Part 73 (1/2)

Kate sh her tears as Nicholas drew this picture; but they were not tears of sorrow, although they continued to fall when he had ceased to speak

'Aht, Kate?' he said, after a short silence

'Quite, quite, dear brother; and I cannot tell you how happy I am that I have acted as you would have had ret?'

'N-n-no,' said Kate tiround with her little foot 'I don't regret having done as honourable and right, of course; but I do regret that this should have ever happened-at least soret it, and soirl, Nicholas, and it has agitated me very much'

It is no vaunt to affirm that if Nicholas had had ten thousand pounds at the enerous affection for the owner of the blushi+ng cheek and downcast eye, have bestowed its utetfulness of himself, to secure her happiness But all he could do was to comfort and console her by kind words; and words they were of such love and kindness, and cheerful encouragement, that poor Kate threw her arms about his neck, and declared she would weep no ht Nicholas proudly, while on his way, soon afterwards, to the brothers' house, 'would not be sufficiently rewarded for any sacrifice of fortune by the possession of such a heart as Kate's, which, but that hearts weigh light, and gold and silver heavy, is beyond all praise? Frank has money, and wants no more Where would it buy hies, the rich party is always supposed to ain! But I a like a lover, or like an ass: which I suppose is pretty nearly the sahts so little adapted to the business on which he was bound, by such self-reproofs as this and many others no less sturdy, he proceeded on his way and presented himself before Tim Linkinwater

'Ah! Mr Nickleby!' cried Tim, 'God bless you! how d'ye do? Well? Say you're quite well and never better Do now'

'Quite,' said Nicholas, shaking hih, now I come to look at you Hark! there he is, d'ye hear him? That was dick, the blackbird He hasn't been hiet on without you, now; he takes as naturally to you as he does to acious fellow than I supposed him, if he thinks I am half so orthy of his notice as you,' replied Nicholas

'Why, I'll tell you what, sir,' said Ti to the cage with the feather of his pen, 'it's a very extraordinary thing about that bird, that the only people he ever takes the smallest notice of, are Mr Charles, and Mr Ned, and you, and lanced anxiously at Nicholas; then unexpectedly catching his eye repeated, 'And you and ain, and, squeezing his hand, said, 'I a I am interested in I didn't mean to ask you, but I should like to hear a few particulars about that poor boy Did he mention Cheeryble Brothers at all?'

'Yes,' said Nicholas, 'ht of hiht of him'

'And he mentioned your name a score of times,' said Nicholas, 'and often bade me carry back his love to Mr Linkinwater'

'No, no, did he though?' rejoined Tiht 'Poor felloe could have had hiround in all London as that little one on the other side of the square-there are counting-houses all round it, and if you go in there, on a fine day, you can see the books and safes through the open s And he sent his love to ht of me Poor fellow, poor fellow! His love too!'

Tim was so completely overcome by this little mark of recollection, that he was quite unequal to any more conversation at the moment Nicholas therefore slipped quietly out, and went to brother Charles's room

If he had previously sustained his firmness and fortitude, it had been by an effort which had cost him no little pain; but the elcome, the hearty ood old le could prevent his showing it

'Come, come, my dear sir,' said the benevolent merchant; 'we must not be cast down; no, no We must learn to bear misfortune, and we must remember that there are many sources of consolation even in death Every day that this poor lad had lived, he must have been less and less qualified for the world, and more and more unhappy in is own deficiencies It is better as it is, my dear sir Yes, yes, yes, it's better as it is'

'I have thought of all that, sir,' replied Nicholas, clearing his throat 'I feel it, I assure you'

'Yes, that's well,' replied Mr Cheeryble, who, in the , was quite as much taken aback as honest old Tim; 'that's well Where is my brother Ned? Tim Linkinwater, sir, where is etting that unfortunatea nurse to his children,' said Tireat fellow!' exclaimed brother Charles as he shut the door and returned to Nicholas 'He will be overjoyed to see you,of you every day'

'To tell you the truth, sir, I alad to find you alone,' said Nicholas, with so to you Can you spare me a very few minutes?'

'Surely, surely,' returned brother Charles, looking at him with an anxious countenance 'Say on, my dear sir, say on'

'I scarcely kno, or where, to begin,' said Nicholas 'If ever one mortal had reason to be penetrated with love and reverence for another: with such attachment as would ht: with such grateful recollections as must rouse the uts which I should entertain for you, and do, from my heart and soul, believe entleman, 'and I am happy in the belief I have never doubted it; I never shall I a me that so kindly,' said Nicholas, 'emboldens me to proceed When you first took me into your confidence, and dispatched me on those missions to Miss Bray, I should have told you that I had seen her long before; that her beauty had made an impression upon me which I could not efface; and that I had fruitlessly endeavoured to trace her, and become acquainted with her history I did not tell you so, because I vainly thought I could conquer s, and render every consideration subservient to my duty to you'

'Mr Nickleby,' said brother Charles, 'you did not violate the confidence I placed in you, or take an unworthy advantage of it I am sure you did not'

'I did not,' said Nicholas, firh I found that the necessity for self-command and restraint becareater, I never, for one instant, spoke or looked but as I would have done had you been by I never, for one moment, deserted my trust, nor have I to this instant But I find that constant association and coirl is fatal to my peace of mind, and inning, and up to this time have faithfully kept In short, sir, I cannot trustlady froe of my mother and sister without delay I know that to anyone but myself-to you, who consider the i lady, who is now your ward, and the object of your peculiar care-ht of rashness and presumption I know it is so But who can see her as I have seen, who can knohat her life has been, and not love her? I have no excuse but that; and as I cannot fly from this temptation, and cannot repress this passion, with its object constantly before me, what can I do but pray and beseech you to reet her?'

'Mr Nickleby,' said the oldto expose a young ht have foreseen ould happen Thank you, sir, thank you Madeline shall be rerant me one favour, dear sir, and suffer her to re to her this confession-'

'I will take care,' said Mr Cheeryble 'And now, is this all you have to tellhis eye, 'it is not'

'I know the rest,' said Mr Cheeryble, apparently very much relieved by this proe?'

'When I reached ho'

'You felt it your duty immediately to come to me, and tell me what your sister no doubt acquainted you with?'

'I did,' said Nicholas, 'though I could have wished to have spoken to Mr Frank first'

'Frank ith entleman 'You have done well, Mr Nickleby-very well, sir-and I thank you again'

Upon this head, Nicholas requested per he had said would lead to the estrangement of Kate and Madeline, who had formed an attachment for each other, any interruption of which would, he knew, be attended with great pain to them, and, most of all, with res were all forgotten, he hoped that Frank and he ht of his humble home, or of her ell contented to reain disturb the harmony between them He recounted, as nearly as he could, what had passed between hi of her with such war so cheerfully upon the confidence they had of overco contented and happy in each other's love, that few could have heard him unmoved More moved himself than he had been yet, he expressed in a few hurried words-as expressive, perhaps, as the most eloquent phrases-his devotion to the brothers, and his hope that he ht live and die in their service

To all this, brother Charles listened in profound silence, and with his chair so turned from Nicholas that his face could not be seen He had not spoken either, in his accustomed manner, but with a certain stiffness and en to it Nicholas feared he had offended hiht,' but that was all

'Frank is a heedless, foolish fellow,' he said, after Nicholas had paused for some time; 'a very heedless, foolish felloill take care that this is brought to a close without delay Let us say no more upon the subject; it's a very painful one to s to tell you, my dear sir, and your uncle has appointed this afternoon for your waiting upon hi upon him! With you, sir!' cried Nicholas

'Ay, with entleman 'Return to me in half an hour, and I'll tell you more'

Nicholas waited upon him at the time mentioned, and then learnt all that had taken place on the previous day, and all that was known of the appointht; and for the better understanding of which it will be requisite to return and follow his own footsteps from the house of the twin brothers Therefore, we leave Nicholas somewhat reassured by the restored kindness of their manner towards him, and yet sensible that it was different froh he scarcely knehat respect): so he was full of uneasiness, uncertainty, and disquiet