Mulberry turned away to speak to one of his own party, and feigned not to hear.
"Now, upon my life," said the friend, affecting to speak in a whisper, "it's an uncommonly bold and game thing in Hawk to show himself so soon. I say it advisedly, there's a vast deal of courage in it. You see he has just rusticated long enough to excite curiosity, and not long enough for men to have forgotten that deuced unpleasant—by the bye—you know the rights of the affair, of course. Why did you never give those confounded papers the lie? I seldom read the papers, but I looked in the papers for that, and may I be——"
"Look in the papers," interrupted Sir Mulberry, turning suddenly round—"to-morrow—no, next day, will you?"
"Upon my life, my dear fellow, I seldom or never read the papers," said the other, shrugging his shoulders, "but I will at your recommendation. What shall I look for, hey?"
"Good day," said Sir Mulberry, turning abruptly on his heel, and drawing his pupil with him. Falling again into the loitering careless pace at which they had entered, they lounged out arm in arm.
"I won't give him a case of murder to read," muttered Sir Mulberry with an oath; "but it shall be something very near it, if whip-cord cuts and bludgeons bruise."
His companion said nothing, but there was that in his manner which galled Sir Mulberry to add, with nearly as much ferocity as if his friend had been Nicholas himself, "I sent Jenkins to Nickleby before eight o'clock this morning. He's a staunch one; he was back with me before the messenger. I had it all from him in the first five minutes. I know where this hound is to be met with—time and place both. But there's no need to talk; to-morrow will soon be here."
"And wha-at's to be done to-morrow?" inquired Lord Frederick.
Sir Mulberry Hawk honoured him with an angry glance, but condescended to return no verbal answer to this inquiry, and both walked sullenly on as though their thoughts were busily occupied, until they were quite clear of the crowd, and almost alone, when Sir Mulberry wheeled round to return.
"Stop," said his companion, "I want to speak to you—in earnest; Don't turn back. Let us walk here a few minutes."
"What have you to say to me, that you could not say yonder as well as here?" returned his Mentor, disengaging his arm.
"Hawk," rejoined the other, "tell me; I must know—"
"Must know," interrupted the other disdainfully. "Whew! Go on. If you must know, of course there's no escape for me. Must know!"
"Must ask then," returned Lord Frederick, "and must press you for a plain and straight-forward answer—is what you have just said only a mere whim of the moment, occasioned by your being out of humour and irritated, or is it your serious intention, and one that you have actually contemplated?"
"Why, don't you remember what passed on the subject one night,
