"All's well that ends well," said Maurice, taking his seat on the high chair on the shop side of the counter, facing our heroine, "and if it has ended in my doing no harm, and turning out a better fellow myself, why there's not much to regret. And you would not believe to what an extraordinary pitch of excellence I am attaining."
"I shall believe nothing if you jest, sir."
"It was not a jest—I've a way of talking like that."
"It's a very stupid way."
"Is it, though?—well, perhaps you're right enough."
Mattie wondered what he was staying for; was even still a little nervous that he had something more to communicate concerning Sidney. But he continued talking in this new desultory way, and remained on his perch there, observant of customers, the goods they purchased, and the remarks they made, and showing no inclination to depart. He rendered Mattie fidgety after a while, for he was in a fidgety humour himself, and tilted his chair backwards and forwards, and examined everything minutely on the counter, dropping an article or two on the floor, and endeavouring to pick it up with his varnished boots, à la Miss Biffin.
"Does this business answer, Miss?" he asked at last.
"It is improving—I think it will answer."
"Rather slow for old Sid, it must have been."
"We did our best to make him happy here, sir; I think that we succeeded."