Smike and Newman Noggs, who in his impatience2 had returned home long before the time agreed upon, sat before the fire, listening anxiously to every footstep on the stairs, and the slightest sound that stirred within the house, for the approach of Nicholas. Time had worn on, and it was growing late. He had promised to be back in an hour; and his prolonged absence began to excite considerable alarm in the minds of both, as was abundantly testified by the blank looks they cast upon each other at every new disappointment.
At length a coach was heard to stop, and Newman ran out to light Nicholas up the stairs. Beholding3 him in the trim described at the conclusion of the last chapter, he stood aghast in wonder and consternation4.
‘Don’t be alarmed,’ said Nicholas, hurrying him back into the room. ‘There is no harm done, beyond what a basin of water can repair.’
‘No harm!’ cried Newman, passing his hands hastily over the back and arms of Nicholas, as if to assure himself that he had broken no bones. ‘What have you been doing?’
‘I know all,’ interrupted Nicholas; ‘I have heard a part, and guessed the rest. But before I remove one jot5 of these stains, I must hear the whole from you. You see I am collected. My resolution is taken. Now, my good friend, speak out; for the time for any palliation or concealment6 is past, and nothing will avail Ralph Nickleby now.’
‘Your dress is torn in several places; you walk lame7, and I am sure you are suffering pain,’ said Newman. ‘Let me see to your hurts first.’
‘I have no hurts to see to, beyond a little soreness and stiffness that will soon pass off,’ said Nicholas, seating himself with some difficulty. ‘But if I had fractured every limb, and still preserved my senses, you should not bandage one till you had told me what I have the right to know. Come,’ said Nicholas, giving his hand to Noggs. ‘You had a sister of your own, you told me once, who died before you fell into misfortune. Now think of her, and tell me, Newman.’
‘Yes, I will, I will,’ said Noggs. ‘I’ll tell you the whole truth.’
Newman did so. Nicholas nodded his head from time to time, as it corroborated8 the particulars he had already gleaned9; but he fixed10 his eyes upon the fire, and did not look round once.
His recital11 ended, Newman insisted upon his young friend’s stripping off his coat and allowing whatever injuries he had received to be properly tended. Nicholas, after some opposition12, at length consented, and, while some pretty severe bruises13 on his arms and shoulders were being rubbed with oil and vinegar, and various other efficacious remedies which Newman borrowed from the different lodgers14, related in what manner they had been received. The recital made a strong impression on the warm imagination of Newman; for when Nicholas came to the violent part of the quarrel, he rubbed so hard, as to occasion him the most exquisite15 pain, which he would not have exhibited, however, for the world, it being perfectly16 clear that, for the moment, Newman was operating on Sir Mulberry Hawk17, and had quite lost sight of his real patient.
This martyrdom over, Nicholas arranged with Newman that while he was otherwise occupied next morning, arrangements should be made for his mother’s immediately quitting her present residence, and also for dispatching Miss La Creevy to break the intelligence to her. He then wrapped himself in Smike’s greatcoat, and repaired to the inn where they were to pass the night, and where (after writing a few lines to Ralph, the delivery of which was to be intrusted to Newman next day), he endeavoured to obtain the repose19 of which he stood so much in need.
Drunken men, they say, may roll down precipices20, and be quite unconscious of any serious personal inconvenience when their reason returns. The remark may possibly apply to injuries received in other kinds of violent excitement: certain it is, that although Nicholas experienced some pain on first awakening21 next morning, he sprung out of bed as the clock struck seven, with very little difficulty, and was soon as much on the alert as if nothing had occurred.
Merely looking into Smike’s room, and telling him that Newman Noggs would call for him very shortly, Nicholas descended23 into the street, and calling a hackney coach, bade the man drive to Mrs. Wititterly’s, according to the direction which Newman had given him on the previous night.
It wanted a quarter to eight when they reached Cadogan Place. Nicholas began to fear that no one might be stirring at that early hour, when he was relieved by the sight of a female servant, employed in cleaning the door-steps. By this functionary24 he was referred to the doubtful page, who appeared with dishevelled hair and a very warm and glossy25 face, as of a page who had just got out of bed.
By this young gentleman he was informed that Miss Nickleby was then taking her morning’s walk in the gardens before the house. On the question being propounded26 whether he could go and find her, the page desponded and thought not; but being stimulated27 with a shilling, the page grew sanguine28 and thought he could.
‘Say to Miss Nickleby that her brother is here, and in great haste to see her,’ said Nicholas.
The plated buttons disappeared with an alacrity29 most unusual to them, and Nicholas paced the room in a state of feverish30 agitation31 which made the delay even of a minute insupportable. He soon heard a light footstep which he well knew, and before he could advance to meet her, Kate had fallen on his neck and burst into tears.
‘My darling girl,’ said Nicholas as he embraced her. ‘How pale you are!’
‘I have been so unhappy here, dear brother,’ sobbed32 poor Kate; ‘so very, very miserable33. Do not leave me here, dear Nicholas, or I shall die of a broken heart.’
‘I will leave you nowhere,’ answered Nicholas—‘never again, Kate,’ he cried, moved in spite of himself as he folded her to his heart. ‘Tell me that I acted for the best. Tell me that we parted because I feared to bring misfortune on your head; that it was a trial to me no less than to yourself, and that if I did wrong it was in ignorance of the world and unknowingly.’
‘Why should I tell you what we know so well?’ returned Kate soothingly34. ‘Nicholas—dear Nicholas—how can you give way thus?’
‘It is such bitter reproach to me to know what you have undergone,’ returned her brother; ‘to see you so much altered, and yet so kind and patient—God!’ cried Nicholas, clenching35 his fist and suddenly changing his tone and manner, ‘it sets my whole blood on fire again. You must leave here with me directly; you should not have slept here last night, but that I knew all this too late. To whom can I speak, before we drive away?’
This question was most opportunely36 put, for at that instant Mr. Wititterly walked in, and to him Kate introduced her brother, who at once announced his purpose, and the impossibility of deferring37 it.
‘The quarter’s notice,’ said Mr. Wititterly, with the gravity of a man on the right side, ‘is not yet half expired. Therefore—’
‘Therefore,’ interposed Nicholas, ‘the quarter’s salary must be lost, sir. You will excuse this extreme haste, but circumstances require that I should immediately remove my sister, and I have not a moment’s time to lose. Whatever she brought here I will send for, if you will allow me, in the course of the day.’
Mr. Wititterly bowed, but offered no opposition to Kate’s immediate18 departure; with which, indeed, he was rather gratified than otherwise, Sir Tumley Snuffim having given it as his opinion, that she rather disagreed with Mrs. Wititterly’s constitution.
‘With regard to the trifle of salary that is due,’ said Mr. Wititterly, ‘I will’—here he was interrupted by a violent fit of coughing—‘I will—owe it to Miss Nickleby.’
Mr. Wititterly, it should be observed, was accustomed to owe small accounts, and to leave them owing. All men have some little pleasant way of their own; and this was Mr. Wititterly’s.
‘If you please,’ said Nicholas. And once more offering a hurried apology for so sudden a departure, he hurried Kate into the vehicle, and bade the man drive with all speed into the city.
To the city they went accordingly, with all the speed the hackney coach could make; and as the horses happened to live at Whitechapel and to be in the habit of taking their breakfast there, when they breakfasted at all, they performed the journey with greater expedition than could reasonably have been expected.
Nicholas sent Kate upstairs a few minutes before him, that his unlooked-for appearance might not alarm his mother, and when the way had been paved, presented himself with much duty and affection. Newman had not been idle, for there was a little cart at the door, and the effects were hurrying out already.
Now, Mrs. Nickleby was not the sort of person to be told anything in a hurry, or rather to comprehend anything of peculiar38 delicacy39 or importance on a short notice. Wherefore, although the good lady had been subjected to a full hour’s preparation by little Miss La Creevy, and was now addressed in most lucid40 terms both by Nicholas and his sister, she was in a state of singular bewilderment and confusion, and could by no means be made to comprehend the necessity of such hurried proceedings41.
‘Why don’t you ask your uncle, my dear Nicholas, what he can possibly mean by it?’ said Mrs. Nickleby.
‘My dear mother,’ returned Nicholas, ‘the time for talking has gone by. There is but one step to take, and that is to cast him off with the scorn and indignation he deserves. Your own honour and good name demand that, after the discovery of his vile42 proceedings, you should not be beholden to him one hour, even for the shelter of these bare walls.’
‘To be sure,’ said Mrs. Nickleby, crying bitterly, ‘he is a brute43, a monster; and the walls are very bare, and want painting too, and I have had this ceiling whitewashed44 at the expense of eighteen-pence, which is a very distressing45 thing, considering that it is so much gone into your uncle’s pocket. I never could have believed it—never.’
‘Nor I, nor anybody else,’ said Nicholas.
‘Lord bless my life!’ exclaimed Mrs. Nickleby. ‘To think that that Sir Mulberry Hawk should be such an abandoned wretch46 as Miss La Creevy says he is, Nicholas, my dear; when I was congratulating myself every day on his being an admirer of our dear Kate’s, and thinking what a thing it would be for the family if he was to become connected with us, and use his interest to get you some profitable government place. There are very good places to be got about the court, I know; for a friend of ours (Miss Cropley, at Exeter, my dear Kate, you recollect), he had one, and I know that it was the chief part of his duty to wear silk stockings, and a bag wig47 like a black watch-pocket; and to think that it should come to this after all—oh, dear, dear, it’s enough to kill one, that it is!’ With which expressions of sorrow, Mrs. Nickleby gave fresh vent48 to her grief, and wept piteously.
As Nicholas and his sister were by this time compelled to superintend the removal of the few articles of furniture, Miss La Creevy devoted49 herself to the consolation50 of the matron, and observed with great kindness of manner that she must really make an effort, and cheer up.
‘Oh I dare say, Miss La Creevy,’ returned Mrs. Nickleby, with a petulance51 not unnatural52 in her unhappy circumstances, ‘it’s very easy to say cheer up, but if you had as many occasions to cheer up as I have had—and there,’ said Mrs. Nickleby, stopping short. ‘Think of Mr. Pyke and Mr. Pluck, two of the most perfect gentlemen that ever lived, what am I too say to them—what can I say to them? Why, if I was to say to them, “I’m told your friend Sir Mulberry is a base wretch,” they’d laugh at me.’
‘They will laugh no more at us, I take it,’ said Nicholas, advancing. ‘Come, mother, there is a coach at the door, and until Monday, at all events, we will return to our old quarters.’
‘—Where everything is ready, and a hearty53 welcome into the bargain,’ added Miss La Creevy. ‘Now, let me go with you downstairs.’
But Mrs. Nickleby was not to be so easily moved, for first she insisted on going upstairs to see that nothing had been left, and then on going downstairs to see that everything had been taken away; and when she was getting into the coach she had a vision of a forgotten coffee-pot on the back-kitchen hob, and after she was shut in, a dismal54 recollection of a green umbrella behind some unknown door. At last Nicholas, in a condition of absolute despair, ordered the coachman to drive away, and in the unexpected jerk of a sudden starting, Mrs. Nickleby lost a shilling among the straw, which fortunately confined her attention to the coach until it was too late to remember anything else.
Having seen everything safely out, discharged the servant, and locked the door, Nicholas jumped into a cabriolet and drove to a bye place near Golden Square where he had appointed to meet Noggs; and so quickly had everything been done, that it was barely half-past nine when he reached the place of meeting.
‘Here is the letter for Ralph,’ said Nicholas, ‘and here the key. When you come to me this evening, not a word of last night. Ill news travels fast, and they will know it soon enough. Have you heard if he was much hurt?’
Newman shook his head.
‘You had better take some rest,’ returned Newman. ‘You are fevered and ill.’
Nicholas waved his hand carelessly, and concealing56 the indisposition he really felt, now that the excitement which had sustained him was over, took a hurried farewell of Newman Noggs, and left him.
Newman was not three minutes’ walk from Golden Square, but in the course of that three minutes he took the letter out of his hat and put it in again twenty times at least. First the front, then the back, then the sides, then the superscription, then the seal, were objects of Newman’s admiration57. Then he held it at arm’s length as if to take in the whole at one delicious survey, and then he rubbed his hands in a perfect ecstasy58 with his commission.
He reached the office, hung his hat on its accustomed peg59, laid the letter and key upon the desk, and waited impatiently until Ralph Nickleby should appear. After a few minutes, the well-known creaking of his boots was heard on the stairs, and then the bell rung.
‘Has the post come in?’
‘No.’
‘Any other letters?’
‘One.’ Newman eyed him closely, and laid it on the desk.
‘What’s this?’ asked Ralph, taking up the key.
‘Left with the letter;—a boy brought them—quarter of an hour ago, or less.’
Ralph glanced at the direction, opened the letter, and read as follows:—
‘You are known to me now. There are no reproaches I could heap upon your head which would carry with them one thousandth part of the grovelling60 shame that this assurance will awaken22 even in your breast.
‘Your brother’s widow and her orphan61 child spurn62 the shelter of your roof, and shun63 you with disgust and loathing64. Your kindred renounce65 you, for they know no shame but the ties of blood which bind66 them in name with you.
‘You are an old man, and I leave you to the grave. May every recollection of your life cling to your false heart, and cast their darkness on your death-bed.’
Ralph Nickleby read this letter twice, and frowning heavily, fell into a fit of musing67; the paper fluttered from his hand and dropped upon the floor, but he clasped his fingers, as if he held it still.
Suddenly, he started from his seat, and thrusting it all crumpled68 into his pocket, turned furiously to Newman Noggs, as though to ask him why he lingered. But Newman stood unmoved, with his back towards him, following up, with the worn and blackened stump69 of an old pen, some figures in an Interest-table which was pasted against the wall, and apparently70 quite abstracted from every other object.
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1
expeditious
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| adj.迅速的，敏捷的 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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3
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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8
corroborated
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| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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10
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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11
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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12
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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13
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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14
lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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15
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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16
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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17
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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18
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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20
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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21
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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26
propounded
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| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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32
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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36
opportunely
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| adv.恰好地，适时地 | |
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37
deferring
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| v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的现在分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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38
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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43
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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44
whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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50
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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51
petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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52
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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53
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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54
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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55
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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56
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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57
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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58
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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59
peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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60
grovelling
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| adj.卑下的，奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 )；趴 | |
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61
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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62
spurn
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| v.拒绝，摈弃；n.轻视的拒绝；踢开 | |
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63
shun
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| vt.避开，回避，避免 | |
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64
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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65
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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66
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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67
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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68
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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69
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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70
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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