Part 15 (1/2)

'Down directly!' said Squeers 'Ah! you had better be down directly, or I'll be down upon some of you in less Where's that Sain, but made no answer

'Smike!' shouted Squeers

'Do you want your head broke in a fresh place, Smike?' demanded his amiable lady in the same key

Still there was no reply, and still Nicholas stared about hireater part of the boys, ere by this time roused

'Confound his i the stair-rail impatiently with his cane 'Nickleby!'

'Well, sir'

'Send that obstinate scoundrel down; don't you hear ?'

'He is not here, sir,' replied Nicholas

'Don't tell me a lie,' retorted the schoolrily, 'don't tell me one'

'We shall soon see that,' said Mr Squeers, rushi+ng upstairs 'I'll find him, I warrant you'

With which assurance, Mr Squeers bounced into the dor his cane in the air ready for a blow, darted into the corner where the lean body of the drudge was usually stretched at night The cane descended harround There was nobody there

'What does thisround with a very pale face 'Where have you hid hiht,' replied Nicholas

'Coh he endeavoured to look otherwise, 'you won't save him this way Where is he?'

'At the bottoht I know,' rejoined Nicholas in a low voice, and fixing his eyes full on the master's face

'dareat perturbation Without waiting for a reply, he inquired of the boys whether any one a schooleneral hum of anxious denial, in the midst of which, one shrill voice was heard to say (as, indeed, everybody thought): 'Please, sir, I think S sharp round 'Who said that?'

'Tomkins, please sir,' rejoined a chorus of voices Mr Squeers ht a very little boy, habited still in his night-gear, and the perplexed expression of whose countenance, as he was brought forward, seemed to intimate that he was as yet uncertain whether he was about to be punished or rewarded for the suggestion He was not long in doubt

'You think he has run away, do you, sir?' demanded Squeers

'Yes, please sir,' replied the little boy

'And what, sir,' said Squeers, catching the little boy suddenly by the ar up his drapery in a most dexterous manner, 'what reason have you to suppose that any boy would want to run away from this establishment? Eh, sir?'

The child raised a dis hi his strength, beat his actually rolled out of his hands, when he mercifully allowed him to roll away, as he best could

'There,' said Squeers 'Now if any other boy thinks Slad to have a talk with hi which Nicholas showed his disgust as plainly as looks could show it

'Well, Nickleby,' said Squeers, eyeing him maliciously 'YOU think he has run away, I suppose?'

'I think it extremely likely,' replied Nicholas, in a quiet manner

'Oh, you do, do you?' sneered Squeers 'Maybe you know he has?'

'I know nothing of the kind'

'He didn't tell you he was going, I suppose, did he?' sneered Squeers

'He did not,' replied Nicholas; 'I alad he did not, for it would then have been my duty to have warned you in time'

'Which no doubt you would have been devilish sorry to do,' said Squeers in a taunting fashi+on

'I should indeed,' replied Nicholas 'You interpret reat accuracy'

Mrs Squeers had listened to this conversation, fro all patience, she hastily assuht-jacket, and made her way to the scene of action

'What's all this here to-do?' said the lady, as the boys fell off right and left, to save her the trouble of clearing a passage with her brawny ar to him for, Squeery!'

'Why, my dear,' said Squeers, 'the fact is, that Smike is not to be found'

'Well, I know that,' said the lady, 'and where's the wonder? If you get a parcel of proud-sto, what else can you look for? Now, young man, you just have the kindness to take yourself off to the schoolroom, and take the boys off with you, and don't you stir out of there till you have leave given you, or you and I may fall out in a way that'll spoil your beauty, handsome as you think yourself, and so I tell you'

'Indeed!' said Nicholas

'Yes; and indeed and indeed again, Mister Jackanapes,' said the excited lady; 'and I wouldn't keep such as you in the house another hour, if I had my way'

'Nor would you if I had mine,' replied Nicholas 'Now, boys!'

'Ah! Now, boys,' said Mrs Squeers, , as nearly as she could, the voice and manner of the usher 'Follow your leader, boys, and take pattern by Set for hiht back; and, mind! I tell you that you shall have as bad, and twice as bad, if you so much as open your mouths about him'

'If I catch hi hiive you notice, boys'

'IF you catch him,' retorted Mrs Squeers, conteo the right way to work Come! Aith you!'

With these words, Mrs Squeers dis with those in the rear ere pressing forward to get out of the way, but were detained for a fewthe room, when she confronted her spouse alone

'He is off,' said Mrs Squeers 'The cow-house and stable are locked up, so he can't be there; and he's not downstairs anywhere, for the girl has looked He one York way, and by a public road too'

'Why must he?' inquired Squeers