Part 33 (1/2)

To this act of desertion he was led, not only by his own inclinations, but by his anxiety on account of S to sustain the character of the Apothecary, had been as yet wholly unable to get any eneral idea that he was very hungry, which-perhaps froreat aptitude

'I don't knohat's to be done, S down the book 'I am afraid you can't learn it,his head 'I think if you-but that would give you so much trouble'

'What?' inquired Nicholas 'Never mindit to ain, I should be able to recollect it fro you'

'Do you think so?' exclaimed Nicholas 'Well said Let us see who tires first Not I, Smike, trust me Now then Who calls so loud?'

'”Who calls so loud?”' said Smike

'”Who calls so loud?”' repeated Nicholas

'”Who calls so loud?”' cried Smike

Thus they continued to ask each other who called so loud, over and over again; and when Smike had that by heart Nicholas went to another sentence, and then to two at a tiht poor San to re they went to it again, and Sress he had already an to acquire the words pretty freely, Nicholas showed him how he must come in with both hands spread out upon his stomach, and how he must occasionally rub it, in coe always denote that they want so's rehearsal they went to work again, nor did they stop, except for a hasty dinner, until it was tiht

Never had master a more anxious, hu, considerate, kindhearted master

As soon as they were dressed, and at every interval when he was not upon the stage, Nicholas renewed his instructions They prospered well The Romeo was received with hearty plaudits and unbounded favour, and Smike was pronounced unanimously, alike by audience and actors, the very prince and prodigy of Apothecaries

CHAPTER 26

Is fraught with soer to Miss Nickleby's Peace of Mind

The place was a handsoent Street; the ti, and the first hour of ay and spirited; the persons were Lord Frederick Verisopht, and his friend Sir Mulberry Hawk

These distinguished gentle listlessly on a couple of sofas, with a table between them, on which were scattered in rich confusion the materials of an untasted breakfast Newspapers lay strewn about the roolected and unnoticed; not, however, because any flow of conversation prevented the attractions of the journals froed between the two, nor was any sound uttered, save when one, in tossing about to find an easier resting-place for his aching head, uttered an exclamation of impatience, and seemed for a moment to communicate a new restlessness to his companion

These appearances would in the clue to the extent of the debauch of the previous night, even if there had not been other indications of the amusements in which it had been passed A couple of billiard balls, all ne bottle with a soiled glove twisted round the neck, to allow of its being grasped more surely in its capacity of an offensive weapon; a broken cane; a card-case without the top; an euard snapped asunder; a handful of silver, ars, and their stale and crumbled ashes;-these, and ibly at the nature of last night's gentlemanly frolics

Lord Frederick Verisopht was the first to speak Dropping his slippered foot on the ground, and, yawning heavily, he struggled into a sitting posture, and turned his dull languid eyes towards his friend, to whom he called in a drowsy voice

'Hallo!' replied Sir Mulberry, turning round

'Are we going to lie here all da-a-y?' said the lord

'I don't know that we're fit for anything else,' replied Sir Mulberry; 'yet awhile, at least I haven't a grain of life in '

'Life!' cried Lord Verisopht 'I feel as if there would be nothing so snug and comfortable as to die at once'

'Then why don't you die?' said Sir Mulberry

With which inquiry he turned his face away, and seemed to occupy himself in an attempt to fall asleep

His hopeful friend and pupil drew a chair to the breakfast-table, and essayed to eat; but, finding that ied to the , then loitered up and down the room with his hand to his fevered head, and finally threw hiain on his sofa, and roused his friend once roaned Sir Mulberry, sitting upright on the couch

Although Sir Mulberry said this with sufficient ill-humour, he did not seem to feel hi hi with a shi+ver that it was 'infernal cold,' hemore successful in it than his less-seasoned friend, re with a o back to the subject of little Nickleby, eh?'

'Which little Nickleby; the a-a-l?' asked Lord Verisopht

'You take irl, of course'

'You promised me you'd find her out,' said Lord Verisopht

'So I did,' rejoined his friend; 'but I have thought further of the matter since then You distrust me in the business-you shall find her out yourself'

'Na-ay,' remonstrated Lord Verisopht

'But I say yes,' returned his friend 'You shall find her out yourself Don't think that I mean, when you can-I knoell as you that if I did, you could never get sight of her without me No I say you shall find her out-SHALL-and I'll put you in the way'

'Now, curse h-paced friend,' said the young lord, on who effect

'I'll tell you how,' said Sir Mulberry 'She was at that dinner as a bait for you'

'No!' cried the young lord 'What the dey-'

'As a bait for you,' repeated his friend; 'old Nickleby told me so himself'

'What a fine old cock it is!' exclaimed Lord Verisopht; 'a noble rascal!'

'Yes,' said Sir Mulberry, 'he knew she was a s lord 'Upon my soul, Hawk, she's a perfect beauty-a-a picture, a statue, a-a-uponhis shoulders andan indifference, whether he felt it or not; 'that's a ree with yours, so much the better'

'Confound it!' reasoned the lord, 'you were thick enough with her that day, anyhow I could hardly get in a word'

'Well enough for once, well enough for once,' replied Sir Mulberry; 'but not worth the trouble of being agreeable to again If you seriously want to follow up the niece, tell the uncle that you must knohere she lives and how she lives, and hoer a custoh'