Chapter 46

by Charles Dickens

　　Throws some Light upon Nicholas's Love; but whether for Good or Evilthe Reader must determineAfter an anxious consideration of the painful and embarrassingposition in which he was placed, Nicholas decided that he ought tolose no time in frankly stating it to the kind brothers. Availinghimself of the first opportunity of being alone with Mr CharlesCheeryble at the close of next day, he accordingly related Smike'slittle history, and modestly but firmly expressed his hope that thegood old gentleman would, under such circumstances as he described,hold him justified in adopting the extreme course of interferingbetween parent and child, and upholding the latter in hisdisobedience; even though his horror and dread of his father mightseem, and would doubtless be represented as, a thing so repulsiveand unnatural, as to render those who countenanced him in it, fitobjects of general detestation and abhorrence.'So deeply rooted does this horror of the man appear to be,' saidNicholas, 'that I can hardly believe he really is his son. Naturedoes not seem to have implanted in his breast one lingering feelingof affection for him, and surely she can never err.''My dear sir,' replied brother Charles, 'you fall into the verycommon mistake of charging upon Nature, matters with which she hasnot the smallest connection, and for which she is in no wayresponsible. Men talk of Nature as an abstract thing, and losesight of what is natural while they do so. Here is a poor lad whohas never felt a parent's care, who has scarcely known anything allhis life but suffering and sorrow, presented to a man who he is toldis his father, and whose first act is to signify his intention ofputting an end to his short term of happiness, of consigning him tohis old fate, and taking him from the only friend he has ever had--which is yourself. If Nature, in such a case, put into that lad'sbreast but one secret prompting which urged him towards his fatherand away from you, she would be a liar and an idiot.'Nicholas was delighted to find that the old gentleman spoke sowarmly, and in the hope that he might say something more to the samepurpose, made no reply.'The same mistake presents itself to me, in one shape or other, atevery turn,' said brother Charles. 'Parents who never showed theirlove, complain of want of natural affection in their children;children who never showed their duty, complain of want of naturalfeeling in their parents; law-makers who find both so miserable thattheir affections have never had enough of life's sun to developthem, are loud in their moralisings over parents and children too,and cry that the very ties of nature are disregarded. Naturalaffections and instincts, my dear sir, are the most beautiful of theAlmighty's works, but like other beautiful works of His, they mustbe reared and fostered, or it is as natural that they should bewholly obscured, and that new feelings should usurp their place, asit is that the sweetest productions of the earth, left untended,should be choked with weeds and briers. I wish we could be broughtto consider this, and remembering natural obligations a little moreat the right time, talk about them a little less at the wrong one.'After this, brother Charles, who had talked himself into a greatheat, stopped to cool a little, and then continued:'I dare say you are surprised, my dear sir, that I have listened toyour recital with so little astonishment. That is easily explained.Your uncle has been here this morning.'Nicholas coloured, and drew back a step or two.'Yes,' said the old gentleman, tapping his desk emphatically, 'here,in this room. He would listen neither to reason, feeling, norjustice. But brother Ned was hard upon him; brother Ned, sir, mighthave melted a paving-stone.''He came to--' said Nicholas.'To complain of you,' returned brother Charles, 'to poison our earswith calumnies and falsehoods; but he came on a fruitless errand,and went away with some wholesome truths in his ear besides.Brother Ned, my dear My Nickleby--brother Ned, sir, is a perfectlion. So is Tim Linkinwater; Tim is quite a lion. We had Tim in toface him at first, and Tim was at him, sir, before you could say"Jack Robinson."''How can I ever thank you for all the deep obligations you imposeupon me every day?' said Nicholas.'By keeping silence upon the subject, my dear sir,' returned brotherCharles. 'You shall be righted. At least you shall not be wronged.Nobody belonging to you shall be wronged. They shall not hurt ahair of your head, or the boy's head, or your mother's head, or yoursister's head. I have said it, brother Ned has said it, TimLinkinwater has said it. We have all said it, and we'll all do it.I have seen the father--if he is the father--and I suppose he mustbe. He is a barbarian and a hypocrite, Mr Nickleby. I told him,"You are a barbarian, sir." I did. I said, "You're a barbarian,sir." And I'm glad of it, I am very glad I told him he was abarbarian, very glad indeed!'By this time brother Charles was in such a very warm state ofindignation, that Nicholas thought he might venture to put in aword, but the moment he essayed to do so, Mr Cheeryble laid his handsoftly upon his arm, and pointed to a chair.'The subject is at an end for the present,' said the old gentleman,wiping his face. 'Don't revive it by a single word. I am going tospeak upon another subject, a confidential subject, Mr Nickleby. Wemust be cool again, we must be cool.'After two or three turns across the room he resumed his seat, anddrawing his chair nearer to that on which Nicholas was seated, said:'I am about to employ you, my dear sir, on a confidential anddelicate mission.''You might employ many a more able messenger, sir,' said Nicholas,'but a more trustworthy or zealous one, I may be bold to say, youcould not find.''Of that I am well assured,' returned brother Charles, 'wellassured. You will give me credit for thinking so, when I tell youthat the object of this mission is a young lady.''A young lady, sir!' cried Nicholas, quite trembling for the momentwith his eagerness to hear more.'A very beautiful young lady,' said Mr Cheeryble, gravely.'Pray go on, sir,' returned Nicholas.'I am thinking how to do so,' said brother Charles; sadly, as itseemed to his young friend, and with an expression allied to pain.'You accidentally saw a young lady in this room one morning, my dearsir, in a fainting fit. Do you remember? Perhaps you haveforgotten.''Oh no,' replied Nicholas, hurriedly. 'I--I--remember it very wellindeed.''She is the lady I speak of,' said brother Charles. Like the famousparrot, Nicholas thought a great deal, but was unable to utter aword.'She is the daughter,' said Mr Cheeryble, 'of a lady who, when shewas a beautiful girl herself, and I was very many years younger, I--it seems a strange word for me to utter now--I loved very dearly.You will smile, perhaps, to hear a grey-headed man talk about suchthings. You will not offend me, for when I was as young as you, Idare say I should have done the same.''I have no such inclination, indeed,' said Nicholas.'My dear brother Ned,' continued Mr Cheeryble, 'was to have marriedher sister, but she died. She is dead too now, and has been formany years. She married her choice; and I wish I could add thather after-life was as happy as God knows I ever prayed it might be!'A short silence intervened, which Nicholas made no effort to break.'If trial and calamity had fallen as lightly on his head, as in thedeepest truth of my own heart I ever hoped (for her sake) it would,his life would have been one of peace and happiness,' said the oldgentleman calmly. 'It will be enough to say that this was not thecase; that she was not happy; that they fell into complicateddistresses and difficulties; that she came, twelve months before herdeath, to appeal to my old friendship; sadly changed, sadly altered,broken-spirited from suffering and ill-usage, and almost broken-hearted. He readily availed himself of the money which, to give herbut one hour's peace of mind, I would have poured out as freely aswater--nay, he often sent her back for more--and yet even while hesquandered it, he made the very success of these, her applicationsto me, the groundwork of cruel taunts and jeers, protesting that heknew she thought with bitter remorse of the choice she had made,that she had married him from motives of interest and vanity (he wasa gay young man with great friends about him when she chose him forher husband), and venting in short upon her, by every unjust andunkind means, the bitterness of that ruin and disappointment whichhad been brought about by his profligacy alone. In those times thisyoung lady was a mere child. I never saw her again until thatmorning when you saw her also, but my nephew, Frank--'Nicholas started, and indistinctly apologising for the interruption,begged his patron to proceed.'--My nephew, Frank, I say,' resumed Mr Cheeryble, 'encountered her byaccident, and lost sight of her almost in a minute afterwards,within two days after he returned to England. Her father lay insome secret place to avoid his creditors, reduced, between sicknessand poverty, to the verge of death, and she, a child,--we mightalmost think, if we did not know the wisdom of all Heaven's decrees--who should have blessed a better man, was steadily bravingprivation, degradation, and everything most terrible to such a youngand delicate creature's heart, for the purpose of supporting him.She was attended, sir,' said brother Charles, 'in these reverses, byone faithful creature, who had been, in old times, a poor kitchenwench in the family, who was then their solitary servant, but whomight have been, for the truth and fidelity of her heart--who mighthave been--ah! the wife of Tim Linkinwater himself, sir!'Pursuing this encomium upon the poor follower with such energy andrelish as no words can describe, brother Charles leant back in hischair, and delivered the remainder of his relation with greatercomposure.It was in substance this: That proudly resisting all offers ofpermanent aid and support from her late mother's friends, becausethey were made conditional upon her quitting the wretched man, herfather, who had no friends left, and shrinking with instinctivedelicacy from appealing in their behalf to that true and noble heartwhich he hated, and had, through its greatest and purest goodness,deeply wronged by misconstruction and ill report, this young girlhad struggled alone and unassisted to maintain him by the labour ofher hands. That through the utmost depths of poverty and afflictionshe had toiled, never turning aside for an instant from her task,never wearied by the petulant gloom of a sick man sustained by noconsoling recollections of the past or hopes of the future; neverrepining for the comforts she had rejected, or bewailing the hardlot she had voluntarily incurred. That every little accomplishmentshe had acquired in happier days had been put into requisition forthis purpose, and directed to this one end. That for two longyears, toiling by day and often too by night, working at the needle,the pencil, and the pen, and submitting, as a daily governess, tosuch caprices and indignities as women (with daughters too) toooften love to inflict upon their own sex when they serve in suchcapacities, as though in jealousy of the superior intelligence whichthey are necessitated to employ,--indignities, in ninety-nine casesout of every hundred, heaped upon persons immeasurably andincalculably their betters, but outweighing in comparison any thatthe most heartless blackleg would put upon his groom--that for twolong years, by dint of labouring in all these capacities andwearying in none, she had not succeeded in the sole aim and objectof her life, but that, overwhelmed by accumulated difficulties anddisappointments, she had been compelled to seek out her mother's oldfriend, and, with a bursting heart, to confide in him at last.'If I had been poor,' said brother Charles, with sparkling eyes; 'ifI had been poor, Mr Nickleby, my dear sir, which thank God I am not,I would have denied myself (of course anybody would under suchcircumstances) the commonest necessaries of life, to help her. Asit is, the task is a difficult one. If her father were dead,nothing could be easier, for then she should share and cheer thehappiest home that brother Ned and I could have, as if she were ourchild or sister. But he is still alive. Nobody can help him; thathas been tried a thousand times; he was not abandoned by all withoutgood cause, I know.''Cannot she be persuaded to--' Nicholas hesitated when he had gotthus far.'To leave him?' said brother Charles. 'Who could entreat a child todesert her parent? Such entreaties, limited to her seeing himoccasionally, have been urged upon her--not by me--but always withthe same result.''Is he kind to her?' said Nicholas. 'Does he requite her affection?''True kindness, considerate self-denying kindness, is not in hisnature,' returned Mr Cheeryble. 'Such kindness as he knows, heregards her with, I believe. The mother was a gentle, loving,confiding creature, and although he wounded her from their marriagetill her death as cruelly and wantonly as ever man did, she neverceased to love him. She commended him on her death-bed to herchild's care. Her child has never forgotten it, and never will.''Have you no influence over him?' asked Nicholas.'I, my dear sir! The last man in the world. Such are his jealousyand hatred of me, that if he knew his daughter had opened her heartto me, he would render her life miserable with his reproaches;although--this is the inconsistency and selfishness of hischaracter--although if he knew that every penny she had came fromme, he would not relinquish one personal desire that the mostreckless expenditure of her scanty stock could gratify.''An unnatural scoundrel!' said Nicholas, indignantly.'We will use no harsh terms,' said brother Charles, in a gentlevoice; 'but accommodate ourselves to the circumstances in which thisyoung lady is placed. Such assistance as I have prevailed upon herto accept, I have been obliged, at her own earnest request, to doleout in the smallest portions, lest he, finding how easily money wasprocured, should squander it even more lightly than he is accustomedto do. She has come to and fro, to and fro, secretly and by night,to take even this; and I cannot bear that things should go on inthis way, Mr Nickleby, I really cannot bear it.'Then it came out by little and little, how that the twins had beenrevolving in their good old heads manifold plans and schemes forhelping this young lady in the most delicate and considerate way,and so that her father should not suspect the source whence the aidwas derived; and how they had at last come to the conclusion, thatthe best course would be to make a feint of purchasing her littledrawings and ornamental work at a high price, and keeping up aconstant demand for the same. For the furtherance of which end andobject it was necessary that somebody should represent the dealer insuch commodities, and after great deliberation they had pitched uponNicholas to support this character.'He knows me,' said brother Charles, 'and he knows my brother Ned.Neither of us would do. Frank is a very good fellow--a very finefellow--but we are afraid that he might be a little flighty andthoughtless in such a delicate matter, and that he might, perhaps--that he might, in short, be too susceptible (for she is a beautifulcreature, sir; just what her poor mother was), and falling in lovewith her before he knew well his own mind, carry pain and sorrowinto that innocent breast, which we would be the humble instrumentsof gradually making happy. He took an extraordinary interest in herfortunes when he first happened to encounter her; and we gather fromthe inquiries we have made of him, that it was she in whose behalfhe made that turmoil which led to your first acquaintance.'Nicholas stammered out that he had before suspected the possibilityof such a thing; and in explanation of its having occurred to him,described when and where he had seen the young lady himself.'Well; then you see,' continued brother Charles, 'that he wouldn'tdo. Tim Linkinwater is out of the question; for Tim, sir, is such atremendous fellow, that he could never contain himself, but would goto loggerheads with the father before he had been in the place fiveminutes. You don't know what Tim is, sir, when he is aroused byanything that appeals to his feelings very strongly; then he isterrific, sir, is Tim Linkinwater, absolutely terrific. Now, in youwe can repose the strictest confidence; in you we have seen--or atleast I have seen, and that's the same thing, for there's nodifference between me and my brother Ned, except that he is thefinest creature that ever lived, and that there is not, and neverwill be, anybody like him in all the world--in you we have seendomestic virtues and affections, and delicacy of feeling, whichexactly qualify you for such an office. And you are the man, sir.''The young lady, sir,' said Nicholas, who felt so embarrassed thathe had no small difficulty in saying anything at all--'Does--is--isshe a party to this innocent deceit?''Yes, yes,' returned Mr Cheeryble; 'at least she knows you come fromus; she does not know, however, but that we shall dispose of theselittle productions that you'll purchase from time to time; and,perhaps, if you did it very well (that is, very well indeed),perhaps she might be brought to believe that we--that we made aprofit of them. Eh? Eh?'In this guileless and most kind simplicity, brother Charles was sohappy, and in this possibility of the young lady being led to thinkthat she was under no obligation to him, he evidently felt sosanguine and had so much delight, that Nicholas would not breathe adoubt upon the subject.All this time, however, there hovered upon the tip of his tongue aconfession that the very same objections which Mr Cheeryble hadstated to the employment of his nephew in this commission appliedwith at least equal force and validity to himself, and a hundredtimes had he been upon the point of avowing the real state of hisfeelings, and entreating to be released from it. But as often,treading upon the heels of this impulse, came another which urgedhim to refrain, and to keep his secret to his own breast. 'Whyshould I,' thought Nicholas, 'why should I throw difficulties in theway of this benevolent and high-minded design? What if I do loveand reverence this good and lovely creature. Should I not appear amost arrogant and shallow coxcomb if I gravely represented thatthere was any danger of her falling in love with me? Besides, haveI no confidence in myself? Am I not now bound in honour to repressthese thoughts? Has not this excellent man a right to my best andheartiest services, and should any considerations of self deter mefrom rendering them?'Asking himself such questions as these, Nicholas mentally answeredwith great emphasis 'No!' and persuading himself that he was a mostconscientious and glorious martyr, nobly resolved to do what, if hehad examined his own heart a little more carefully, he would havefound he could not resist. Such is the sleight of hand by which wejuggle with ourselves, and change our very weaknesses into stanchand most magnanimous virtues!Mr Cheeryble, being of course wholly unsuspicious that suchreflections were presenting themselves to his young friend,proceeded to give him the needful credentials and directions for hisfirst visit, which was to be made next morning; and allpreliminaries being arranged, and the strictest secrecy enjoined,Nicholas walked home for the night very thoughtfully indeed.The place to which Mr Cheeryble had directed him was a row of meanand not over-cleanly houses, situated within 'the Rules' of theKing's Bench Prison, and not many hundred paces distant from theobelisk in St George's Fields. The Rules are a certain libertyadjoining the prison, and comprising some dozen streets in whichdebtors who can raise money to pay large fees, from which theircreditors do not derive any benefit, are permitted to reside by thewise provisions of the same enlightened laws which leave the debtorwho can raise no money to starve in jail, without the food,clothing, lodging, or warmth, which are provided for felonsconvicted of the most atrocious crimes that can disgrace humanity.There are many pleasant fictions of the law in constant operation,but there is not one so pleasant or practically humorous as thatwhich supposes every man to be of equal value in its impartial eye,and the benefits of all laws to be equally attainable by all men,without the smallest reference to the furniture of their pockets.To the row of houses indicated to him by Mr Charles Cheeryble,Nicholas directed his steps, without much troubling his head withsuch matters as these; and at this row of houses--after traversing avery dirty and dusty suburb, of which minor theatricals, shell-fish,ginger-beer, spring vans, greengrocery, and brokers' shops, appearedto compose the main and most prominent features--he at lengtharrived with a palpitating heart. There were small gardens in frontwhich, being wholly neglected in all other respects, served aslittle pens for the dust to collect in, until the wind came roundthe corner and blew it down the road. Opening the rickety gatewhich, dangling on its broken hinges before one of these, halfadmitted and half repulsed the visitor, Nicholas knocked at thestreet door with a faltering hand.It was in truth a shabby house outside, with very dim parlourwindows and very small show of blinds, and very dirty muslincurtains dangling across the lower panes on very loose and limpstrings. Neither, when the door was opened, did the inside appearto belie the outward promise, as there was faded carpeting on thestairs and faded oil-cloth in the passage; in addition to whichdiscomforts a gentleman Ruler was smoking hard in the front parlour(though it was not yet noon), while the lady of the house was busilyengaged in turpentining the disjointed fragments of a tent-bedsteadat the door of the back parlour, as if in preparation for the receptionof some new lodger who had been fortunate enough to engage it.Nicholas had ample time to make these observations while the littleboy, who went on errands for the lodgers, clattered down the kitchenstairs and was heard to scream, as in some remote cellar, for MissBray's servant, who, presently appearing and requesting him tofollow her, caused him to evince greater symptoms of nervousness anddisorder than so natural a consequence of his having inquired forthat young lady would seem calculated to occasion.Upstairs he went, however, and into a front room he was shown, andthere, seated at a little table by the window, on which were drawingmaterials with which she was occupied, sat the beautiful girl whohad so engrossed his thoughts, and who, surrounded by all the newand strong interest which Nicholas attached to her story, seemednow, in his eyes, a thousand times more beautiful than he had everyet supposed her.But how the graces and elegancies which she had dispersed about thepoorly-furnished room went to the heart of Nicholas! Flowers,plants, birds, the harp, the old piano whose notes had sounded somuch sweeter in bygone times; how many struggles had it cost her tokeep these two last links of that broken chain which bound her yetto home! With every slender ornament, the occupation of her leisurehours, replete with that graceful charm which lingers in everylittle tasteful work of woman's hands, how much patient enduranceand how many gentle affections were entwined! He felt as though thesmile of Heaven were on the little chamber; as though the beautifuldevotion of so young and weak a creature had shed a ray of its ownon the inanimate things around, and made them beautiful as itself;as though the halo with which old painters surround the brightangels of a sinless world played about a being akin in spirit tothem, and its light were visibly before him.And yet Nicholas was in the Rules of the King's Bench Prison! If hehad been in Italy indeed, and the time had been sunset, and thescene a stately terrace! But, there is one broad sky over all theworld, and whether it be blue or cloudy, the same heaven beyond it;so, perhaps, he had no need of compunction for thinking as he did.It is not to be supposed that he took in everything at one glance,for he had as yet been unconscious of the presence of a sick manpropped up with pillows in an easy-chair, who, moving restlessly andimpatiently in his seat, attracted his attention.He was scarce fifty, perhaps, but so emaciated as to appear mucholder. His features presented the remains of a handsomecountenance, but one in which the embers of strong and impetuouspassions were easier to be traced than any expression which wouldhave rendered a far plainer face much more prepossessing. His lookswere very haggard, and his limbs and body literally worn to thebone, but there was something of the old fire in the large sunkeneye notwithstanding, and it seemed to kindle afresh as he struck athick stick, with which he seemed to have supported himself in hisseat, impatiently on the floor twice or thrice, and called hisdaughter by her name.'Madeline, who is this? What does anybody want here? Who told astranger we could be seen? What is it?''I believe--' the young lady began, as she inclined her head with anair of some confusion, in reply to the salutation of Nicholas.'You always believe,' returned her father, petulantly. 'What isit?'By this time Nicholas had recovered sufficient presence of mind tospeak for himself, so he said (as it had been agreed he should say)that he had called about a pair of hand-screens, and some paintedvelvet for an ottoman, both of which were required to be of the mostelegant design possible, neither time nor expense being of thesmallest consideration. He had also to pay for the two drawings,with many thanks, and, advancing to the little table, he laid uponit a bank note, folded in an envelope and sealed.'See that the money is right, Madeline,' said the father. 'Open thepaper, my dear.''It's quite right, papa, I'm sure.''Here!' said Mr Bray, putting out his hand, and opening and shuttinghis bony fingers with irritable impatience. 'Let me see. What areyou talking about, Madeline? You're sure? How can you be sure of anysuch thing? Five pounds--well, is that right?''Quite,' said Madeline, bending over him. She was so busilyemployed in arranging the pillows that Nicholas could not see herface, but as she stooped he thought he saw a tear fall.'Ring the bell, ring the bell,' said the sick man, with the samenervous eagerness, and motioning towards it with such a quiveringhand that the bank note rustled in the air. 'Tell her to get itchanged, to get me a newspaper, to buy me some grapes, anotherbottle of the wine that I had last week--and--and--I forget half Iwant just now, but she can go out again. Let her get those first,those first. Now, Madeline, my love, quick, quick! Good God, howslow you are!''He remembers nothing that she wants!' thought Nicholas. Perhapssomething of what he thought was expressed in his countenance, forthe sick man, turning towards him with great asperity, demanded toknow if he waited for a receipt.'It is no matter at all,' said Nicholas.'No matter! what do you mean, sir?' was the tart rejoinder. 'Nomatter! Do you think you bring your paltry money here as a favouror a gift; or as a matter of business, and in return for valuereceived? D--n you, sir, because you can't appreciate the time andtaste which are bestowed upon the goods you deal in, do you thinkyou give your money away? Do you know that you are talking to agentleman, sir, who at one time could have bought up fifty such menas you and all you have? What do you mean?''I merely mean that as I shall have many dealings with this lady, ifshe will kindly allow me, I will not trouble her with such forms,'said Nicholas.'Then I mean, if you please, that we'll have as many forms as wecan, returned the father. 'My daughter, sir, requires no kindnessfrom you or anybody else. Have the goodness to confine yourdealings strictly to trade and business, and not to travel beyondit. Every petty tradesman is to begin to pity her now, is he? Uponmy soul! Very pretty. Madeline, my dear, give him a receipt; andmind you always do so.'While she was feigning to write it, and Nicholas was ruminating uponthe extraordinary but by no means uncommon character thus presentedto his observation, the invalid, who appeared at times to suffergreat bodily pain, sank back in his chair and moaned out a feeblecomplaint that the girl had been gone an hour, and that everybodyconspired to goad him.'When,' said Nicholas, as he took the piece of paper, 'when shall Icall again?'This was addressed to the daughter, but the father answeredimmediately.'When you're requested to call, sir, and not before. Don't worryand persecute. Madeline, my dear, when is this person to callagain?''Oh, not for a long time, not for three or four weeks; it is notnecessary, indeed; I can do without,' said the young lady, withgreat eagerness.'Why, how are we to do without?' urged her father, not speakingabove his breath. 'Three or four weeks, Madeline! Three or fourweeks!''Then sooner, sooner, if you please,' said the young lady, turningto Nicholas.'Three or four weeks!' muttered the father. 'Madeline, what onearth--do nothing for three or four weeks!''It is a long time, ma'am,' said Nicholas.'You think so, do you?' retorted the father, angrily. 'If I choseto beg, sir, and stoop to ask assistance from people I despise,three or four months would not be a long time; three or four yearswould not be a long time. Understand, sir, that is if I chose to bedependent; but as I don't, you may call in a week.'Nicholas bowed low to the young lady and retired, pondering upon MrBray's ideas of independence, and devoutly hoping that there mightbe few such independent spirits as he mingling with the baser clayof humanity.He heard a light footstep above him as he descended the stairs, andlooking round saw that the young lady was standing there, andglancing timidly towards him, seemed to hesitate whether she shouldcall him back or no. The best way of settling the question was toturn back at once, which Nicholas did.'I don't know whether I do right in asking you, sir,' said Madeline,hurriedly, 'but pray, pray, do not mention to my poor mother's dearfriends what has passed here today. He has suffered much, and isworse this morning. I beg you, sir, as a boon, a favour to myself.''You have but to hint a wish,' returned Nicholas fervently, 'and Iwould hazard my life to gratify it.''You speak hastily, sir.''Truly and sincerely,' rejoined Nicholas, his lips trembling as heformed the words, 'if ever man spoke truly yet. I am not skilled indisguising my feelings, and if I were, I could not hide my heartfrom you. Dear madam, as I know your history, and feel as men andangels must who hear and see such things, I do entreat you tobelieve that I would die to serve you.'The young lady turned away her head, and was plainly weeping.'Forgive me,' said Nicholas, with respectful earnestness, 'if I seemto say too much, or to presume upon the confidence which has beenintrusted to me. But I could not leave you as if my interest andsympathy expired with the commission of the day. I am your faithfulservant, humbly devoted to you from this hour, devoted in stricttruth and honour to him who sent me here, and in pure integrity ofheart, and distant respect for you. If I meant more or less thanthis, I should be unworthy his regard, and false to the very naturethat prompts the honest words I utter.'She waved her hand, entreating him to be gone, but answered not aword. Nicholas could say no more, and silently withdrew. And thusended his first interview with Madeline Bray.