Part 7 (1/2)

'”Just to see fair, I suppose?” said the baron

'”Just that,” replied the figure, playing with his stake, and exa the ferule ”Be as quick as you can, will you, for there's a young gentleto kill himself because he has too much money!” exclaiood one” (This was the first ti day) '”I say,” expostulated the figure, looking very ain”

'”Why not?” deives h as hed htening up again, handed hi politeness

'”It's not a bad idea though,” said the baron, feeling the edge of the weapon; ”ahimself because he has too much money”

'”Pooh!” said the apparition, petulantly, ”no better than ahienius unintentionally coht the baron's hly made up that it didn'tI only know that the baron stopped his hand, all of a sudden, opened his eyes wide, and looked as if quite a new light had come upon him for the first ti is too bad to be retrieved”

'”Except eenius

'”Well; but theywives,” snarled the genius

'”Oh! They may be made quiet,” said the baron

'”Thirteen children,” shouted the genius

'”Can't all go wrong, surely,” said the baron

'The genius was evidently growing very savage with the baron, for holding these opinions all at once; but he tried to laugh it off, and said if he would let hied to hi; I was never farther frolad to hear that,” said the genius, looking very griure of speech, IS the death of me Come! Quit this dreary world at once”

'”I don't know,” said the baron, playing with the knife; ”it's a dreary one certainly, but I don't think yours isparticularly comfortable That puts me in mind-what security have I, that I shall be any the better for going out of the world after all!” he cried, starting up; ”I never thought of that”

'”Dispatch,” cried the figure, gnashi+ng his teeth

'”Keep off!” said the baron 'I'll brood over ood face on the ain; and if that don't do, I'll talk to the baroness soundly, and cut the Von Swillenhausens dead' With this the baron fell into his chair, and laughed so loud and boisterously, that the rooarding the baron meanwhile with a look of intense terror, and when he had ceased, caught up the stake, plunged it violently into its body, uttered a frightful howl, and disappeared

'Von Koeldwethout never saw it again Having once ht the baroness and the Von Swillenhausens to reason, and died many years afterwards: not a richbehind him a numerous fa under his own personal eye And my advice to all men is, that if ever they become hipped and melancholy from similar causes (as very manya lass to the best one; and if they still feel tee pipe and drink a full bottle first, and profit by the laudable exa'

'The fresh coach is ready, ladies and gentle in

This intelligence caused the punch to be finished in a great hurry, and prevented any discussion relative to the last story Mr Squeers was observed to draw the grey-headed gentlereat apparent interest; it bore reference to the Five Sisters of York, and was, in fact, an inquiry whether he could inforot in those days with their boarders

The journey was then resu, and, when he awoke, found, with great regret, that, during his nap, both the Baron of Grogzwig and the grey-haired gentleed on uncoht, he and Mr Squeers, and the little boys, and their united luggage, were all put down together at the George and New Inn, Greta Bridge

CHAPTER 7

Mr and Mrs Squeers at Ho safely landed, left Nicholas and the boys standing with the luggage in the road, to aed horses, while he ran into the tavern and went through the leg-stretching process at the bar After sohly stretched, if the hue of his nose and a short hiccup afforded any criterion; and at the same time there came out of the yard a rusty pony-chaise, and a cart, driven by two labouring men

'Put the boys and the boxes into the cart,' said Squeers, rubbing his hands; 'and this young o on in the chaise Get in, Nickleby'

Nicholas obeyed Mr Squeers with so the pony to obey also, they started off, leaving the cart-load of infant misery to follow at leisure

'Are you cold, Nickleby?' inquired Squeers, after they had travelled some distance in silence

'Rather, sir, I must say'

'Well, I don't find fault with that,' said Squeers; 'it's a long journey this weather'

'Is it much farther to Dotheboys Hall, sir?' asked Nicholas

'About three mile from here,' replied Squeers 'But you needn't call it a Hall down here'

Nicholas coughed, as if he would like to knohy

'The fact is, it ain't a Hall,' observed Squeers drily

'Oh, indeed!' said Nicholas, whoence much astonished

'No,' replied Squeers 'We call it a Hall up in London, because it sounds better, but they don't know it by that name in these parts A man may call his house an island if he likes; there's no act of Parliaainst that, I believe?'

'I believe not, sir,' rejoined Nicholas

Squeers eyed his coue, and finding that he had grown thoughtful and appeared in nowise disposed to volunteer any observations, contented hi the pony until they reached their journey's end

'Jump out,' said Squeers 'Hallo there! Come and put this horse up Be quick, will you!'

While the school these and other impatient cries, Nicholas had ti house, one storey high, with a few straggling out-buildings behind, and a barn and stable adjoining After the lapse of a ate was heard, and presently a tall lean boy, with a lantern in his hand, issued forth

'Is that you, Smike?' cried Squeers

'Yes, sir,' replied the boy