Part 3 (2/2)

'-unfortunately died at Dotheboys Hall,' said Ralph, finishi+ng the sentence

'I remember very well, sir,' rejoined Squeers 'Ah! Mrs Squeers, sir, was as partial to that lad as if he had been her own; the attention, sir, that was bestowed upon that boy in his illness! Dry toast and war when he couldn't s anything-a candle in his bedrooht he died-the best dictionary sent up for hih It is a pleasant thing to reflect that one did one's duty by hi, and looked round at the strangers present

'These are only so to the little boy on the trunk and the two little boys on the floor, who had been staring at each other without uttering a word, and writhing their bodies intoto the custoentleh to compliment me upon the course of education adopted at Dotheboys Hall, which is situated, sir, at the delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshi+re, where youth are boarded, clothed, booked, washed, furnished with pocket-money-'

'Yes, we know all about that, sir,' interrupted Ralph, testily 'It's in the advertiseht, sir; it IS in the advertisement,' replied Squeers

'And in the matter of fact besides,' interrupted Mr Snawley 'I feel bound to assure you, sir, and I a you, that I consider Mr Squeers a gentlehly virtuous, exemplary, well conducted, and-'

'Ithe torrent of recommendation; 'no doubt of it at all Suppose we come to business?'

'With all my heart, sir,' rejoined Squeers '”Never postpone business,” is the very first lesson we instil into our co, my dear, always remember that; do you hear?'

'Yes, sir,' repeated Master Belling

'He recollects what it is, does he?' said Ralph

'Tell the gentle

'Very good,' said Squeers; 'go on'

'Never,' repeated Master Belling again

'Very good indeed,' said Squeers 'Yes'

'P,' suggested Nicholas, good-naturedly

'Perfor 'Never-perfor a withering look at the culprit 'You and I will perform a little business on our private account by-and-by'

'And just now,' said Ralph, 'we had better transact our own, perhaps'

'If you please,' said Squeers

'Well,' resuh; soon broached; and I hope easily concluded You have advertised for an able assistant, sir?'

'Precisely so,' said Squeers

'And you really want one?'

'Certainly,' answered Squeers

'Here he is!' said Ralph 'My nephew Nicholas, hot fro in his head, and nothing fer in his pocket, is just the man you want'

'I am afraid,' said Squeers, perplexed with such an application fro man won't suit me'

'Yes, he will,' said Ralph; 'I know better Don't be cast down, sir; you will be teaching all the young noblemen in Dotheboys Hall in less than a week's tientleman is more obstinate than I take hi Mr Squeers, 'that you object toa Master of Arts?'

'The absence of a college degree IS an objection,' replied Squeers, looking as grave as he could, and considerably puzzled, no less by the contrast between the simplicity of the nephew and the worldly manner of the uncle, than by the inco noblemen under his tuition

'Look here, sir,' said Ralph; 'I'll put this ht in two seconds'

'If you'll have the goodness,' rejoined Squeers

'This is a boy, or a youth, or a lad, or a young man, or a hobbledehoy, or whatever you like to call hihteen or nineteen, or thereabouts,' said Ralph

'That I see,' observed the school it as well to back his new friend occasionally

'His father is dead, he is wholly ignorant of the world, has no resources whatever, and wants so to do,' said Ralph 'I recommend hi which will lead him to fortune if he turns it to proper account Do you see that?'

'Everybodythe sneer hich the old gentle his unconscious relative

'I do, of course,' said Nicholas, eagerly

'He does, of course, you observe,' said Ralph, in the same dry, hard manner 'If any caprice of teolden opportunity before he has brought it to perfection, I considerany assistance to his mother and sister Look at him, and think of the use he may be to you in half-a-dozen ways! Now, the question is, whether, for some time to come at all events, he won't serve your purpose better than twenty of the kind of people you would get under ordinary circumstances Isn't that a question for consideration?'

'Yes, it is,' said Squeers, answering a nod of Ralph's head with a nod of his own

'Good,' rejoined Ralph 'Let me have tords with you'

The tords were had apart; in a couple of minutes Mr Wackford Squeers announced that Mr Nicholas Nickleby was, frohly nominated to, and installed in, the office of first assistant master at Dotheboys Hall

'Your uncle's recommendation has done it, Mr Nickleby,' said Wackford Squeers

Nicholas, overjoyed at his success, shook his uncle's hand warmly, and could almost have worshi+pped Squeers upon the spot

'He is an odd-looking ht Nicholas 'What of that? Porson was an odd-looking man, and so was Doctor Johnson; all these bookwor, Mr Nickleby,' said Squeers, 'the coach starts You must be here at a quarter before, as we take these boys with us'

'Certainly, sir,' said Nicholas

'And your fare down, I have paid,' growled Ralph 'So, you'll have nothing to do but keep yourself warenerosity! Nicholas felt his unexpected kindness so much, that he could scarcely find words to thank hih, when they took leave of the schoolateway

'I shall be here in the !'

'Thank you, sir,' replied Nicholas; 'I never shall forget this kindness'