Part 35 (2/2)

'Nay, then-' coolly observed Sir Mulberry, stopping her outright

'You had best not seek to detain rily

'And why not?' retorted Sir Mulberry 'My dear creature, nohy do you keep up this show of displeasure?'

'SHOW!' repeated Kate, indignantly 'How dare you presume to speak to me, sir-to address me-to come into my presence?'

'You look prettier in a passion, Miss Nickleby,' said Sir Mulberry Hawk, stooping down, the better to see her face

'I hold you in the bitterest detestation and contempt, sir,' said Kate 'If you find any attraction in looks of disgust and aversion, you-let me rejoin my friends, sir, instantly Whatever considerations ard theht feel, if you do not immediately sufferin her face and retaining her arard for my sex or helpless situation will induce you to desist from this coarse and un, in the tumult of her passions, what she said,-'I have a brother ill resent it dearly, one day'

'Uponwith hi his arm round her waist as he spoke, 'she looks more beautiful, and I like her better in this mood, than when her eyes are cast down, and she is in perfect repose!'

How Kate reached the lobby where her friends aiting she never knew, but she hurried across it without at all regarding the into the coach, and throwing herself into its darkest corner burst into tears

Messrs Pyke and Pluck, knowing their cue, at once threw the party into great co up a violent quarrel with sundry inoffensive bystanders; in the hted Mrs Nickleby in her chariot, and having got her safely off, turned their thoughts to Mrs Wititterly, whose attention also they had now effectually distracted fro her into a state of the utth, the conveyance in which she had co left alone under the portico, enjoyed a hearty laugh together

'There,' said Sir Mulberry, turning to his noble friend 'Didn't I tell you last night that if we could find where they were going by bribing a servant through my fellow, and then established ourselves close by with the mother, these people's honour would be our own? Why here it is, done in four-and-twenty hours'

'Ye-es,' replied the dupe 'But I have been tied to the old wo to his two friends 'Hear this discontented gruh to ain? Isn't it an infernal shame?'

Pyke asked Pluck whether it was not an infernal shame, and Pluck asked Pyke; but neither answered

'Isn't it the truth?' demanded Verisopht 'Wasn't it so?'

'Wasn't it so!' repeated Sir Mulberry 'Hoould you have had it? How could we have got a general invitation at first sight-co as you like, do what you like-if you, the lord, had not reeable to the foolish irl, except as your friend? Haven't I been sounding your praises in her ears, and bearing her pretty sulks and peevishness all night for you? What sort of stuff do you think I'm ratitude in return?'

'You're a deyvlish good fellow,' said the poor young lord, taking his friend's arood fellok'

'And I have done right, have I?' deht'

'And like a poor, silly, good-natured, friendly dog as I am, eh?'

'Ye-es, ye-es; like a friend,' replied the other

'Well then,' replied Sir Mulberry, 'I'e on the German baron and the Frenchht'

With these words the friendly creature took his co half round as he did so, and bestowing a wink and a conte their handkerchiefs into their mouths to denote their silent enjoys, followed their patron and his victim at a little distance

CHAPTER 28

Miss Nickleby, rendered desperate by the Persecution of Sir Mulberry Hawk, and the Complicated Difficulties and Distresses which surround her, appeals, as a last resource, to her Uncle for Protection The ensuingusually does; but widely different was the train of thought it awakened in the different persons who had been so unexpectedly brought together on the preceding evening, by the active agency of Messrs Pyke and Pluck

The reflections of Sir Mulberry Hawk-if such a terhts of the systerets, pains, and pleasures, are all of self, and ould see of the intellectual faculty but the power to debase hirade the very nature whose outward semblance he wears-the reflections of Sir Mulberry Hawk turned upon Kate Nickleby, and were, in brief, that she was undoubtedly handsome; that her coyness MUST be easily conquerable by a man of his address and experience, and that the pursuit was one which could not fail to redound to his credit, and greatly to enhance his reputation with the world And lest this last consideration-no ely in the ears of some, let it be remembered that most men live in a world of their own, and that in that limited circle alone are they ambitious for distinction and applause Sir Mulberry's world was peopled with profligates, and he acted accordingly

Thus, cases of injustice, and oppression, and tyranny, and theus every day It is the custom to trumpet forth much wonder and astonish at defiance so coreater fallacy; it is precisely because they do consult the opinion of their own little world that such things take place at all, and strike the great world dumb with amazement

The reflections of Mrs Nickleby were of the proudest and reeable delusion she straightway sat down and indited a long letter to Kate, in which she expressed her entire approval of the admirable choice she had , for the s, that he was precisely the individual whom she (Mrs Nickleby) would have chosen for her son-in-law, if she had had the picking and choosing froood lady then, with the preliht be fairly supposed not to have lived in the world so long without knowing its ways, coreat many subtle precepts applicable to the state of courtshi+p, and confirmed in their wisdos she co not only a very laudable thing in itself, but as tending then and increase a lover's ardour 'And I never,' added Mrs Nickleby, 'was ht, ood sense had already told you this' With which sentiment, and various hints of the pleasure she derived froe an instalment of her own excellent sense and discretion (to nearly the full ht hope, with care, to succeed in tiible letter

Poor Kate ell-nigh distracted on the receipt of four closely-written and closely-crossed sides of congratulation on the very subject which had prevented her closing her eyes all night, and kept her weeping and watching in her cha was the necessity of rendering herself agreeable to Mrs Wititterly, who, being in low spirits after the fatigue of the preceding night, of course expected her companion (else wherefore had she board and salary?) to be in the best spirits possible As to Mr Wititterly, he went about all day in a tre actually asked him to co troubled to any inconvenient extent with the power of thinking, regaled himself with the conversation of Messrs Pyke and Pluck, who sharpened their wit by a plentiful indulgence in various costly stimulants at his expense

It was four in the afternoon-that is, the vulgar afternoon of the sun and the clock-and Mrs Wititterly reclined, according to custo-room sofa, while Kate read aloud a new novel in three volumes, entitled 'The Lady Flabella,' which Alphonse the doubtful had procured fro And it was a production ad under Mrs Wititterly's coinning to end, which could, by the ency, awaken the s

Kate read on

'”Cherizette,” said the Lady Flabella, inserting her mouse-like feet in the blue satin slippers, which had unwittingly occasioned the half-playful half-angry altercation between herself and the youthful Colonel Befillaire, in the Duke of Mincefenille's SALON DE DANSE on the previous night ”CHERIZETTE, MA CHERE, DONNEZ-MOI DE L'EAU-DE-COLOGNE, S'IL VOUS PLAIT, MON ENFANT”

'”MERCIE-thank you,” said the Lady Flabella, as the lively but devoted Cherizette plentifully besprinkled with the fragrant coed with richest lace, and eorgeous heraldic bearings of that noble family ”MERCIE-that will do”

'At this instant, while the Lady Flabella yet inhaled that delicious fragrance by holding the MOUCHOIR to her exquisite, but thoughtfully-chiselled nose, the door of the BOUDOIR (artfully concealed by rich hangings of silken damask, the hue of Italy's firmament) was thrown open, and with noiseless tread two VALETS-DE-CHAMBRE, clad in suold, advanced into the roos-hile they reraceful obeisances, advanced to the feet of his lovely olden salver gorgeously chased, a scented BILLET

'The Lady Flabella, with an agitation she could not repress, hastily tore off the ENVELOPE and broke the scented seal It WAS fro, the sli!' interrupted Kate's patroness, as sometiain, Miss Nickleby'

Kate complied

'Sweet, indeed!' said Mrs Wititterly, with a sigh 'So voluptuous, is it not-so soft?'

'Yes, I think it is,' replied Kate, gently; 'very soft'

'Close the book, Miss Nickleby,' said Mrs Wititterly 'I can hear nothing more today; I should be sorry to disturb the impression of that sweet description Close the book'

Kate coly; and, as she did so, Mrs Wititterly raising her glass with a languid hand, reht of that-that noise and confusion last night,' said Kate

'How very odd!' exclaimed Mrs Wititterly, with a look of surprise And certainly, when one co should have disturbed a coenious piece ofto it

'How did you cohtful creatures, child?' asked Mrs Wititterly, still eyeing Kate through her glass

'I met them atdeeply, but unable to keep down the blood which rushed to her face whenever she thought of that ?'

'No,' rejoined Kate 'Not long'

'I was very glad of the opportunity which that respectable person, yourknown to them,' said Mrs Wititterly, in a lofty manner 'So us, which makes it quite remarkable'