Part 67 (2/2)

'Decidedly good-looking,' answered Nicholas

'What may you call his nose, now,to interest Nicholas in the subject to the utmost

'Call it?' repeated Nicholas

'Ah!' returned his mother, 'what style of nose? What order of architecture, if one may say so I am not very learned in noses Do you call it a Roman or a Grecian?'

'Upon , 'as well as I remember, I should call it a kind of Co recollection on the subject If it will afford you any gratification, I'll observe it more closely, and let you know'

'I wish you would, my dear,' said Mrs Nickleby, with an earnest look

'Very well,' returned Nicholas 'I will'

Nicholas returned to the perusal of the book he had been reading, when the dialogue had gone thus far Mrs Nickleby, after stopping a little for consideration, resumed

'He is very hingly said, as he closed his book, that he was glad to hear it, and observed that his mother seemed deep in their new friend's confidence already

'Hem!' said Mrs Nickleby 'I don't know about that, my dear, but I think it is very necessary that sohly necessary'

Elated by a look of curiosity froreat secret, all to herself, Mrs Nickleby went on with great animation: 'I am sure, my dear Nicholas, how you can have failed to notice it, is, to h I don't knohy I should say that, either, because, of course, as far as it goes, and to a certain extent, there is a great deal in this sort of thing, especially in this early stage, which, however clear it may be to females, can scarcely be expected to be so evident to men I don't say that I have any particular penetration in such matters I may have; those about me should know best about that, and perhaps do know Upon that point I shall express no opinion, it wouldn't become me to do so, it's quite out of the question, quite'

Nicholas snuffed the candles, put his hands in his pockets, and, leaning back in his chair, assunation

'I think it my duty, Nicholas, my dear,' resumed his mother, 'to tell you what I know: not only because you have a right to know it too, and to know everything that happens in this family, but because you have it in your power to pro very much; and there is no doubt that the sooner one can co on such subjects, it is always better, every way There are a great arden so upstairs in your own roo believe to fall asleep occasionally, or pretending that you recollected so Mr Ss, and I dare say you will be a them of so much importance; at the same time, my dear, I can assure you (and you'll find this out, Nicholas, for yourself one of these days, if you ever fall in love with anybody; as I trust and hope you will, provided she is respectable and well conducted, and of course you'd never drea in love with anybody as not), I say, I can assure you that a great deal s than you would suppose possible If your poor papa was alive, he would tell you howleft alone Of course, you are not to go out of the room as if you meant it and did it on purpose, but as if it was quite an accident, and to coe before you open the door, or whistle carelessly, or hu of that sort, to let the, it's always better; because, of course, though it's not only natural but perfectly correct and proper under the circu people when they are-when they are sitting on the sofa, and-and all that sort of thing: which is very nonsensical, perhaps, but still they will do it'

The profound astonish address, gradually increasing as it approached its climax in no way discomposed Mrs Nickleby, but rather exalted her opinion of her own cleverness; therefore,to remark, with much complacency, that she had fully expected him to be surprised, she entered on a vast quantity of circu kind; the upshot of which was, to establish, beyond the possibility of doubt, that Mr Frank Cheeryble had fallen desperately in love with Kate

'With whom?' cried Nicholas

Mrs Nickleby repeated, with Kate

'What! OUR Kate! My sister!'

'Lord, Nicholas!' returned Mrs Nickleby, 'whose Kate should it be, if not ours; or what should I care about it, or take any interest in it for, if it was anybody but your sister?'

'Dear ood, reat confidence 'Wait and see'

Nicholas had never, until that ht upon the remote possibility of such an occurrence as that which was now communicated to him; for, besides that he had been much from home of late and closely occupied with other matters, his own jealous fears had prompted the suspicion that some secret interest in Madeline, akin to that which he felt himself, occasioned those visits of Frank Cheeryble which had recently becoh he knew that the observation of an anxious mother was much more likely to be correct in such a case than his own, and although she reether, were certainly susceptible of the construction she triumphantly put upon theood-natured thoughtless gallantry, which would have dictated the sa At all events, he hoped so, and therefore tried to believe it

'I am very much disturbed by what you tell h I yet hope you may be mistaken'

'I don't understand why you should hope so,' said Mrs Nickleby, 'I confess; but you may depend upon it I am not'

'What of Kate?' inquired Nicholas

'Why that, my dear,' returned Mrs Nickleby, 'is just the point upon which I a this sickness, she has been constantly at Madeline's bedside-never were two people so fond of each other as they have grown-and to tell you the truth, Nicholas, I have rather kept her away now and then, because I think it's a good plan, and urges a young et too sure, you know'

She said this with such a ratulation, that it was inexpressibly painful to Nicholas to dash her hopes; but he felt that there was only one honourable course before him, and that he was bound to take it

'Dear mother,' he said kindly, 'don't you see that if there were really any serious inclination on the part of Mr Frank towards Kate, and we suffered ourselves for aa rateful part? I ask you if you don't see it, but I need not say that I know you don't, or you would have beento you Remember how poor we are'

Mrs Nickleby shook her head, and said, through her tears, that poverty was not a crime

'No,' said Nicholas, 'and for that reason poverty should engender an honest pride, that it may not lead and tempt us to unworthy actions, and that we may preserve the self-respect which a hewer of wood and drawer of waterthan ahis Think e to these two brothers: remember what they have done, and what they do every day for us with a generosity and delicacy for which the devotion of our whole lives would be a most imperfect and inadequate return What kind of return would that be which would be co their nephew, their only relative, whoard as a son, and for whom it would be mere childishness to suppose they have not formed plans suitably adapted to the education he has had, and the fortune he will inherit-in our perirl: so closely connected with us, that the irresistible inference must be, that he was entrapped by a plot; that it was a deliberate sche the matter clearly before yourself, mother Noould you feel, if they werehere on one of those kind errands which bring them here so often, you had to break out to them the truth? Would you be at ease, and feel that you had played an open part?'

Poor Mrs Nickleby, crying more and more, murmured that of course Mr Frank would ask the consent of his uncles first

'Why, to be sure, that would place HIM in a better situation with them,' said Nicholas, 'but we should still be open to the sareat; the advantages to be gained would still be aswithout our host in all this,' he added more cheerfully, 'and I trust, and almost believe we are If it be otherwise, I have that confidence in Kate that I know she will feel as I do-and in you, dear mother, to be assured that after a little consideration you will do the same'

After many more representations and entreaties, Nicholas obtained a promise from Mrs Nickleby that she would try all she could to think as he did; and that if Mr Frank persevered in his attentions she would endeavour to discourage them, or, at the least, would render him no countenance or assistance He deter the subject to Kate until he was quite convinced that there existed a real necessity for his doing so; and resolved to assure himself, as well as he could by close personal observation, of the exact position of affairs This was a very wise resolution, but he was prevented fro it in practice by a new source of anxiety and uneasiness

Sly ill; so reduced and exhausted that he could scarcely move from room to room without assistance; and so worn and emaciated, that it was painful to look upon him Nicholas arned, by the same medical authority to whom he had at first appealed, that the last chance and hope of his life depended on his being instantly removed from London That part of Devonshi+re in which Nicholas had been himself bred was named as the most favourable spot; but this advice was cautiously coupled with the information, that whoever accompanied him thither must be prepared for the worst; for every token of rapid consuht never return alive

The kind brothers, ere acquainted with the poor creature's sad history, dispatched old Ti, Nicholas was summoned by brother Charles into his private room, and thus addressed: 'My dear sir, no time must be lost This lad shall not die, if such human means as we can use can save his life; neither shall he die alone, and in a strange place Re, see that he has every comfort that his situation requires, and don't leave him; don't leave hier any ier It would be hard, indeed, to part you now No, no, no! Tiht, sir; Ti word or two Brother Ned, oodbye; Mr Nickleby won't be long gone; this poor chap will soon get better, very soon get better; and then he'll find out soo backwards and forwards sometimes-backwards and forwards you know, Ned And there's no cause to be downhearted, for he'll very soon get better, very soon Won't he, won't he, Ned?'

What Tiht, needs not to be told Next an their journey

And who but one-and that one he who, but for those who crowded round him then, had never met a look of kindness, or knoord of pity-could tell what agony ofsorroere involved in that sad parting?

'See,' cried Nicholas eagerly, as he looked from the coach , 'they are at the corner of the lane still! And now there's Kate, poor Kate, who her handkerchief Don't go without one gesture of farewell to Kate!'

'I cannotback in his seat and covering his eyes 'Do you see her now? Is she there still?'

'Yes, yes!' said Nicholas earnestly 'There! She waves her hand again! I have answered it for you-and now they are out of sight Do not give way so bitterly, dear friend, don't You will ed, raised his withered hands and clasped theether

'In heaven I humbly pray to God in heaven'

It sounded like the prayer of a broken heart