An old-fashioned London street of the Dickens period. Little Nell is sent on an errand by her grandfather and loses her way. Dick Swiveller takes her home. In a corner of the Old Curiosity Shop Kit Nibbles, a friend of little Nell, is discovered waiting anxiously for her. Swiveller enters with Nell. Kit is overjoyed at her safe return. Nell invites Swiveller into the house. He declines, and surrenders her to Kit, who bows and bashfully takes Nell into the house. The interior of the Old Curiosity Shop. Nell enters, followed by Kit. She immediately takes charge of the household affairs. She orders Kit to bring in wood, then sets the tea table. Grandfather Trent enters. Nell goes to him and is greeted tenderly, showing deep affection between the old man and child. Kit returns with wood and starts to go out again for more, bumping into Fred Trent, a dissolute brother of little Nell. Fred Trent demands money of the grandfather and is refused. He leaves, vowing that he will get it. Grandfather Trent writes a letter to Quilp and again sends Nell on the errand. Reluctantly she goes, whereupon grandfather takes out a deck of cards and plays imaginary game, indicating his passion for gambling. The law office of Sampson Brass. There is a conspiracy to marry Nell to Swiveller. Scenes that follow show how Quilp secures a mortgage on Grandfather Trent’s Old Curiosity Shop, how they are sold out of their home, wander into the field, and at last are rescued by a kind-hearted farmer. Then how the Brasses and Fred Trent are arrested through the help of Swiveller, who marries the Marchioness.