ConclusionWhen her term of mourning had expired, Madeline gaveher hand and fortune to Nicholas; and, on the same dayand at the same time, Kate became Mrs FrankCheeryble. It was expected that Tim Linkinwater and Miss LaCreevy would have made a third couple on the occasion, but theydeclined, and two or three weeks afterwards went out togetherone morning before breakfast, and, coming back with merry faces,were found to have been quietly married that day.

　　The money which Nicholas acquired in right of his wife heinvested in the firm of Cheeryble Brothers, in which Frank hadbecome a partner. Before many years elapsed, the business beganto be carried on in the names of ‘Cheeryble and Nickleby,’ so thatMrs Nickleby’s prophetic anticipations were realised at last.

　　The twin brothers retired. Who needs to be told that they werehappy? They were surrounded by happiness of their own creation,and lived but to increase it.

　　Tim Linkinwater condescended, after much entreaty and browbeating, to accept a share in the house; but he could never beprevailed upon to suffer the publication of his name as a partner,and always persisted in the punctual and regular discharge of hisclerkly duties.

　　He and his wife lived in the old house, and occupied the verybedchamber in which he had slept for four-and-forty years. As hiswife grew older, she became even a more cheerful and light-  1160hearted little creature; and it was a common saying among theirfriends, that it was impossible to say which looked the happier,Tim as he sat calmly smiling in his elbow-chair on one side of thefire, or his brisk little wife chatting and laughing, and constantlybustling in and out of hers, on the other.

　　Dick, the blackbird, was removed from the counting-house andpromoted to a warm corner in the common sitting-room. Beneathhis cage hung two miniatures, of Mrs Linkinwater’s execution; onerepresenting herself, and the other Tim; and both smiling veryhard at all beholders. Tim’s head being powdered like a twelfthcake, and his spectacles copied with great nicety, strangersdetected a close resemblance to him at the first glance, and thisleading them to suspect that the other must be his wife, andemboldening them to say so without scruple, Mrs Linkinwatergrew very proud of these achievements in time, and consideredthem among the most successful likenesses she had ever painted.

　　Tim had the profoundest faith in them, likewise; for on this, as onall other subjects, they held but one opinion; and if ever therewere a ‘comfortable couple’ in the world, it was Mr and MrsLinkinwater.

　　Ralph, having died intestate, and having no relations but thosewith whom he had lived in such enmity, they would have becomein legal course his heirs. But they could not bear the thought ofgrowing rich on money so acquired, and felt as though they couldnever hope to prosper with it. They made no claim to his wealth;and the riches for which he had toiled all his days, and burdenedhis soul with so many evil deeds, were swept at last into the coffersof the state, and no man was t............