Part 63 (1/2)

'No, Mr Noggs, thank you; good, good The very best of news Sit down I'll get the pen and ink, and write a line in answer I'll not detain you long I know you're a treasure to your s He speaks of you in such terms, sometimes, that, oh dear! you'd be astonished I may say that I do too, and always did I always say the sas with all ht Newman, as Gride hurried out

The letter had fallen on the ground Looking carefully about him for an instant, Newn he had overheard froht it up and rapidly read as follows: 'GRIDE

'I saw Bray again this ested) for the e There is no objection on his part, and all days are alike to his daughter We will go together, and youI need not tell you to be punctual

'Make no further visits to the girl in the meantime You have been there, of late, uish for you, and it erous Restrain your youthful ardour for eight-and-forty hours, and leave her to the father You only undo what he does, and does well

'Yours, 'RALPH NICKLEBY'

A footstep was heard without Newain, pressed it with his foot to prevent its fluttering away, regained his seat in a single stride, and looked as vacant and unconscious as evernervously about hi down to write, glanced at New at the ith an intensity so remarkable, that Arthur was quite alars?' said Arthur, trying to follow the direction of New no man had ever done

'Only a cobweb,' replied Newman

'Oh! is that all?'

'No,' said Newood many cobwebs here,' observed Arthur Gride

'So there are in our place,' returned Newreat entertainreat discomposure of Arthur Gride's nerves, produced a series of sharp cracks fro the noise of a distant discharge of s his reply to Ralph's note, nevertheless, and at length handed it over to the eccentric s,' said Gride

New ahen Gride, whose doting delight knew no bounds, beckoned hirin which puckered up his whole face, and almost obscured his eyes: 'Will you-will you take a little drop of soood fellowshi+p (if Arthur Gride had been capable of it) Neould not have drunk with him one bubble of the richest wine that was ever made; but to see what he would be at, and to punish him as much as he could, he accepted the offer iain applied himself to the press, and frolasses, and quaint bottles: some with necks like so many storks, and others with square Dutch-built bodies and short fat apoplectic throats: took down one dusty bottle of prolasses of curiously small size

'You never tasted this,' said Arthur 'It's EAU-D'OR-golden water I like it on account of its naolden water! O dear e appeared to be fast failing him, and he trifled with the stopper in a manner which threatened the dismissal of the bottle to its old place, Newlasses, and clinked it, twice or thrice, against the bottle, as a gentle reh, Arthur Gride slowly filled it-though not to the brim-and then filled his own

'Stop, stop; don't drink it yet,' he said, laying his hand on Newo, and when I take a little taste, which is ve-ry seldom, I like to think of it beforehand, and tease s?'

'Ah!' said Newlass impatiently 'Look sharp Bearer waits'

'Why, then, I'll tell you what,' tittered Arthur, 'we'll drink-he, he, he!-we'll drink a lady'

'THE ladies?' said New his hand, 'A lady You wonder to hear me say A lady I know you do, I know you do Here's little Madeline That's the toast Mr Noggs Little Madeline!'

'Madeline!' said New, 'and God help her!'

The rapidity and unconcern hich Newreat effect upon the old azed at hiht had taken away his breath Quite unmoved, however, Newain into the bottle, if he chose, and departed; after greatly outraging the dignity of Peg Sliderskew by brushi+ng past her, in the passage, without a word of apology or recognition

Mr Gride and his housekeeper, i left alone, resolved themselves into a coe bride As they were, like some other committees, extremely dull and prolix in debate, this historyadvantage with necessity; for it would have been necessary to do so under any circumstances, and necessity has no law, as all the world knows

'You've been a long ti time,' replied Newman

'Bah!' cried Ralph ie, if he didn't And don't go away I want a ith you, sir'

Newman handed in the note, and looked very virtuous and innocent while his elanced his eye over it

'He'll be sure to come,' muttered Ralph, as he tore it to pieces; 'why of course, I know he'll be sure to cos! Pray, sir, what ht?'

'I don't know,' replied Newman

'You had better refresh yourlook

'I tell you,' returned Newman boldly, 'that I don't know He caain You packed hiave the name of Brooker'

'I know he did,' said Ralph; 'what then?'

'What then? Why, then he lurked about and dogged eshim face to face with you; as he says he has been once, and not long ago either He wants to see you face to face, he says, and you'll soon hear him out, he warrants'

'And what say you to that?' inquired Ralph, looking keenly at his drudge

'That it's no business of ht catch you in the street, if that was all he wanted, but no! that wouldn't do You wouldn't hear a word there, he said He must have you alone in a room with the door locked, where he could speak without fear, and you'd soon change your tone, and hear hi!' Ralph ain, I don't knohat man he is I don't believe he knows himself You have seen him; perhaps YOU do'

'I think I do,' replied Ralph

'Well,' retored Newman, sulkily, 'don't expect me to know him too; that's all You'll ask me, next, why I never told you this before What would you say, if I was to tell you all that people say of you? What do you call me when I soon'

This was true enough; though the question which Newman anticipated, was, in fact, upon Ralph's lips at the abond from beyond the sea where he travelled for his crimes; a felon let loose to run his neck into the halter; a swindler, who has the audacity to try his schemes on me who know him well The next time he ta to extort money by lies and threats,-d'ye hear?-and leave the rest to me He shall cool his heels in jail a little time, and I'll be bound he looks for other folks to fleece, when he comes out You mind what I say, do you?'

'I hear,' said Newman