
A kindly shop owner whose overwhelming gambling debts allow a greedy landlord to seize his shop of dusty treasures. Evicted and with no way to pay his debts, he and his granddaughter flee.

The peaceful lives of Little Nell Trent and her beloved grandfather are harried by the odious, misshapen moneylender Daniel Quilp, who plans to marry Nell when she is older.

Quilp has taken possession of the Curiosity Shop and its contents in settlement of Grandfather's gambling debts.

Quilp marks out the good-natured but easily led Dick Swiveller as an ally. Kit meets the Garlands.

Quilp leaves London in pursuit of Nell and her grandfather, having left Swiveller with instructions to report on the movements of the Single Gentleman.

Quilp is in hot pursuit of Nell and her grandfather, who are working for Mrs Jarley and her travelling waxwork show.

Fleeing Quilp, Nell and her grandfather have to leave Mrs Jarley's waxwork show.

A kindly schoolmaster offers to take Nell and her grandfather to a safe village. Still in pursuit, Quilp has been sent in the wrong direction by the furnaceman.