Mr Nickleby came back, and looked as confused as might be, as he inquired whether the ladies had any commands for him.

`Don't stop to talk,' urged Miss Price, hastily; `but support her on the other side. How do you feel now, dear?'

`Better,' sighed Miss Squeers, laying a beaver bonnet of a reddish brown with a green veil attached, on Mr Nickleby's shoulder. `This foolish faintness!'

`Don't call it foolish, dear,' said Miss Price: her bright eye dancing with merriment as she saw the perplexity of Nicholas; `you have no reason to be ashamed of it. It's those who are too proud to come round again, without all this to-do, that ought to be ashamed.'

`You are resolved to fix it upon me, I see,' said Nicholas, smiling, `although I told you, last night, it was not my fault.'

`There; he says it was not his fault, my dear,' remarked the wicked Miss Price. `Perhaps you were too jealous, or too hasty with him? He says it was not his fault. You hear; I think that's apology enough.'

`You will not understand me,' said Nicholas. `Pray dispense with this jesting, for I have no time, and really no inclination, to be the subject or promoter of mirth just now.'

`What do you mean?' asked Miss Price, affecting amazement.

`Don't ask him, 'Tilda,' cried Miss Squeers; `I forgive him.'

`Dear me,' said Nicholas, as the brown bonnet went down on his shoulder again, `this is more serious than I supposed. Allow me! Will you have the goodness to hear me speak?'

Here he raised up the brown bonnet, and regarding with most unfeigned astonishment a look of tender reproach from Miss Squeers, shrunk back a few paces to be out of the reach of the fair burden, and went on to say:

`I am very sorry--truly and sincerely sorry--for having been the cause of any difference among you, last night. I reproach myself, most bitterly, for having been so unfortunate as to cause the dissension that occurred, although I did so, I assure you, most unwittingly and heedlessly.'

`Well; that's not all you have got to say surely,' exclaimed Miss Price as Nicholas paused.

`I fear there is something more,' stammered Nicholas with a half-smile, and looking towards Miss Squeers, `it is a most awkward thing to say--but--the very mention of such a supposition makes one look like a puppy--still--may I ask if that lady supposes that I entertain any--in short, does she think that I am in love with her?'

`Delightful embarrassment,' thought Miss Squeers, `I have brought him to it, at last. Answer for me, dear,' she whispered to her friend.

`Does she think so?' rejoined Miss Price; `of course she does.'

`She does!' exclaimed Nicholas with such energy of utterance as might have been, for the moment, mistaken for rapture.

`Certainly,' replied Miss Price

`If Mr Nickleby has doubted that, 'Tilda,' said the blushing Miss Squeers in soft accents, `he may set his mind at rest. His sentiments are recipro--'