The Old Curiosity Shop

Kit regularly brings messages to the single gentleman from Mr. Garland. Whenever Mr. Garland himself visits, Kit waits outside with the horse. Sampson uses this time to earn Kit’s trust. On more than one occasion, Sampson offers Kit more coins, which Kit accepts.

One afternoon, while the Brasses are out, Dick encounters the servant girl. She came upstairs to spy at the keyhole out of curiosity. Dick offers to teach her how to play cribbage; he soon learns she has never tasted beer and that she hardly gets to eat, so he sends out for some food and beer to enjoy together. The girl reveals that she does not know her own name, having only been called “little devil” by Sally, or how old she is. Dick names her the Marchioness, and they begin to become friends.

The Marchioness turns out to be very good at cards. Dick’s theatrics initially catch her off guard, but he quickly adjusts his behavior to make her feel more comfortable. The Marchioness reveals that Sally is the true head of things in the Brasses’ lives and business and that she is surprisingly authoritarian with even her brother. She also tells Dick that both Brasses told her not to trust him. The next day, Sally asks Dick about some missing coin and other valuables around the office, and Dick immediately worries for the Marchioness’s safety. Sampson leaves a five-pound bill out in the open as a test. As they sit, Sally suddenly recalls Kit’s frequent visits to the house and office, and she suggests he is to blame for the thefts. Sampson expresses doubts about Kit’s potential to be a thief.

Kit visits the single gentleman. When he leaves, he has a brief private conversation with Sampson about his job and his family. Sampson leaves Kit alone in the office so he can talk to Dick and Sally; during this time, Kit gets up to leave. Sampson realizes the five-pound bill is gone and, thinking Kit stole it, runs outside after him. Kit does not know why Sampson is chasing him, so he also begins to run. Dick catches up to him and holds him while Sampson searches Kit’s pockets. They find no evidence to support Sally’s accusations until Dick looks inside the brim of Kit’s hat and finds the bill. Sampson summons a constable.

When the constable comes, Kit swears he is innocent. The single gentleman comes outside to see the commotion, and Sampson tells him what happened before Kit has a chance to explain himself. Kit asks to see Mr. Witherden at the notary’s office so he can talk to the Garlands. As they drive, Kit sees Quilp leering at him from a tavern window. Sampson tells Quilp what happened, and he taunts Kit viciously.

At the notary, Sampson tells the Garlands about the thefts. Kit again proclaims innocence, saying the only coins he ever took from Sampson were the ones he willingly gave him. Sampson lies about ever giving Kit any money, insisting that Kit is indeed the thief. At the justice room, the single gentleman waits for their arrival. The court convenes a grand jury, which determines there is enough evidence to bring Kit to trial, and he is taken to prison in the meantime.

While he is in jail, Kit wonders what Nell would think if she ever found out about his imprisonment. Kit’s mother and Barbara’s mother come to visit him; they all cry together. Kit’s mother firmly asserts her belief in Kit’s innocence and persuades the guards to let her feed Kit a little bit of the food she brought from home. Back in the yard, one of the guardsmen approaches Kit with a pint of good ale, a gift from Dick Swiveller.