Part 9 (1/2)

'I believe there is no doubt of that, sir,' answered Nicholas

'Of course there isn't,' said Squeers 'A horse is a quadruped, and quadruped's Latin for beast, as everybody that's gone through the grarammars at all?'

'Where, indeed!' said Nicholas abstractedly

'As you're perfect in that,' resuo and look after MY horse, and rub hio and draater up, till so-day to, he dismissed the first class to their experiments in practical philosophy, and eyed Nicholas with a look, half cunning and half doubtful, as if he were not altogether certain what he ht think of him by this time

'That's the e do it, Nickleby,' he said, after a pause

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders in a manner that was scarcely perceptible, and said he saas

'And a very good way it is, too,' said Squeers 'Now, just take the, because, you know, youabout here won't do'

Mr Squeers said this, as if it had suddenly occurred to him, either that he must not say too much to his assistant, or that his assistant did not say enough to hied in a se to their dull, drawling, hesitating recital of those stories of engrossing interest which are to be found in theoccupation, thepreviously had their appetites thoroughly taken away by stir-about and potatoes, sat down in the kitchen to soraciously permitted to take his portion to his own solitary desk, to eat it there in peace After this, there was another hour of crouching in the schoolrooain

It was Mr Squeer's custoether, and make a sort of report, after every half-yearly visit to thethe relations and friends he had seen, the news he had heard, the letters he had brought down, the bills which had been paid, the accounts which had been left unpaid, and so forth This sole always took place in the afternoon of the day succeeding his return; perhaps, because the boys acquired strength of , or, possibly, because Mr Squeers hireater sternness and inflexibility froe after his early dinner Be this as it arden, stable, and cow-yard, and the school were assembled in full conclave, when Mr Squeers, with a s with a pair of canes, entered the room and proclaimed silence

'Let any boy speak a ithout leave,' said Mr Squeers mildly, 'and I'll take the skin off his back'

This special proclamation had the desired effect, and a deathlike silence immediately prevailed, in the midst of which Mr Squeers went on to say: 'Boys, I've been to London, and have returned toand well as ever'

According to half-yearly custo intelligence Such cheers! Sights of extra strength with the chill on

'I have seen the parents of so over his papers, 'and they're so glad to hear how their sons are getting on, that there's no prospect at all of their going ahich of course is a very pleasant thing to reflect upon, for all parties'

Two or three hands went to two or three eyes when Squeers said this, but the greater part of the young gentle no particular parents to speak of, holly uninterested in the thing one way or other

'I have had disappointrim; 'Bolder's father o pound ten short Where is Bolder?'

'Here he is, please sir,' rejoined twenty officious voices Boys are very like men to be sure

'Co boy, arts all over his hands, stepped from his place to the ly to Squeers's face; his own, quite white fro of his heart

'Bolder,' said Squeers, speaking very slowly, for he was considering, as the saying goes, where to have him 'Bolder, if you father thinks that because-hat's this, sir?'

As Squeers spoke, he caught up the boy's hand by the cuff of his jacket, and surveyed it with an edifying aspect of horror and disgust

'What do you call this, sir?' de a cut with the cane to expedite the reply

'I can't help it, indeed, sir,' rejoined the boy, crying 'They will come; it's the dirty work I think, sir-at least I don't knohat it is, sir, but it's notup his wristbands, and rip of the cane, 'you're an incorrigible young scoundrel, and as the last thrashi+ng did you no good, weit out of you'

With this, and wholly disregarding a piteous cry for mercy, Mr Squeers fell upon the boy and caned hi off, indeed, until his arm was tired out

'There,' said Squeers, when he had quite done; 'rub away as hard as you like, you won't rub that off in a hurry Oh! you won't hold that noise, won't you? Put hi experience, than to hesitate about obeying, so he bundled the victiain on his own stool, supported by Mrs Squeers, who occupied another at his side

'Now let us see,' said Squeers 'A letter for Cobbey Stand up, Cobbey'

Another boy stood up, and eyed the letter very hard while Squeers made a mental abstract of the sarand, which is all the news his sister sends, except eighteenpence, which will just pay for that broken square of glass Mrs Squeers, my dear, will you take the hteenpence with a most business-like air, and Squeers passed on to the next boy, as coolly as possible

'Graymarsh,' said Squeers, 'he's the next Stand up, Graymarsh'

Another boy stood up, and the schoolmaster looked over the letter as before

'Graymarsh's maternal aunt,' said Squeers, when he had possessed hilad to hear he's so well and happy, and sends her respectful coel She likewise thinks Mr Squeers is too good for this world; but hopes hebe spared to carry on the business Would have sent the two pair of stockings as desired, but is short of money, so forwards a tract instead, and hopes Graymarsh will put his trust in Providence Hopes, above all, that he will study in everything to please Mr and Mrs Squeers, and look upon them as his only friends; and that he will love Master Squeers; and not object to sleeping five in a bed, which no Christian should Ah!' said Squeers, folding it up, 'a delightful letter Very affecting indeed'

It was affecting in one sense, for Grayly supposed, by her more intimate friends, to be no other than histo this part of the story (which would have sounded i out 'Mobbs,' whereupon another boy rose, and Graymarsh resumed his seat

'Mobbs's step- that he wouldn't eat fat, and has been very ill ever since She wishes to know, by an early post, where he expects to go to, if he quarrels with his vittles; and hat feelings he could turn up his nose at the cow's-liver broth, after his goodon it This was told her in the London newspapers-not by Mr Squeers, for he is too kind and too good to set anybody against anybody-and it has vexed her so much, Mobbs can't think She is sorry to find he is discontented, which is sinful and horrid, and hopes Mr Squeers will flog him into a happier state of mind; hich view, she has also stopped his halfpenny a week pocket-iven a double-bladed knife with a corkscrew in it to the Missionaries, which she had bought on purpose for hi,' said Squeers, after a terrible pause, during which he had ain, 'won't do Cheerfulness and contentment must be kept up Mobbs, co his eyes in anticipation of good cause for doing so; and he soon afterwards retired by the side-door, with as good cause as a boy need have

Mr Squeers then proceeded to open ato small articles of apparel, as caps and so forth, all of which the sae, or too s Squeers, ould appear indeed to have hadthat came into the school fitted hiularly elastic, for hats and caps of all dimensions were alike to him

This business dispatched, a few slovenly lessons were perfor Nicholas to take care of the boys in the school-room, which was very cold, and where a meal of bread and cheese was served out shortly after dark

There was a small stove at that corner of the room which was nearest to the master's desk, and by it Nicholas sat down, so depressed and self-degraded by the consciousness of his position, that if death could have come upon him at that time, he would have been almost happy towitness, the coarse and ruffianly behaviour of Squeers even in his best hts and sounds about hi; but when he recollected that, being there as an assistant, he actually seeht him to that pass-to be the aider and abettor of a systenation, he loathed hih the h all tiain

But, for the present, his resolve was taken, and the resolution he had forht remained undisturbed He had written to histhe safe conclusion of his journey, and saying as little about Dotheboys Hall, and saying that little as cheerfully, as he possibly could He hoped that by reood, even there; at all events, others depended toohis wrath just then

One reflection disturbed hi out of his own position This was the probable destination of his sister Kate His uncle had deceived hin her to some reater curse than ugliness and decrepitude? To a caged man, bound hand and foot, this was a terrible idea-but no, he thought, his mother was by; there was the portrait-painter, too-si in the world, and of it He illing to believe that Ralph Nickleby had conceived a personal dislike to hiood reason, by this ti at this conclusion, and tried to persuade hi extended no farther than between them

As he was absorbed in these meditations, he all at once encountered the upturned face of S a few stray cinders fro them on the fire He had paused to steal a look at Nicholas, and when he saw that he was observed, shrunk back, as if expecting a blow

'You need not fear me,' said Nicholas kindly 'Are you cold?'

'N-n-o'

'You are shi+vering'