As Miss Knag had never yet known what it was to gain one, it followed,
very nearly as a matter of course, that she didn't know what it was to
lose one; so she said, in some haste, 'No, indeed I don't,' and said it
with an air intending to signify that she should like to catch herself
marrying anybody--no, no, she knew better than that.

'Kate has improved even in this little time, I have no doubt,' said Mrs
Nickleby, glancing proudly at her daughter.

'Oh! of course,' said Miss Knag.

'And will improve still more,' added Mrs Nickleby.

'That she will, I'll be bound,' replied Miss Knag, squeezing Kate's arm
in her own, to point the joke.

'She always was clever,' said poor Mrs Nickleby, brightening up,
'always, from a baby. I recollect when she was only two years and a
half old, that a gentleman who used to visit very much at our house--Mr
Watkins, you know, Kate, my dear, that your poor papa went bail for,
who afterwards ran away to the United States, and sent us a pair of
snow shoes, with such an affectionate letter that it made your poor dear
father cry for a week. You remember the letter? In which he said that he
was very sorry he couldn't repay the fifty pounds just then, because
his capital was all out at interest, and he was very busy making his
fortune, but that he didn't forget you were his god-daughter, and he
should take it very unkind if we didn't buy you a silver coral and put
it down to his old account? Dear me, yes, my dear, how stupid you are!
and spoke so affectionately of the old port wine that he used to drink a
bottle and a half of every time he came. You must remember, Kate?'

'Yes, yes, mama; what of him?'

'Why, that Mr Watkins, my dear,' said Mrs Nickleby slowly, as if she
were making a tremendous effort to recollect something of paramount
importance; 'that Mr Watkins--he wasn't any relation, Miss Knag will
understand, to the Watkins who kept the Old Boar in the village;
by-the-bye, I don't remember whether it was the Old Boar or the
George the Third, but it was one of the two, I know, and it's much the
same--that Mr Watkins said, when you were only two years and a half old,
that you were one of the most astonishing children he ever saw. He did
indeed, Miss Knag, and he wasn't at all fond of children, and couldn't
have had the slightest motive for doing it. I know it was he who said
so, because I recollect, as well as if it was only yesterday,
his borrowing twenty pounds of her poor dea