Nicholas Nickleby

une without loss of time) wait upon Mr. Wa

arding this same Snow Hill. The name is such a good one. Snow Hill-Snow Hill too, coupled with a Saracen's Head: picturing to us by a double association of ideas, something stern and rugged! A bleak desolate tract of country, open to piercing blasts and fierce wintry storms-a dark, cold, gloomy heath, lonely by day, and scarcely to be thought of by honest folks at night-a place which solitary wayfare

wded street on which it frowns so darkly-within a few feet of the squalid tottering houses-upon the very spot on which the vendors of soup and fish and damaged fruit are now plying their trades-scores of human beings, amidst a roar of sounds to which even the tumult of a great city is as nothing, four, six, or eight strong men at a time, have been hurried vio

ads and shoulders, which it was once the pride and glory of the choice spirits of this metropolis to pull down at night, but which have for some time remained in undisturbed tranquillity; possibly because this species of humour is now confined to St James's parish, where door knockers are preferred as being more portable, and bell-wires esteemed as convenient toothpicks. Whether this be the reason or not, there

our right, and a gallery of bedrooms on both sides. Just before you, you will observe a long window with the words 'coffee-room' legibly painted above i

h gave him a very sinister appearance, especially when he smiled, at which times his expression bordered closely on the villainous. His hair was very flat and shiny, save at the ends, where it was brushed stiffly up from a low protruding forehead, which assorted well with his harsh voice and coarse manner. He was about two or three and

ngles of the partition. In a corner of the seat, was a very small deal trunk, tied round with a scanty piece of cord; and on the trunk was perched-his lace-up half-boots and corduroy trousers dangling

from the window, and looking sulkily at the cof

ther he was doing anything he could beat him for. As he happened not to be doi

ed pound. I go back at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, and have got only three-three oughts is an ought-three

the top of the trunk

e schoolmaster, turning r

e sir,' replied

r!' exclaime

ned the boy, trembling till th

ted Mr. Squeers. 'Then what d

ig

les into each of his eyes and began to cry, wherefore Mr Squeers knocked him off the tru

ng gentleman,' said Mr Squeers, 'and then I'll g

rubbing his face very hard with the

e, sir,' said Sque

avage aspect, the little boy rubbed his face harder, as if to keep the tears back;

ing in at this juncture; 'here's a g

soft voice. 'Put your handkerchief in your pocket, you lit

the stranger entered. Affecting not to see him, Mr. Squeers feigned to be in

head with crying, what is it? Nothing; less than nothing. You are leaving your friends, but you will have a father in me, my dear, and a mother in Mrs. Squeers. At the del

topping the schoolmaster in the rehearsal of hi

. Squeers, with an assum

stranger, 'that advertis

kshire,' added Mr. Squeers. 'You come on business, sir. I see by my young friends. How do you do, my little gentleman? and how do you do, sir?' With this salut

ur way. My name is Snawle

s much as to say, 'And a re

een thinking, Mr. Squeers, of pla

plied Mr. Squeers, 'but I don't think

wenty pounds per annewum,

the schoolmaster, wi

nk, Mr. Squeers,' said

on before. 'Let me see; four fives is twenty, double that, and deduct the-well, a pound either way

reat eaters,' s

'We don't consider the boys' appetites at our est

; 'every beautiful moral that Mrs. Squeers can instil; every-in short, ever

ls to be particularly att

oolmaster, drawing himself up. 'They have

man yourself,'

ve I am, sir,'

sir,' said Mr. Snawley. 'I asked one of yo

am a little in that l

he other. 'Could I say a few w

you speak to your new playfellow a minute or two? That is one

oking at the poor little urchin as if he

upon now. Each boy is required to bring, sir, two suits of clothes, six shirts, six pair of s

nawley, as they walked int

lied Squeers, in a s

companion looked steadily at each other for a few seconds, and then exchanged a very meaning smile. Snawley was a sleek, flat-nosed man, clad in sombre garments, and

eep boys at your school

n, or until such time as they run away,' replied Squeers. 'Let us understand

ing the gaze of the schoolma

Squeers, coolly. 'We have a go

next box?' s

boy on the trunk, and, turning round again, looked as if he were quite disappoint

t about these boys of yours

is, I am not their father, Mr. Squ

at once. I was wondering what the devil you were going to

and as she has a little money in her own right, I am afraid (women are so very foolish, Mr.

throwing himself back in hi

tance off, where there are no holidays-none of those ill-judged coming home twice a yea

no questions asked,' said

ined the other. 'Morals st

y,' said

allowed, I suppose?' said t

say they never were so happy, and hope the

r,' said the father-in-

ous, exemplary, and well-conducted man in private life; and whether, as a person whose business it is to take charge of

he father-in-law, reciproca

ect to say that, if I

least in

taking up a pen; 'this is doing

re agreeable office of entering the receipt of the first quarter's payment in advance,

lied the schoolma

resenting himself, closely followed by Nicholas. 'There

d Squeers, who had by this time got back to th

on to the word, and placing his hat on the table befor

do, sir?'

very much astonished at the outward appearance of

?' said Ralph, looking na

my half-yearly visits to town, for som

rejoine

a boy named Dorker

otheboys Hall,' said Ralp

d upon that boy in his illness! Dry toast and warm tea offered him every night and morning when he couldn't swallow anything-a candle in his bedroom on the very

ything but smiling, and looked

their bodies into most remarkable contortions, according to the custom of little boys when they first become acquainted. 'This gentleman, sir, is a parent who is kind enough to compliment me upon the course of

sir,' interrupted Ralph, testi

r; it is in the adverti

ssure you, sir, and I am proud to have this opportunity of assuring you, that I

, checking the torrent of recommendation; 'no d

ness," is the very first lesson we instil into our commercial pup

repeated Mas

hat it is, does

entleman,'

repeated Ma

' said Sque

ated Master B

deed,' said S

d Nicholas, g

id Master Belling. 'Ne

ng look at the culprit. 'You and I will perform a

lph, 'we had better tra

ease,' sai

on broached; and I hope easily concluded. You

y so,' sa

really

,' answere

l, with everything he learnt there, fermenting in his head, a

h an application from a youth of Nicholas's fig

ill be teaching all the young noblemen in Dotheboys Hall in less than a we

Mr. Squeers, 'that you object to my you

d considerably puzzled, no less by the contrast between the simplicity of the nephew and the worldly

; 'I'll put this matter in i

the goodness,' r

or a hobbledehoy, or whatever you like to call him,

observed the

thinking it as well to back

s something to do,' said Ralph. 'I recommend him to this splendid establishment of yours, as

alf imitating the sneer with which the old ge

se,' said Nich

ction, I consider myself absolved from extending any assistance to his mother and sister. Look at him, and think of the use he may be to you in half-a-dozen ways! Now, the question is, whether

answering a nod of Ralph's

lph. 'Let me have t

ounced that Mr. Nicholas Nickleby was, from that moment, thoroughly nominated

on has done it, Mr. Nickle

k his uncle's hand warmly, and could alm

hat of that? Porson was an odd-looking man, and

said Squeers, 'the coach starts. You must be here a

, sir,' sa

growled Ralph. 'So, you'll have not

so much, that he could scarcely find words to thank him; indeed, he had not found half en

ning to see you fairly off,

d Nicholas; 'I never sha

go home now, and pack up what you have got to pack. Do y

Nicholas. 'I can

' said Ralph, producing a small parcel,

ncle an affectionate farewell, which that warm-hearted old gentlem

stepped out for a minute or so to the public-house, was o

uired Noggs, point

s; 'and you're to have the goodness to

' cried

said Nicholas

n,' sai

e end of it, where he thrust him into a chair, and mounting upon his high stool, sat, with his a

d Nicholas, laying the pa

sting his head forward so as to obtain a nearer vie

king very loud, under the impres

without uttering a syllable, continued the

so extremely peculiar, that Nicholas, who had a sufficiently keen sense of the ridiculous, could

ich Nicholas rose, and remarking that he

rty being wholly unknown to him, but he drew a long breath and actually said, out loud, without once stopping, t

bject which occupied his thoughts; so, he sat down again, and (his sanguine imagination warming as he spoke) entered into a fervent a

ion, after throwing himself into a variety of uncouth attitudes, thrust his hands under t

king his finger-joints; smiling horribly all the time, and looking stead

nder which circumstances he deemed it prudent to make off at once. He looked back when he had got the street-door open. New