Charles Dickens

“ Standing with an arm drawn round her, but with a face far more intent on Mr. Jasper than on her singing, stood Helena between whom and her brother an instantaneous recognition passed, in which Mr. Crisparkle saw, or thought he saw, the understanding that had been spoken of, flash out. Mr. Neville then took his admiring station, leaning against the piano, opposite the singer; Mr. Crisparkle sat down by the china shepherdess; Edwin Drood gallantly furled and unfurled Miss Twinkleton's fan ”

“ When I play, he never moves his eyes from my hands. When I sing, he never moves his eyes from my lips. When he corrects me, and strikes a note, or a chord, or plays a passage, he himself is in the sounds, whispering that he pursues me as a lover, and commanding me to keep his secret. ”

“ Neville. And it is salutary to listen to such influences."
"In describing my own imperfections, sir, I must ask you not to suppose that I am describing my sister's. She has come out of the disadvantages of our miserable life, as much better than I am, as that Cathedral tower is higher than those chimnies."
Mr. Crisparkle in his own breast was not so sure of this.
"I have had, sir, from my earliest remembrance, to suppress a deadly and bitter hatred. This has made me secret and revengeful. I have been always tyrannically held down by the strong hand. ”

“ As Jasper watched the pretty lips, and ever and again hinted the one note, as though it were a low whisper from himself, the voice became less steady, until all at once the singer broke into a burst of tears, and shrieked out, with her hands over her eyes; "I can't bear this! I am frightened! Take me away!"
With one swift turn of her lithe figure, Helena laid the little beauty on a sofa, as if she had never caught her up. Then, on one knee beside her, and with one hand upon her rosy mouth, while with the other she appealed to all the rest, Helena said to them: "It's nothing; it's all over ”

“ Neville, I will try to do mine. Here is my hand on it. May God bless our endeavours!"
They were now standing at his house-door, and a cheerful sound of voices and laughter was heard within.
"We will take one more turn before going in," said Mr. Crisparkle, "for I want to ask you a question. When you said you were in a changed mind concerning me, you spoke, not only for yourself, but for your sister too."
"Undoubtedly I did, sir."
"Excuse me, Mr. Neville, but I think you have bad no opportunity of communicating with your sister, since I met you. Mr. Honeythunder was very eloquent ”

“ Crisparkle.
"In a last word of reference to my sister, sir (we are twin children, you ought to know, to her honor, that nothing in our misery ever subdued her, though it often cowed me. When we ran away from it (we ran away four times in six years, to be soon brought back and cruelly punished) , the flight was always of her planning and leading. Each time she dressed as a boy, and showed the daring of a man. ”