Part 40 (2/2)

He had taken scarcely anything to eat or drink since early in the , and felt quite worn out and exhausted As he returned languidly towards the point frohfares which lie between Park Lane and Bond Street, he passed a handsome hotel, before which he stopped ht Nicholas; 'but a pint of wine and a biscuit are no great debauch wherever they are had And yet I don't know'

He walked on a few steps, but looking wistfully down the long vista of gas-la it would take to reach the end of it and being besides in that kind of mood in which a , besides, strongly attracted to the hotel, in part by curiosity, and in part by sos which he would have been troubled to define-Nicholas turned back again, and walked into the coffee-room

It was very handsomely furnished The walls were ornamented with the choicest speciant design The floor was covered with a rich carpet; and two superb mirrors, one above the chi fro, multiplied the other beauties and added new ones of their own to enhance the general effect There was a rather noisy party of four gentlemen in a box by the fire-place, and only two other persons present-both elderly gentle all this in the first coer surveys a place that is new to him, Nicholas sat himself down in the box next to the noisy party, with his back towards the his order for a pint of claret until such tientlemen should have settled a disputed question relative to the price of an itean to read

He had not read twenty lines, and was in truth hi, when he was startled by the mention of his sister's naht his ear He raised his head in amazement, and as he did so, saw by the reflection in the opposite glass, that two of the party behind hi before the fire 'It ht Nicholas He waited to hear nation, for the tone of speech had been anything but respectful, and the appearance of the individual whoering

This person-so Nicholas observed in the salance at thewith his back to the fire conversing with a younger man, who stood with his back to the co his shi+rt-collar by the aid of the glass They spoke in whispers, now and then bursting into a loud laugh, but Nicholas could catch no repetition of the words, nor anything sounding at all like the words, which had attracted his attention

At length the two resurew louder in their mirth Still there was no reference made to anybody hom he was acquainted, and Nicholas becained the sounds altogether, or converted some other words into the nahts

'It is reht Nicholas: 'if it had been ”Kate” or ”Kate Nickleby,” I should not have been so much surprised: but ”little Kate Nickleby!”'

The wine co the sentence He sed a glassful and took up the paper again At that instant- 'Little Kate Nickleby!' cried the voice behind hiht,' muttered Nicholas as the paper fell from his hand 'And it was the man I supposed'

'As there was a proper objection to drinking her in heel-taps,' said the voice, 'we'll give her the first glass in the new num Little Kate Nickleby!'

'Little Kate Nickleby,' cried the other three And the glasses were set down eht and careless mention of his sister's name in a public place, Nicholas fired at once; but he kept hireat effort, and did not even turn his head

'The jade!' said the same voice which had spoken before 'She's a true Nickleby-a worthy iht after-so does he; nothing to be got out of Ralph unless you follow hiain doubly hard, for you're i'

'Infernal cunning,' echoed two voices

Nicholas was in a perfect agony as the two elderly gentlemen opposite, rose one after the other and went away, lest they should be theone word of as said But the conversation was suspended as they withdrew, and resureater freedom when they had left the rooentlerown jea-a-lous, and locked her up Upon my soul it looks like it'

'If they quarrel and little Nickleby goes home to her mother, sowith the old lady She'll believe anything I tell her'

'Egad that's true,' returned the other voice 'Ha, ha, ha! Poor deyvle!'

The laugh was taken up by the two voices which always caeneral at Mrs Nickleby's expense Nicholas turned burning hot with rage, but he commanded himself for the moment, and waited to hear more

What he heard need not be repeated here Suffice it that as the ent round he heard enough to acquaint hins of those whose conversation he overhead; to possess him with the full extent of Ralph's villainy, and the real reason of his own presence being required in London He heard all this and s derided, and her virtuous conduct jeered at and brutally misconstrued; he heard her name bandied from mouth to mouth, and herself ers, free speech, and licentious jesting

The man who had spoken first, led the conversation, and indeed al only stiht observation from one or other of his companions To him then Nicholas addressed himself when he was sufficiently composed to stand before the party, and force the words fro throat

'Let me have a ith you, sir,' said Nicholas

'Withhim in disdainful surprise

'I said with you,' replied Nicholas, speaking with great difficulty, for his passion choked hier, upon lass to his lips, and looking round upon his friends

'Will you step apart with me for a few minutes, or do you refuse?' said Nicholas sternly

Sir Mulberry , and bade him either name his business or leave the table

Nicholas drew a card from his pocket, and threw it before hiuess'

A momentary expression of astonishment, not unmixed with some confusion, appeared in the face of Sir Mulberry as he read the na the card to Lord Verisopht, who sat opposite, drew a toothpick frolass before him, and very leisurely applied it to hispaler as his passion kindled

'I shall give you neither,' replied Sir Mulberry

'If there is a gentle round and scarcely able to make his white lips form the words, 'he will acquaint me with the name and residence of this man'

There was a dead silence

'I a lady who has been the subject of conversation here,' said Nicholas 'I denounce this person as a liar, and impeach him as a coward If he has a friend here, he will save hirace of the paltry attempt to conceal his name-and utterly useless one-for I will find it out, nor leave him until I have'

Sir Mulberry looked at hi his co serious to say to boys of his station; and his pretty sister shall save hiht'

'You are a base and spiritless scoundrel!' said Nicholas, 'and shall be proclaimed so to the world I WILL know you; I will follow you ho'

Sir Mulberry's hand involuntarily closed upon the decanter, and he seemed for an instant about to launch it at the head of his challenger But he only filled his glass, and laughed in derision

Nicholas sat hi the waiter, paid his bill

'Do you know that person's na out Sir Mulberry as he put the question

Sir Mulberry laughed again, and the two voices which had always spoken together, echoed the laugh; but rather feebly

'That gentleman, sir?' replied the waiter, who, no doubt, knew his cue, and answered with just as little respect, and just as much impertinence as he could safely show: 'no, sir, I do not, sir'

'Here, you sir,' cried Sir Mulberry, as the ; 'do you know THAT person's name?'

'Name, sir? No, sir'

'Then you'll find it there,' said Sir Mulberry, throwing Nicholas's card towards him; 'and when you have made yourself master of it, put that piece of pasteboard in the fire-do you hear me?'