o admit her, and the
tears they often saw upon his face, half wondering to see them too, and
he so pleased and happy; every little incident, and even slight words
and looks of those old days little heeded then, but well remembered when
busy cares and trials were quite forgotten, came fresh and thick before
him many and many a time, and, rustling above the dusty growth of years,
came back green boughs of yesterday.

But there were other persons associated with these recollections, and
many changes came about before they had being. A necessary reflection
for the purposes of these adventures, which at once subside into their
accustomed train, and shunning all flighty anticipations or wayward
wanderings, pursue their steady and decorous course.

If the brothers Cheeryble, as they found Nicholas worthy of trust and
confidence, bestowed upon him every day some new and substantial mark
of kindness, they were not less mindful of those who depended on him.
Various little presents to Mrs Nickleby, always of the very things
they most required, tended in no slight degree to the improvement and
embellishment of the cottage. Kate's little store of trinkets became
quite dazzling; and for company! If brother Charles and brother Ned
failed to look in for at least a few minutes every Sunday, or one
evening in the week, there was Mr Tim Linkinwater (who had never made
half-a-dozen other acquaintances in all his life, and who took such
delight in his new friends as no words can express) constantly coming
and going in his evening walks, and stopping to rest; while Mr Frank
Cheeryble happened, by some strange conjunction of circumstances, to be
passing the door on some business or other at least three nights in the
week.

'He is the most attentive young man I ever saw, Kate,' said Mrs Nickleby
to her daughter one evening, when this last-named gentleman had been the
subject of the worthy lady's eulogium for some time, and Kate had sat
perfectly silent.

'Attentive, mama!' rejoined Kate.

'Bless my heart, Kate!' cried Mrs Nickleby, with her wonted suddenness,
'what a colour you have got; why, you're quite flushed!'

'Oh, mama! what strange things you fancy!'

'It wasn't fancy, Kate, my dear, I'm certain of that,' returned her
mother. 'However, it's gone now at any rate, so it don't much matter
whether it was or not. What was it we were talking about? Oh! Mr Frank.
I never saw such attention in MY life, never.'

'Surely you are not se