Part 38 (1/2)

Nicholas bore his triumph, as he had his success in the little world of the theatre, with the utood hu effort to obtain revenge by sending a boy into the gallery to hiss, but he fell a sacrifice to popular indignation, and was pro his money back

'Well, Smike,' said Nicholas when the first piece was over, and he had alo home, 'is there any letter yet?'

'Yes,' replied Sot this one fros,' said Nicholas, casting his eye upon the cra out Letover the letter for half an hour, he contrived to make himself master of the contents, which were certainly not of a nature to set his mind at ease New that he had ascertained that neither Mrs Nickleby nor Kate was in actual want of ht shortly coht want it more He entreated him not to be alarmed at what he was about to say;-there was no bad news-they were in good health-but he thought circu, which would render it absolutely necessary that Kate should have her brother's protection, and if so, Newman said, he would write to him to that effect, either by the next post or the next but one

Nicholas read this passage very often, and the an to fear some treachery upon the part of Ralph Once or twice he felt tempted to repair to London at all hazards without an hour's delay, but a little reflection assured him that if such a step were necessary, Neould have spoken out and told him so at once

'At all events I should prepare the away suddenly,' said Nicholas; 'I should lose no tiht occurred to hireen-room

'Well, Mr Johnson,' said Mrs Crual costume, with the phenomenon as the Maiden in her maternal arms, 'next week for Ryde, then for Winchester, then for-'

'I have some reason to fear,' interrupted Nicholas, 'that before you leave here my career with you will have closed'

'Closed!' cried Mrs Cru her hands in astonish so hts that she actually laid her hand upon the shoulder of the oing!' exclai her way towards Mrs Cru of an affectionate nature and moreover excitable, raised a loud cry, and Miss Belvawney and Miss Bravassa actually shed tears Even the male perfor!' although soratulations that day) winked at each other as though they would not be sorry to lose such a favoured rival; an opinion, indeed, which the honest Mr Folair, as ready dressed for the savage, openly stated in soa pot of porter

Nicholas briefly said that he feared it would be so, although he could not yet speak with any degree of certainty; and getting away as soon as he could, went home to con Newman's letter onceall that had been occupying his ti that sleepless night, and how constantly and incessantly present to his ireat trouble and distress -and vainly too-for him!

CHAPTER 30

Festivities are held in honour of Nicholas, who suddenly withdraws himself from the Society of Mr Vincent Crummles and his Theatrical Companions Mr Vincent Crummles was no sooner acquainted with the public announcement which Nicholas hadto be a rief and consternation; and, in the extreue promises of a speedy iular salary, but also in the contingent e Nicholas bent upon quitting the society-for he had now deters came fro to London and ascertaining the exact position of his sister-Mr Cru the chances of his coetic measures to make the most of him before he went away

'Let , the better to arrive at a cool-headed view of the whole case 'Let ht We'll have posters out the first thing in thepositively your last appearance for tomorrow'

'But perhaps it may not be my last appearance, you know,' said Nicholas 'Unless I am su before the end of the week'

'So much the better,' returned Mr Crummles 'We can have positively your last appearance, on Thursday-re-engage to the wishes of nu seats, on Saturday That ought to bring three very decent houses'

'Then I am to

'Yes,' rejoined thehis head with an air of so and irregular not to have more, but if we can't help it we can't, so there's no use in talking A novelty would be very desirable You couldn't sing a co on the pony's back, could you?'

'No,' replied Nicholas, 'I couldn't indeed'

'It has drawn money before now,' said Mr Crummles, with a look of disappointment 'What do you think of a brilliant display of fireworks?'

'That it would be rather expensive,' replied Nicholas, drily

'Eighteen-pence would do it,' said Mr Crummles 'You on the top of a pair of steps with the phenomenon in an attitude; ”Farewell!” on a transparency behind; and nine people at the wings with a squib in each hand-all the dozen and a half going off at once-it would be very grand-awful from the front, quite awful'

As Nicholas appeared by no means impressed with the solemnity of the proposed effect, but, on the contrary, received the proposition in a hed at it very heartily, Mr Cruloomily observed that they must make up the best bill they could with coiti this object into instant execution, the -rooing the habiliments of a melodramatic empress for the ordinary attire of matrons in the nineteenth century And with the assistance of this lady, and the acco out bills, being a great hand at throwing in the notes of ad experience exactly where the largest capitals ought to go), he seriously applied hihed Nicholas, as he threw hi the needful directions to Sre tailor in the interlude, with one skirt to his coat, and a little pocket-handkerchief with a large hole in it, and a woollen nightcap, and a red nose, and other distinctive ho! I wish all this were over'

'Over, Mr Johnson!' repeated a female voice behind hiallant speech, certainly,' said Nicholas, looking up to see who the speaker was, and recognising Miss Snevellicci 'I would not have '

'What a dear that Mr Digby is!' said Miss Snevellicci, as the tailor went off on the opposite side, at the end of the piece, with great applause (Sby) 'I'll tell hiratification, that you said so,' returned Nicholas

'Oh you naughty thing!' rejoined Miss Snevellicci 'I don't know though, that I shouldht be-' Here Miss Snevellicci stopped, as though waiting to be questioned, but no questioning ca about more serious matters

'How kind it is of you,' resu here for hiht, noso ht and readiness as if you were coining gold by it!'

'He well deserves all the kindness I can show hirateful, single-hearted, affectionate creature that ever breathed'

'So odd, too,' remarked Miss Snevellicci, 'isn't he?'

'God help him, and those who havehis head

'He is such a devilish close chap,' said Mr Folair, who had come up a little before, and now joined in the conversation 'nobody can ever get anything out of hiet out of hi round with some abruptness

'Zooks! what a fire-eater you are, Johnson!' returned Mr Folair, pulling up the heel of his dancing shoe 'I' of the natural curiosity of the people here, to knohat he has been about all his life'

'Poor fellow! it is pretty plain, I should think, that he has not the intellect to have been about anything of much importance to them or anybody else,' said Nicholas

'Ay,' rejoined the actor, conte the effect of his face in a lamp reflector, 'but that involves the whole question, you know'

'What question?' asked Nicholas

'Why, the who he is and what he is, and how you tho are so different, cahted with the opportunity of saying soreeable 'That's in everybody's mouth'

'The ”everybody” of the theatre, I suppose?' said Nicholas, contemptuously

'In it and out of it too,' replied the actor 'Why, you know, Lenville says-'

'I thought I had silenced hi

'Perhaps you have,' rejoined the immovable Mr Folair; 'if you have, he said this before he was silenced: Lenville says that you're a regular stick of an actor, and that it's only the o doith the people here, and that Cruh Lenville says he don't believe there's anything at all in it, except your having got into a scrape and run away fro or other'

'Oh!' said Nicholas, forcing a smile

'That's a part of what he says,' added Mr Folair 'I mention it as the friend of both parties, and in strict confidence I don't agree with hiby to be ers, who does the heavy business you know, HE says that when he delivered es at Covent Garden the season before last, there used to be a pickpocket hovering about the coach-stand who had exactly the face of Digby; though, as he very properly says, Digby may not be the same, but only his brother, or soain

'Yes,' said Mr Folair, with undisturbed calht I'd tell you, because really you ought to know Oh! here's this blessed phenoh, you little i-Ring up, Mrs G, and let the favourite wake 'e in a loud voice such of the latter allusions as were co the rest in a confidential 'aside' to Nicholas, Mr Folair followed the ascent of the curtain with his eyes, regarded with a sneer the reception of Miss Cru back a step or two to advance with the better effect, uttered a preli his teeth and brandishi+ng his tin toe