With this exordium, Mr Ralph Nickleby took a newspaper from his pocket, and after unfolding it, and looking for a short time among the advertisements, read as follows:
′"EDUCATION.—At Mr Wackford Squeers′s Academy, Dotheboys Hall, at the delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, Youth are boarded, clothed, booked, furnished with pocket-money, provided with all necessaries, instructed in all languages living and dead, mathematics, orthography, geometry, astronomy, trigonometry, the use of the globes, algebra, single stick (if required), writing, arithmetic, fortification, and every other branch of classical literature. Terms, twenty guineas per annum. No extras, no vacations, and diet unparalleled. Mr Squeers is in town, and attends daily, from one till four, at the Saracen′s Head, Snow Hill. N.B. An able assistant wanted. Annual salary 5 pounds. A Master of Arts would be preferred."
′There!′ said Ralph, folding the paper again. ′Let him get that situation, and his fortune is made.′
′But he is not a Master of Arts,′ said Mrs Nickleby.
′That,′ replied Ralph, ′that, I think, can be got over.′
′But the salary is so small, and it is such a long way off, uncle!′ faltered Kate.
′Hush, Kate my dear,′ interposed Mrs Nickleby; ′your uncle must know best.′
′I say,′ repeated Ralph, tartly, ′let him get that situation, and his fortune is made. If he don′t like that, let him get one for himself. Without friends, money, recommendation, or knowledge of business of any kind, let him find honest employment in London, which will keep him in shoe leather, and I′ll give him a thousand pounds. At least,′ said Mr Ralph Nickleby, checking himself, ′I would if I had it.′
′Poor fellow!′ said the young lady. ′Oh! uncle, must we be separated so soon!′
′Don′t tease your uncle with questions when he is thinking only for our good, my love,′ said Mrs Nickleby. ′Nicholas, my dear, I wish you would say something.′
′Yes, mother, yes,′ said Nicholas, who had hitherto remained silent and absorbed in thought. ′If I am fortunate enough to be appointed to this post, sir, for which I am so imperfectly qualified, what will become of those I leave behind?′
′Your mother and sister, sir,′ replied Ralph, ′will be provided for, in that case (not otherwise), by me, and placed in some sphere of life in which they will be able to be independent. That will be my immediate care; they will not remain as they are, one week after your departure, I will undertake.′
′Then,′ said Nicholas, starting gaily up, and wringing his uncle′s hand, ′I am ready to do anything you wish me. Let us try our fortune with Mr Squeers at once; he can but refuse.′
′He won′t do that,′ said Ralph. ′He will be glad to have you on my recommendation. Make yourself of use to him, and you′ll rise to be a partner in the establishment in no time. Bless me, only think! if he were to die, why your fortune′s made at once.′
′To be sure, I see it all,′ said poor Nicholas, delighted with a thousand visionary ideas, that his good spirits and his inexperience were conjuring up before him. ′Or suppose some young nobleman who is being educated at the Hall, were to take a fancy to me, and get his father to appoint me his travelling tutor when he left, and when we come back from the continent, procured me some handsome appointment. Eh! uncle?′
′Ah, to be sure!′ sneered Ralph.
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