Some weeks had passed, and the first shock of these events had subsided.Madeline had been removed; Frank had been absent; and Nicholas and Katehad begun to try in good earnest to stifle their own regrets, and tolive for each other and for their mother--who, poor lady, could innowise be reconciled to this dull and altered state of affairs--whenthere came one evening, per favour of Mr Linkinwater, an invitation fromthe brothers to dinner on the next day but one: comprehending, not onlyMrs Nickleby, Kate, and Nicholas, but little Miss La Creevy, who wasmost particularly mentioned.

'Now, my dears,' said Mrs Nickleby, when they had rendered becominghonour to the bidding, and Tim had taken his departure, 'what does THISmean?'

'What do YOU mean, mother?' asked Nicholas, smiling.

'I say, my dear,' rejoined that lady, with a face of unfathomablemystery, 'what does this invitation to dinner mean? What is itsintention and object?'

'I conclude it means, that on such a day we are to eat and drink intheir house, and that its intent and object is to confer pleasure uponus,' said Nicholas.

'And that's all you conclude it is, my dear?'

'I have not yet arrived at anything deeper, mother.'

'Then I'll just tell you one thing,' said Mrs Nickleby, you'll findyourself a little surprised; that's all. You may depend upon it thatthis means something besides dinner.'

'Tea and supper, perhaps,' suggested Nicholas.

'I wouldn't be absurd, my dear, if I were you,' replied Mrs Nickleby,in a lofty manner, 'because it's not by any means becoming, and doesn'tsuit you at all. What I mean to say is, that the Mr Cheerybles don't askus to dinner with all this ceremony for nothing. Never mind; wait andsee. You won't believe anything I say, of course. It's much better towait; a great deal better; it's satisfactory to all parties, and therecan be no disputing. All I say is, remember what I say now, and when Isay I said so, don't say I didn't.'

With this stipulation, Mrs Nickleby, who was troubled, night and day,with a vision of a hot messenger tearing up to the door to announce thatNicholas had been taken into partnership, quitted that branch of thesubject, and entered upon a new one.

'It's a very extraordinary thing,' she said, 'a most extraordinarything, that they should have invited Miss La Creevy. It quite astonishesme, upon my word it does. Of course it's very pleasant that she shouldbe invited, very pleasant, and I have no doubt that she'll conductherself extremely well; she always does. It's very gratifying to thinkthat we should have been the means of introducing her into such society,and I'm quite glad of it--quite rejoiced--for she certainly is anexceedingly well-behaved and good-natured little person. I could wishthat some friend would mention to her how very badly she has her captrimmed, and what very preposterous bows those are, but of course that'simpossible, and if she likes to make a fright of herself, no doubt shehas a perfect right to do so. We never see ourselves--never do, andnever did--and I suppose we never shall.'

This moral reflection reminding her of the necessity of being peculiarlysmart on the occasion, so as to counterbalance Miss La Creevy, and beherself an effectual set-off and atonement, led Mrs Nickleby into aconsultation with her daughter relative to certain ribbons, gloves, andtrimmings: which, being a complicated question, and one of paramountimportance, soon routed the previous one, and put it to flight.

The great day arriving, the good lady put herself under Kate's hands anhour or so after breakfast, and, dressing by easy stages, completedher toilette in sufficient time to allow of her daughter's making hers,which was very simple, and not very long, though so satisfactory thatshe had never appeared more charming or looked more lovely. Miss LaCreevy, too, arrived with two bandboxes (whereof the bottoms fell out asthey were handed from the coach) and something in a newspaper, which agentleman had sat upon, coming down, and which was obliged to be ironedagain, before it was fit for service. At last, everybody was dressed,including Nicholas, who had come home to fetch them, and they went awayin a coach sent by the brothers for the purpose: Mrs Nickleby wonderingvery much what they would have for dinner, and cross-examining Nicholasas to the extent of his discoveries in the morning; whether he had smeltanything cooking at all like turtle, and if not, what he had smelt; anddiversifying the conversation with reminiscences of dinners to which shehad gone some twenty years ago, concerning which she particularised notonly the dishes but the guests, in whom her hearers did not feel a veryabsorbing interest, as not one of them had ever chanced to hear theirnames before.

The old butler received them with profound respect and many smiles,and ushered them into the drawing-room, where they were received bythe brothers with so much cordiality and kindness that Mrs Nickleby wasquite in a flutter, and had scarcely presence of mind enough, even topatronise Miss La Creevy. Kate was still more affected by the reception:for, knowing that the brothers were acquainted with all that had passedbetween her and Frank, she felt her position a most delicate and tryingone, and was trembling on the arm of Nicholas, when Mr Charles took herin his, and led her to another part of the room.

'Have you seen Madeline, my dear,' he said, 'since she left your house?'

'No, sir!' replied Kate. 'Not once.'

'And not heard from her, eh? Not heard from her?'

'I have only had one letter,' rejoined Kate, gently. 'I thought shewould not have forgotten me quite so soon.'

'Ah,' said the old man, patting her on the head, and speaking asaffectionately as if she had been his favourite child. 'Poor dear! whatdo you think of this, brother Ned? Madeline has only written to heronce, only once, Ned, and she didn't think she would have forgotten herquite so soon, Ned.'

'Oh! sad, sad; very sad!' said Ned.

The brothers interchanged a glance, and looking at Kate for a littletime without speaking, shook hands, and nodded as if they werecongratulating each other on something very delightful.

'Well, well,' said brother Charles, 'go into that room, my dear--thatdoor yonder--and see if there's not a letter for you from her. I thinkthere's one upon the table. You needn't hurry back, my love, if thereis, for we don't dine just yet, and there's plenty of time. Plenty oftime.'

Kate retired as she was directed. Brother Charles, having followed hergraceful figure with his eyes, turned to Mrs Nickleby, and said:

'We took the liberty of naming one hour before the real dinner-time,ma'am, because we had a little business to speak about, which wouldoccupy the interval. Ned, my dear fellow, will you mention what weagreed upon? Mr Nickleby, sir, have the goodness to follow me.'

Without any further explanation, Mrs Nickleby, Miss La Creevy, andbrother Ned, were left alone together, and Nicholas followed brotherCharles into his private room; where, to his great astonishment, heencountered Frank, whom he supposed to be abroad.

'Young men,' said Mr Cheeryble, 'shake hands!'

'I need no bidding to do that,' said Nicholas, extending his.

'Nor I,' rejoined Frank, as he clasped it heartily.

The old gentleman thought that two handsomer or finer young fellowscould scarcely stand side by side than those on whom he looked with somuch pleasure. Suffering his eyes to rest upon them, for a short time insilence, he said, while he seated himself at his desk:

'I wish to see you friends--close and firm friends--and if I thoughtyou otherwise, I should hesitate in what I am about to say. Frank, lookhere! Mr Nickleby, will you come on the other side?'

The young men stepped up on either hand of brother Charles, who produceda paper from his desk, and unfolded it.

'This,' he said, 'is a copy of the will of Madeline's maternalgrandfather, bequeathing her the sum of twelve thousand pounds, payableeither upon her coming of age or marrying. It would appear that thisgentleman, angry with her (his only relation) because she would not putherself under his protection, and detach herself from the society of herfather, in compliance with his repeated overtures, made a will leavingthis property (which was all he possessed) to a charitable institution.He would seem to have repented this determination, however, for threeweeks afterwards, and in the same month, he executed this. By somefraud, it was abstracted immediately after his decease, and theother--the only will found--was proved and administered. Friendlynegotiations, which have only just now terminated, have been proceedingsince this instrument came into our hands, and, as there is no doubtof its authenticity, and the witnesses have been discovered (after sometrouble), the money has been refunded. Madeline has therefore obtainedher right, and is, or will be, when either of the contingencies which Ihave mentioned has arisen, mistress of this fortune. You understand me?'

Frank replied in the affirmative. Nicholas, who could not trust himselfto speak lest his voice should be heard to falter, bowed his head.

'Now, Frank,' said the old gentleman, 'you were the immediate meansof recovering this deed. The fortune is but a small one; but we loveMadeline; and such as it is, we would rather see you allied to her withthat, than to any other girl we know who has three times the money. Willyou become a suitor to her for her hand?'

'No, sir. I interested myself in the recovery of that instrument,believing that her hand was already pledged to one who has a thousandtimes the claims upon her gratitude, and, if I mistake not, upon herheart, that I or any other man can ever urge. In this it seems I judgedhastily.'

'As you always do, sir,' cried brother Charles, utterly forgetting hisassumed dignity, 'as you always do. How dare you think, Frank, that wewould have you marry for money, when youth, beauty, and every amiablevirtue and excellence were to be had for love? How dared you, Frank, goand make love to Mr Nickleby's sister without telling us first what youmeant to do, and letting us speak for you?'

'I hardly dared to hope--'

'You hardly dared to hope! Then, so much the greater reason for havingour assistance! Mr Nickleby, sir, Frank, although he judged hastily,judged, for once, correctly. Madeline's heart IS occupied. Give meyour hand, sir; it is occupied by you, and worthily and naturally. Thisfortune is destined to be yours, but you have a greater fortune in her,sir, than you would have in money were it forty times told. She choosesyou, Mr Nickleby. She chooses as we, her dearest friends, would have herchoose. Frank chooses as we would have HIM choose. He should have yoursister's little hand, sir, if she had refused it a score of times; ay,he should, and he shall! You acted nobly, not knowing our sentiments,but now you know them, sir, you must do as you are bid. What! You arethe children of a worthy gentleman! The time was, sir, when my dearbrother Ned and I were two poor simple-hearted boys, wandering, almostbarefoot, to seek our fortunes: are we changed in anything but yearsand worldly circumstances since that time? No, God forbid! Oh, Ned, Ned,Ned, what a happy day this is for you and me! If our poor mother hadonly lived to see us now, Ned, how proud it would have made her dearheart at last!'

Thus apostrophised, brother Ned, who had entered with Mrs Nickleby, andwho had been before unobserved by the young men, darted forward, andfairly hugged brother Charles in his arms.

'Bring in my little Kate,' said the latter, after a short silence.'Bring her in, Ned. Let me see Kate, let me kiss her. I have a rightto do so now; I was very near it when she first came; I have oftenbeen very near it. Ah! Did you find the letter, my bird? Did you findMadeline herself, waiting for you and expecting you? Did you find thatshe had not quite forgotten her friend and nurse and sweet companion?Why, this is almost the best of all!'

'Come, come,' said Ned, 'Frank will be jealous, and we shall have somecutting of throats before dinner.'

'Then let him take her away, Ned, let him take her away. Madeline's inthe next room. Let all the lovers get out of the way, and talk amongthemselves, if they've anything to say. Turn 'em out, Ned, every one!'

Brother Charles began the clearance by leading the blushing girl to thedoor, and dismissing her with a kiss. Frank was not very slow to follow,and Nicholas had disappeared first of all. So there only remained MrsNickleby and Miss La Creevy, who were both sobbing heartily; the twobrothers; and Tim Linkinwater, who now came in to shake hands witheverybody: his round face all radiant and beaming with smiles.

'Well, Tim Linkinwater, sir,' said brother Charles, who was alwaysspokesman, 'now the young folks are happy, sir.'

'You didn't keep 'em in suspense as long as you said you would, though,'returned Tim, archly. 'Why, Mr Nickleby and Mr Frank were to havebeen in your room for I don't know how long; and I don't know what youweren't to have told them before you came out with the truth.'

'Now, did you ever know such a villain as this, Ned?' said the oldgentleman; 'did you ever know such a villain as Tim Linkinwater?He accusing me of being impatient, and he the very man who has beenwearying us morning, noon, and night, and torturing us for leave to goand tell 'em what was in store, before our plans were half complete, orwe had arranged a single thing. A treacherous dog!'

'So he is, brother Charles,' returned Ned; 'Tim is a treacherous dog.Tim is not to be trusted. Tim is a wild young fellow. He wants gravityand steadiness; he must sow his wild oats, and then perhaps he'll becomein time a respectable member of society.'

This being one of the standing jokes between the old fellows and Tim,they all three laughed very heartily, and might have laughed muchlonger, but that the brothers, seeing that Mrs Nickleby was labouring toexpress her feelings, and was really overwhelmed by the happiness of thetime, took her between them, and led her from the room under pretence ofhaving to consult her on some most important arrangements.

Now, Tim and Miss La Creevy had met very often, and had always beenvery chatty and pleasant together--had always been great friends--andconsequently it was the most natural thing in the world that Tim,finding that she still sobbed, should endeavour to console her. As MissLa Creevy sat on a large old-fashioned window-seat, where there wasample room for two, it was also natural that Tim should sit down besideher; and as to Tim's being unusually spruce and particular in his attirethat day, why it was a high festival and a great occasion, and that wasthe most natural thing of all.

Tim sat down beside Miss La Creevy, and, crossing one leg over the otherso that his foot--he had very comely feet and happened to be wearingthe neatest shoes and black silk stockings possible--should come easilywithin the range of her eye, said in a soothing way:

'Don't cry!'

'I must,' rejoined Miss La Creevy.

'No, don't,' said Tim. 'Please don't; pray don't.'

'I am so happy!' sobbed the little woman.

'Then laugh,' said Tim. 'Do laugh.'

What in the world Tim was doing with his arm, it is impossible toconjecture, but he knocked his elbow against that part of the windowwhich was quite on the other side of Miss La Creevy; and it is clearthat it could have no business there.

'Do laugh,' said Tim, 'or I'll cry.'

'Why should you cry?' asked Miss La Creevy, smiling.

'Because I'm happy too,' said Tim. 'We are both happy, and I should liketo do as you do.'

Surely, there never was a man who fidgeted as Tim must have done then;for he knocked the window again--almost in the same place--and Miss LaCreevy said she was sure he'd break it.

'I knew,' said Tim, 'that you would be pleased with this scene.'

'It was very thoughtful and kind to remember me,' returned Miss LaCreevy. 'Nothing could have delighted me half so much.'

Why on earth should Miss La Creevy and Tim Linkinwater have said allthis in a whisper? It was no secret. And why should Tim Linkinwater havelooked so hard at Miss La Creevy, and why should Miss La Creevy havelooked so hard at the ground?

'It's a pleasant thing,' said Tim, 'to people like us, who have passedall our lives in the world alone, to see young folks that we are fondof, brought together with so many years of happiness before them.'

'Ah!' cried the little woman with all her heart, 'that it is!'

'Although,' pursued Tim 'although it makes one feel quite solitary andcast away. Now don't it?'

Miss La Creevy said she didn't know. And why should she say she didn'tknow? Because she must have known whether it did or not.

'It's almost enough to make us get married after all, isn't it?' saidTim.

'Oh, nonsense!' replied Miss La Creevy, laughing. 'We are too old.'

'Not a bit,' said Tim; 'we are too old to be single. Why shouldn't weboth be married, instead of sitting through the long winter evenings byour solitary firesides? Why shouldn't we make one fireside of it, andmarry each other?'

'Oh, Mr Linkinwater, you're joking!'

'No, no, I'm not. I'm not indeed,' said Tim. 'I will, if you will. Do,my dear!'

'It would make people laugh so.'

'Let 'em laugh,' cried Tim stoutly; 'we have good tempers I know, andwe'll laugh too. Why, what hearty laughs we have had since we've knowneach other!'

'So we have,' cried Miss La Creevy--giving way a little, as Timthought.

'It has been the happiest time in all my life; at least, away from thecounting-house and Cheeryble Brothers,' said Tim. 'Do, my dear! Now sayyou will.'

'No, no, we mustn't think of it,' returned Miss La Creevy. 'What wouldthe brothers say?'

'Why, God bless your soul!' cried Tim, innocently, 'you don't suppose Ishould think of such a thing without their knowing it! Why they left ushere on purpose.'

'I can never look 'em in the face again!' exclaimed Miss La Creevy,faintly.

'Come,' said Tim, 'let's be a comfortable couple. We shall live in theold house here, where I have been for four-and-forty year; we shall goto the old church, where I've been, every Sunday morning, all throughthat time; we shall have all my old friends about us--Dick, the archway,the pump, the flower-pots, and Mr Frank's children, and Mr Nickleby'schildren, that we shall seem like grandfather and grandmother to. Let'sbe a comfortable couple, and take care of each other! And if we shouldget deaf, or lame, or blind, or bed-ridden, how glad we shall be that wehave somebody we are fond of, always to talk to and sit with! Let's be acomfortable couple. Now, do, my dear!'

Five minutes after this honest and straightforward speech, little MissLa Creevy and Tim were talking as pleasantly as if they had been marriedfor a score of years, and had never once quarrelled all the time; andfive minutes after that, when Miss La Creevy had bustled out to see ifher eyes were red and put her hair to rights, Tim moved with a statelystep towards the drawing-room, exclaiming as he went, 'There an't suchanother woman in all London! I KNOW there an't!'

By this time, the apoplectic butler was nearly in fits, in consequenceof the unheard-of postponement of dinner. Nicholas, who had been engagedin a manner in which every reader may imagine for himself or herself,was hurrying downstairs in obedience to his angry summons, when heencountered a new surprise.

On his way down, he overtook, in one of the passages, a strangergenteelly dressed in black, who was also moving towards the dining-room.As he was rather lame, and walked slowly, Nicholas lingered behind, andwas following him step by step, wondering who he was, when he suddenlyturned round and caught him by both hands.

'Newman Noggs!' cried Nicholas joyfully

'Ah! Newman, your own Newman, your own old faithful Newman! My dear boy,my dear Nick, I give you joy--health, happiness, every blessing! I can'tbear it--it's too much, my dear boy--it makes a child of me!'

'Where have you been?' said Nicholas. 'What have you been doing? Howoften have I inquired for you, and been told that I should hear beforelong!'

'I know, I know!' returned Newman. 'They wanted all the happiness tocome together. I've been helping 'em. I--I--look at me, Nick, look atme!'

'You would never let ME do that,' said Nicholas in a tone of gentlereproach.

'I didn't mind what I was, then. I shouldn't have had the heart to puton gentleman's clothes. They would have reminded me of old times andmade me miserable. I am another man now, Nick. My dear boy, I can'tspeak. Don't say anything to me. Don't think the worse of me for thesetears. You don't know what I feel today; you can't, and never will!'

They walked in to dinner arm-in-arm, and sat down side by side.

Never was such a dinner as that, since the world began. There was thesuperannuated bank clerk, Tim Linkinwater's friend; and there wasthe chubby old lady, Tim Linkinwater's sister; and there was so muchattention from Tim Linkinwater's sister to Miss La Creevy, andthere were so many jokes from the superannuated bank clerk, and TimLinkinwater himself was in such tiptop spirits, and little Miss LaCreevy was in such a comical state, that of themselves they wouldhave composed the pleasantest party conceivable. Then, there was MrsNickleby, so grand and complacent; Madeline and Kate, so blushing andbeautiful; Nicholas and Frank, so devoted and proud; and all four sosilently and tremblingly happy; there was Newman so subdued yetso overjoyed, and there were the twin brothers so delighted andinterchanging such looks, that the old servant stood transfixed behindhis master's chair, and felt his eyes grow dim as they wandered roundthe table.

When the first novelty of the meeting had worn off, and they began trulyto feel how happy they were, the conversation became more general, andthe harmony and pleasure if possible increased. The brothers were in aperfect ecstasy; and their insisting on saluting the ladies allround, before they would permit them to retire, gave occasion to thesuperannuated bank clerk to say so many good things, that he quiteoutshone himself, and was looked upon as a prodigy of humour.

'Kate, my dear,' said Mrs Nickleby, taking her daughter aside, as soonas they got upstairs, 'you don't really mean to tell me that this isactually true about Miss La Creevy and Mr Linkinwater?'

'Indeed it is, mama.'

'Why, I never heard such a thing in my life!' exclaimed Mrs Nickleby.

'Mr Linkinwater is a most excellent creature,' reasoned Kate, 'and, forhis age, quite young still.'

'For HIS age, my dear!' returned Mrs Nickleby, 'yes; nobody saysanything against him, except that I think he is the weakest and mostfoolish man I ever knew. It's HER age I speak of. That he should havegone and offered himself to a woman who must be--ah, half as old againas I am--and that she should have dared to accept him! It don't signify,Kate; I'm disgusted with her!'

Shaking her head very emphatically indeed, Mrs Nickleby swept away;and all the evening, in the midst of the merriment and enjoyment thatensued, and in which with that exception she freely participated,conducted herself towards Miss La Creevy in a stately and distantmanner, designed to mark her sense of the impropriety of herconduct, and to signify her extreme and cutting disapprobation of themisdemeanour she had so flagrantly committed.