oh! Amelia, is it?"

"Yes, Mr. Jaggers."

"And do you remember," retorted Mr. Jaggers, "that but for me you

wouldn't be here and couldn't be here?"

"Oh yes, sir!" exclaimed both women together. "Lord bless you, sir,

well we knows that!"

"Then why," said Mr. Jaggers, "do you come here?"

"My Bill, sir!" the crying woman pleaded.

"Now, I tell you what!" said Mr. Jaggers. "Once for all. If you

don't know that your Bill's in good hands, I know it. And if you

come here, bothering about your Bill, I'll make an example of both

your Bill and you, and let him slip through my fingers. Have you

paid Wemmick?"

"Oh yes, sir! Every farden."

"Very well. Then you have done all you have got to do. Say another

word - one single word - and Wemmick shall give you your money

back."

This terrible threat caused the two women to fall off immediately.

No one remained now but the excitable Jew, who had already raised

the skirts of Mr. Jaggers's coat to his lips several times.

"I don't know this man!" said Mr. Jaggers, in the same devastating

strain: "What does this fellow want?"

"Ma thear Mithter Jaggerth. Hown brother to Habraham Latharuth?"

"Who's he?" said Mr. Jaggers. "Let go of my coat."

The suitor, kissing the hem of the garment again before

relinquishing it, replied, "Habraham Latharuth, on thuthpithion of

plate."

"You're too late," said Mr. Jaggers. "I am over the way."

"Holy father, Mithter Jaggerth!" cried my excitable acquaintance,

turning white, "don't thay you're again Habraham Latharuth!"

"I am," said Mr. Jaggers, "and there's an end of it. Get out of the

way."

"Mithter Jaggerth! Half a moment! My hown cuthen'th gone to Mithter

Wemmick at thith prethent minute, to hoffer him hany termth.

Mithter Jaggerth! Half a quarter of a moment! If you'd have the

condethenthun to be bought off from the t'other thide - at hany

thuperior prithe! - money no object! - Mithter Jaggerth - Mithter -

!"

My guardian threw his supplicant off with supreme indifference, and

left him dancing on the pavement as if it were red-hot. Without

further interruption, we reached the front office, where we found

the clerk and the man in velveteen with the fur cap.