Gilbert used to drop in upon him sometimes of an evening during this period, at his urgent request.

He was interested in the solitary silversmith for Marian's sake, and very willingly sacrificed an occasional evening for his gratification.

He fancied that these visits of his inspired some kind of jealousy in the breast of the sallow-faced, sleek-haired shopman; who regarded him always on these occasions with a look of suppressed malevolence, and by every stratagem in his power tried to find out the nature of the conversation between the visitor and his employer, making all kinds of excuses to come into the parlour, and showing himself proof against the most humiliating treatment from his master.
"Does that young man expect you to leave him money?
and does he look upon me as a possible rival ?" Gilbert asked one night, provoked by the shopman's conduct.
"Very likely," Mr.Nowell answered, with a malicious grin.
"One gets good service from a man who expects his reward in the future.
Luke Tulliver serves me very well indeed, and of course I am not responsible for his delusions." "Do you know, Mr.Nowell, that is a man I should scarcely care to trust.
To my mind there is a warning of danger in his countenance." "My dear sir, I have never trusted any one in my life," answered the silversmith promptly.

"I don't for a moment suppose that Luke Tulliver would be honest if I gave him an opportunity to cheat me.

As to the badness of his countenance, that is so much the better.