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The new piece being a decided hit, was announced for every evening ofperformance until further notice, and the evenings when the theatre wasclosed, were reduced from three in the week to two. Nor were these theonly tokens of extraordinary success; for, on the succeeding Saturday,Nicholas received, by favour of the indefatigable Mrs Grudden, no less asum than thirty shillings; besides which substantial reward, he enjoyedconsiderable fame and honour: having a presentation copy of Mr Curdle'spamphlet forwarded to the theatre, with that gentleman's own autograph(in itself an inestimable treasure) on the fly-leaf, accompanied witha note, containing many expressions of approval, and an unsolicitedassurance that Mr Curdle would be very happy to read Shakespeare to himfor three hours every morning before breakfast during his stay in thetown.

'I've got another novelty, Johnson,' said Mr Crummles one morning ingreat glee.

'What's that?' rejoined Nicholas. 'The pony?'

'No, no, we never come to the pony till everything else has failed,'said Mr Crummles. 'I don't think we shall come to the pony at all, thisseason. No, no, not the pony.'

'A boy phenomenon, perhaps?' suggested Nicholas.

'There is only one phenomenon, sir,' replied Mr Crummles impressively,'and that's a girl.'

'Very true,' said Nicholas. 'I beg your pardon. Then I don't know whatit is, I am sure.'

'What should you say to a young lady from London?' inquired Mr Crummles.'Miss So-and-so, of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane?'

'I should say she would look very well in the bills,' said Nicholas.

'You're about right there,' said Mr Crummles; 'and if you had said shewould look very well upon the stage too, you wouldn't have been far out.Look here; what do you think of this?'

With this inquiry Mr Crummles unfolded a red poster, and a blue poster,and a yellow poster, at the top of each of which public notification wasinscribed in enormous characters--'First appearance of the unrivalledMiss Petowker of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane!'

'Dear me!' said Nicholas, 'I know that lady.'

'Then you are acquainted with as much talent as was ever compressed intoone young person's body,' retorted Mr Crummles, rolling up the billsagain; 'that is, talent of a certain sort--of a certain sort. "The BloodDrinker,"' added Mr Crummles with a prophetic sigh, '"The Blood Drinker"will die with that girl; and she's the only sylph I ever saw, who couldstand upon one leg, and play the tambourine on her other knee, LIKE asylph.'

'When does she come down?' asked Nicholas.

'We expect her today,' replied Mr Crummles. 'She is an old friend of MrsCrummles's. Mrs Crummles saw what she could do--always knew it from thefirst. She taught her, indeed, nearly all she knows. Mrs Crummles wasthe original Blood Drinker.'

'Was she, indeed?'

'Yes. She was obliged to give it up though.'

'Did it disagree with her?' asked Nicholas.

'Not so much with her, as with her audiences,' replied Mr Crummles.'Nobody could stand it. It was too tremendous. You don't quite know whatMrs Crummles is yet.'

Nicholas ventured to insinuate that he thought he did.

'No, no, you don't,' said Mr Crummles; 'you don't, indeed. I don't, andthat's a fact. I don't think her country will, till she is dead. Somenew proof of talent bursts from that astonishing woman every year of herlife. Look at her--mother of six children--three of 'em alive, and allupon the stage!'

'Extraordinary!' cried Nicholas.

'Ah! extraordinary indeed,' rejoined Mr Crummles, taking a complacentpinch of snuff, and shaking his head gravely. 'I pledge you myprofessional word I didn't even know she could dance, till her lastbenefit, and then she played Juliet, and Helen Macgregor, and did theskipping-rope hornpipe between the pieces. The very first time I sawthat admirable woman, Johnson,' said Mr Crummles, drawing a littlenearer, and speaking in the tone of confidential friendship, 'shestood upon her head on the butt-end of a spear, surrounded with blazingfireworks.'

'You astonish me!' said Nicholas.

'SHE astonished ME!' returned Mr Crummles, with a very seriouscountenance. 'Such grace, coupled with such dignity! I adored her fromthat moment!'

The arrival of the gifted subject of these remarks put an abrupttermination to Mr Crummles's eulogium. Almost immediately afterwards,Master Percy Crummles entered with a letter, which had arrived by theGeneral Post, and was directed to his gracious mother; at sight ofthe superscription whereof, Mrs Crummles exclaimed, 'From HenriettaPetowker, I do declare!' and instantly became absorbed in the contents.

'Is it--?' inquired Mr Crummles, hesitating.

'Oh, yes, it's all right,' replied Mrs Crummles, anticipating thequestion. 'What an excellent thing for her, to be sure!'

'It's the best thing altogether, that I ever heard of, I think,' said MrCrummles; and then Mr Crummles, Mrs Crummles, and Master Percy Crummles,all fell to laughing violently. Nicholas left them to enjoy their mirthtogether, and walked to his lodgings; wondering very much what mysteryconnected with Miss Petowker could provoke such merriment, and ponderingstill more on the extreme surprise with which that lady would regard hissudden enlistment in a profession of which she was such a distinguishedand brilliant ornament.

But, in this latter respect he was mistaken; for--whether Mr VincentCrummles had paved the way, or Miss Petowker had some special reason fortreating him with even more than her usual amiability--their meeting atthe theatre next day was more like that of two dear friends who had beeninseparable from infancy, than a recognition passing between a ladyand gentleman who had only met some half-dozen times, and then by merechance. Nay, Miss Petowker even whispered that she had wholly droppedthe Kenwigses in her conversations with the manager's family, and hadrepresented herself as having encountered Mr Johnson in the veryfirst and most fashionable circles; and on Nicholas receiving thisintelligence with unfeigned surprise, she added, with a sweet glance,that she had a claim on his good nature now, and might tax it beforelong.

Nicholas had the honour of playing in a slight piece with Miss Petowkerthat night, and could not but observe that the warmth of her receptionwas mainly attributable to a most persevering umbrella in the upperboxes; he saw, too, that the enchanting actress cast many sweet lookstowards the quarter whence these sounds proceeded; and that every timeshe did so, the umbrella broke out afresh. Once, he thought that apeculiarly shaped hat in the same corner was not wholly unknown to him;but, being occupied with his share of the stage business, he bestowed nogreat attention upon this circumstance, and it had quite vanished fromhis memory by the time he reached home.

He had just sat down to supper with Smike, when one of the people of thehouse came outside the door, and announced that a gentleman below stairswished to speak to Mr Johnson.

'Well, if he does, you must tell him to come up; that's all I know,'replied Nicholas. 'One of our hungry brethren, I suppose, Smike.'

His fellow-lodger looked at the cold meat in silent calculation of thequantity that would be left for dinner next day, and put back a slice hehad cut for himself, in order that the visitor's encroachments might beless formidable in their effects.

'It is not anybody who has been here before,' said Nicholas, 'for heis tumbling up every stair. Come in, come in. In the name of wonder! MrLillyvick?'

It was, indeed, the collector of water-rates who, regarding Nicholaswith a fixed look and immovable countenance, shook hands withmost portentous solemnity, and sat himself down in a seat by thechimney-corner.

'Why, when did you come here?' asked Nicholas.

'This morning, sir,' replied Mr Lillyvick.

'Oh! I see; then you were at the theatre tonight, and it was your umb--'

'This umbrella,' said Mr Lillyvick, producing a fat green cotton onewith a battered ferrule. 'What did you think of that performance?'

'So far as I could judge, being on the stage,' replied Nicholas, 'Ithought it very agreeable.'

'Agreeable!' cried the collector. 'I mean to say, sir, that it wasdelicious.'

Mr Lillyvick bent forward to pronounce the last word with greateremphasis; and having done so, drew himself up, and frowned and nodded agreat many times.

'I say, delicious,' repeated Mr Lillyvick. 'Absorbing, fairy-like,toomultuous,' and again Mr Lillyvick drew himself up, and again hefrowned and nodded.

'Ah!' said Nicholas, a little surprised at these symptoms of ecstaticapprobation. 'Yes--she is a clever girl.'

'She is a divinity,' returned Mr Lillyvick, giving a collector's doubleknock on the ground with the umbrella before-mentioned. 'I have knowndivine actresses before now, sir, I used to collect--at least I usedto CALL for--and very often call for--the water-rate at the house ofa divine actress, who lived in my beat for upwards of four yearbut never--no, never, sir of all divine creatures, actresses or noactresses, did I see a diviner one than is Henrietta Petowker.'

Nicholas had much ado to prevent himself from laughing; not trustinghimself to speak, he merely nodded in accordance with Mr Lillyvick'snods, and remained silent.

'Let me speak a word with you in private,' said Mr Lillyvick.

Nicholas looked good-humouredly at Smike, who, taking the hint,disappeared.

'A bachelor is a miserable wretch, sir,' said Mr Lillyvick.

'Is he?' asked Nicholas.

'He is,' rejoined the collector. 'I have lived in the world for nighsixty year, and I ought to know what it is.'

'You OUGHT to know, certainly,' thought Nicholas; 'but whether you do ornot, is another question.'

'If a bachelor happens to have saved a little matter of money,' said MrLillyvick, 'his sisters and brothers, and nephews and nieces, look TOthat money, and not to him; even if, by being a public character, he isthe head of the family, or, as it may be, the main from which all theother little branches are turned on, they still wish him dead all thewhile, and get low-spirited every time they see him looking in goodhealth, because they want to come into his little property. You seethat?'

'Oh yes,' replied Nicholas: 'it's very true, no doubt.'

'The great reason for not being married,' resumed Mr Lillyvick, 'is theexpense; that's what's kept me off, or else--Lord!' said Mr Lillyvick,snapping his fingers, 'I might have had fifty women.'

'Fine women?' asked Nicholas.

'Fine women, sir!' replied the collector; 'ay! not so fine as HenriettaPetowker, for she is an uncommon specimen, but such women as don'tfall into every man's way, I can tell you. Now suppose a man can get afortune IN a wife instead of with her--eh?'

'Why, then, he's a lucky fellow,' replied Nicholas.

'That's what I say,' retorted the collector, patting him benignantlyon the side of the head with his umbrella; 'just what I say. HenriettaPetowker, the talented Henrietta Petowker has a fortune in herself, andI am going to--'

'To make her Mrs Lillyvick?' suggested Nicholas.

'No, sir, not to make her Mrs Lillyvick,' replied the collector.'Actresses, sir, always keep their maiden names--that's the regularthing--but I'm going to marry her; and the day after tomorrow, too.'

'I congratulate you, sir,' said Nicholas.

'Thank you, sir,' replied the collector, buttoning his waistcoat. 'Ishall draw her salary, of course, and I hope after all that it's nearlyas cheap to keep two as it is to keep one; that's a consolation.'

'Surely you don't want any consolation at such a moment?' observedNicholas.

'No,' replied Mr Lillyvick, shaking his head nervously: 'no--of coursenot.'

'But how come you both here, if you're going to be married, MrLillyvick?' asked Nicholas.

'Why, that's what I came to explain to you,' replied the collector ofwater-rate. 'The fact is, we have thought it best to keep it secret fromthe family.'

'Family!' said Nicholas. 'What family?'

'The Kenwigses of course,' rejoined Mr Lillyvick. 'If my niece and thechildren had known a word about it before I came away, they'd have goneinto fits at my feet, and never have come out of 'em till I took an oathnot to marry anybody--or they'd have got out a commission of lunacy, orsome dreadful thing,' said the collector, quite trembling as he spoke.

'To be sure,' said Nicholas. 'Yes; they would have been jealous, nodoubt.'

'To prevent which,' said Mr Lillyvick, 'Henrietta Petowker (itwas settled between us) should come down here to her friends, theCrummleses, under pretence of this engagement, and I should go down toGuildford the day before, and join her on the coach there, which I did,and we came down from Guildford yesterday together. Now, for fear youshould be writing to Mr Noggs, and might say anything about us, we havethought it best to let you into the secret. We shall be married from theCrummleses' lodgings, and shall be delighted to see you--either beforechurch or at breakfast-time, which you like. It won't be expensive,you know,' said the collector, highly anxious to prevent anymisunderstanding on this point; 'just muffins and coffee, with perhaps ashrimp or something of that sort for a relish, you know.'

'Yes, yes, I understand,' replied Nicholas. 'Oh, I shall be mosthappy to come; it will give me the greatest pleasure. Where's the ladystopping--with Mrs Crummles?'

'Why, no,' said the collector; 'they couldn't very well dispose ofher at night, and so she is staying with an acquaintance of hers, andanother young lady; they both belong to the theatre.'

'Miss Snevellicci, I suppose?' said Nicholas.

'Yes, that's the name.'

'And they'll be bridesmaids, I presume?' said Nicholas.

'Why,' said the collector, with a rueful face, 'they WILL have fourbridesmaids; I'm afraid they'll make it rather theatrical.'

'Oh no, not at all,' replied Nicholas, with an awkward attempt toconvert a laugh into a cough. 'Who may the four be? Miss Snevellicci ofcourse--Miss Ledrook--'

'The--the phenomenon,' groaned the collector.

'Ha, ha!' cried Nicholas. 'I beg your pardon, I don't know what I'mlaughing at--yes, that'll be very pretty--the phenomenon--who else?'

'Some young woman or other,' replied the collector, rising; 'some otherfriend of Henrietta Petowker's. Well, you'll be careful not to sayanything about it, will you?'

'You may safely depend upon me,' replied Nicholas. 'Won't you takeanything to eat or drink?'

'No,' said the collector; 'I haven't any appetite. I should think it wasa very pleasant life, the married one, eh?'

'I have not the least doubt of it,' rejoined Nicholas.

'Yes,' said the collector; 'certainly. Oh yes. No doubt. Good night.'

With these words, Mr Lillyvick, whose manner had exhibited through thewhole of this interview a most extraordinary compound of precipitation,hesitation, confidence and doubt, fondness, misgiving, meanness, andself-importance, turned his back upon the room, and left Nicholas toenjoy a laugh by himself if he felt so disposed.

Without stopping to inquire whether the intervening day appeared toNicholas to consist of the usual number of hours of the ordinary length,it may be remarked that, to the parties more directly interested in theforthcoming ceremony, it passed with great rapidity, insomuch that whenMiss Petowker awoke on the succeeding morning in the chamber of MissSnevellicci, she declared that nothing should ever persuade her thatthat really was the day which was to behold a change in her condition.

'I never will believe it,' said Miss Petowker; 'I cannot really. It'sof no use talking, I never can make up my mind to go through with such atrial!'

On hearing this, Miss Snevellicci and Miss Ledrook, who knew perfectlywell that their fair friend's mind had been made up for three or fouryears, at any period of which time she would have cheerfully undergonethe desperate trial now approaching if she could have found anyeligible gentleman disposed for the venture, began to preach comfort andfirmness, and to say how very proud she ought to feel that it was in herpower to confer lasting bliss on a deserving object, and how necessaryit was for the happiness of mankind in general that women should possessfortitude and resignation on such occasions; and that although for theirparts they held true happiness to consist in a single life, whichthey would not willingly exchange--no, not for any worldlyconsideration--still (thank God), if ever the time SHOULD come, theyhoped they knew their duty too well to repine, but would the rathersubmit with meekness and humility of spirit to a fate for whichProvidence had clearly designed them with a view to the contentment andreward of their fellow-creatures.

'I might feel it was a great blow,' said Miss Snevellicci, 'to breakup old associations and what-do-you-callems of that kind, but I wouldsubmit, my dear, I would indeed.'

'So would I,' said Miss Ledrook; 'I would rather court the yoke thanshun it. I have broken hearts before now, and I'm very sorry for it: forit's a terrible thing to reflect upon.'

'It is indeed,' said Miss Snevellicci. 'Now Led, my dear, we mustpositively get her ready, or we shall be too late, we shall indeed.'

This pious reasoning, and perhaps the fear of being too late, supportedthe bride through the ceremony of robing, after which, strong tea andbrandy were administered in alternate doses as a means of strengtheningher feeble limbs and causing her to walk steadier.

'How do you feel now, my love?' inquired Miss Snevellicci.

'Oh Lillyvick!' cried the bride. 'If you knew what I am undergoing foryou!'

'Of course he knows it, love, and will never forget it,' said MissLedrook.

'Do you think he won't?' cried Miss Petowker, really showing greatcapability for the stage. 'Oh, do you think he won't? Do you thinkLillyvick will always remember it--always, always, always?'

There is no knowing in what this burst of feeling might have ended, ifMiss Snevellicci had not at that moment proclaimed the arrival of thefly, which so astounded the bride that she shook off divers alarmingsymptoms which were coming on very strong, and running to the glassadjusted her dress, and calmly declared that she was ready for thesacrifice.

She was accordingly supported into the coach, and there 'kept up' (asMiss Snevellicci said) with perpetual sniffs of SAL VOLATILE and sipsof brandy and other gentle stimulants, until they reached the manager'sdoor, which was already opened by the two Master Crummleses, whowore white cockades, and were decorated with the choicest and mostresplendent waistcoats in the theatrical wardrobe. By the combinedexertions of these young gentlemen and the bridesmaids, assisted by thecoachman, Miss Petowker was at length supported in a condition of muchexhaustion to the first floor, where she no sooner encountered theyouthful bridegroom than she fainted with great decorum.

'Henrietta Petowker!' said the collector; 'cheer up, my lovely one.'

Miss Petowker grasped the collector's hand, but emotion choked herutterance.

'Is the sight of me so dreadful, Henrietta Petowker?' said thecollector.

'Oh no, no, no,' rejoined the bride; 'but all the friends--the darlingfriends--of my youthful days--to leave them all--it is such a shock!'

With such expressions of sorrow, Miss Petowker went on to enumerate thedear friends of her youthful days one by one, and to call upon such ofthem as were present to come and embrace her. This done, she rememberedthat Mrs Crummles had been more than a mother to her, and after that,that Mr Crummles had been more than a father to her, and after that,that the Master Crummleses and Miss Ninetta Crummles had been morethan brothers and sisters to her. These various remembrances being eachaccompanied with a series of hugs, occupied a long time, and they wereobliged to drive to church very fast, for fear they should be too late.

The procession consisted of two flys; in the first of which were MissBravassa (the fourth bridesmaid), Mrs Crummles, the collector, and MrFolair, who had been chosen as his second on the occasion. In the otherwere the bride, Mr Crummles, Miss Snevellicci, Miss Ledrook, and thephenomenon. The costumes were beautiful. The bridesmaids were quitecovered with artificial flowers, and the phenomenon, in particular,was rendered almost invisible by the portable arbour in which she wasenshrined. Miss Ledrook, who was of a romantic turn, wore in her breastthe miniature of some field-officer unknown, which she had purchased, agreat bargain, not very long before; the other ladies displayed severaldazzling articles of imitative jewellery, almost equal to real, and MrsCrummles came out in a stern and gloomy majesty, which attracted theadmiration of all beholders.

But, perhaps the appearance of Mr Crummles was more striking andappropriate than that of any member of the party. This gentleman, whopersonated the bride's father, had, in pursuance of a happy and originalconception, 'made up' for the part by arraying himself in a theatricalwig, of a style and pattern commonly known as a brown George, andmoreover assuming a snuff-coloured suit, of the previous century, withgrey silk stockings, and buckles to his shoes. The better to supporthis assumed character he had determined to be greatly overcome, and,consequently, when they entered the church, the sobs of the affectionateparent were so heart-rending that the pew-opener suggested the proprietyof his retiring to the vestry, and comforting himself with a glass ofwater before the ceremony began.

The procession up the aisle was beautiful. The bride, with the fourbridesmaids, forming a group previously arranged and rehearsed; thecollector, followed by his second, imitating his walk and gestures tothe indescribable amusement of some theatrical friends in the gallery;Mr Crummles, with an infirm and feeble gait; Mrs Crummles advancing withthat stage walk, which consists of a stride and a stop alternately--itwas the completest thing ever witnessed. The ceremony was very quicklydisposed of, and all parties present having signed the register (forwhich purpose, when it came to his turn, Mr Crummles carefully wiped andput on an immense pair of spectacles), they went back to breakfast inhigh spirits. And here they found Nicholas awaiting their arrival.

'Now then,' said Crummles, who had been assisting Mrs Grudden in thepreparations, which were on a more extensive scale than was quiteagreeable to the collector. 'Breakfast, breakfast.'

No second invitation was required. The company crowded and squeezedthemselves at the table as well as they could, and fell to, immediately:Miss Petowker blushing very much when anybody was looking, and eatingvery much when anybody was NOT looking; and Mr Lillyvick going to workas though with the cool resolve, that since the good things must be paidfor by him, he would leave as little as possible for the Crummleses toeat up afterwards.

'It's very soon done, sir, isn't it?' inquired Mr Folair of thecollector, leaning over the table to address him.

'What is soon done, sir?' returned Mr Lillyvick.

'The tying up--the fixing oneself with a wife,' replied Mr Folair. 'Itdon't take long, does it?'

'No, sir,' replied Mr Lillyvick, colouring. 'It does not take long. Andwhat then, sir?'

'Oh! nothing,' said the actor. 'It don't take a man long to hanghimself, either, eh? ha, ha!'

Mr Lillyvick laid down his knife and fork, and looked round the tablewith indignant astonishment.

'To hang himself!' repeated Mr Lillyvick.

A profound silence came upon all, for Mr Lillyvick was dignified beyondexpression.

'To hang himself!' cried Mr Lillyvick again. 'Is any parallel attemptedto be drawn in this company between matrimony and hanging?'

'The noose, you know,' said Mr Folair, a little crest-fallen.

'The noose, sir?' retorted Mr Lillyvick. 'Does any man dare to speak tome of a noose, and Henrietta Pe--'

'Lillyvick,' suggested Mr Crummles.

'--And Henrietta Lillyvick in the same breath?' said the collector. 'Inthis house, in the presence of Mr and Mrs Crummles, who have broughtup a talented and virtuous family, to be blessings and phenomenons, andwhat not, are we to hear talk of nooses?'

'Folair,' said Mr Crummles, deeming it a matter of decency to beaffected by this allusion to himself and partner, 'I'm astonished atyou.'

'What are you going on in this way at me for?' urged the unfortunateactor. 'What have I done?'

'Done, sir!' cried Mr Lillyvick, 'aimed a blow at the whole framework ofsociety--'

'And the best and tenderest feelings,' added Crummles, relapsing intothe old man.

'And the highest and most estimable of social ties,' said the collector.'Noose! As if one was caught, trapped into the married state, pinned bythe leg, instead of going into it of one's own accord and glorying inthe act!'

'I didn't mean to make it out, that you were caught and trapped, andpinned by the leg,' replied the actor. 'I'm sorry for it; I can't sayany more.'

'So you ought to be, sir,' returned Mr Lillyvick; 'and I am glad to hearthat you have enough of feeling left to be so.'

The quarrel appearing to terminate with this reply, Mrs Lillyvickconsidered that the fittest occasion (the attention of the company beingno longer distracted) to burst into tears, and require the assistance ofall four bridesmaids, which was immediately rendered, though not withoutsome confusion, for the room being small and the table-cloth long, awhole detachment of plates were swept off the board at the very firstmove. Regardless of this circumstance, however, Mrs Lillyvick refusedto be comforted until the belligerents had passed their words that thedispute should be carried no further, which, after a sufficient show ofreluctance, they did, and from that time Mr Folair sat in moody silence,contenting himself with pinching Nicholas's leg when anything was said,and so expressing his contempt both for the speaker and the sentimentsto which he gave utterance.

There were a great number of speeches made; some by Nicholas, and someby Crummles, and some by the collector; two by the Master Crummleses inreturning thanks for themselves, and one by the phenomenon on behalfof the bridesmaids, at which Mrs Crummles shed tears. There was somesinging, too, from Miss Ledrook and Miss Bravassa, and very likely theremight have been more, if the fly-driver, who stopped to drive the happypair to the spot where they proposed to take steamboat to Ryde, hadnot sent in a peremptory message intimating, that if they didn't comedirectly he should infallibly demand eighteen-pence over and above hisagreement.

This desperate threat effectually broke up the party. After a mostpathetic leave-taking, Mr Lillyvick and his bride departed for Ryde,where they were to spend the next two days in profound retirement, andwhither they were accompanied by the infant, who had been appointedtravelling bridesmaid on Mr Lillyvick's express stipulation: as thesteamboat people, deceived by her size, would (he had previouslyascertained) transport her at half-price.

As there was no performance that night, Mr Crummles declared hisintention of keeping it up till everything to drink was disposed of; butNicholas having to play Romeo for the first time on the ensuing evening,contrived to slip away in the midst of a temporary confusion, occasionedby the unexpected development of strong symptoms of inebriety in theconduct of Mrs Grudden.

To this act of desertion he was led, not only by his own inclinations,but by his anxiety on account of Smike, who, having to sustain thecharacter of the Apothecary, had been as yet wholly unable to get anymore of the part into his head than the general idea that he was veryhungry, which--perhaps from old recollections--he had acquired withgreat aptitude.

'I don't know what's to be done, Smike,' said Nicholas, laying down thebook. 'I am afraid you can't learn it, my poor fellow.'

'I am afraid not,' said Smike, shaking his head. 'I think if you--butthat would give you so much trouble.'

'What?' inquired Nicholas. 'Never mind me.'

'I think,' said Smike, 'if you were to keep saying it to me in littlebits, over and over again, I should be able to recollect it from hearingyou.'

'Do you think so?' exclaimed Nicholas. 'Well said. Let us see who tiresfirst. Not I, Smike, trust me. Now then. Who calls so loud?'

'"Who calls so loud?"' said Smike.

'"Who calls so loud?"' repeated Nicholas.

'"Who calls so loud?"' cried Smike.

Thus they continued to ask each other who called so loud, over andover again; and when Smike had that by heart Nicholas went to anothersentence, and then to two at a time, and then to three, and so on, untilat midnight poor Smike found to his unspeakable joy that he really beganto remember something about the text.

Early in the morning they went to it again, and Smike, rendered moreconfident by the progress he had already made, got on faster and withbetter heart. As soon as he began to acquire the words pretty freely,Nicholas showed him how he must come in with both hands spread out uponhis stomach, and how he must occasionally rub it, in compliance with theestablished form by which people on the stage always denote that theywant something to eat. After the morning's rehearsal they went to workagain, nor did they stop, except for a hasty dinner, until it was timeto repair to the theatre at night.

Never had master a more anxious, humble, docile pupil. Never had pupil amore patient, unwearying, considerate, kindhearted master.

As soon as they were dressed, and at every interval when he was not uponthe stage, Nicholas renewed his instructions. They prospered well. TheRomeo was received with hearty plaudits and unbounded favour, and Smikewas pronounced unanimously, alike by audience and actors, the veryprince and prodigy of Apothecaries.