Nicholas NicklebyA classic story by Charles Dickens

AdaptedbyGillMunton

SeriesEditor:LouisFidge

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Contents

1 TheNicklebyfamilyhistory 32 MrWackfordSqueers 123 DotheboysHall 214 Lettersfromhome 305 Smike 396 TheNicklebysinLondon 487 Ayounglady,akidnappingandarescue 568 SmikeandMadelineindanger 659 Aweddingisstopped,andamangoestoprison 7310 BacktoDevon 82

Billy McBone 90AVictorianschool 92Abouttheauthor 96

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RalphandNicholasNicklebywerebrothers.TheylivedaonafarminDevonwiththeirmotherandfather.The

brothersstayedatschoolduringtheweekbuttheywenthometoseetheirparentseachweekend.

OneSaturdayevening,thetwobrothersweresittingbythefirewiththeirmother.

‘Tellusaboutwhenyouwereyoung,Mother,’saidRalph.

‘Whenwegotmarried,yourfatherandIwereverypoor,’theirmotherreplied.‘Weneverhadenoughmoneyforfoodandlifewasveryhard.’

‘We’renotpoornow,Mother,’saidRalph.‘No–oneday,yourfather’sunclediedandlefthim

fivethousandpounds!’‘Fivethousandpounds!That’salotofmoney!’

saidNicholas.

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CHApTER1

The Nickleby family history

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Theirmothercontinuedwithherstory.‘Weboughtthisfarmwithsomeofthemoneyandbegantogrowourownvegetables.Wewerecarefulwiththemoneybecausewedidn’twanttowasteit.’

‘WhenIgrowup,Iamgoingtohavelotsofmoney,’Ralphsaid.‘IwilldowhateverIcantogetit.’

Nicholassaidnothing.Hewasthinkingabouthisfuture.Hedecidedtobecarefulwithhismoney.Hedidn’twanttotakeanyrisksandloseitall.Hedecidedthathewantedtostayonthefarm.Lifewasnotveryexcitingthere,butitwassafe.

WhenthebrothersreturnedtoschoolonMonday,Ralphstartedtomakemoneystraightaway.Hegavehistoysandbookstootherboysinhisclass–buttheyhadtopaytoborrowthem!Whentheotherboysneededmoney,Ralphgavethemmoney,too–buthemadethempaybackmorethantheyborrowed.Thetwobrothersgrewupandleftschool.RalphleftthefarmandwenttoLondontoearnmoney.Whentheirparentsdiedsomeyearslater,Nicholasstayedonthefarmandlivedaquietlifewithhiscowsandhissheep.

Oneday,Nicholaswenttovisitaneighbourandhefellinlovewithhisneighbour’sdaughter.Afterashorttime,theygotmarriedandlivedtogetheronthefarm.

Nicholasandhiswifehadtwochildren,aboyandagirl.TheboywascalledNicholas,likehisfather,andthegirlwascalledKate.TheNicklebyswantedtheirchildrentohaveagoodeducationsotheysentthemtothebestschools.

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Oneday,Nicholaswaslookingatsomepapers.‘Look!Here’sanotherbillfromKate’sschool.Itisveryexpensivetogiveachildagoodeducation!’hesaid.

‘Yes,itis,’hiswifereplied.‘ButyoungNicholasisnearlysixteennow.Hewillleaveschoolsoonandgetagoodjob.AndKateisfourteen–shewillleaveschoolsoon,too.Thentherewon’tbeanyschoolbills.’

‘Thatistrue,’Nicholassaid.‘ButIdon’thavemuchmoney.I’vespentsomuch!Idon’thaveenoughmoneytopaythisschoolbill.’

‘Youcouldtrytobeabusinessmanandmakesomemoney,likeyourbrotherRalph,’hiswifesaid.

‘Butyoucanloseallyourmoneyinbusiness!’Nicholasreplied.

‘It’stheonlyanswer,’hiswifesaid.‘Weneedtomakemoremoney,Nicholas.’

SoMrNicklebytriedtobeabusinessmanforsomeyears.Buthewasnotasgoodatbusinessashisbrother.

‘Iamnotverygoodatthis.I’velostallmymoney!’Nicholassaidtohiswife.‘Nowwewillhavetosellourfarmtopaythebills!’

Hesatinhischairandputhisheadinhishands.

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‘Don’tgiveup,’hiswifesaid.‘Yourluckwillsoonchange!’

ButNicholaswenttobed.Thedoctorcametoseehim.Alltheneighbourscame,too.EveryonetoldNicholastogetoutofbed,buthedidn’twantto.

Ashelayinbed,hetalkedabouthisschooldayswithRalphandthehappytimestheyhad.Thenhesaidtohiswife,‘Iamgoingtoleavethisworldnow,mydear.Lookafterourchildren.’

Withthat,MrNicholasNicklebywenttosleep.Heneverwokeup.RalphNicklebylivedinabighouseinLondon,inGoldenSquare.Onthefrontdoortherewasabrassplatewiththeword‘Office’onit.Intheoffice,Ralphdidbusinesswiththehelpofhisassistant,NewmanNoggs.NewmanNoggs

wasatall,thinmanwitharednose.Everyday,hesatinalittleroomfromnine-thirtyuntilfiveo’clock.Ralphmadehisassistantworkhardanddidn’tpayhimmuchmoney.

Oneday,RalphwasreturningfromabusinessmeetingwhenNewmanNoggscameouttomeethiminthestreet.

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‘Thislettercameforyou,sir,’hesaid.Ralphtooktheletterandstaredattheenvelope.‘ItwaspostedintheStrand,London,’hesaid.‘Andthe

envelopehasablackborder–thattellsmethatsomeonehasdied.’

Ralphlookedathisgoldpocketwatch.Hedidnothavemuchtime.Heopenedtheenvelopeandpulledouttheletter.Hereaditquickly.

‘Iwasright!’Ralphsaid.‘MybrotherNicholashasdied.Hehasleftawifeandtwochildren,NicholasandKate.TheyareallhereinLondon.ThelettersaysthatIamtolookafterthemall!’Hewasangry.‘Mybrotherneverdidanythingforme.Doyouthinkthat’sfair,Newman?’

‘Idon’tknow,sir,’Newmanreplied.‘I’venevermetthosechildren.Oh,well.Youcango

homenow,Newman,andIwillclosetheoffice.ImustgototheStrand,’Ralphsaid.

RalphNicklebyknockedonthedoorofanoldhouseintheStrand.Aservantgirlwithadirtyfaceansweredthedoor.

‘CanIhelpyou,sir?’sheasked.‘IamlookingforMrsNickleby.Issheathome?’‘Shelivesupstairs,sir,’thegirlreplied.Ralphwentinandclimbedthenarrowstairs.Atthetop,heknockedonthedoor.Hewastiredafter

thelongclimb.Aprettygirlofaboutseventeenopenedthedoor.Ralph

tookoffhishatandwentin.Insidetheroom,hesawawomandressedinblackclothes.Ayoungmanwassittingnexttoher.

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Theyoungmanstooduptowelcomehim.‘Youmustbemynephew,youngNicholasNickleby,’

saidRalph.‘Thatismyname,sir,’theyoungmanreplied.ThenRalphlookedatthewomanandspoketoher.

‘Andyoumustbemysister-in-law–thewifeofmypoordeadbrother.Howdoyoudo,mydear?’Ralphsaid.Hetookherhand.‘Iamverysorry.’

‘Hewasagoodman,’saidMrsNicklebysadly.Thenshewipedhereyeswithawhitehandkerchief.

‘I’mafraidgoodmendieeveryday,’repliedRalph.‘Whatillnessdidyourhusbandhave?Youdidn’ttellmeinyourletter.’

‘Idon’tknow.Ithinkhediedofabrokenheart,’saidMrsNickleby.

‘Thatcan’tbetrue!’Ralphsaidangrily.‘peopledieofabrokenneck,butnoonediesofabrokenheart!’

Theyoungman,Nicholas,didnotlikehisuncletalkingtohismotherinthisway.

‘Somepeoplehavenohearttobreak,’hesaidquietly.Ralphturnedandstaredathisnephew.‘Howoldisthisrudeyoungman?’heasked.‘Nearlynineteen,’MrsNicklebyreplied.‘Tellme,Nicholas,howareyougoingtoearnmoney?’

Ralphasked.‘Idon’tknow,sir.ButIwillnottakemoneyfrommy

mother,’Nicholasrepliedproudly.‘AndIwillnotaskyouformoney!’

‘MrsNickleby,tellyoursontobecarefulwhathesaystome,’Ralphshouted.

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‘Bequiet,Nicholas.Letyourunclespeak,’MrsNicklebysaidquietlytoherson.

Ralphturnedbacktohissister-in-law.‘Doyouhaveanymoney?’heaskedher.‘None,’shereplied.‘Iamnotworriedaboutmyself,but

Ihopeyouwillhelpyourbrother’schildren.’‘Hmmm.Isee,’saidRalph.‘Youhavegotnomoney,

andnowyouwantsomeofmine!’Ralphwalkedangrilytotheendoftheroomandthen

walkedbackagain.

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‘Andwhataboutyourdaughter?Whatkindofworkcanshedo?’Ralphasked.

‘Katewenttoaverygoodschool.ShecanspeakFrench…’repliedMrsNickleby.

‘pah!That’snogood!Shemustbecomeadressmakerorsomethinglikethat,’Ralphsaid.HeturnedbacktoNicholas.‘Doyouwanttowork,youngman?’heasked.

‘Yes,sir,’Nicholasreplied.Ralphpulledanewspaperfromhiscoatpocket.

Heunfoldeditandputitonthetable.‘Readthat!’hesaid.Hepointedtoanadvertisement

ononeofthepages.Nicholasreadtheadvertisementaloud:

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‘That’sthejobforyou,Nicholas!’saidRalph.Hefoldedthenewspaperandputitbackinhispocket.‘YoucanbeaschoolteacheratDotheboysHall!’

Katespokeforthefirsttime.‘Butthepayisverylow,sir,’shesaid.‘Itisonlyfivepoundsayear!AndYorkshireissofaraway.’

‘IfNicholasdoesn’tlikethejobIhavefoundforhim,hemustfindanotherjobforhimself,’repliedRalphangrily.

‘IfIdotakethisjob,sir,whatwillhappentomymotherandmysister?’Nicholasasked.

‘Iwilllookafterthem.Butifyoudon’ttakethejob,theywillgetnohelpfromme!’Ralphreplied.

‘Thenletusgoatonce,UncleRalph!’criedNicholas.‘LetusgototheSnowballHotelandmeetMrWackfordSqueers!’

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