Part 37 (1/2)

'No,' said Ralph, suddenly turning; 'at least-that-I can't say it, if it would'

'Can't say it!'

'No,' said Ralph, cohtly behind him 'I can't say it'

Kate fell back a step or two, and looked at hiht

'We are connected in business,' said Ralph, poising hi coolly in his niece's face, 'in business, and I can't afford to offend them What is it after all? We have all our trials, and this is one of yours Soallants at their feet'

'Proud!' cried Kate

'I don't say,' rejoined Ralph, raising his forefinger, 'but that you do right to despise theood sense in that, as indeed I knew from the first you would Well In all other respects you are co lord does dog your footsteps, and whisper his drivelling inanities in your ears, what of it? It's a dishonourable passion So be it; it won't last long So up one day, and you will be released In the mean ti pride and indignation, 'I am to be the scorn of my own sex, and the toy of the other; justly conde, and despised by all honest and honourable raded in every eye that looks upon ers to the bone, not if I ahest and hardest labour Do not race your recommendation I will remain in the house in which it placed eh, mind, I see these men no more When I quit it, I will hideto support my mother by hard service, I will live, at least, in peace, and trust in God to help me'

With these words, she waved her hand, and quitted the roo Ralph Nickleby motionless as a statue

The surprise hich Kate, as she closed the roo bolt upright in a little niche in the wall like some scarecrow or Guy Faux laid up in winter quarters, aler upon his lips, she had the presence ofout of his recess, and acco her across the hall 'Don't cry, don't cry' Two very large tears, by-the-bye, were running dogs, drawing fro Kate's eyes with it, as gently as if she were an infant 'You're giving way now Yes, yes, very good; that's right, I like that It was right not to give way before hi!'

With these disjointed exclamations, Neiped his own eyes with the afore- to the street-door, opened it to let her out

'Don't cry any more,' whispered Newman 'I shall see you soon Ha! ha! ha! And so shall somebody else too Yes, yes Ho! ho!'

'God bless you,' answered Kate, hurrying out, 'God bless you'

'Saain a little way to say so 'Ha, ha, ha! Ho! ho! ho!'

And Newain to nod cheerfully, and laugh-and shut it, to shake his head mournfully, and cry

Ralph remained in the sa door, when he shrugged his shoulders, and after a few turns about the roo slower, as he relapsed into himself-sat down before his desk

It is one of those problems of huh Ralph felt no remorse at that irl; although his libertine clients had done precisely what he had expected, precisely what he most wished, and precisely ould tendit, froh!' said Ralph, scowling round, and shaking his clenched hand as the faces of the two profligates rose up before his mind; 'you shall pay for this Oh! you shall pay for this!'

As the usurer turned for consolation to his books and papers, a perfor on outside his office door, which would have occasioned him no small surprise, if he could by any s was the sole actor He stood at a little distance from the door, with his face towards it; and with the sleeves of his coat turned back at the wrists, was occupied in bestowing the htforward blows upon the eht, this would have appeared merely a wise precaution in athe chest and strengthening the erness and joy depicted in the face of News, which was suffused with perspiration; the surprising energy hich he directed a constant succession of bloards a particular panel about five feet eight fro and persevering manner, would have sufficiently explained to the attentive observer, that his i, to within an inch of his life, his body's most active employer, Mr Ralph Nickleby

CHAPTER 29

Of the Proceedings of Nicholas, and certain Internal Divisions in the Company of Mr Vincent Crummles The unexpected success and favour hich his experiment at Ports his stay in that town for a fortnight beyond the period he had originally assigned for the duration of his visit, during which time Nicholas personated a vast variety of characters with undiminished success, and attracted so many people to the theatre who had never been seen there before, that a benefit was considered by theto the terms proposed, the benefit was had, and by it he realised no less a sum than twenty pounds

Possessed of this unexpected wealth, his first act was to enclose to honest John Browdie the amount of his friendly loan, which he accoratitude and esteem, and many cordial wishes for his s he forwarded one half of the su hi it to Kate in secret, and conveying to her the warmest assurances of his love and affection He made no mention of the way in which he had e Newman that a letter addressed to him under his assumed name at the Post Office, Ports that worthy friend to write full particulars of the situation of his s that Ralph Nickleby had done for them since his departure from London

'You are out of spirits,' said Sht after the letter had been dispatched

'Not I!' rejoined Nicholas, with assuaiety, for the confession would haveabout my sister, Smike'

'Sister!'

'Ay'

'Is she like you?' inquired S, 'only a great deal handsomer'

'Shea little while with his hands folded together, and his eyes bent upon his friend

'Anybody who didn't know you as well as I do, my dear felloould say you were an accomplished courtier,' said Nicholas

'I don't even knohat that is,' replied S his head 'Shall I ever see your sister?'

'To be sure,' cried Nicholas; 'we shall all be together one of these days-e are rich, Sood to me, have nobody to be kind to you?' asked S story,' replied Nicholas, 'and one you would have so, I fear I have an enemy-you understand what that is?'

'Oh, yes, I understand that,' said S to him,' returned Nicholas 'He is rich, and not so easily punished as YOUR old enemy, Mr Squeers He is '

'Has he though?' asked Serly forward 'What is his name? Tell me his name'

'Ralph-Ralph Nickleby'

'Ralph Nickleby,' repeated Set that name by heart'

He had muttered it over to himself some twenty times, when a loud knock at the door disturbed him from his occupation Before he could open it, Mr Folair, the pantomimist, thrust in his head

Mr Folair's head was usually decorated with a very round hat, unusually high in the crown, and curled up quite tight in the brims On the present occasion he wore it very much on one side, with the back part forward in consequence of its being the least rusty; round his neck he wore a fla ends peeped out beneath his threadbare Newht and buttoned all the way up He carried in his hand one very dirty glove, and a cheap dress cane with a glass handle; in short, his whole appearance was unusually dashi+ng, and demonstrated a far more scrupulous attention to his toilet than he was in the habit of bestowing upon it

'Good-evening, sir,' said Mr Folair, taking off the tall hat, and running his fingers through his hair 'I bring a communication Hem!'

'From whom and what about?' inquired Nicholas 'You are unusually ht'

'Cold, perhaps,' returned Mr Folair; 'cold, perhaps That is the fault of my position-not of myself, Mr Johnson My position as a mutual friend requires it, sir' Mr Folair paused with ainto the hat before noticed, drew from thence a small piece of whity-brown paper curiously folded, whence he brought forth a note which it had served to keep clean, and handing it over to Nicholas, said- 'Have the goodness to read that, sir'

Nicholas, in a state ofat Mr Folair as he did so, who, knitting his brow and pursing up hiswith his eyes steadily fixed upon the ceiling