Part 24 (1/2)

'Here is Miss Nickleby,' observed Sir Mulberry, 'wondering why the deuce somebody doesn'thastily up, 'I-' and then she stopped, feeling it would have been better to have said nothing at all

'I'll hold any man fifty pounds,' said Sir Mulberry, 'that Miss Nickleby can't look inso'

'Done!' cried the noble gull 'Within ten minutes'

'Done!' responded Sir Mulberry The money was produced on both sides, and the Honourable Mr Snobb was elected to the double office of stake-holder and tireat confusion, while these preliminaries were in course of completion 'Pray do not make me the subject of any bets Uncle, I cannot really-'

'Why not,voice, however, there was an unusual huskiness, as though he spoke unwillingly, and would rather that the proposition had not been broached 'It is done in a entlemen insist on it-'

'I don't insist on it,' said Sir Mulberry, with a loud laugh 'That is, I by nothe denial, for if she does, I lose; but I shall be glad to see her bright eyes, especially as she favours the any so much'

'So she does, and it's too ba-a-d of you, Miss Nickleby,' said the noble youth

'Quite cruel,' said Mr Pyke

'Horrid cruel,' said Mr Pluck

'I don't care if I do lose,' said Sir Mulberry; 'for one tolerable look at Miss Nickleby's eyes is worth double the money'

'More,' said Mr Pyke

'Far oes the eneone'

'Bravo!'

'Won't you ma-ake one effort for me, Miss Nickleby?' asked Lord Frederick, after a short interval

'You needn't trouble yourself to inquire, my buck,' said Sir Mulberry; 'Miss Nickleby and I understand each other; she declares on my side, and shows her taste You haven't a chance, old fellow Tione'

'Get the money ready,' said Sir Mulberry; 'you'll soon hand over'

'Ha, ha, ha!' laughed Mr Pyke

Mr Pluck, who always came second, and topped his coirl, as so overwhelmed with confusion that she scarcely knehat she did, had deter she ht seem to countenance Sir Mulberry's boast, which had been uttered with great coarseness and vulgarity of manner, raised her eyes, and looked hi so odious, so insolent, so repulsive in the look which met her, that, without the power to stammer forth a syllable, she rose and hurried froreat effort until she was alone upstairs, and then gave the the stakes in his pocket

'That's a girl of spirit, and we'll drink her health'

It is needless to say, that Pyke and Co responded, with great warmth of manner, to this proposal, or that the toast was drunk with many little insinuations from the firm, relative to the completeness of Sir Mulberry's conquest Ralph, hile the attention of the other guests was attracted to the principals in the preceding scene, had eyed them like a wolf, appeared to breathequickly round, he leaned back in his chair, and turned his eyes from speaker to speaker, as they warmed ine, with looks that seemed to search their hearts, and lay bare, for his disteht within them

Meanwhile Kate, left wholly to herself, had, in soree, recovered her composure She had learnt from a female attendant, that her uncle wished to see her before she left, and had also gleaned the satisfactory intelligence, that the gentle theitation, and, taking up a book, she composed herself to read

She started so-room door let loose a wild shout of noisy revelry, and reat alarm, as a fancied footstep on the staircase impressed her with the fear that so occurring, however, to realise her apprehensions, she endeavoured to fix her attention rees she becah several chapters without heed of ti her name pronounced by a man's voice close at her ear

The book fell fro on an ottoman close beside her, was Sir Mulberry Hawk, evidently the worse-if a man be a ruffian at heart, he is never the better-for wine

'What a delightful studiousness!' said this accoentleman 'Was it real, now, or only to display the eyelashes?'

Kate, looking anxiously towards the door, made no reply

'I have looked at 'em for five minutes,' said Sir Mulberry 'Upon my soul, they're perfect Why did I speak, and destroy such a pretty little picture?'

'Do me the favour to be silent now, sir,' replied Kate

'No, don't,' said Sir Mulberry, folding his crushed hat to lay his elbow on, and bringing hihtn't to Such a devoted slave of yours, Miss Nickleby-it's an infernal thing to treat him so harshly, upon my soul it is'

'I wish you to understand, sir,' said Kate, trenation, 'that your behaviour offends and disgusts , you will leave me'

'Nohy,' said Sir Mulberry, 'ill you keep up this appearance of excessive rigour, my sweet creature? Now, be more natural-my dear Miss Nickleby, be more natural-do'

Kate hastily rose; but as she rose, Sir Mulberry caught her dress, and forcibly detained her

'Let er 'Do you hear? Instantly-this moment'

'Sit down, sit down,' said Sir Mulberry; 'I want to talk to you'

'Unhand me, sir, this instant,' cried Kate

'Not for the world,' rejoined Sir Mulberry Thus speaking, he leaned over, as if to replace her in her chair; but the young lady, e herself, he lost his balance, andforward to leave the room, Mr Ralph Nickleby appeared in the doorway, and confronted her

'What is this?' said Ralph

'It is this, sir,' replied Kate, violently agitated: 'that beneath the roof where I, a helpless girl, your dead brother's child, should most have found protection, I have been exposed to insult which should make you shrink to look upon nant girl fixed her kindling eye upon him; but he did not comply with her injunction, nevertheless: for he led her to a distant seat, and returning, and approaching Sir Mulberry Haho had by this time risen, motioned towards the door

'Your way lies there, sir,' said Ralph, in a suppressed voice, that soht have oith pride

'What do you mean by that?' demanded his friend, fiercely