第327章

`I do believe you,' replied the old gentleman, `and I am happy in the belief. I have never doubted it; I never shall. I am sure I never shall.'

`Your telling me that so kindly,' said Nicholas, `emboldens me to proceed.

When you first took me into your confidence, and dispatched me on those missions to Miss Bray, I should have told you that I had seen her long before; that her beauty had made an impression upon me which I could not efface; and that I had fruitlessly endeavoured to trace her, and become acquainted with her history. I did not tell you so, because I vainly thought I could conquer my weaker feelings, and render every consideration subservient to my duty to you.'

`Mr Nickleby,' said brother Charles, `you did not violate the confidence I placed in you, or take an unworthy advantage of it. I am sure you did not.'

`I did not,' said Nicholas, firmly. `Although I found that the necessity for self-command and restraint became every day more imperious, and the difficulty greater, I never, for one instant, spoke or looked but as Iwould have done had you been by. I never, for one moment, deserted my trust, nor have I to this instant. But I find that constant association and companionship with this sweet girl is fatal to my peace of mind, and may prove destructive to the resolutions I made in the beginning, and up to this time have faithfully kept. In short, sir, I cannot trust myself, and I implore and beseech you to remove this young lady from under the charge of my mother and sister without delay. I know that to anyone but myself--to you, who consider the immeasurable distance between me and this young lady, who is now your ward, and the object of your peculiar care--my loving her, even in thought, must appear the height of rashness and presumption. I know it is so. But who can see her as I have seen,--who can know what her life has been,--and not love her? I have no excuse but that; and as I cannot fly from this temptation, and cannot repress this passion, with its object constantly before me, what can I do but pray and beseech you to remove it, and to leave me to forget her?'

`Mr Nickleby,' said the old man, after a short silence, `you can do no more. I was wrong to expose a young man like you to this trial. I might have foreseen what would happen. Thank you, sir, thank you. Madeline shall be removed.'

`If you would grant me one favour, dear sir, and suffer her to remember me with esteem, by never revealing to her this confession--'

`I will take care,' said Mr Cheeryble. `And now, is this all you have to tell me?'

`No!' returned Nicholas, meeting his eye, `it is not.'

`I know the rest,' said Mr Cheeryble, apparently very much relieved by this prompt reply. `When did it come to your knowledge?'

`When I reached home this morning.'

`You felt it your duty immediately to come to me, and tell me what your sister no doubt acquainted you with?'

`I did,' said Nicholas, `though I could have wished to have spoken to Mr Frank first.'

`Frank was with me last night,' replied the old gentleman. `You have done well, Mr Nickleby--very well, sir--and I thank you again.'

Upon this head, Nicholas requested permission to add a few words. He ventured to hope that nothing he had said would lead to the estrangement of Kate and Madeline, who had formed an attachment for each other, any interruption of which would, he knew, be attended with great pain to them, and, most of all, with remorse and pain to him, as its unhappy cause. When these things were all forgotten, he hoped that Frank and he might still be warm friends, and that no word or thought of his humble home, or of her who was well contented to remain there and share his quiet fortunes, would ever again disturb the harmony between them. He recounted, as nearly as he could, what had passed between himself and Kate that morning: speaking of her with such warmth of pride and affection, and dwelling so cheerfully upon the confidence they had of overcoming any selfish regrets and living contented and happy in each other's love, that few could have heard him unmoved. More moved himself than he had been yet, he expressed in a few hurried words--as expressive, perhaps, as the most eloquent phrases--his devotion to the brothers, and his hope that he might live and die in their service.

To all this, brother Charles listened in profound silence, and with his chair so turned from Nicholas that his face could not be seen. He had not spoken either, in his accustomed manner, but with a certain stiffness and embarrassment very foreign to it. Nicholas feared he had offended him.

He said, `No--no--he had done quite right,' but that was all.

`Frank is a heedless, foolish fellow,' he said, after Nicholas had paused for some time; `a very heedless, foolish fellow. I will take care that this is brought to a close without delay. Let us say no more upon the subject;it's a very painful one to me. Come to me in half an hour; I have strange things to tell you, my dear sir, and your uncle has appointed this afternoon for your waiting upon him with me.'

`Waiting upon him! With you, sir!' cried Nicholas.

`Ay, with me,' replied the old gentleman. `Return to me in half an hour, and I'll tell you more.'

Nicholas waited upon him at the time mentioned, and then learnt all that had taken place on the previous day, and all that was known of the appointment Ralph had made with the brothers; which was for that night;and for the better understanding of which it will be requisite to return and follow his own footsteps from the house of the twin brothers. Therefore, we leave Nicholas somewhat reassured by the restored kindness of their manner towards him, and yet sensible that it was different from what it had been (though he scarcely knew in what respect): full of uneasiness, uncertainty, and disquiet.