Part 7 (2/2)

'Then why the devil didn't you come before?'

'Please, sir, I fell asleep over the fire,' answered Smike, with humility

'Fire! what fire? Where's there a fire?' demanded the schoolmaster, sharply

'Only in the kitchen, sir,' replied the boy 'Missus said as I was sitting up, I o in there for a warm'

'Your missus is a fool,' retorted Squeers 'You'd have been a deuced deal e'

By this ti the boy to see to the pony, and to take care that he hadn't any ht, he told Nicholas to wait at the front-door a minute while he went round and let his, which had been crowding upon Nicholas during the whole journey, thronged into his reat distance fro it, except on foot, should he feel ever so anxious to return, presented itself to hi colours; and as he looked up at the dreary house and dark s, and upon the wild country round, covered with snow, he felt a depression of heart and spirit which he had never experienced before

'Now then!' cried Squeers, poking his head out at the front-door 'Where are you, Nickleby?'

'Here, sir,' replied Nicholas

'Come in, then,' said Squeers 'the wind blows in, at this door, fit to knock a hed, and hurried in Mr Squeers, having bolted the door to keep it shut, ushered him into a small parlour scantily furnished with a few chairs, a yellow ainst the wall, and a couple of tables; one of which bore some preparations for supper; while, on the other, a tutor's assistant, a Murray's grammar, half-a-dozen cards of terms, and a worn letter directed to Wackford Squeers, Esquire, were arranged in picturesque confusion

They had not been in this apartment a couple ofMr Squeers by the throat, gave him two loud kisses: one close after the other, like a posture, was about half a head taller than Mr Squeers, and was dressed in a diht-jacket; with her hair in papers; she had also a dirty nightcap on, relieved by a yellow cotton handkerchief which tied it under the chin

'How is my Squeery?' said this lady in a playful manner, and a very hoarse voice

'Quite well, ht, every one of'es?' said Squeers

'As well as they hen you went away'

'Coreat-coat 'The boys are all as they were, I suppose?'

'Oh, yes, they're well enough,' replied Mrs Squeers, snappishly 'That young Pitcher's had a fever'

'No!' exclai of that sort'

'Never was such a boy, I do believe,' said Mrs Squeers; 'whatever he has is always catching too I say it's obstinacy, and nothing shall ever convince me that it isn't I'd beat it out of hio'

'So you did, my love,' rejoined Squeers 'We'll try what can be done'

Pending these little endearh, in thewhether he was expected to retire into the passage, or to remain where he was He was now relieved fro entle her head at Nicholas, and eyeing him coldly froht,' said Squeers, 'and go aive hie it somehow,' replied the lady 'You don't much mind how you sleep, I suppose, sir?'

No, indeed,' replied Nicholas, 'I am not particular'

'That's lucky,' said Mrs Squeers And as the lady's huhed heartily, and seemed to expect that Nicholas should do the same

After some further conversation between the master and mistress relative to the success of Mr Squeers's trip and the people who had paid, and the people who had ht in a Yorkshi+re pie and so set upon the table, the boy S his great-coat pockets of letters to different boys, and other slanced, with an anxious and timid expression, at the papers, as if with a sickly hope that one aht relate to him The look was a very painful one, and went to Nicholas's heart at once; for it told a long and very sad history

It induced him to consider the boy more attentively, and he was surprised to observe the extraordinary h he could not have been less than eighteen or nineteen years old, and was tall for that age, he wore a skeleton suit, such as is usually put upon very little boys, and which, though h for his attenuated fraht be in perfect keeping with this singular dress, he had a very large pair of boots, originally ht have been once worn by some stout farar Heaven kno long he had been there, but he still wore the same linen which he had first taken down; for, round his neck, was a tattered child's frill, only half concealed by a coarse, ned to be busy in arranging the table, glanced at the letters with a look so keen, and yet so dispirited and hopeless, that Nicholas could hardly bear to watch hi about there, Ss alone, can't you?'

'Eh!' said Squeers, looking up 'Oh! it's you, is it?'

'Yes, sir,' replied the youth, pressing his hands together, as though to control, by force, the nervous wandering of his fingers 'Is there-'

'Well!' said Squeers

'Have you-did anybody-has nothing been heard-about me?'

'Devil a bit,' replied Squeers testily

The lad withdrew his eyes, and, putting his hand to his face, moved towards the door

'Not a word,' resumed Squeers, 'and never will be Now, this is a pretty sort of thing, isn't it, that you should have been left here, all these years, and no money paid after the first six-nor no notice taken, nor no clue to be got who you belong to? It's a pretty sort of thing that I should have to feed a great fellow like you, and never hope to get one penny for it, isn't it?'

The boy put his hand to his head as if he werevacantly at his questioner, gradually broke into a smile, and limped away

'I'll tell you what, Squeers,' re chap's turning silly'

'I hope not,' said the schoolmaster; 'for he's a handy fellow out of doors, and worth his h for us though, if he was But cory and tired, and want to get to bed'

This reht in an exclusive steak for Mr Squeers, who speedily proceeded to do it ample justice Nicholas drew up his chair, but his appetite was effectually taken away

'How's the steak, Squeers?' said Mrs S

'Tender as a lamb,' replied Squeers 'Have a bit'

'I couldn't eat aman take, my dear?'