Part 55 (1/2)

'Well,' said the other, 'as much in your confidence as you ever chose to let anybody be'

'Ah!' rejoined Ralph, folding his ar'

'Don't let us play upon words, Mr Nickleby, in the name of humanity'

'Of what?' said Ralph

'Of hury and in want If the change that youan absence-rees, see it and knoill not e that bread; not the daily bread of the Lord's Prayer, which, as it is offered up in cities like this, is understood to include half the luxuries of the world for the rich, and just as much coarse food as will support life for the poor-not that, but bread, a crust of dry hard bread, is beyondelse has'

'If this is the usual for, sir,' said Ralph, 'you have studied your part well; but if you will take advice fro of the world and its ways, I should recommend a lower tone; a little lower tone, or you stand a fair chance of being starved in good earnest'

As he said this, Ralph clenched his left wrist tightly with his right hand, and inclining his head a little on one side and dropping his chin upon his breast, looked at hi, sullen face The very picture of acould move or soften

'Yesterday wasat his travel-stained dress and worn shoes

'It would have been better for you, I think, if it had been your last also,' replied Ralph

'I have been seeking you these two days, where I thought you were most likely to be found,' resumed the other iven up the hope of encountering you, Mr Nickleby'

He see him none, he continued: 'I am a most miserable and wretched outcast, nearly sixty years old, and as destitute and helpless as a child of six'

'I am sixty years old, too,' replied Ralph, 'and am neither destitute nor helpless Work Don'tspeeches about bread, but earn it'

'How?' cried the other 'Where? Show ive them to me-will you?'

'I did once,' replied Ralph, coain'

'It's twenty years ago, or more,' said the man, in a suppressed voice, 'since you and I fell out You remember that? I claiht to you, and, as I persisted, you arrested s, including interest at fifty per cent, or so'

'I re of it,' replied Ralph, carelessly 'What then?'

'That didn't part us,' said theside of the bolts and bars; and as you were not the h to take back a clerk asn't over nice, and who knew soed and prayed, and I consented,' returned Ralph 'That was kind of et I should think I did, or you would have begged in vain You were useful; not too honest, not too delicate, not too nice of hand or heart; but useful'

'Useful, indeed!' said the round me down for some years before that, but I had served you faithfully up to that tie Had I?'

Ralph ain

'You had had your wages,' rejoined Ralph, 'and had done your work We stood on equal ground so far, and could both cry quits'

'Then, but not afterwards,' said the other

'Not afterwards, certainly, nor even then, for (as you have just said) you owed me money, and do still,' replied Ralph

'That's not all,' said the et that old sore, trust me Partly in re e of my position about you, and possessed ive half of all you have to know, and never can know but throughafter that time, remember-and, for so to what you money-makers daily practise just outside its bounds, was sent away a convict for seven years I have returned what you see e mixture of humility and sense of power, 'what help and assistance will you give me; what bribe, to speak out plainly? My expectations are not monstrous, but I must live, and to live I er and thirst on ain'

'Is that all?' said Ralph, still eyeing his co but his lips

'It depends on you, Mr Nickleby, whether that's all or not,' was the rejoinder

'Why then, harkye, Mr-, I don't knohat name I am to call you,' said Ralph

'By my old one, if you like'

'Why then, harkye, Mr Brooker,' said Ralph, in his harshest accents, 'and don't expect to draw another speech from me Harkye, sir I know you of old for a ready scoundrel, but you never had a stout heart; and hard work, with (s of yours, and shorter food than when I ”pinched” and ”ground” you, has blunted your wits, or you would not come with such a tale as this to me You a hold upon me! Keep it, or publish it to the world, if you like'

'I can't do that,' interposed Brooker 'That wouldn't serve me'

'Wouldn't it?' said Ralph 'It will serve you asit to me, I promise you To be plain with you, I ahly I know the world, and the world knows leaned, or heard, or sahen you served nifies already You could tell it nothing that would surprise it, unless, indeed, it redounded to my credit or honour, and then it would scout you for a liar And yet I don't find business slack, or clients scrupulous Quite the contrary I am reviled or threatened every day by one s roll on just the sarow poorer either'

'I neither revile nor threaten,' rejoined the man 'I can tell you of what you have lost by my act, what I only can restore, and what, if I die without restoring, dies with ained'

'I tell enerally keep it in my own custody,' said Ralph 'I look sharply after most men that I deal with, and most of all I looked sharply after you You are welcome to all you have kept from me'

'Are those of your own name dear to you?' said the man emphatically 'If they are-'

'They are not,' returned Ralph, exasperated at this perseverance, and the thought of Nicholas, which the last question awakened 'They are not If you had coht have thrown a sixpence to you in remembrance of the clever knave you used to be; but since you try to palht have known better, I'll not part with a halfpenny-nor would I to save you froallows,' said Ralph, ain, and you so esture, you shall see the inside of a jail once hten this hold upon abonds are put to There's my answer to your trash Take it'

With a disdainful scowl at the object of his anger, who met his eye but uttered not a word, Ralph walked away at his usual pace, without htest curiosity to see what beca behind him The man remained on the saure until it was lost to view, and then drawing his arm about his chest, as if the daered with slouching steps by the wayside, and begged of those who passed along

Ralph, in no-wise moved by what had lately passed, further than as he had already expressed hi out of the Park and leaving Golden Square on his right, took his way through some streets at the west end of the town until he arrived in that particular one in which stood the residence of Madaer appeared on the fla substituted in its stead; but the bonnets and dresses were still diht of a su this ostensible alteration in the proprietorshi+p, the establishment wore its old appearance

'Hu his hand across histhe house from top to botto; but if I know of their going in good time, I am safe, and a fair profit too Ihis head very co the spot, when his quick ear caught the sound of a confused noise and hubbub of voices,up and down stairs, in the very house which had been the subject of his scrutiny; and while he was hesitating whether to knock at the door or listen at the keyhole a little longer, a female servant of Madame Mantalini's (whom he had often seen) opened it abruptly and bounced out, with her blue cap-ribbons strea in the air

'Hallo here Stop!' cried Ralph 'What's the matter? Here am I Didn't you hear irl 'Go up, for the love of Gracious Master's been and done it again'

'Done what?' said Ralph, tartly; 'what d'ye mean?'