400 NICHOLAS NICKLEBY LEAVES DOTHEBOYS' HALL. "Now, what have you got to say for yourself? (Stand a little out of the way, Mrs. Squeers, my dear; I've hardly got room enough.)" "Spare me, sir!". "Oh, that's all you've got to say, is it? Yes, I'll flog you within an inch of your life, and spare you that." One cruel blow had fallen on him, when Nicholas Nickleby cried, "Stop!" "Who cried stop?" "I did. This must not go on." "Must not go on !" "No! Must not! Shall not! I will prevent it! You have disregarded all my quiet interference in this miserable lad's behalf; you have returned no answer to the letter in which I begged forgiveness for him, and offered to be responsible that he would remain quietly here. Don't blame me for this public interference. You have brought it upon yourself, not I." "Sit down, beggar!" Wretch, touch him again at your peril! I will not stand by, and see it done. My blood is up, and I have the strength of ten such men as you. By Heaven! I will not spare you, if you drive me on! I have a series of personal insults to avenge, end my indignation is aggravated by the cruelties practiced in this foul den. Have a care; for if you raise the devil in me, the consequences will fall heavily upon your head!" Squeers, in a violent outbreak, spat at him, and struck him a blow across the face. Nicholas instantly sprang upon him, wrested his weapon from his hand, and, pinning him by the throat, beat the ruffian till he roared for mercy. He flung him away with all the force he could muster, and the violence of his fall precipitated Mrs. Squeers over an adjacent form; Squeers, striking his head against the same form in his descent, lay at his full length on the ground, stunned and motionless. Having brought affairs to this happy termination, and having ascertained, to his satisfaction, that Squeers was only stunned, and not dead (upon which point he had some unpleasant doubts at first), Nicholas packed up a few clothes in a small valise, and, finding that nobody offered to oppose his progress, marched boldly out by the front door, and struck into the road. Then such a cheer arose as the walls of Dotheboys' Hall had never echoed before, and would never respond to again. When the sound had died away, the school was empty; and of the crowd of boys not one remained. PARSON, who a missionary had been, And hardships and privations oft had seen, While wandering far on lone and desert strands, A A weary traveler in benighted lands, His hearers oft indulged themselves in sleep. In his discourse, to keep the rogues awake Said he, "While traveling in a distant state, I witness'd scenes which I will here relate: 'Twas in a deep, uncultivated wild, Where noontide glory scarcely ever smiled; Where wolves in hours of midnight darkness howl'd Where bears frequented, and where panthers prowl'd; And, on my word, mosquitoes there were found, Many of which, I think, would weigh a pound! More fierce and ravenous than the hungry shark They oft were known to climb the trees and bark!" The audience seem'd taken by surprise- eyes; Were they as large as you were pleased to "Why, that, my friend, I can explain with state? You said they'd weigh a pound! It can't be true; ease They climbed the bark, sir, when they climbed the trees!" |