`You are welcome,' said Mrs Crummles, turning round to Nicholas when they reached the bow-windowed front room on the first floor.
Nicholas bowed his acknowledgments, and was unfeignedly glad to see the cloth laid.
`We have but a shoulder of mutton with onion sauce,' said Mrs Crummles, in the same charnel-house voice; `but such as our dinner is, we beg you to partake of it.'
`You are very good,' replied Nicholas, `I shall do it ample justice.'
`Vincent,' said Mrs Crummles, `what is the hour?'
`Five minutes past dinner-time,' said Mr Crummles.
Mrs Crummles rang the bell. `Let the mutton and onion sauce appear.'
The slave who attended upon Mr Bulph's lodgers, disappeared, and after a short interval reappeared with the festive banquet. Nicholas and the infant phenomenon opposed each other at the pembroke- table, and Smike and the master Crummleses dined on the sofa bedstead.
`Are they very theatrical people here?' asked Nicholas.
`No,' replied Mr Crummles, shaking his head, `far from it--far from it.'
`I pity them,' observed Mrs Crummles.
`So do I,' said Nicholas; `if they have no relish for theatrical entertainments, properly conducted.'
`Then they have none, sir,' rejoined Mr Crummles. `To the infant's benefit, last year, on which occasion she repeated three of her most popular characters, and also appeared in the Fairy Porcupine, as originally performed by her, there was a house of no more than four pound twelve.'
`Is it possible?' cried Nicholas.
`And two pound of that was trust, pa,' said the phenomenon.
`And two pound of that was trust,' repeated Mr Crummles. `Mrs Crummles herself has played to mere handfuls.'
`But they are always a taking audience, Vincent,' said the manager's wife.
`Most audiences are, when they have good acting--real good acting--the regular thing,' replied Mr Crummles, forcibly.
`Do you give lessons, ma'am?' inquired Nicholas.
`I do,' said Mrs Crummles.
`There is no teaching here, I suppose?'
`There has been,' said Mrs Crummles. `I have received pupils here. I imparted tuition to the daughter of a dealer in ships' provision; but it afterwards appeared that she was insane when she first came to me. It was very extraordinary that she should come, under such circumstances.'
Not feeling quite so sure of that, Nicholas thought it best to hold his peace.
`Let me see,' said the manager cogitating after dinner. `Would you like some nice little part with the infant?'