Part 60 (1/2)

'Nor I,' replied Nicholas 'It is by ayou, although I would have reat exertion to have availed myself of it'

'Here is one who forward the Phenoauze frock, extensively flounced, and trousers of the sa the Master Cruby?'

'Digby!' said Nicholas, forgetting at the instant that this had been S?-he is very far froic recoil

'I fear,' said Nicholas, shaking his head, andan attempt to smile, 'that your better-half would be more struck with him now than ever'

'What mean you?' rejoined Mrs Crummles, in her most popular manner 'Whence comes this altered tone?'

'I h him, and that while he thinks to torture onies of terror and suspense as-You will excusehimself 'I should never speak of this, and never do, except to those who know the facts, but for a y Nicholas stooped down to salute the Pheno his precipitation, and verywhat Mrs Crummles must think of so sudden an explosion

That lady see by this tiave her hand to Nicholas and repaired with a stately step to the left hand of Mr Snittle Timberry Nicholas had the honour to support her, and Mr Cruht; the Phenomenon and the Master Crummleses sustained the vice

The co coaged or disengaged in London, as were nu the entlemen were pretty equally balanced; the expenses of the entertain defrayed by the latter, each of whouest

It was upon the whole a very distinguished party, for independently of the lesser theatrical lights who clustered on this occasion round Mr Snittle Tientleman present who had dramatised in his time two hundred and forty-seven novels as fast as they had come out-some of theentleentleman sat on the left hand of Nicholas, to whom he was introduced by his friend the African Ser, froiuentlereat distinction,' said Nicholas, politely

'Sir,' replied the wit, 'you're very welcome, I'm sure The honour is reciprocal, sir, as I usually say when I dramatise a book Did you ever hear a definition of fame, sir?'

'I have heard several,' replied Nicholas, with a smile 'What is yours?'

'When I draentleman, 'THAT'S fame For its author'

'Oh, indeed!' rejoined Nicholas

'That's faentle, and Jerry Abershaw have handed down to fame the names of those on whom they committed their most impudent robberies?' said Nicholas

'I don't know anything about that, sir,' answered the literary gentleman

'Shakespeare dramatised stories which had previously appeared in print, it is true,' observed Nicholas

'Meaning Bill, sir?' said the literary gentleman 'So he did Bill was an adapter, certainly, so he was-and very well he adapted too-considering'

'I was about to say,' rejoined Nicholas, 'that Shakespeare derived soeneral circulation; but it seeentlemen of your craft, at the present day, have shot very far beyond hiht, sir,' interrupted the literary gentle his toothpick 'Huressing, will progress'

'Shot beyond him, I mean,' resuht within the enius, traditions peculiarly adapted for his purpose, and turned fahten the world for ages, you drag within the ic circle of your dulness, subjects not at all adapted to the purposes of the stage, and debase as he exalted For instance, you take the unco authors, fresh from their hands, wet from the press, cut, hack, and carve them to the powers and capacities of your actors, and the capability of your theatres, finish unfinished works, hastily and crudely vainal projector, but which have doubtless cost hihts; by a coue, down to the very last word he ht before, do your utmost to anticipate his plot-all this without his perainst his will; and then, to crown the whole proceeding, publish in soarbled extracts from his work, to which your name as author, with the honourable distinction annexed, of having perpetrated a hundred other outrages of the same description Now, showa man's pocket in the street: unless, indeed, it be, that the legislature has a regard for pocket-handkerchiefs, and leaves men's brains, except when they are knocked out by violence, to take care of theentle his shoulders

'That would be an equally fair plea in both cases,' replied Nicholas; 'but if you put it upon that ground, I have nothing more to say, than, that if I were a writer of books, and you a thirsty dramatist, I would rather pay your tavern score for six ht be, than have a niche in the Temple of Fah six hundred generations'

The conversation threatened to take a sory tone when it had arrived thus far, but Mrs Cru to any violent outbreak, by entleman relative to the plots of the six new pieces which he had written by contract to introduce the African Knife-ser in his various unrivalled perfored him in an animated conversation with that lady, in the interest of which, all recollection of his recent discussion with Nicholas very quickly evaporated

The board being now clear of the more substantial articles of food, and punch, wine, and spirits being placed upon it and handed about, the guests, who had been previously conversing in little groups of three or four, gradually fell off into a dead silence, while the lanced from time to time at Mr Snittle Timberry, and the bolder spirits did not even hesitate to strike the table with their knuckles, and plainly intieed, sir, and waiting for a toast,' and so forth

To these rened no other rejoinder than striking his chest and gasping for breath, and givingstill the victim of indisposition-for a e or off-while Mr Crummles, who knew full well that he would be the subject of the forthcoracefully in his chair with his arm thrown carelessly over the back, and now and then lifted his glass to his mouth and drank a little punch, with the sahts of nothing, out of the pasteboard goblets in banquet scenes

At length Mr Snittle Timberry rose in the most approved attitude, with one hand in the breast of his waistcoat and the other on the nearest snuff-box, and having been received with great enthusiasm, proposed, with abundance of quotations, his friend Mr Vincent Cruht hand on one side and his left on the other, and severally calling upon Mr and Mrs Crurasp the same This done, Mr Vincent Crummles returned thanks, and that done, the African Ser proposed Mrs Vincent Cru terms Then were heard loud moans and sobs from Mrs Crummles and the ladies, despite of which that heroic wo thanks herself, which she did, in a manner and in a speech which has never been surpassed and seldom equalled It then beca Crummleses, which he did; after which Mr Vincent Crummles, as their father, addressed the co on their virtues, a that they were the sons and daughter of every lady and gentle been succeeded by a decent interval, enlivened by musical and other entertainments, Mr Crummles proposed that ornament of the profession, the African Ser, his very dear friend, if he would allow hi no particular reason why he should not allow it) the African Ser graciously perentle discovered that he had been drunk for some time in another acceptation of the term, and was then asleep on the stairs, the intention was abandoned, and the honour transferred to the ladies Finally, after a very long sitting, Mr Snittle Timberry vacated the chair, and the company with many adieux and eive his little presents When he had said goodbye all round and came to Mr Crummles, he could not but mark the difference between their present separation and their parting at Portsmouth Not a jot of his theatrical manner remained; he put out his hand with an air which, if he could have summoned it at will, would have made him the best actor of his day in homely parts, and when Nicholas shook it with the warhly melted

'We were a very happy little company, Johnson,' said poor Crulad toain, but now I almost wish you hadn't come'

Nicholas was about to return a cheerful reply, when he was greatly disconcerted by the sudden apparition of Mrs Grudden, who it seeht rise earlier in thebedroo her arreat affection

'What! Are you going too?' said Nicholas, subrace as if she had been the finest young creature in the world

'Going?' returned Mrs Grudden 'Lord ha' mercy, what do you think they'd do withoutwith even a better grace than before, if that were possible, and waving his hat as cheerfully as he could, took farewell of the Vincent Crummleses

CHAPTER 49

Chronicles the further Proceedings of the Nickleby Family, and the Sequel of the Adventure of the Gentleman in the S subject of interest which had recently opened upon hihts of Madeline Bray, and in execution of the commissions which the anxiety of brother Charles in her behalf ireater danger to his peace ofeffect upon the lofty resolutions he had formed, Mrs Nickleby and Kate continued to live in peace and quiet, agitated by no other cares than those which were connected with certain harassing proceedings taken by Mr Snawley for the recovery of his son, and their anxiety for San to be so much affected by apprehension and uncertainty as sometimes to occasion both them and Nicholas considerable uneasiness, and even alarm

It was no complaint or murmur on the part of the poor fellow hier to be eht services as he could render, and always anxious to repay his benefactors with cheerful and happy looks, less friendly eyesBut there were tiht, the hollow cheek too flushed, the breath too thick and heavy in its course, the fraard and notice

There is a dread disease which so prepares its victirosser aspect, and throws around fae; a dread disease, in which the struggle between soul and body is so gradual, quiet, and solerain, the rows light and sanguine with its lightening load, and, feeling immortality at hand, deems it but a new term of ely blended, that death takes the glow and hue of life, and life the gaunt and grisly form of death; a disease which medicine never cured, wealth never warded off, or poverty could boast exeiant strides, and soish pace, but, slow or quick, is ever sure and certain

It ith soh he would by no means admit it, even to himself, that Nicholas had already carried his faithful coreat repute There was no cause for immediate alarm, he said There were no present symptoms which could be deereatly tried and injured in childhood, but still it MIGHT not be-and that was all

But he seeroorse, and, as it was not difficult to find a reason for these syitation he had recently undergone, Nicholas comforted himself with the hope that his poor friend would soon recover This hope his mother and sister shared with him; and as the object of their joint solicitude seemed to have no uneasiness or despondency for himself, but each day answered with a quiet smile that he felt better than he had upon the day before, their fears abated, and the general happiness was by degrees restored

Many and many a time in after years did Nicholas look back to this period of his life, and tread again the humble quiet homely scenes that rose up as of old before hi, or beside the flickering winter's fire-but not so often or so sadly then-would his thoughts wander back to these old days, and dith a pleasant sorrow upon every slight re ho after it was dark, figuring such happy futures; Kate's cheerful voice and h; how, if she were from home, they used to sit and watch for her return scarcely breaking silence but to say how dull it seelee hich poor Smike would start from the darkened corner where he used to sit, and hurry to admit her, and the tears they often saw upon his face, half wondering to see them too, and he so pleased and happy; every little incident, and even slight words and looks of those old days little heeded then, but well reotten, came fresh and thick before hirowth of years, cahs of yesterday

But there were other persons associated with these recollections, andA necessary reflection for the purposes of these adventures, which at once subside into their accustohty anticipations or anderings, pursue their steady and decorous course

If the brothers Cheeryble, as they found Nicholas worthy of trust and confidence, bestowed upon him every day some new and substantial mark of kindness, they were not less mindful of those who depended on him Various little presents to Mrs Nickleby, always of the very things they ree to the ie Kate's little store of trinkets beca; and for company! If brother Charles and brother Ned failed to look in for at least a fewin the week, there was Mr Tim Linkinwater (who had never made half-a-dozen other acquaintances in all his life, and who took such delight in his new friends as no words can express) constantly co to rest; while Mr Frank Cheeryble happened, by so the door on sohts in the week

'He is thehter one evening, when this last-naium for some time, and Kate had sat perfectly silent

'Attentive, mama!' rejoined Kate

'Bless my heart, Kate!' cried Mrs Nickleby, with her wonted suddenness, 'what a colour you have got; why, you're quite flushed!'