greatly agitated, which symptoms being observed by Mrs Nickleby, were
at once set down by that acute lady as being caused and occasioned by
violent love. But, although she was in no small degree delighted by
this discovery, which reflected so much credit on her own quickness of
perception, it did not lessen her motherly anxiety in Kate's behalf; and
accordingly, with a vast quantity of trepidation, she quitted her own
box to hasten into that of Mrs Wititterly. Mrs Wititterly, keenly
alive to the glory of having a lord and a baronet among her visiting
acquaintance, lost no time in signing to Mr Wititterly to open the door,
and thus it was that in less than thirty seconds Mrs Nickleby's party
had made an irruption into Mrs Wititterly's box, which it filled to the
very door, there being in fact only room for Messrs Pyke and Pluck to
get in their heads and waistcoats.

'My dear Kate,' said Mrs Nickleby, kissing her daughter affectionately.
'How ill you looked a moment ago! You quite frightened me, I declare!'

'It was mere fancy, mama,--the--the--reflection of the lights perhaps,'
replied Kate, glancing nervously round, and finding it impossible to
whisper any caution or explanation.

'Don't you see Sir Mulberry Hawk, my dear?'

Kate bowed slightly, and biting her lip turned her head towards the
stage.

But Sir Mulberry Hawk was not to be so easily repulsed, for he advanced
with extended hand; and Mrs Nickleby officiously informing Kate of this
circumstance, she was obliged to extend her own. Sir Mulberry detained
it while he murmured a profusion of compliments, which Kate, remembering
what had passed between them, rightly considered as so many aggravations
of the insult he had already put upon her. Then followed the recognition
of Lord Verisopht, and then the greeting of Mr Pyke, and then that of Mr
Pluck, and finally, to complete the young lady's mortification, she
was compelled at Mrs Wititterly's request to perform the ceremony
of introducing the odious persons, whom she regarded with the utmost
indignation and abhorrence.

'Mrs Wititterly is delighted,' said Mr Wititterly, rubbing his hands;
'delighted, my lord, I am sure, with this opportunity of contracting an
acquaintance which, I trust, my lord, we shall improve. Julia, my dear,
you must not allow yourself to be too much excited, you must not.
Indeed you must not. Mrs Wititterly is of a most excitable nature, Sir
Mulberry. The snuff of a candle, the wick of