Part 54 (2/2)

Mr Ralph Nickleby cuts an old Acquaintance It would also appear from the Contents hereof, that a Joke, even between Husband and Wife, may be so with the one object of enriching the perfectly conscious of the baseness and rascality of the means which they will use every day towards this end, affect nevertheless-even to theh tone of h over the depravity of the world Some of the craftiest scoundrels that ever walked this earth, or rather-for walking i of a h life by its dirtiest and narroays, will gravely jot down in diaries the events of every day, and keep a regular debtor and creditor account with Heaven, which shall always show a floating balance in their own favour Whether this is a gratuitous (the only gratuitous) part of the falsehood and trickery of such men's lives, or whether they really hope to cheat Heaven itself, and lay up treasure in the next world by the same process which has enabled them to lay up treasure in this-not to question how it is, so it is And, doubtless, such book-keeping (like certain autobiographies which have enlightened the world) cannot fail to prove serviceable, in the one respect of sparing the recording Angel some time and labour

Ralph Nickleby was not a ed, and i in life, or beyond it, save the gratification of two passions, avarice, the first and predominant appetite of his nature, and hatred, the second Affecting to consider himself but a type of all humanity, he was at little pains to conceal his true character froeneral, and in his own heart he exulted over and cherished every bad design as it had birth The only scriptural admonition that Ralph Nickleby heeded, in the letter, was 'know thyself' He knew hiine that all h notoo e the world froenerally found that those who sneer habitually at hu its worst and least pleasant samples

But the present business of these adventures is with Ralph his with a heavy frohile that worthy took off his fingerless gloves, and spreading the theht to take the creases out, proceeded to roll theardless of all things else, in the deep interest of the ceremonial

'Gone out of town!' said Ralph, slowly 'A ain'

'No one'

'Has he turned girl or baby?' esture

'I don't know,' said Newone' seeht, in proportion as it annoyed Ralph Nickleby He uttered the ith a full round e as he decently could, and when he could hold out no longer without attracting observation, stood gasping it to himself as if even that were a satisfaction

'And WHERE has he gone?' said Ralph

'France,' replied Newer of another attack of erysipelas-a worse attack-in the head So the doctors ordered hian Ralph

'He's gone too,' replied New with hi away; 'pockets his bruises, and sneaks off without the retaliation of a word, or seeking the smallest reparation!'

'He's too ill,' said Newman

'Too ill!' repeated Ralph 'Why I would have it if I were dying; in that case I should only be the more determined to have it, and that without delay-I mean if I were he But he's too ill! Poor Sir Mulberry! Too ill!'

Uttering these words with suprened hastily to New hiround

'There is so his teeth 'Circumstances conspire to help him Talk of fortune's favours! What is even money to such Devil's luck as this?'

He thrust his hands i his previous reflection there was some consolation there, for his face relaxed a little; and although there was still a deep frown upon the contracted brow, it was one of calculation, and not of disappointment

'This Haill come back, however,' muttered Ralph; 'and if I know the man (and I should by this ti of its violence in the ed to live in retirement-the monotony of a sick-roo that he likes and lives by He is not likely to forget his obligations to the cause of all this Few men would; but he of all others? No, no!'

He s his chin upon his hand, fell athe bell

'That Mr Squeers; has he been here?' said Ralph

'He was here last night I left him here when I went home,' returned Newman

'I know that, fool, do I not?' said Ralph, irascibly 'Has he been here since? Was he here this ?'

'No,' bawled Newman, in a very loud key

'If he coht-let him wait And if there's anotherhimself, 'let him wait too'

'Let 'e upon hiry look 'Help me on with this spencer, and don't repeat afterparrot'

'I wish I was a parrot,' New his spencer on; 'I'd have wrung your neck long ago'

Newman returned no answer to this compliment, but looked over Ralph's shoulder for an instant, (he was adjusting the collar of the spencer behind, just then,) as if he were strongly disposed to tweak hi Ralph's eye, however, he suddenly recalled his wandering fingers, and rubbed his own red nose with a vehe no further notice upon his eccentric follower than a threatening look, and an admonition to be careful and loves, and walked out

He appeared to have a very extraordinary and miscellaneous connection, and very odd calls he reat rich houses, and some at small poor ones, but all upon one subject: money His face was a talis clients, and procured hied on foot, and others, ere denied, rattled to the door in carriages Here he was all softness and cringing civility; his step so light, that it scarcely produced a sound upon the thick carpets; his voice so soft that it was not audible beyond the person to whom it was addressed But in the poorer habitations Ralph was another e floor as he walked boldly in; his voice was harsh and loud as he demanded the ry With another class of custoain another man These were attorneys of more than doubtful reputation, who helped him to new business, or raised fresh profits upon old With them Ralph was familiar and jocose, humorous upon the topics of the day, and especially pleasant upon bankruptcies and pecuniary difficulties that ood for trade In short, it would have been difficult to have recognised the same man under these various aspects, but for the bulky leather case full of bills and notes which he drew from his pocket at every house, and the constant repetition of the same complaint, (varied only in tone and style of delivery,) that the world thought hiht be if he had his own; but there was no getting money in when it was once out, either principal or interest, and it was a hard matter to live; even to live fro round of such visits (interrupted only by a scanty dinner at an eating-house) ter St James's Park, on his way home

There were some deep schemes in his head, as the puckered brow and firmly-set mouth would have abundantly testified, even if they had been unaccompanied by a complete indifference to, or unconsciousness of, the objects about him So complete was his abstraction, however, that Ralph, usually as quick-sighted as any ure, which at one time stole behind him with noiseless footsteps, at another crept a few paces before hiarding hier and attentive, that it was more like the expression of an intrusive face in soly marked dream, than the scrutiny even of a most interested and anxious observer

The sky had been lowering and dark for some time, and the commencement of a violent storainst it with folded ar to raise his eyes, he suddenlyround the trunk, peered into his face with a searching look There was so in the usurer's expression at the moment, which the man appeared to re close up to Ralph, he pronounced his name

Astonished for the moment, Ralph fell back a couple of paces and surveyed him from head to foot A spare, dark, witheredbody, and a very sinister face rendered ry cheeks, deeply sunburnt, and thick black eyebrows, blacker in contrast with the perfect whiteness of his hair; roughly clothed in shabby gar about hiradation-this, for a ain, and the face and person seee as he looked, to subside and soften into lineaments that were familiar, until at last they resolved thee optical illusion, into those of one whoht of for nearly as nition wasto Ralph to take his for rain, of which, in his first surprise, he had been quite regardless, addressed him in a hoarse, faint tone

'You would hardly have known me from my voice, I suppose, Mr Nickleby?' he said

'No,' returned Ralph, bending a severe look upon hi in that, that I remember now'

'There is little in ht years ago, I dare say?' observed the other

'Quite enough,' said Ralph, carelessly, and averting his face 'More than enough'

'If I had remained in doubt about YOU, Mr Nickleby,' said the other, 'this reception, and YOUR manner, would have decided me very soon'

'Did you expect any other?' asked Ralph, sharply

'No!' said the ht,' retorted Ralph; 'and as you feel no surprise, need express none'

'Mr Nickleby,' said thewhich he had seele with an inclination to answer him by some reproach, 'will you hear a feords that I have to say?'

'I aed to wait here till the rain holds a little,' said Ralph, looking abroad 'If you talk, sir, I shall not putmay have as much effect as if I did'

'I was once in your confidence-' thus his coan Ralph looked round, and smiled involuntarily