DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0327
M'SWEENY AND THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP. 315
He sat down, or rather flopped down, with an attempt at a
gracious grin, and, taking the pipe from his wife, began purring
fiercely, watching us anxiously all the while. M'Sweeny slowly
and deliberately shovelled up the soot in small quantities,
according to my directions, narrowly inspecting it as it was re-
turned to the bin, and before the half of the soot had been so
lifted he paused to inspect a soot-covered object which had got
into one of these small shovelfuls. I was at his side in a
moment; and as the glitter of metal caught my eye I glanced
towards the sweep and saw that he was painfully anxious to
look indifferent. The object, when cleared of soot, proved to
be a small handle of gilt brass, fastened to a flat piece of ivory,
on which was some neat carving. The four eyes at the fireside
were goggling, like distended telescopes, at us as we stood
clearing the strange object of soot.
" What's this ? " I sharply demanded of the sweep.
" That, sir? " and he took a stride or two forward to look at
the fragment. " I'm sure I dinna ken; it's a thing ane o,
the bairns found oot on the street and brought in to pla)
wi'."
Sandy's face said " lie " all over in spite of the soot as he
made the hurried answer, and I said nothing. Every thief has
" found " these things, or had them given him, or innocently
brought into his house by some third person not conveniently
at hand. After a close inspection of the fragment I was inclined
to think that it had formed part of the lid of an ivory box or
casket. No such article was in our list so far as I could remem-
ber; but the expression of the sweep's face and his general
manner induced me to say that I would take the fragment with
me.
" Certainly, sir, certainly; it's of nae value to me," cried
Sandy with forced alacrity. " Will I wrap it in a bit paper for
ye?"
I declined the officious offer, put the fragment in my pocket,
and shortly after took leave with M'Sweeny, who made a dive
at once for the baths in Nicolson Square. A wash in water
and a brush at the fragment seemed to confirm my suspicion.
The ivory appeared to be fine, and was prettily carved, and it
seemed to have been rudely smashed. I took the piece to a
dealer in such articles, and he not only confirmed me in my
suspicion, but showed me a complete casket of the same style
of workmanship. It was a small thing, about six inches long
by four broad, and might be used, the dealer said, for holding
He sat down, or rather flopped down, with an attempt at a
gracious grin, and, taking the pipe from his wife, began purring
fiercely, watching us anxiously all the while. M'Sweeny slowly
and deliberately shovelled up the soot in small quantities,
according to my directions, narrowly inspecting it as it was re-
turned to the bin, and before the half of the soot had been so
lifted he paused to inspect a soot-covered object which had got
into one of these small shovelfuls. I was at his side in a
moment; and as the glitter of metal caught my eye I glanced
towards the sweep and saw that he was painfully anxious to
look indifferent. The object, when cleared of soot, proved to
be a small handle of gilt brass, fastened to a flat piece of ivory,
on which was some neat carving. The four eyes at the fireside
were goggling, like distended telescopes, at us as we stood
clearing the strange object of soot.
" What's this ? " I sharply demanded of the sweep.
" That, sir? " and he took a stride or two forward to look at
the fragment. " I'm sure I dinna ken; it's a thing ane o,
the bairns found oot on the street and brought in to pla)
wi'."
Sandy's face said " lie " all over in spite of the soot as he
made the hurried answer, and I said nothing. Every thief has
" found " these things, or had them given him, or innocently
brought into his house by some third person not conveniently
at hand. After a close inspection of the fragment I was inclined
to think that it had formed part of the lid of an ivory box or
casket. No such article was in our list so far as I could remem-
ber; but the expression of the sweep's face and his general
manner induced me to say that I would take the fragment with
me.
" Certainly, sir, certainly; it's of nae value to me," cried
Sandy with forced alacrity. " Will I wrap it in a bit paper for
ye?"
I declined the officious offer, put the fragment in my pocket,
and shortly after took leave with M'Sweeny, who made a dive
at once for the baths in Nicolson Square. A wash in water
and a brush at the fragment seemed to confirm my suspicion.
The ivory appeared to be fine, and was prettily carved, and it
seemed to have been rudely smashed. I took the piece to a
dealer in such articles, and he not only confirmed me in my
suspicion, but showed me a complete casket of the same style
of workmanship. It was a small thing, about six inches long
by four broad, and might be used, the dealer said, for holding