u care? But I have no sympathy,' whimpered Mrs Nickleby. 'I
don't expect it, that's one thing.'

'Tears!' cried the old gentleman, with such an energetic jump, that
he fell down two or three steps and grated his chin against the
wall. 'Catch the crystal globules--catch 'em--bottle 'em up--cork 'em
tight--put sealing wax on the top--seal 'em with a cupid--label 'em
"Best quality"--and stow 'em away in the fourteen binn, with a bar of
iron on the top to keep the thunder off!'

Issuing these commands, as if there were a dozen attendants all actively
engaged in their execution, he turned his velvet cap inside out, put it
on with great dignity so as to obscure his right eye and three-fourths
of his nose, and sticking his arms a-kimbo, looked very fiercely at a
sparrow hard by, till the bird flew away, when he put his cap in his
pocket with an air of great satisfaction, and addressed himself with
respectful demeanour to Mrs Nickleby.

'Beautiful madam,' such were his words, 'if I have made any mistake with
regard to your family or connections, I humbly beseech you to pardon me.
If I supposed you to be related to Foreign Powers or Native Boards,
it is because you have a manner, a carriage, a dignity, which you will
excuse my saying that none but yourself (with the single exception
perhaps of the tragic muse, when playing extemporaneously on the barrel
organ before the East India Company) can parallel. I am not a youth,
ma'am, as you see; and although beings like you can never grow old, I
venture to presume that we are fitted for each other.'

'Really, Kate, my love!' said Mrs Nickleby faintly, and looking another
way.

'I have estates, ma'am,' said the old gentleman, flourishing his right
hand negligently, as if he made very light of such matters, and speaking
very fast; 'jewels, lighthouses, fish-ponds, a whalery of my own in the
North Sea, and several oyster-beds of great profit in the Pacific Ocean.
If you will have the kindness to step down to the Royal Exchange and
to take the cocked-hat off the stoutest beadle's head, you will find my
card in the lining of the crown, wrapped up in a piece of blue paper. My
walking-stick is also to be seen on application to the chaplain of
the House of Commons, who is strictly forbidden to take any money for
showing it. I have enemies about me, ma'am,' he looked towards his house
and spoke very low, 'who attack me on all occasions, and wish to secure
my property. If you bless me with