"Down directly!" said Squeers. "Ah! you had better be down directly, or I"ll be down upon some of you in less. Where"s that Smike?"
Nicholas looked hurriedly round again, but made no answer.
"Smike!" shouted Squeers.
"Do you want your head broke in a fresh place, Smike?" demanded his amiable lady in the same key.
Still there was no reply, and still Nicholas stared about him, as did the greater part of the boys, who were by this time roused.
"Confound his impudence!" muttered Squeers, rapping the stair-rail impatiently with his cane. "Nickleby!"
"Well, sir."
"Send that obstinate scoundrel down; don"t you hear me calling?"
"He is not here, sir," replied Nicholas.
"Don"t tell me a lie," retorted the schoolmaster. "He is."
"He is not," retorted Nicholas angrily, "don"t tell me one."
"We shall soon see that," said Mr Squeers, rushing upstairs. "I"ll find him, I warrant you."
With which a.s.surance, Mr Squeers bounced into the dormitory, and, swinging his cane in the air ready for a blow, darted into the corner where the lean body of the drudge was usually stretched at night. The cane descended harmlessly upon the ground. There was n.o.body there.
"What does this mean?" said Squeers, turning round with a very pale face. "Where have you hid him?"
"I have seen nothing of him since last night," replied Nicholas.
"Come," said Squeers, evidently frightened, though he endeavoured to look otherwise, "you won"t save him this way. Where is he?"
"At the bottom of the nearest pond for aught I know," rejoined Nicholas in a low voice, and fixing his eyes full on the master"s face.
"d.a.m.n you, what do you mean by that?" retorted Squeers in great perturbation. Without waiting for a reply, he inquired of the boys whether any one among them knew anything of their missing schoolmate.
There was a general hum of anxious denial, in the midst of which, one shrill voice was heard to say (as, indeed, everybody thought): "Please, sir, I think Smike"s run away, sir."
"Ha!" cried Squeers, turning sharp round. "Who said that?"
"Tomkins, please sir," rejoined a chorus of voices. Mr Squeers made a plunge into the crowd, and at one dive, caught a very little boy, habited still in his night-gear, and the perplexed expression of whose countenance, as he was brought forward, seemed to intimate that he was as yet uncertain whether he was about to be punished or rewarded for the suggestion. He was not long in doubt.
"You think he has run away, do you, sir?" demanded Squeers.
"Yes, please sir," replied the little boy.
"And what, sir," said Squeers, catching the little boy suddenly by the arms and whisking up his drapery in a most dexterous manner, "what reason have you to suppose that any boy would want to run away from this establishment? Eh, sir?"
The child raised a dismal cry, by way of answer, and Mr Squeers, throwing himself into the most favourable att.i.tude for exercising his strength, beat him until the little urchin in his writhings actually rolled out of his hands, when he mercifully allowed him to roll away, as he best could.
"There," said Squeers. "Now if any other boy thinks Smike has run away, I shall be glad to have a talk with him."
There was, of course, a profound silence, during which Nicholas showed his disgust as plainly as looks could show it.
"Well, Nickleby," said Squeers, eyeing him maliciously. "YOU think he has run away, I suppose?"
"I think it extremely likely," replied Nicholas, in a quiet manner.
"Oh, you do, do you?" sneered Squeers. "Maybe you know he has?"
"I know nothing of the kind."
"He didn"t tell you he was going, I suppose, did he?" sneered Squeers.
"He did not," replied Nicholas; "I am very glad he did not, for it would then have been my duty to have warned you in time."
"Which no doubt you would have been devilish sorry to do," said Squeers in a taunting fashion.
"I should indeed," replied Nicholas. "You interpret my feelings with great accuracy."
Mrs Squeers had listened to this conversation, from the bottom of the stairs; but, now losing all patience, she hastily a.s.sumed her night-jacket, and made her way to the scene of action.
"What"s all this here to-do?" said the lady, as the boys fell off right and left, to save her the trouble of clearing a pa.s.sage with her brawny arms. "What on earth are you a talking to him for, Squeery!"
"Why, my dear," said Squeers, "the fact is, that Smike is not to be found."
"Well, I know that," said the lady, "and where"s the wonder? If you get a parcel of proud-stomached teachers that set the young dogs a rebelling, what else can you look for? Now, young man, you just have the kindness to take yourself off to the schoolroom, and take the boys off with you, and don"t you stir out of there till you have leave given you, or you and I may fall out in a way that"ll spoil your beauty, handsome as you think yourself, and so I tell you."
"Indeed!" said Nicholas.
"Yes; and indeed and indeed again, Mister Jackanapes," said the excited lady; "and I wouldn"t keep such as you in the house another hour, if I had my way."
"Nor would you if I had mine," replied Nicholas. "Now, boys!"
"Ah! Now, boys," said Mrs Squeers, mimicking, as nearly as she could, the voice and manner of the usher. "Follow your leader, boys, and take pattern by Smike if you dare. See what he"ll get for himself, when he is brought back; and, mind! I tell you that you shall have as bad, and twice as bad, if you so much as open your mouths about him."
"If I catch him," said Squeers, "I"ll only stop short of flaying him alive. I give you notice, boys."
"IF you catch him," retorted Mrs Squeers, contemptuously; "you are sure to; you can"t help it, if you go the right way to work. Come! Away with you!"
With these words, Mrs Squeers dismissed the boys, and after a little light skirmishing with those in the rear who were pressing forward to get out of the way, but were detained for a few moments by the throng in front, succeeded in clearing the room, when she confronted her spouse alone.
"He is off," said Mrs Squeers. "The cow-house and stable are locked up, so he can"t be there; and he"s not downstairs anywhere, for the girl has looked. He must have gone York way, and by a public road too."
"Why must he?" inquired Squeers.
"Stupid!" said Mrs Squeers angrily. "He hadn"t any money, had he?"
"Never had a penny of his own in his whole life, that I know of," replied Squeers.
"To be sure," rejoined Mrs Squeers, "and he didn"t take anything to eat with him; that I"ll answer for. Ha! ha! ha!"
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Squeers.
"Then, of course," said Mrs S., "he must beg his way, and he could do that, nowhere, but on the public road."
"That"s true," exclaimed Squeers, clapping his hands.
"True! Yes; but you would never have thought of it, for all that, if I hadn"t said so," replied his wife. "Now, if you take the chaise and go one road, and I borrow Swallow"s chaise, and go the other, what with keeping our eyes open, and asking questions, one or other of us is pretty certain to lay hold of him."
The worthy lady"s plan was adopted and put in execution without a moment"s delay. After a very hasty breakfast, and the prosecution of some inquiries in the village, the result of which seemed to show that he was on the right track, Squeers started forth in the pony-chaise, intent upon discovery and vengeance. Shortly afterwards, Mrs Squeers, arrayed in the white top-coat, and tied up in various shawls and handkerchiefs, issued forth in another chaise and another direction, taking with her a good-sized bludgeon, several odd pieces of strong cord, and a stout labouring man: all provided and carried upon the expedition, with the sole object of a.s.sisting in the capture, and (once caught) insuring the safe custody of the unfortunate Smike.
Nicholas remained behind, in a tumult of feeling, sensible that whatever might be the upshot of the boy"s flight, nothing but painful and deplorable consequences were likely to ensue from it. Death, from want and exposure to the weather, was the best that could be expected from the protracted wandering of so poor and helpless a creature, alone and unfriended, through a country of which he was wholly ignorant. There was little, perhaps, to choose between this fate and a return to the tender mercies of the Yorkshire school; but the unhappy being had established a hold upon his sympathy and compa.s.sion, which made his heart ache at the prospect of the suffering he was destined to undergo. He lingered on, in restless anxiety, picturing a thousand possibilities, until the evening of next day, when Squeers returned, alone, and unsuccessful.
"No news of the scamp!" said the schoolmaster, who had evidently been stretching his legs, on the old principle, not a few times during the journey. "I"ll have consolation for this out of somebody, Nickleby, if Mrs Squeers don"t hunt him down; so I give you warning."
"It is not in my power to console you, sir," said Nicholas. "It is nothing to me."
"Isn"t it?" said Squeers in a threatening manner. "We shall see!"
"We shall," rejoined Nicholas.
"Here"s the pony run right off his legs, and me obliged to come home with a hack cob, that"ll cost fifteen shillings besides other expenses," said Squeers; "who"s to pay for that, do you hear?"
Nicholas shrugged his shoulders and remained silent.
"I"ll have it out of somebody, I tell you," said Squeers, his usual harsh crafty manner changed to open bullying "None of your whining vapourings here, Mr Puppy, but be off to your kennel, for it"s past your bedtime! Come! Get out!"
Nicholas bit his lip and knit his hands involuntarily, for his fingerends tingled to avenge the insult; but remembering that the man was drunk, and that it could come to little but a noisy brawl, he contented himself with darting a contemptuous look at the tyrant, and walked, as majestically as he could, upstairs: not a little nettled, however, to observe that Miss Squeers and Master Squeers, and the servant girl, were enjoying the scene from a snug corner; the two former indulging in many edifying remarks about the presumption of poor upstarts, which occasioned a vast deal of laughter, in which even the most miserable of all miserable servant girls joined: while Nicholas, stung to the quick, drew over his head such bedclothes as he had, and sternly resolved that the outstanding account between himself and Mr Squeers should be settled rather more speedily than the latter antic.i.p.ated.
Another day came, and Nicholas was scarcely awake when he heard the wheels of a chaise approaching the house. It stopped. The voice of Mrs Squeers was heard, and in exultation, ordering a gla.s.s of spirits for somebody, which was in itself a sufficient sign that something extraordinary had happened. Nicholas hardly dared to look out of the window; but he did so, and the very first object that met his eyes was the wretched Smike: so bedabbled with mud and rain, so haggard and worn, and wild, that, but for his garments being such as no scarecrow was ever seen to wear, he might have been doubtful, even then, of his ident.i.ty.
"Lift him out," said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes, in silence, upon the culprit. "Bring him in; bring him in!"
"Take care," cried Mrs Squeers, as her husband proffered his a.s.sistance. "We tied his legs under the ap.r.o.n and made"em fast to the chaise, to prevent his giving us the slip again."
With hands trembling with delight, Squeers unloosened the cord; and Smike, to all appearance more dead than alive, was brought into the house and securely locked up in a cellar, until such time as Mr Squeers should deem it expedient to operate upon him, in presence of the a.s.sembled school.
Upon a hasty consideration of the circ.u.mstances, it may be matter of surprise to some persons, that Mr and Mrs Squeers should have taken so much trouble to repossess themselves of an inc.u.mbrance of which it was their wont to complain so loudly; but their surprise will cease when they are informed that the manifold services of the drudge, if performed by anybody else, would have cost the establishment some ten or twelve shillings per week in the shape of wages; and furthermore, that all runaways were, as a matter of policy, made severe examples of, at Dotheboys Hall, inasmuch as, in consequence of the limited extent of its attractions, there was but little inducement, beyond the powerful impulse of fear, for any pupil, provided with the usual number of legs and the power of using them, to remain.
The news that Smike had been caught and brought back in triumph, ran like wild-fire through the hungry community, and expectation was on tiptoe all the morning. On tiptoe it was destined to remain, however, until afternoon; when Squeers, having refreshed himself with his dinner, and further strengthened himself by an extra libation or so, made his appearance (accompanied by his amiable partner) with a countenance of portentous import, and a fearful instrument of flagellation, strong, supple, wax-ended, and new,-in short, purchased that morning, expressly for the occasion.
"Is every boy here?" asked Squeers, in a tremendous voice.
Every boy was there, but every boy was afraid to speak, so Squeers glared along the lines to a.s.sure himself; and every eye drooped, and every head cowered down, as he did so.
"Each boy keep his place," said Squeers, administering his favourite blow to the desk, and regarding with gloomy satisfaction the universal start which it never failed to occasion. "Nickleby! to your desk, sir."
It was remarked by more than one small observer, that there was a very curious and unusual expression in the usher"s face; but he took his seat, without opening his lips in reply. Squeers, casting a triumphant glance at his a.s.sistant and a look of most comprehensive despotism on the boys, left the room, and shortly afterwards returned, dragging Smike by the collar-or rather by that fragment of his jacket which was nearest the place where his collar would have been, had he boasted such a decoration.
In any other place, the appearance of the wretched, jaded, spiritless object would have occasioned a murmur of compa.s.sion and remonstrance. It had some effect, even there; for the lookers-on moved uneasily in their seats; and a few of the boldest ventured to steal looks at each other, expressive of indignation and pity.
They were lost on Squeers, however, whose gaze was fastened on the luckless Smike, as he inquired, according to custom in such cases, whether he had anything to say for himself.
"Nothing, I suppose?" said Squeers, with a diabolical grin.
Smike glanced round, and his eye rested, for an instant, on Nicholas, as if he had expected him to intercede; but his look was riveted on his desk.
"Have you anything to say?" demanded Squeers again: giving his right arm two or three flourishes to try its power and suppleness. "Stand a little out of the way, Mrs Squeers, my dear; I"ve hardly got room enough."
"Spare me, sir!" cried Smike.
"Oh! that"s all, is it?" said Squeers. "Yes, I"ll flog you within an inch of your life, and spare you that."
"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Mrs Squeers, "that"s a good "un!"
"I was driven to do it," said Smike faintly; and casting another imploring look about him.
"Driven to do it, were you?" said Squeers. "Oh! it wasn"t your fault; it was mine, I suppose-eh?"
"A nasty, ungrateful, pig-headed, brutish, obstinate, sneaking dog," exclaimed Mrs Squeers, taking Smike"s head under her arm, and administering a cuff at every epithet; "what does he mean by that?"
"Stand aside, my dear," replied Squeers. "We"ll try and find out."
Mrs Squeers, being out of breath with her exertions, complied. Squeers caught the boy firmly in his grip; one desperate cut had fallen on his body-he was wincing from the lash and uttering a scream of pain-it was raised again, and again about to fall-when Nicholas Nickleby, suddenly starting up, cried "Stop!" in a voice that made the rafters ring.
"Who cried stop?" said Squeers, turning savagely round.
"I," said Nicholas, stepping forward. "This must not go on."
"Must not go on!" cried Squeers, almost in a shriek.
"No!" thundered Nicholas.
Aghast and stupefied by the boldness of the interference, Squeers released his hold of Smike, and, falling back a pace or two, gazed upon Nicholas with looks that were positively frightful.
"I say must not," repeated Nicholas, nothing daunted; "shall not. I will prevent it."
Squeers continued to gaze upon him, with his eyes starting out of his head; but astonishment had actually, for the moment, bereft him of speech.
"You have disregarded all my quiet interference in the miserable lad"s behalf," said Nicholas; "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!" screamed Squeers, almost beside himself with rage, and seizing Smike as he spoke.
"Wretch," rejoined Nicholas, fiercely, "touch him 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. Look to yourself, for by Heaven I will not spare you, if you drive me on!"
"Stand back," cried Squeers, brandishing his weapon.
"I have a long series of insults to avenge," said Nicholas, flushed with pa.s.sion; "and my indignation is aggravated by the dastardly cruelties practised on helpless infancy in this foul den. Have a care; for if you do raise the devil within me, the consequences shall fall heavily upon your own head!"