ten by a person in
extremity,) and there were several other corroboratory scraps of entries
and memoranda which it was equally difficult to question.

'Dear Nicholas,' whispered Kate, who had been looking anxiously over his
shoulder, 'can this be really the case? Is this statement true?'

'I fear it is,' answered Nicholas. 'What say you, John?'

'John scratched his head and shook it, but said nothing at all.

'You will observe, ma'am,' said Ralph, addressing himself to Mrs
Nickleby, 'that this boy being a minor and not of strong mind, we might
have come here tonight, armed with the powers of the law, and backed by
a troop of its myrmidons. I should have done so, ma'am, unquestionably,
but for my regard for the feelings of yourself, and your daughter.'

'You have shown your regard for HER feelings well,' said Nicholas,
drawing his sister towards him.

'Thank you,' replied Ralph. 'Your praise, sir, is commendation, indeed.'

'Well,' said Squeers, 'what's to be done? Them hackney-coach horses will
catch cold if we don't think of moving; there's one of 'em a sneezing
now, so that he blows the street door right open. What's the order of
the day? Is Master Snawley to come along with us?'

'No, no, no,' replied Smike, drawing back, and clinging to Nicholas.

'No. Pray, no. I will not go from you with him. No, no.'

'This is a cruel thing,' said Snawley, looking to his friends for
support. 'Do parents bring children into the world for this?'

'Do parents bring children into the world for THOT?' said John Browdie
bluntly, pointing, as he spoke, to Squeers.

'Never you mind,' retorted that gentleman, tapping his nose derisively.

'Never I mind!' said John, 'no, nor never nobody mind, say'st thou,
schoolmeasther. It's nobody's minding that keeps sike men as thou
afloat. Noo then, where be'est thou coomin' to? Dang it, dinnot coom
treadin' ower me, mun.'

Suiting the action to the word, John Browdie just jerked his elbow
into the chest of Mr Squeers who was advancing upon Smike; with so much
dexterity that the schoolmaster reeled and staggered back upon Ralph
Nickleby, and being unable to recover his balance, knocked that
gentleman off his chair, and stumbled heavily upon him.

This accidental circumstance was the signal for some very decisive
proceedings. In the midst of a great noise, occasioned by the prayers
and entreaties of Smike, the cries and exclamations of the women, and
the vehemence of the men, demonstra