Part 16 (1/2)

He had scarcely spoken, when Squeers, in a violent outbreak of wrath, and with a cry like the howl of a wild beast, spat upon him, and struck him a blow across the face with his instrument of torture, which raised up a bar of livid flesh as it was inflicted S into that one nation, Nicholas sprang upon hi him by the throat, beat the ruffian till he roared for mercy

The boys-with the exception of Master Squeers, who, co to his father's assistance, harassed the enemy in the rear-moved not, hand or foot; but Mrs Squeers, withon to the tail of her partner's coat, and endeavoured to drag him from his infuriated adversary; while Miss Squeers, who had been peeping through the keyhole in expectation of a very different scene, darted in at the very beginning of the attack, and after launching a shower of inkstands at the usher's head, beat Nicholas to her heart's content; ani herself, at every bloith the recollection of his having refused her proffered love, and thus ith to an arm which (as she took after her mother in this respect) was, at no time, one of the weakest

Nicholas, in the full torrent of his violence, felt the blows notired of the noise and uproar, and feeling that his arth into half-a-dozen finishi+ng cuts, and flung Squeers from him with all the force he could muster The violence of his fall precipitated Mrs Squeers co his head against it in his descent, lay at his full length on the ground, stunned and ht affairs to this happy terh satisfaction, that Squeers was only stunned, and not dead (upon which point he had had some unpleasant doubts at first), Nicholas left his family to restore him, and retired to consider what course he had better adopt He looked anxiously round for Smike, as he left the room, but he was nowhere to be seen

After a brief consideration, he packed up a few clothes in a s that nobody offered to oppose his progress, marched boldly out by the front-door, and shortly afterwards, struck into the road which led to Greta Bridge

When he had cooled sufficiently to be enabled to give his present circumstances soing light; he had only four shi+llings and a few pence in his pocket, and was so more than two hundred and fifty miles froht ascertain, as Mr Squeers trans up his eyes, as he arrived at the conclusion that there was no res, he beheld a horse towards him, whorin, to be no other than Mr John Browdie, who, clad in cords and leather leggings, was urging his animal forward by means of a thick ash stick, which see

'I aht Nicholas, 'and yet, do what I will, I shall have an altercation with this honest blockhead, and perhaps a blow or two from yonder staff'

In truth, there appeared some reason to expect that such a result would follow from the encounter, for John Browdie no sooner saw Nicholas advancing, than he reined in his horse by the footpath, and waited until such ti meanwhile, very sternly between the horse's ears, at Nicholas, as he caenelman,' said John

'Yours,' said Nicholas

'Weel; we ha'under a smart touch of the ash stick

'Yes,' replied Nicholas, hesitating 'Come!' he said, frankly, after a ood terms the last time we met; it wasyou, and no idea that I was doing so I was very sorry for it, afterwards Will you shake hands?'

'Shake honds!' cried the good-humoured Yorkshi+reman; 'ah! that I weel;' at the saave Nicholas's fist a huge wrench: 'but wa'at be the matther wi' thy feace, mun? it be all brokken loike'

'It is a cut,' said Nicholas, turning scarlet as he spoke,-'a blow; but I returned it to the giver, and with good interest too'

'Noa, did 'ee though?' exclaimed John Browdie 'Well deane! I loike 'un for thot'

'The fact is,' said Nicholas, not very well knowing how to make the avowal, 'the fact is, that I have been ill-treated'

'Noa!' interposed John Browdie, in a tone of coth and stature, and Nicholas, very likely, in his eyes, seemed a mere dwarf; 'dean't say thot'

'Yes, I have,' replied Nicholas, 'by thatthis place in consequence'

'What!' cried John Browdie, with such an ecstatic shout, that the horse quite shi+ed at it 'Beatten the schoolmeasther! Ho! ho! ho! Beatten the schoolmeasther! who ever heard o' the loike o' that noo! Giv' us thee hond agean, yoongster Beatten the school it, I loov' thee for't'

With these expressions of delight, John Browdie laughed and laughed again-so loud that the echoes, far and wide, sent back nothing but jovial peals of merriment-and shook Nicholas by the hand meanwhile, no less heartily When his mirth had subsided, he inquired what Nicholas ht to London, he shook his head doubtfully, and inquired if he kne ers so far

'No, I do not,' said Nicholas; 'but it is of no great consequence toawa' to Lunnun afoot!' cried John, in amazement

'Every step of the way,' replied Nicholas 'I should be oodbye!'

'Nay noo,' replied the honest country in his impatient horse, 'stan' still, tellee Hoo otten?'

'Not h Where there's a will, there's a way, you know'

John Browdiehis hand in his pocket, pulled out an old purse of solid leather, and insisted that Nicholas should borrow from him whatever he required for his present necessities

'Dean't be afeard, mun,' he said; 'tak' eneaf to carry thee whoam Thee'lt pay me yan day, a' warrant'

Nicholas could by no n, hich loan Mr Browdie, after , with a touch of Yorkshi+re caution, that if he didn't spend it all, he could put the surplus by, till he had an opportunity of ree free), was fain to content himself

'Tak' that bit o' ti his stick on Nicholas, and giving his hand another squeeze; 'keep a good heart, and bless thee Beatten the school a've heerd this twonty year!'

So saying, and indulging, with ht have been expected frohs, for the purpose of avoiding the thanks which Nicholas poured forth, John Browdie set spurs to his horse, and went off at a s back, fro his hand cheerily, as if to encourage him on his way Nicholas watched the horse and rider until they disappeared over the brow of a distant hill, and then set forward on his journey

He did not travel far that afternoon, for by this time it was nearly dark, and there had been a heavy fall of snohich not only rendered the way toilsome, but the track uncertain and difficult to find, after daylight, save by experienced wayfarers He lay, that night, at a cottage, where beds were let at a cheap rate to thebetie Passing through that town in search of so-place, he stumbled upon an empty barn within a couple of hundred yards of the roadside; in a warm corner of which, he stretched his weary li, and tried to recollect his dreams, which had been all connected with his recent sojourn at Dotheboys Hall, he sat up, rubbed his eyes and stared-not with the most composed countenance possible-at some motionless object which seemed to be stationed within a few yards in front of hiering creation of the visions that have scarcely left me! It cannot be real-and yet I-I am awake! Smike!'

The form moved, rose, advanced, and dropped upon its knees at his feet It was Smike indeed

'Why do you kneel to o with you-anywhere-everywhere-to the world's end-to the churchyard grave,' replied S to his hand 'Let me, oh do let me You are my home-my kind friend-take me with you, pray'

'I am a friend who can do little for you,' said Nicholas, kindly 'How came you here?'

He had followed hiht of him all the way; had watched while he slept, and when he halted for refreshment; and had feared to appear before, lest he should be sent back He had not intended to appear now, but Nicholas had awakened more suddenly than he looked for, and he had had no time to conceal himself

'Poor fellow!' said Nicholas, 'your hard fate denies you any friend but one, and he is nearly as poor and helpless as yourself'

'May I-o with you?' asked S servant, I will, indeed I want no clothes,' added the poor creature, drawing his rags together; 'these will do very well I only want to be near you'

'And you shall,' cried Nicholas 'And the world shall deal by you as it does by me, till one or both of us shall quit it for a better Come!'

With these words, he strapped his burden on his shoulders, and, taking his stick in one hand, extended the other to his delighted charge; and so they passed out of the old barn, together

CHAPTER 14