Part 4 (1/2)

'Take care you don't,' replied his uncle 'You had better go hoot to pack Do you think you could find your way to Golden Square first?'

'Certainly,' said Nicholas 'I can easily inquire'

'Leave these papers witha small parcel, 'and tell him to wait till I come home'

Nicholas cheerfully undertook the errand, and bidding his worthy uncle an affectionate farewell, which that warrowl, hastened away to execute his cos, who had stepped out for athe door with a latch-key, as he reached the steps

'What's that?' inquired Noggs, pointing to the parcel

'Papers frooodness to wait till he cos

'Mr Nickleby,' said Nicholas in explanation

'Come in,' said Newman

Without another word he led Nicholas into the passage, and thence into the official pantry at the end of it, where he thrust hih stool, sat, with his ar fixedly upon him, as from a tower of observation

'There is no answer,' said Nicholas, laying the parcel on a table beside hi his ar his head forward so as to obtain a nearer view of Nicholas's face, scanned his features closely

'No answer,' said Nicholas, speaking very loud, under the is was deaf

New a syllable, continued the same close scrutiny of his co on the part of an utter stranger, and his appearance was so extremely peculiar, that Nicholas, who had a sufficiently keen sense of the ridiculous, could not refrain fros had any cohed; upon which Nicholas rose, and re

It was a great exertion for News, and nobody knows to this day how he ever ca wholly unknown to hi breath and actually said, out loud, without once stopping, that if the young gentleman did not object to tell, he should like to knohat his uncle was going to do for him

Nicholas had not the least objection in the world, but on the contrary was rather pleased to have an opportunity of talking on the subject which occupied his thoughts; so, he sat down again, and (his sanguine ilowing description of all the honours and advantages to be derived fro, Dotheboys Hall

'But, what's theoff, as his co himself into a variety of uncouth attitudes, thrust his hands under the stool, and cracked his finger-joints as if he were snapping all the bones in his hands

New his shoulders and cracking his finger-joints; s steadfastly at nothing, out of the tops of his eyes, in a ht the mysterious man was in a fit, but, on further consideration, decided that he was in liquor, under which circumstances he deemed it prudent to ot the street-door open Newestures, and the cracking of his fingers sounded louder that ever

CHAPTER 5

Nicholas starts for Yorkshi+re Of his Leave-taking and his Fellow-Travellers, and what befell them on the Road If tears dropped into a trunk were charms to preserve its owner from sorrow and misfortune, Nicholas Nickleby would have commenced his expedition under most happy auspices There was so much to be done, and so little time to do it in; so many kind words to be spoken, and such bitter pain in the hearts in which they rose to impede their utterance; that the little preparations for his journey were s which the anxious care of his mother and sister deemed indispensable for his coht prove of soht be convertible into money if occasion required A hundred affectionate contests on such points as these, took place on the sad night which preceded his departure; and, as the terht theht preparations, Kate grew busier and busier, and wept more silently

The box was packed at last, and then there came supper, with some little delicacy provided for the occasion, and as a set-off against the expense of which, Kate and her ned to dine when Nicholas was out The poor lad nearly choked hi to partake of it, and al a jest or two, and forcing a ered on till the hour of separating for the night was long past; and then they found that they s before, for they could not suppress them, do what they would So, they let them have their way, and even that was a relief

Nicholas slept well till six next ; dreamed of hos that are changed or gone will come back as they used to be, thank God! in sleep-and rose quite brisk and gay He wrote a few lines in pencil, to say the goodbye which he was afraid to pronounce hi them, with half his scanty stock of money, at his sister's door, shouldered his box and crept softly downstairs

'Is that you, Hannah?' cried a voice froht of a feeble candle

'It is I, Miss La Creevy,' said Nicholas, putting down the box and looking in

'Bless us!' exclai her hand to her curl-papers 'You're up very early, Mr Nickleby'

'So are you,' replied Nicholas

'It's the fine arts that bringfor the light to carry out an idea'

Miss La Creevy had got up early to put a fancy nose into a randmother in the country, as expected to bequeath him property if he was like the family

'To carry out an idea,' repeated Miss La Creevy; 'and that's the great convenience of living in a thoroughfare like the Strand When I want a nose or an eye for any particular sitter, I have only to look out ofand wait till I get one'

'Does it take long to get a nose, now?' inquired Nicholas, sreat measure on the pattern,' replied Miss La Creevy 'Snubs and Roh, and there are flats of all sorts and sizes when there's aat Exeter Hall; but perfect aquilines, I aenerally use them for uniforms or public characters'

'Indeed!' said Nicholas 'If I should meet with any in my travels, I'll endeavour to sketch theoing all the way down into Yorkshi+re this cold winter's weather, Mr Nickleby?' said Miss La Creevy 'I heard soht'

'I do, indeed,' replied Nicholas 'Needs must, you knohen somebody drives Necessity is entleman'

'Well, I am very sorry for it; that's all I can say,' said Miss La Creevy; 'as much on your mother's and sister's account as on yours Your sister is a very pretty young lady, Mr Nickleby, and that is an additional reason why she should have so or two, for the street-door case 'Ah! she'll make a sweet miniature' As Miss La Creevy spoke, she held up an ivory countenance intersected with very perceptible sky-blue veins, and regarded it with so much complacency, that Nicholas quite envied her

'If you ever have an opportunity of showing Kate so his hand, 'I think you will'

'Depend upon that,' said the good-natured miniature painter; 'and God bless you, Mr Nickleby; and I wish you well'

It was very little that Nicholas knew of the world, but he guessed enough about its ways to think, that if he gave Miss La Creevy one little kiss, perhaps she ht not be the less kindly disposed towards those he was leaving behind So, he gave her three or four with a kind of jocose gallantry, and Miss La Creevy evinced no greater sy, as she adjusted her yellow turban, that she had never heard of such a thing, and couldn't have believed it possible

Having terminated the unexpected interview in this satisfactory manner, Nicholas hastily withdrew himself from the house By the time he had found a man to carry his box it was only seven o'clock, so he walked slowly on, a little in advance of the porter, and very probably with not half as light a heart in his breast as the h he had no waistcoat to cover it with, and had evidently, froht in a stable, and taking his breakfast at a pu, with no small curiosity and interest, all the busy preparations for the co day which every street and al, now and then, that it seemed rather hard that so many people of all ranks and stations could earn a livelihood in London, and that he should be compelled to journey so far in search of one; Nicholas speedily arrived at the Saracen's Head, Snow Hill Having dismissed his attendant, and seen the box safely deposited in the coach-office, he looked into the coffee-rooentle at breakfast, with the three little boys before noticed, and two others who had turned up by soed in a row on the opposite seat Mr Squeers had before him a small measure of coffee, a plate of hot toast, and a cold round of beef; but he was at thatbreakfast for the little boys

'This is twopenn'orth ofdown into a large blue et an accurate view of the quantity of liquid contained in it

'That's twopenn'orth, sir,' replied the waiter