Acquaints the Reader with the Cause and Origin ofthe Interruption described in the last Chapter, andwith some other Matters necessary to be known.

　　Newman Noggs scrambled in violent haste upstairs withthe steaming beverage, which he had sounceremoniously snatched from the table of Mr Kenwigs,and indeed from the very grasp of the water-rate collector, whowas eyeing the contents of the tumbler, at the moment of itsunexpected abstraction, with lively marks of pleasure visible in hiscountenance. He bore his prize straight to his own back-garret,where, footsore and nearly shoeless, wet, dirty, jaded, anddisfigured with every mark of fatiguing travel, sat Nicholas andSmike, at once the cause and partner of his toil; both perfectlyworn out by their unwonted and protracted exertion.

　　Newman’s first act was to compel Nicholas, with gentle force, toswallow half of the punch at a breath, nearly boiling as it was; andhis next, to pour the remainder down the throat of Smike, who,never having tasted anything stronger than aperient medicine inhis whole life, exhibited various odd manifestations of surpriseand delight, during the passage of the liquor down his throat, andturned up his eyes most emphatically when it was all gone.

　　‘You are wet through,’ said Newman, passing his hand hastilyover the coat which Nicholas had thrown off; ‘and I—I—haven’teven a change,’ he added, with a wistful glance at the shabbyclothes he wore himself.

　　 ‘I have dry clothes, or at least such as will serve my turn well, inmy bundle,’ replied Nicholas. ‘If you look so distressed to see me,you will add to the pain I feel already, at being compelled, for onenight, to cast myself upon your slender means for aid and shelter.’

　　Newman did not look the less distressed to hear Nicholastalking in this strain; but, upon his young friend grasping himheartily by the hand, and assuring him that nothing but implicitconfidence in the sincerity of his professions, and kindness offeeling towards himself, would have induced him, on anyconsideration, even to have made him acquainted with his arrivalin London, Mr Noggs brightened up again, and went aboutmaking such arrangements as were in his power for the comfort ofhis visitors, with extreme alacrity.

　　These were simple enough; poor Newman’s means halting at avery considerable distance short of his inclinations; but, slight asthey were, they were not made without much bustling andrunning about. As Nicholas had husbanded his scanty stock ofmoney, so well that it was not yet quite expended, a supper ofbread and cheese, with some cold beef from the cook’s shop, wassoon placed upon the table; and these viands being flanked by abottle of spirits and a pot of porter, there was no ground forapprehension on the score of hunger or thirst, at all events. Suchpreparations as Newman had it in his power to make, for theaccommodation of his guests during the night, occupied no verygreat time in completing; and as he had insisted, as an expresspreliminary, that Nicholas should change his clothes, and thatSmike should invest himself in his solitary coat (which noentreaties would dissuade him from stripping off for the purpose),the travellers partook of their frugal fare, with more satisfaction than one of them at least had derived from many a better meal.

　　They then drew near the fire, which Newman Noggs had madeup as well as he could, after the inroads of Crowl upon the fuel;and Nicholas, who had hitherto been restrained by the extremeanxiety of his friend that he should refresh himself after hisjourney, now pressed him with earnest questions concerning hismother and sister.

　　‘Well,’ replied Newman, with his accustomed taciturnity; ‘bothwell.’

　　‘They are living in the city still?’ inquired Nicholas.

　　‘They are,’ said Newman.

　　‘And my sister,’—added Nicholas. ‘Is she still engaged in thebusiness which she wrote to tell me she thought she should like somuch?’

　　Newman opened his eyes rather wider than usual, but merelyreplied by a gasp, which, according to the action of the head thataccompanied it, was interpreted by his friends as meaning yes orno. In the present instance, the pantomime consisted of a nod, andnot a shake; so Nicholas took the answer as a favourable one.

　　‘Now listen to me,’ said Nicholas, laying his hand on Newman’sshoulder. ‘Before I would make an effort to see them, I deemed itexpedient to come to you, lest, by gratifying my own selfish desire,I should inflict an injury upon them which I can never repair.

　　What has my uncle heard from Yorkshire?’

　　Newman opened and shut his mouth, several times, as thoughhe were trying his utmost to speak, but could make nothing of it,and finally fixed his eyes on Nicholas with a grim and ghastlystare.

　　‘What has he heard?’ urged Nicholas, colouring. ‘You see that I am prepared to hear the very worst that malice can havesuggested. Why should you conceal it from me? I must know itsooner or later; and what purpose can be gained by trifling withthe matter for a few minutes, when half the time would put me inpossession of all that has occurred? Tell me at once, pray.’

　　‘Tomorrow morning,’ said Newman; ‘hear it tomorrow.’

　　‘What purpose would that answer?’ urged Nicholas.

　　‘You would sleep the better,’ replied Newman.

　　‘I should sleep the worse,’ answered Nicholas, impatiently.

　　‘Sleep! Exhausted as I am, and standing in no common need ofrest, I cannot hope to close my eyes all night, unless you tell meeverything.’

　　‘And if I should tell you everything,’ said Newman, hesitating.

　　‘Why, then you may rouse my indignation or wound my pride,’

　　rejoined Nicholas; ‘but you will not break my rest; for if the scenewere acted over again, I could take no other part than I havetaken; and whatever consequences may accrue to myself from it, Ishall never regret doing as I have done—never, if I starve or beg inconsequence. What is a little poverty or suffering, to the disgraceof the basest and most inhuman cowardice! I tell you, if I hadstood by, tamely and passively, I should have hated myself, andmerited the contempt of every man in existence. The black-hearted scoundrel!’

　　With this gentle allusion to the absent Mr Squeers, Nicholasrepressed his rising wrath, and relating to Newman exactly whathad passed at Dotheboys Hall, entreated him to speak out withoutmore pressing. Thus adjured, Mr Noggs took, from an old trunk, asheet of paper, which appeared to have been scrawled over ingreat haste; and after sundry extraordinary demonstrations of reluctance, delivered himself in the following terms.

　　‘My dear young man, you mustn’t give way to—this sort of thingwill never do, you know—as to getting on in the world, if you takeeverybody’s part that’s ill-treated—Damn it, I am proud to hear ofit; and would have done it myself!’

　　Newman accompanied this very unusual outbreak with aviolent blow upon the table, as if, in the heat of the moment, hehad mistaken it for the chest or ribs of Mr Wackford Squeers.

　　Having, by this open declaration of his feelings, quite precludedhimself from offering Nicholas any cautious worldly advice (whichhad been his first intention), Mr Noggs went straight to the point.

　　‘The day before yesterday,’ said Newman, ‘your uncle receivedthis letter. I took a hasty copy of it, while he was out. Shall I readit?’

　　‘If you please,’ replied Nicholas. Newman Noggs accordinglyread as follows:

　　‘Dotheboys Hall,‘Thursday Morning.

　　‘Sir,‘My pa requests me to write to you, the doctors considering itdoubtful whether he will ever recuvver the use of his legs whichprevents his holding a pen.

　　‘We are in a state of mind beyond everything, and my pa is onemask of brooses both blue and green likewise two forms aresteepled in his Goar. We were kimpelled to have him carried downinto the kitchen where he now lays. You will judge from this thathe has been brought very low.

　　‘When your nevew that you recommended for a teacher had done this to my pa and jumped upon his body with his feet andalso langwedge which I will not pollewt my pen with describing,he assaulted my ma with dreadful violence, dashed her to theearth, and drove her back comb several inches into her head. Avery little more and it must have entered her skull. We have amedical certifiket that if it had, the tortershell would have affectedthe brain.

　　‘Me and my brother were then the victims of his feury sincewhich we have suffered very much which leads us to the arrowingbelief that we have received some injury in our insides, especiallyas no marks of violence are visible externally. I am screaming outloud all the time I write and so is my brother which takes off myattention rather and I hope will excuse mistakes.

　　‘The monster having sasiated his thirst for blood ran away,taking with him a boy of desperate caracter that he had excited torebellyon, and a garnet ring belonging to my ma, and not havingbeen apprehended by the constables is supposed to have beentook up by some stage-coach. My pa begs that if he comes to youthe ring may be returned, and that you will let the thief andassassin go, as if we prosecuted him he would only be transported,and if he is let go he is sure to be hung before long which will saveus trouble and be much more satisfactory. Hoping to hear fromyou when convenient‘I remain ‘Yours and cetrer‘FANNY SQUEERS.

　　‘P.S. I pity his ignorance and despise him.’

　　A profound silence succeeded to the reading of this choiceepistle, during which Newman Noggs, as he folded it up, gazed with a kind of grotesque pity at the boy of desperate charactertherein referred to; who, having no more distinct perception of thematter in hand, than that he had been the unfortunate cause ofheaping trouble and falsehood upon Nicholas, sat mute anddispirited, with a most woe-begone and heart-stricken look.

　　‘Mr Noggs,’ said Nicholas, after a few moments’ reflection, ‘Imust go out at once.’

　　‘Go out!’ cried Newman.

　　‘Yes,’ said Nicholas, ‘to Golden Square. Nobody who knows mewould believe this story of the ring; but it may suit the purpose, orgratify the hatred of Mr Ralph Nickleby to feign to attach credenceto it. It is due—not to him, but to myself—that I should state thetruth; and moreover, I have a word or two to exchange with him,which will not keep cool.’

　　‘They must,’ said Newman.

　　‘They must not, indeed,’ rejoined Nicholas firmly, as heprepared to leave the house.

　　‘Hear me speak,’ said Newman, planting himself before hisimpetuous young friend. ‘He is not there. He is away from town.

　　He will not be back for three days; and I know that letter will notbe answered before he returns.’

　　‘Are you sure of this?’ asked Nicholas, chafing violently, andpacing the narrow room with rapid strides.

　　‘Quite,’ rejoined Newman. ‘He had hardly read it when he wascalled away. Its contents are known to nobody but himself and us.’

　　‘Are you certain?’ demanded Nicholas, precipitately; ‘not evento my mother or sister? If I thought that they—I will go there—Imust see them. Which is the way? Where is it?’

　　‘Now, be advised by me,’ said Newman, speaking for the moment, in his earnestness, like any other man—’ make no effortto see even them, till he comes home. I know the man. Do notseem to have been tampering with anybody. When he returns, gostraight to him, and speak as boldly as you like. Guessing at thereal truth, he knows it as well as you or I. Trust him for that.’

　　‘You mean well to me, and should know him better than I can,’

　　replied Nicholas, after some consideration. ‘Well; let it be so.’

　　Newman, who had stood during the foregoing conversationwith his back planted against the door, ready to oppose any egressfrom the apartment by force, if necessary, resumed his seat withmuch satisfaction; and as the water in the kettle was by this timeboiling, made a glassful of spirits and water for Nicholas, and acracked mug-full for the joint accommodation of himself andSmike, of which the two partook in great harmony, while Nicholas,leaning his head upon his hand, remained buried in melancholymeditation.

　　Meanwhile, the company below stairs, after listening attentivelyand not hearing any noise which would justify them in interferingfor the gratification of their curiosity, returned to the chamber ofthe Kenwigses, and employed themselves in hazarding a greatvariety of conjectures relative to the cause of Mr Noggs’ suddendisappearance and detention.

　　‘Lor, I’ll tell you what,’ said Mrs Kenwigs. ‘Suppose it should bean express sent up to say that his property has all come backagain!’

　　‘Dear me,’ said Mr Kenwigs; ‘it’s not impossible. Perhaps, inthat case, we’d better send up and ask if he won’t take a little morepunch.’

　　‘Kenwigs!’ said Mr Lillyvick, in a loud voice, ‘I’m surprised at you.’

　　‘What’s the matter, sir?’ asked Mr Kenwigs, with becomingsubmission to the collector of water-rates.

　　‘Making such a remark as that, sir,’ replied Mr Lillyvick,angrily. ‘He has had punch already, has he not, sir? I consider theway in which that punch was cut off, if I may use the expression,highly disrespectful to this company; scandalous, perfectlyscandalous. It may be the custom to allow such things in thishouse, but it’s not the kind of behaviour that I’ve been used to seedisplayed, and so I don’t mind telling you, Kenwigs. A gentlemanhas a glass of punch before him to which he is just about to set hislips, when another gentleman comes and collars that glass ofpunch, without a “with your leave”, or “by your leave”, and carriesthat glass of punch away. This may be good manners—I dare say itis—but I don’t understand it, that’s all; and what’s more, I don’tcare if I never do. It’s my way to speak my mind, Kenwigs, andthat is my mind; and if you don’t like it, it’s past my regular timefor going to bed, and I can find my way home without making itlater.’

　　Here was an untoward event! The collector had sat swellingand fuming in offended dignity for some minutes, and had nowfairly burst out. The great man—the rich relation—the unmarrieduncle—who had it in his power to make Morleena an heiress, andthe very baby a legatee—was offended. Gracious Powers, wherewas this to end!

　　‘I am very sorry, sir,’ said Mr Kenwigs, humbly.

　　‘Don’t tell me you’re sorry,’ retorted Mr Lillyvick, with muchsharpness. ‘You should have prevented it, then.’

　　The company were quite paralysed by this domestic crash. The back-parlour sat with her mouth wide open, staring vacantly at thecollector, in a stupor of dismay; the other guests were scarcely lessoverpowered by the great man’s irritation. Mr Kenwigs, not beingskilful in such matters, only fanned the flame in attempting toextinguish it.

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