Page:Bleak House.djvu/137

 carving-knife on the carving-fork ; still looking at me (as I felt quite sure without looking at him), in the same unusual manner. The sharpening lasted so long, that at last I felt a kind of obligation on me to raise my eyes, in order that I might break the spell under which he seemed to labour, of not being able to leave off.

He immediately looked at the dish, and began to carve.

“What will you take yourself, miss ? You′ll take a morsel of sometliing?”

“No, thank you,” said I.

“Shan′t I give you a piece of anything at all, miss ?” said Mr. Guppy, hurriedly drinking off a glass of wine.

“Nothing, thank you,” said I. “I have only waited to see that you have everything you want. Is there anything I can order for you?”

“No, I am much obliged to you, miss, I′m sure. I′ve every thing I can require to make me comfortable—at least I—not comfortable—I′m never that :” he drank off two more glasses of wine, one after another.

I thought I had better go.

“I beg your pardon, miss ?” said Mr. Guppy, rising, when he saw me rise. “But would you allow me the favor of a minute′s private conversation ?”

Not knowing what to say, I sat down again.

“What follows is without prejudice, miss ?” said Mr. Guppy, anxiously bringing a chair towards my table.

“I don′t understand what you mean,” said I, wondering.

“It′s one of our law terms, miss. You won′t make any use of it to my detriment, at Kenge and Carboy′s, or elsewhere. If our conversation shouldn′t lead to anything, I am to be as I was, and am not to be prejudiced in my situation or worldly prospects. In short, it′s in total confidence.”

“I am at a loss, sir,” said I, “to imagine what you can have to communicate in total confidence to me, whom you have never seen but once; but I should be very sorry to do you any injury.”

“Thank you, miss. I′m sure of it—that′s quite sufficient.” All this time Mr. Guppy was either planing his forehead with his handkerchief, or tightly rubbing the palm of his left hand with the palm of his right.

“If you would excuse my taking another glass of wine, miss, I think it might assist me in getting on, without a continual choke that cannot fail to be mutually unpleasant.”

He did so, and came back again. I took the opportunity of moving well behind my table.

“You wouldn′t allow me to offer you one, would you, miss ?” said Mr. Guppy, apparently refreshed.

“Not any,” said I.

“Not half a glass ?” said Mr. Guppy ; “quarter ? No ! Then, to proceed. My present salary, Miss Summerson, at Kenge and Carboy′s, is two pound a-week. When I first had the happiness of looking upon you, it was one-fifteen, and had stood at that figure for a lengthened period. A rise of five has since taken place, and a further rise of five is guaranteed at the expiration of a term not exceeding twelve months from the present date. My mother has a little property, which takes the form of a small life annuity ; upon which she lives in an independent though