? ? ? ? Steerforth gave a short laugh.
? ? ? ? 'That's not an answer, sir,' said Mr. Creakle, 'to my remark. I expect more than that from you, Steerforth.'
? ? ? ? If Mr. Mell looked homely, in my eyes, before the handsome boy, it would be quite impossible to say how homely Mr. Creakle looked. 'Let him deny it,' said Steerforth.
? ? ? ? 'Deny that he is a beggar, Steerforth?' cried Mr. Creakle. 'Why, where does he go a-begging?'
? ? ? ? 'If he is not a beggar himself, his near relation's one,' said Steerforth. 'It's all the same.'
? ? ? ? He glanced at me, and Mr. Mell's hand gently patted me upon the shoulder. I looked up with a flush upon my face and remorse in my heart, but Mr. Mell's eyes were fixed on Steerforth. He continued to pat me kindly on the shoulder, but he looked at him.
? ? ? ? 'Since you expect me, Mr. Creakle, to justify myself,' said Steerforth, 'and to say what I mean, - what I have to say is, that his mother lives on charity in an alms-house.'
? ? ? ? Mr. Mell still looked at him, and still patted me kindly on the shoulder, and said to himself, in a whisper, if I heard right: 'Yes, I thought so.'
? ? ? ? Mr. Creakle turned to his assistant, with a severe frown and laboured politeness:
? ? ? ? 'Now, you hear what this gentleman says, Mr.
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