Part 21 (2/2)

'Have you seen Mr Mantalini?' inquired Miss Knag

'Yes; I have seen hi creature?'

'Indeed he does not strikeso, by any , elevating her hands 'Why, goodness gracious mercy, where's your taste? Such a fine tall, full-whiskered dashi+ng gentlemanly man, with such teeth and hair, and-hem-well now, you DO astonish me'

'I dare say I a aside her bonnet; 'but as my opinion is of very little i fore it, I think'

'He is a very fineladies

'Indeed heI could say to the contrary,' replied Kate

'And drives very beautiful horses, doesn't he?' inquired another

'I dare say he may, but I never saw them,' answered Kate

'Never saw the 'Oh, well! There it is at once you kno can you possibly pronounce an opinion about a gentleether?'

There was so irl-in this idea of the old milliner, that Kate, as anxious, for every reason, to change the subject,in possession of the field

After a short silence, during whichpeople made a closer inspection of Kate's appearance, and co it, one of the accepted, inquired whether she did not find black very uncomfortable wear

'I do indeed,' replied Kate, with a bitter sigh

'So dusty and hot,' observed the saht have said, thatis sometimes the coldest hich mortals can assume; that it not only chills the breasts of those it clothes, but extending its influence to suood-will and kindness, and withering all the buds of pro but bared and rotten hearts exposed There are feho have lost a friend or relative constituting in life their sole dependence, who have not keenly felt this chilling influence of their sable garb She had felt it acutely, and feeling it at the moment, could not quite restrain her tears

'I ahtless speech,' said her co for some near relation?'

'For my father,' answered Kate

'For what relation, Miss Si, in an audible voice

'Her father,' replied the other softly

'Her father, eh?' said Miss Knag, without the slightest depression of her voice 'Ah! A long illness, Miss Siirl; 'I don't know'

'Ouraway, 'or I ht perhaps, at a time like this, be enabled to support it better'

There had existed not a little desire in the roo person' came, to knoho Kate was, and what she was, and all about her; but, although it ht have been very naturally increased by her appearance and ee that it pained her to be questioned, was sufficient to repress even this curiosity; and Miss Knag, finding it hopeless to atte any further particulars just then, reluctantly commanded silence, and bade the work proceed

In silence, then, the tasks were plied until half-past one, when a baked leg of mutton, with potatoes to correspond, were served in the kitchen Theenjoyed the additional relaxation of washi+ng their hands, the work began again, and was again perforh the streets, and of loud double knocks at doors, gave token that the day's work of thein its turn

One of these double knocks at Madareat lady-or rather rich one, for there is occasionally a distinction between riches and greatness-who had cohter to approve of so, and upon who, and officered of course by Madaeant was hu articles of costu was ready to try the a hook-and-eye She ht, not unreasonably, have supposed herself beneath the reach of any arrogance, or bad huhter were both out of teirl cas She ard-her hands were cold-dirty-coarse-she could do nothing right; they wondered how Madame Mantalini could have such people about her; requested theywoman the next time they came; and so forth

So co of mention, but for its effect Kate shed one, and felt, for the first time, humbled by her occupation She had, it is true, quailed at the prospect of drudgery and hard service; but she had felt no degradation in working for her bread, until she found herself exposed to insolence and pride Philosophy would have taught her that the degradation was on the side of those who had sunk so low as to display such passions habitually, and without cause: but she was too young for such consolation, and her honest feeling was hurt May not the complaint, that common people are above their station, often take its rise in the fact of UNco below theirs?

In such scenes and occupations the time wore on until nine o'clock, when Kate, jaded and dispirited with the occurrences of the day, hastened from the confinement of the workroom, to join her mother at the street corner, and walk hos, and feign to participate in all the sanguine visions of her companion

'Blessall day what a delightful thing it would be for Madame Mantalini to take you into partnershi+p-such a likely thing too, you know! Why, your poor dear papa's cousin's sister-in-law-a Miss Browndock-was taken into partnershi+p by a lady that kept a school at Haet, by-the-bye, whether that Miss Browndock was the saot the ten thousand pounds prize in the lottery, but I think she was; indeed, now I come to think of it, I am sure she was ”Mantalini and Nickleby”, hoell it would sound!-and if Nicholas has any good fortune, you ht have Doctor Nickleby, the head- in the sa from her reticule her brother's letter from Dotheboys Hall 'In all ourwell, and to find hiood spirits! It consoles o, to think that he is coht hoeak her consolation was, and how soon she would be undeceived

CHAPTER 18

Miss Knag, after doting on Kate Nickleby for three whole Days, makes up her Mind to hate her for ever to form this Resolution There are , which, having no stirring interest for any but those who lead theht or feeling, but who pah sti the disciples of charity who require, in their vocation, scarcely less excitement than the votaries of pleasure in theirs; and hence it is that diseased sympathy and compassion are every day expended on out-of-the-way objects, when only too itimate exercise of the saht and hearing of the most unobservant person alive In short, charity ht ar character, scarcely to be thought of by persons of refineh-crowned hat, and change the scene of his operations, from a thickly-peopled city, to a mountain road, and you shall find in him the very soul of poetry and adventure So it is with the one great cardinal virtue, which, properly nourished and exercised, leads to, if it does not necessarily include, all the others Itwork-a-day life there is in that romance, the better

The life to which poor Kate Nickleby was devoted, in consequence of the unforeseen train of circumstances already developed in this narrative, was a hard one; but lest the very dulness, unhealthy confineue, which made up its sum and substance, should deprive it of any interest with the mass of the charitable and sympathetic, I would rather keep Miss Nickleby herself in view just now, than chill thethened description of the establishment presided over by Madame Mantalini

'Well, now, indeed, Mada her weary way hoht of her novitiate; 'that Miss Nickleby is a very creditable young person-a very creditable young person indeed-hem-upon my word, Madame Mantalini, it does very extraordinary credit even to your discrimination that you should have found such a very excellent, very well-behaved, very-he on I have seen so before their betters, behave in such a-oh, dear-well-but you're always right, Mada ladies, how you do contrive to be always right, when so , is toa very excellent client out of hu very remarkable today-that I am aware of, at least,' said Mada; 'but you reat deal for inexperience, you know'

'And youth?' inquired Mada about that, Mada; 'because if youth were any excuse, you wouldn't have-'

'Quite so good a forewoested Madame

'Well, I never did know anybody like you, Mada most cooing to say, before it has tiood! Ha, ha, ha!'

'Forwith affected carelessness at her assistant, and laughing heartily in her sleeve, 'I consider Miss Nickleby the irl I ever saw in , 'it's not her fault If it e ht hope to cure it; but as it's her misfortune, Madame Mantalini, why really you know, as the ht to respect it'

'Her uncle told me she had been considered pretty,' remarked Madairls I everwith a countenance beaht; 'and aard! Well, all I can say is, Madairl; and that if she ice as indifferent-looking, and twice as aard as she is, I should be only so much the more her friend, and that's the truth of it'