第84章

`And what about the cash, my existence's jewel?' said Mantalini, when these endearments ceased. `How much have we in hand?'

`Very little indeed,' replied Madame.

`We must have some more,' said Mantalini; `we must have some discount out of old Nickleby to carry on the war with, demmit.'

`You can't want any more just now,' said Madame coaxingly.

`My life and soul,' returned her husband, `there is a horse for sale at Scrubbs's, which it would be a sin and a crime to lose--going, my senses'

joy, for nothing.'

`For nothing,' cried Madame, `I am glad of that.'

`For actually nothing,' replied Mantalini. `A hundred guineas down will buy him; mane, and crest, and legs, and tail, all of the demdest beauty.

I will ride him in the park before the very chariots of the rejected countesses.

The demd old dowager will faint with grief and rage; the other two will say "He is married, he has made away with himself, it is a demd thing, it is all up!" They will hate each other demnebly, and wish you dead and buried. Ha! ha! Demmit.'

Madame Mantalini's prudence, if she had any, was not proof against these triumphal pictures; after a little jingling of keys, she observed that she would see what her desk contained, and rising for that purpose, opened the folding-door, and walked into the room where Kate was seated.

`Dear me, child!' exclaimed Madame Mantalini, recoiling in surprise.

`How came you here?'

`Child!' cried Mantalini, hurrying in. `How came--eh!--oh--demmit, how d'ye do?'

`I have been waiting, here some time, ma'am,' said Kate, addressing Madame Mantalini. `The servant must have forgotten to let you know that I was here, I think.'

`You really must see to that man,' said Madame, turning to her husband.

`He forgets everything.'

`I will twist his demd nose off his countenance for leaving such a very pretty creature all alone by herself,' said her husband.

`Mantalini,' cried Madame, `you forget yourself.'

`I don't forget you, my soul, and never shall, and never can,' said Mantalini, kissing his wife's hand, and grimacing aside, to Miss Nickleby, who turned away.

Appeased by this compliment, the lady of the business took some papers from her desk which she handed over to Mr Mantalini, who received them with great delight. She then requested Kate to follow her, and after several feints on the part of Mr Mantalini to attract the young lady's attention, they went away: leaving that gentleman extended at full length on the sofa, with his heels in the air and a newspaper in his hand.

Madame Mantalini led the way down a flight of stairs, and through a passage, to a large room at the back of the premises where were a number of young women employed in sewing, cutting out, making up, altering, and various other processes known only to those who are cunning in the arts of millinery and dressmaking. It was a close room with a skylight, and as dull and quiet as a room need be.

On Madame Mantalini calling aloud for Miss Knag, a short, bustling, over-dressed female, full of importance, presented herself, and all the young ladies suspending their operations for the moment, whispered to each other sundry criticisms upon the make and texture of Miss Nickleby's dress, her complexion, cast of features, and personal appearance, with as much good breeding as could have been displayed by the very best society in a crowded ball-room.

`Oh, Miss Knag,' said Madame Mantalini, `this is the young person Ispoke to you about.'

Miss Knag bestowed a reverential smile upon Madame Mantalini, which she dexterously transformed into a gracious one for Kate, and said that certainly, although it was a great deal of trouble to have young people who were wholly unused to the business, still, she was sure the young person would try to do her best--impressed with which conviction she (Miss Knag)felt an interest in her, already.

`I think that, for the present at all events, it will be better for Miss Nickleby to come into the show-room with you, and try things on for people,' said Madame Mantalini. `She will not be able for the present to be of much use in any other way; and her appearance will--'

`Suit very well with mine, Madame Mantalini,' interrupted Miss Knag.

`So it will; and to be sure I might have known that you would not be long in finding that out; for you have so much taste in all those matters, that really, as I often say to the young ladies, I do not know how, when, or where, you possibly could have acquired all you know--hem--Miss Nickleby and I are quite a pair, Madame Mantalini, only I am a little darker than Miss Nickleby, and--hem--I think my foot may be a little darker than Miss Nickleby, I am sure, will not be offended at my saying that, when she hears that our family always have been celebrated for small feet ever since--hem--ever since our family had any feet at all, indeed, I think. I had an uncle once, Madame Mantalini, who lived in Cheltenham, and had a most excellent business as a tobacconist--hem--who had such small feet, that they were no bigger than those which are usually joined to wooden legs--the most symmetrical feet, Madame Mantalini, that even you can imagine.'

`They must have had something of the appearance of club feet, Miss Knag,'

said Madame.

`Well now, that is so like you,' returned Miss Knag, `Ha! ha! ha! Of club feet! Oh very good! As I often remark to the young ladies, "Well Imust say, and I do not care who knows it, of all the ready humour--hem--Iever heard anywhere"--and I have heard a good deal; for when my dear brother was alive (I kept house for him, Miss Nickleby), we had to supper once a week two or three young men, highly celebrated in those days for their humour, Madame Mantalini--"Of all the ready humour," I say to the young ladies, " I ever heard, Madame Mantalini's is the most remarkable--hem.

It is so gentle, so sarcastic, and yet so good-natured (as I was observing to Miss Simmonds only this morning), that how, or when, or by what means she acquired it, is to me a mystery indeed."'