"This must be some falsehood!" Chapter LX of Dickens's Old Curiosity Shop by Thomas Worth in the first Household Edition volume published by Harper & Bros., New York (1872), 189: 3 9⁄16 x 5 ½ inches (9.1 x 13.7 cm) framed. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Context of the Illustration: Sampson and Sally Brass questioned by the Single Gentleman
"Sir," rejoined Brass, "I will. Ah, Mr Witherden! you little know the — but I will not be tempted to travel from the point, sir, I believe the name of one of these gentlemen is Garland."
"Of both," said the notary.
"In-deed!’ rejoined Brass, cringing excessively. ‘But I might have known that, from the uncommon likeness. Extremely happy, I am sure, to have the honour of an introduction to two such gentlemen, although the occasion is a most painful one. One of you gentlemen has a servant called Kit?"
"Both," replied the notary.
"Two Kits?" said Brass smiling. "Dear me!"
"One Kit, sir," returned Mr. Witherden angrily, "who is employed by both gentlemen. What of him?"
"This of him, sir," rejoined Brass, dropping his voice impressively. "That young man, sir, that I have felt unbounded and unlimited confidence in, and always behaved to as if he was my equal — that young man has this morning committed a robbery in my office, and been taken almost in the fact."
"This must be some falsehood!" cried the notary.
"It is not possible," said Mr. Abel.
"I’ll not believe one word of it," exclaimed the old gentleman.
"Mr. Brass looked mildly round upon them, and rejoined,
"Mr. Witherden, sir, your words are actionable, and if I was a man of low and mean standing, who couldn’t afford to be slandered, I should proceed for damages. Hows’ever, sir, being what I am, I merely scorn such expressions." [Chapter XL, 188]
Related Material about The Old Curiosity Shop
- Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop (homepage)
- The Old Curiosity Shop Illustrated: A Team Effort by "The Clock Works"
- Illustrated Editions of The Old Curiosity Shop
- Kyd's Characters from Dickens (1889)
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Dickens, Charles. The Old Curiosity Shop. Illustrated by Thomas Worth. The Household Edition. 16 vols. New York: Harper & Bros., 1872. I.
Created 4 August 2020
Last modified 26 November 2020