Words with Wings

What if...?
Considering the size and influence of the British Empire in the mid-19th Century, preacher Charles Spurgeon and novelist Charles Dickens were arguably the two most famous people in the world. They both lived their entire adult lives in London and commented occasionally on one another, but we have no record of them ever meeting.
What's even more surprising, however, is that we have no record of them ever criticizing each other, even though they came from very different backgrounds and perspectives and were not shy in pointing out the faults of others. Could they have had a grudging respect for one another?
This "fly on the wall" story imagines that Spurgeon made a clandestine visit to Dickens' home when the author was nearing death. The epic conversation between these two great wordsmiths not only entertains but also elevates our understanding of important life and death issues. [or provokes thought about important life and death issues.]
Detailed notes following the story document the fascinating historical facts underlying this fictional account.