′Yes, sir, and puppies, and pug-dogs likewise,′ replied his uncle, taking a chair. ′You didn′t mention in your letter what my brother′s complaint was, ma′am.′
′The doctors could attribute it to no particular disease,′ said Mrs Nickleby; shedding tears. ′We have too much reason to fear that he died of a broken heart.′
′Pooh!′ said Ralph, ′there′s no such thing. I can understand a man′s dying of a broken neck, or suffering from a broken arm, or a broken head, or a broken leg, or a broken nose; but a broken heart!—nonsense, it′s the cant of the day. If a man can′t pay his debts, he dies of a broken heart, and his widow′s a martyr.′
′Some people, I believe, have no hearts to break,′ observed Nicholas, quietly.
′How old is this boy, for God′s sake?′ inquired Ralph, wheeling back his chair, and surveying his nephew from head to foot with intense scorn.
′Nicholas is very nearly nineteen,′ replied the widow.
′Nineteen, eh!′ said Ralph; ′and what do you mean to do for your bread, sir?′
′Not to live upon my mother,′ replied Nicholas, his heart swelling as he spoke.
′You′d have little enough to live upon, if you did,′ retorted the uncle, eyeing him contemptuously.
′Whatever it be,′ said Nicholas, flushed with anger, ′I shall not look to you to make it more.′
′Nicholas, my dear, recollect yourself,′ remonstrated Mrs Nickleby.
′Dear Nicholas, pray,′ urged the young lady.
′Hold your tongue, sir,′ said Ralph. ′Upon my word! Fine beginnings, Mrs Nickleby—fine beginnings!′
Mrs Nickleby made no other reply than entreating Nicholas by a gesture to keep silent; and the uncle and nephew looked at each other for some seconds without speaking. The face of the old man was stern, hard-featured, and forbidding; that of the young one, open, handsome, and ingenuous. The old man′s eye was keen with the twinklings of avarice and cunning; the young man′s bright with the light of intelligence and spirit. His figure was somewhat slight, but manly and well formed; and, apart from all the grace of youth and comeliness, there was an emanation from the warm young heart in his look and bearing which kept the old man down.
However striking such a contrast as this may be to lookers-on, none ever feel it with half the keenness or acuteness of perfection with which it strikes to the very soul of him whose inferiority it marks. It galled Ralph to the heart′s core, and he hated Nicholas from that hour.
The mutual inspection was at length brought to a close by Ralph withdrawing his eyes, with a great show of disdain, and calling Nicholas ′a boy.′ This word is much used as a term of reproach by elderly gentlemen towards their juniors: probably with the view of deluding society into the belief that if they could be young again, they wouldn′t on any account.
′Well, ma′am,′ said Ralph, impatiently, ′the creditors have administered, you tell me, and there′s nothing left for you?′
′Nothing,′ replied Mrs Nickleby.
′And you spent what little money you had, in coming all the way to London, to see what I could do for you?′ pursued Ralph.
′I hoped,′ faltered Mrs Nickleby, ′that you might have an opportunity of doing something for your brother′s children. It was his dying wish that I should appeal to you in their behalf.
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