Part 18 (1/2)

A profound silence succeeded to the reading of this choice epistle, during which Newrotesque pity at the boy of desperate character therein referred to; who, having no more distinct perception of the matter in hand, than that he had been the unfortunate cause of heaping trouble and falsehood upon Nicholas, sat one and heart-stricken look

'Mr Noggs,' said Nicholas, after a few o out at once'

'Go out!' cried Newman

'Yes,' said Nicholas, 'to Golden Square nobody who knows ; but it ratify the hatred of Mr Ralph Nickleby to feign to attach credence to it It is due-not to him, but to myself-that I should state the truth; and e with him, which will not keep cool'

'They must,' said Newman

'They must not, indeed,' rejoined Nicholas firmly, as he prepared to leave the house

'Hearhi friend 'He is not there He is away from town He will not be back for three days; and I know that letter will not be answered before he returns'

'Are you sure of this?' asked Nicholas, chafing violently, and pacing the narrow room with rapid strides

'Quite,' rejoined Newman 'He had hardly read it when he was called away Its contents are known to nobody but himself and us'

'Are you certain?' demanded Nicholas, precipitately; 'not even to o there-I must see them Which is the way? Where is it?'

'Now, be advised byfor the moment, in his earnestness, like any other man-'make no effort to see even them, till he co with anybody When he returns, go straight to hi at the real truth, he knows it as well as you or I Trust him for that'

'You mean well to me, and should know him better than I can,' replied Nicholas, after some consideration 'Well; let it be so'

New conversation with his back planted against the door, ready to oppose any egress from the apartment by force, if necessary, resumed his seat with much satisfaction; and as the water in the kettle was by this tilassful of spirits and water for Nicholas, and a cracked -full for the joint accoreat har his head upon his hand, remained buried in melancholy meditation

Meanwhile, the co attentively and not hearing any noise which would justify theratification of their curiosity, returned to the cha a great variety of conjectures relative to the cause of Mr Noggs' sudden disappearance and detention

'Lor, I'll tell you what,' said Mrs Kenwigs 'Suppose it should be an express sent up to say that his property has all cos; 'it's not impossible Perhaps, in that case, we'd better send up and ask if he won't take a little s!' said Mr Lillyvick, in a loud voice, 'I'm surprised at you'

'What's thesub such a rerily 'He has had punch already, has he not, sir? I consider the way in which that punch was cut off, if I hly disrespectful to this company; scandalous, perfectly scandalous It s in this house, but it's not the kind of behaviour that I've been used to see displayed, and so I don't lass of punch before hientlelass of punch, without a ”with your leave”, or ”by your leave”, and carries that glass of punch away This ood manners-I dare say it is-but I don't understand it, that's all; and what's more, I don't care if I never do It's s, and that is ular ti it later'

Here was an untoward event! The collector had sat swelling and funity for soreat man-the rich relation-the unmarried uncle-who had it in his power to atee-was offended Gracious Powers, where was this to end!

'I as, humbly

'Don't tell me you're sorry,' retorted Mr Lillyvick, with much sharpness 'You should have prevented it, then'

The company were quite paralysed by this domestic crash The back-parlour sat with hervacantly at the collector, in a stupor of disreatskilful in such uish it

'I didn't think of it, I aentlelass of punch would have put you out of temper'

'Out of temper! What the devil do you s?' said the collector 'Morleena, child-give , Mr Lillyvick, sir,' interposed Miss Petowker, with her ardless of the siren, cried obdurately, 'Morleena, my hat!' upon the fourth repetition of which deht have softened a water-butt, not to say a water-collector; while the four little girls (privately instructed to that effect) clasped their uncle's drab shorts in their arlish, to remain

'Why should I stop here, my dears?' said Mr Lillyvick; 'I'm not wanted here'

'Oh, do not speak so cruelly, uncle,' sobbed Mrs Kenwigs, 'unless you wish to kill me'

'I shouldn't wonder if so angrily at Kenwigs 'Out of temper!'

'Oh! I cannot bear to see his 'It's so dreadful in fas, 'I hope, for the sake of your niece, that you won't object to be reconciled'

The collector's features relaxed, as the company added their entreaties to those of his nephew-in-law He gave up his hat, and held out his hand

'There, Kenwigs,' said Mr Lillyvick; 'and let me tell you, at the same tione aithout another word, it would havethat pound or thich I shall leave as,' cried her mother, in a torrent of affection 'Go down upon your knees to your dear uncle, and beg hiel than ato do hoht up and kissed by Mr Lillyvick; and thereupon Mrs Kenwigs darted forward and kissed the collector, and an irrepressible murmur of applause broke fronanientleman then becaain reinstated in his old post of lion, frohts had for a e, only when they are hungry; biped lions are rarely sulky longer than when their appetite for distinction reher than ever; for he had shown his power; hinted at his property and testareat credit for disinterestedness and virtue; and, in addition to all, was finally accoer tus had so feloniouslyeverybody's pardon for intruding again,' said Crowl, looking in at this happy juncture; 'but what a queer business this is, isn't it? Noggs has lived in this house, now going on for five years, and nobody has ever been to see him before, within the e tiht to be called away, sir, certainly,' said the collector; 'and the behaviour of Mr Noggs himself, is, to say the least of it, mysterious'

'Well, so it is,' rejoined Growl; 'and I'll tell you what's eniuses, whoever they are, have run away from somewhere'

'What makes you think that, sir?' de, to have been chosen and elected mouthpiece to the company 'You have no reason to suppose that they have run away fro the rates and taxes due, I hope?'

Mr Croith a look of soainst the payment of rates or taxes, under any circus, and several frowns and winks from Mrs K, which providentially stopped hi at Newht andso loud, that they quite disturbeda word here, and a word there; and all I heard, certainly see bolted fros; but I hope they haven't coht away a fever or so for the children'

Mrs Kenas so overpowered by this supposition, that it needed all the tender attentions of Miss Petowker, of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, to restore her to anything like a state of cals, who held a fat s-bottle to his lady's nose, until it became matter of some doubt whether the tears which coursed down her face were the result of feelings or SAL VOLATILE

The ladies, having expressed their sy to custo which, such condolences as 'Poor dear!'-'I should feel just the sa'-and 'nobody but athe most prominent, and most frequently repeated In short, the opinion of the cos was on the point of repairing to Mr Noggs's room, to delass of punch, with great inflexibility and steadiness of purpose, when the attention of all present was diverted by a new and terrible surprise

This was nothing less than the sudden pouring forth of a rapid succession of the shrillest andscreams, from an upper story; and to all appearance fros was at that s, opining that a strange cat had coirl was asleep,disreat consternation and confusion of the cos, see what it is;violent hands upon Mrs Kenwigs, and holding her back by force 'Oh don't twist about so, dear, or I can never hold you'