Part 75 (1/2)

An old Acquaintance is recognised under melancholy Circumstances, and Dotheboys Hall breaks up for ever Nicholas was one of those whose joy is incomplete unless it is shared by the friends of adverse and less fortunate days Surrounded by every fascination of love and hope, his warm heart yearned towards plain John Browdie He re with a sain with the bundle on his shoulder trudging patiently by his side; and heard the honest Yorkshi+reement as he left them on their road to London

Madeline and he sat down, very many times, jointly to produce a letter which should acquaint John at full length with his altered fortunes, and assure hiratitude It so happened, however, that the letter could never be written Although they applied themselves to it with the best intentions in the world, it chanced that they always fell to talking about so else, and when Nicholas tried it by himself, he found it impossible to write one-half of what he wished to say, or to pen anything, indeed, which on reperusal did not appear cold and unsatisfactory co on thus fro himself more and ed him) to make a hasty trip into Yorkshi+re, and present himself before Mr and Mrs Broithout a word of notice

Thus it was that between seven and eight o'clock one evening, he and Kate found the a place to Greta Bridge by the next o ard, to procure some little necessaries for his journey, and, as it was a fine night, they agreed to walk there, and ride home

The place they had just been in called up so many recollections, and Kate had so many anecdotes of Madeline, and Nicholas so many anecdotes of Frank, and each was so interested in what the other said, and both were so happy and confiding, and had so ed for a full half-hour into that labyrinth of streets which lies between Seven Dials and Soho, without ean to think it just possible they ht have lost their way

The possibility was soon converted into a certainty; for, on looking about, and walking first to one end of the street and then to the other, he could find no landain in quest of some place at which he could seek a direction

It was a by-street, and there was nobody about, or in the feretched shops they passed Making towards a faint gleaht which streamed across the pavement from a cellar, Nicholas was about to descend two or three steps so as to render himself visible to those below and make his inquiry, when he was arrested by a loud noise of scolding in a woman's voice

'Oh co You'll be hurt'

'Wait one instant, Kate Let us hear if there's anything the matter,' returned her brother 'Hush!+'

'You nasty, idle, vicious, good-for-nothing brute,' cried the wole?'

'So I am, my life and soul!' replied the , like a derind!'

'Then why don't you go and list for a soldier?' retorted the woman; 'you're welcome to'

'For a soldier!' cried the ladness see him in a coarse red coat with a little tail? Would she hear of his being slapped and beat by druuns, and have his hair cut, and his whiskers shaved, and his eyes turned right and left, and his trousers pipeclayed?'

'Dear Nicholas,' whispered Kate, 'you don't knoho that is It's Mr Mantalini I am confident'

'Do make sure! Peep at him while I ask the way,' said Nicholas 'Co her after him, Nicholas crept down the steps and looked into a small boarded cellar There, amidst clothes-baskets and clothes, stripped up to his shi+rt-sleeves, but wearing still an old patched pair of pantaloons of superlative make, a once brilliant waistcoat, andtheir lustrous dye-there, endeavouring to mollify the wrath of a buxom female-not the lawful Madanoise, led with her shrill tones, appeared alant, fascinating, and once dashi+ng Mantalini

'Oh you false traitor!' cried the lady, threatening personal violence on Mr Mantalini's face

'False! Oh de, andchick-a-biddy, be calm,' said Mr Mantalini, humbly

'I won't!' screamed the woe lamb!' cried Mr Mantalini

'You're never to be trusted,' screaallivanting soh that I paid two pound fourteen for you, and took you out of prison and let you live here like a gentle my heart besides?'

'I will never break its heart, I will be a good boy, and never do so anyits little pardon,' said Mr Mantalini, dropping the handle of the ether; 'it is all up with its handsoone to the demnition bos It will have pity? It will not scratch and claw, but pet and coe from her action, by this tender appeal, the lady was on the point of returning so his voice, asked his way to Piccadilly

Mr Mantalini turned round, caught sight of Kate, and, without another word, leapt at one bound into a bed which stood behind the door, and drew the counterpane over his face: kicking meanwhile convulsively

'De voice, 'it's little Nickleby! Shut the door, put out the candle, turn me up in the bedstead! Oh, dem, dem, dem!'

The woman looked, first at Nicholas, and then at Mr Mantalini, as if uncertain on whom to visit this extraordinary behaviour; but Mr Mantalini happening by ill-luck to thrust his nose from under the bedclothes, in his anxiety to ascertain whether the visitors were gone, she suddenly, and with a dexterity which could only have been acquired by long practice, flung a pretty heavy clothes-basket at hiood an aih without venturing to uished Thinking this a favourable opportunity for departing before any of the torrent of her wrath discharged itself upon him, Nicholas hurried Kate off, and left the unfortunate subject of this unexpected recognition to explain his conduct as he best could

The next an his journey It was now cold, winter weather: forcibly recalling to his mind under what circumstances he had first travelled that road, and how one He was alone inside the greater part of the way, and so hinised so passed, either on his journey down, or in the long walk back with poor Smike, he could hardly believe but that all which had since happened had been a drea wearily on towards London, with the world before them

To render these recollections thethrough Stamford and Grantham, and by the little alehouse where he had heard the story of the bold Baron of Grogzwig, everything looked as if he had seen it but yesterday, and not even a flake of the white crust on the roofs hadthe train of ideas which flocked upon hiain outside the coach, with Squeers and the boys; that he heard their voices in the air; and that he felt again, but with aof the heart, and longing after ho hi of Madeline, forgot theht of his arrival, and, rising at a very early hour next , walked to the market town, and inquired for John Browdie's house John lived in the outskirts, noas a family man; and as everbody knew hi a boy who undertook to guide hiate, and in his i look of cottage or garden either, Nicholas made his way to the kitchen door, and knocked lustily with his stick

'Halloa!' cried a voice inside 'Wa'et be the , but thou mak'st noise eneaf!'

With these words, John Browdie opened the door hi his eyes too to their utether, and burst into a hearty roar: 'Ecod, it be the Godfeyther, it be the Godfeyther! Tilly, here be Misther Nickleby Gi' us thee hond, mun Coom awa', coom awa' In wi 'un, doon beside the fire; tak' a soop o' thot Dinnot say a word till thou'st droonk it a'! Oop wi' it,his action to his text, John dragged Nicholas into the kitchen, forced hi fire, poured out from an enormous bottle about a quarter of a pint of spirits, thrust it into his hand, opened his n to hirin of welcoiant

'I ht ha' knowa'd,' said John, 'that nobody but thou would ha' coom wi' sike a knock as you Thot was the wa' thou knocked at schoolmeasther's door, eh? Ha, ha, ha! But I say; wa'at be a' this aboot schoolmeasther?'

'You know it then?' said Nicholas

'They were talking aboot it, doon toon, last neeght,' replied John, 'but neane on 'em seemed quite to un'erstan' it, loike'

'After various shi+ftings and delays,' said Nicholas, 'he has been sentenced to be transported for seven years, for being in the unlawful possession of a stolen will; and, after that, he has to suffer the consequence of a conspiracy'

'Whew!' cried John, 'a conspiracy! Soom'at in the pooder-plot wa'? Eh? Soom'at in the Guy Faux line?'

'No, no, no, a conspiracy connected with his school; I'll explain it presently'

'Thot's reeght!' said John, 'explain it arter breakfast, not noo, for thou be'est hoongry, and so am I; and Tilly she mun' be at the bottom o' a' explanations, for she says thot's the mutual confidence Ha, ha, ha! Ecod, it's a room start, is the mutual confidence!'

The entrance of Mrs Browdie, with a s been detected in the act of breakfasting in the kitchen, stopped John in his discussion of this grave subject, and hastened the breakfast: which, being cos, boiled ham, Yorkshi+re pie, and other cold substantials (of which heavy relays were constantly appearing from another kitchen under the direction of a very plu, and received the utmost justice from all parties At last, it cahted in the best parlour having by this time burnt up, they adjourned thither, to hear what Nicholas had to tell

Nicholas told them all, and never was there a story which awakened so er listeners At one tiroaned in sympathy, and at another roared with joy; at one tiht of the brothers Cheeryble; and, at another, swore that Tie free, as an to describe Madeline, he sat with hisMrs Browdie fro under his breath that she must be 'raa'ther a tidy sart,' and when he heard at last that his young friend had coood fortune, and to convey to him all those assurances of friendshi+p which he could not state with sufficient war-that the only object of his journey was to share his happiness with them, and to tell them that when he was married they must come up to see him, and that Madeline insisted on it as well as he-John could hold out no longer, but after looking indignantly at his wife, and de for, drew his coat sleeve over his eyes and blubbered outright

'Tell'ee wa'at though,' said John seriously, when a great deal had been said on both sides, 'to return to schoolmeasther If this news aboot 'un has reached school today, the old 'ooman wean't have a whole boan in her boddy, nor fanny neither'

'Oh, John!' cried Mrs Browdie

'Ah! and Oh, John agean,' replied the Yorkshi+rehtn't do When it first got aboot that schoolmeasther was in trouble, so chaps awa' If them as is left, should knoaat's coo! But I think they'll a' gang daft, and spill bluid like wather!'