Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens discussion thread

[chesilbeach]

Thanks for the summary, Janet. What I've been doing is that if I've forgotten where I've got up to in the story, I've been going back to the start of the previous chapters and reading the little subheading which tells you what's going to happen in the chapter.

The whole theatre scenario came out of nowhere for me! I still genuinely have no idea where the story is going to go with each upcoming instalment. I love the names of Verisopht and Hawk - I'm assuming it's meant as "very soft" for the foppish Lord, and the "Hawk" refers to the predatory nature of Sir Mulberry.

Kate's lot is not a happy one at the moment, is it? I hope she's going to have a happier time in the future.

Janet, I haven't seen any adaptations of it, but my OH has a BBC radio adaptation. We're trying to find out more info about it, but I think it might be this one and he says it's really good (30 x 15 min episodes). We're not sure if it's the same one, but I also found an Audible version on iTunes, with Anna Massey, Sophie Thompson, Ken Campbell, Alex Jennings and Tom Baker. Looking on IMDB, there are a few film and television versions, so I might see if I can find any to watch one after we've finished reading the book.

[Janet]

Thanks for the summary, Janet. What I've been doing is that if I've forgotten where I've got up to in the story, I've been going back to the start of the previous chapters and reading the little subheading which tells you what's going to happen in the chapter.

I did that up until this particular section but thought typing up a summary might help the story 'stick' a bit better.

 

I'm assuming it's meant as "very soft" for the foppish Lord, and the "Hawk" refers to the predatory nature of Sir Mulberry.

 

Janet, I haven't seen any adaptations of it, but my OH has a BBC radio adaptation. We're trying to find out more info about it, but I think it might be this one and he says it's really good (30 x 15 min episodes). We're not sure if it's the same one, but I also found an Audible version on iTunes, with Anna Massey, Sophie Thompson, Ken Campbell, Alex Jennings and Tom Baker. Looking on IMDB, there are a few film and television versions, so I might see if I can find any to watch one after we've finished reading the book.

Yes, I that was my assumption about the names too. Very clever.

 

Thanks for the info on the radio adaptation. I have an audio book version which I tried to listen to when walking, but sadly I found I couldn't concentrate on it. I think now I'm into the story I'd be better listening to it - but equally now I'm in to it I'm happy to continue reading the story myself.

 

I'm really enjoying the story and I'm looking forward to the coming week's instalment.

[Alexi]

I'm now up to the end of chapter 29 - have I gone too far?

[Janet]

Nope, that's the end of this week's instalment.  Tomorrow to next Sunday is chapters 30 to 33  

[Janet]

WARNING --- THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTERS 27-29 (originally read between 20th and 26th October)

SUMMARY (for my benefit!)

Mrs Nickleby is dreaming about Kate marrying Sir Mulberry Hawk. Messrs Pyke and Pluck pay a visit – they are friends of Sir Mulberry – they insinuate that he is in love with Kate and invite her to attend a play with them that evening. Initially she is hesitant but when they tell her that her brother-in-law Ralph will be attending she agrees to go and meets up with Hawk, Vesisopht, Pyke and Pluck. Ralph is not present after all.

Meanwhile, in the next box, Kate is in attendance with the Witterlys. She is upset at the sight of the party in the next box (which her mother wrongly believes is a sign of her affection for Hawk) but is coerced into spend the evening with Hawk.

At the end of the evening Hawk tries to prevent Kate from leaving and when she tells him she detests him he tells her she is beautiful when she’s angry. On entering the Witterly’s carriage she bursts into tears. Hawk is pleased to have found out where Kate is living.

Hawk ponders Kate’s beauty and is sure he can win her round, which will do his reputation no end of good. Mrs Nickleby writes to Kate telling her she believes Hawk to be excellent son-in-law material. Kate is really miserable but tries to put on a brave face for a depressed Mrs Witterly by reading to her. Mrs W questions Kate about her acquaintance with Lord Frederick and the other members of his party – she says she knows them through her Uncle, but not very well and not for very long.

Hawk and Verisopht arrive and Kate has to suffer attention from Hawk and he and his companions start to visit the Witterlys on a regular basis which makes Kate more miserable. Mrs Witterly is jealous of the attention that Kate gets from Hawk and starts to exclude the girl. She accuses her of being too forward and they quarrel. Kate goes to see Ralph – she is terribly upset and accuses him of not protecting her from men who are rogues and asks for his help but he refuses because he doesn’t want to risk alienating himself from people who can be useful to his business but tells her that they will soon tire of her and move on to someone else.

She decides to leave her position and support herself even though this will be very difficult. She will not see her uncle or these horrible men any more. Upon opening the door she discovers that Newman Noggs has heard the conversation. He hints about Nicholas’s return – he is very angry with Kate’s uncle Ralph.

Nicholas repays John Browdie, the man who gave him and Smike money in order for them to escape from Dotheboys Hall. He sends some money to Noggs with instructions for him to pass it to Kate. He explains to Smike that Uncle Ralph is an enemy who has wronged him.

Mr Folair gives a letter to Nicholas from Mr Lenville. Lenville is upset that Nicholas is upstaging him and has asked Nicholas to attend the theatre for a nose pulling ceremony (I have no idea what this is but I’m taking it literally!*) Nicholas is angry with Mr Folair, who thought the challenge was a joke.

The next day Nicholas goes to the theatre to confront Lenville. The women are firmly on his side, but the men are on Lenville’s side (being a little jealous of Nicholas). Nicholas knocks Mr Lenville down and orders him to apologise, which he begrudgingly does. He engages a boy to boo at Nicholas on stage to try to put him off, but he is ejected from the theatre.

Nicholas gets a letter from Nogg who has returned the money intended for Kate, hinting that Nicholas may need it – and that Kate may need his protection. Noggs will keep Nicholas posted. Nicholas tells Mrs Crummles that he may soon have to leave the theatre group.

*I have Googled nose pulling and found the following which relates to the period of the early 1800s:

A nose pulling, while it might seem a very trivial affair today, was considered at the time to be a blatant and intrinsically public insult to another man's credibility and honour.

Things are going from bad to worse for Kate, aren’t they? Ralph is so spineless and uncaring. At least it sounds like Newman Noggs will be on her side and hopefully Nicholas will also come to her defence. She’s going to “make her own way” – I wonder where she’ll go next…?

Nicholas is doing well for himself at the moment. I had to go back to remind myself who John Browdie was – it was nice that Nicholas kept his word and repaid him for his kindness. I guess his fortunes may change if he has to leave the theatre company to go to Kate’s aid.

[chesilbeach]

I think Kate is starting to eek her way into her uncle's heart (which will have to grow like the Grinch's, if he's going to come to the rescue eventually), so maybe he will have some redemption later on?

 

Isn't interesting how Nicholas can just assume another name without any worries?  Nowadays, he'd need fake ID's or to have a stage name under an Equity card!  I can't imagine it's going to make his fortune, so I suspect something else will be happening to our Nicholas as he makes his way through the world, and hopefully back to his family.

 

I've also been thinking about how the story meanders each instalment, and I wonder if Dickens planned the whole story before he started, or maybe a brief outline that he worked to, or just made it up as he went along, seeing where his characters took him?

[Alexi]

Thanks J.

 

I have to say, I've really enjoyed the latest instalments. I've certainly not been able to predict where Nicholas is going end up next! Poor Kate, she seems doomed to be manipulated and mistreated.

 

However, I can't wait to see what happens to Verisopht and Hawk

 

ETA: I've been wondering about that too Claire. Would the magazine have wanted a full synopsis before publishing or would Dickens have needed the money as he was writing?!

Edited October 27, 2014 by Alexi

[willoyd]

I've also been thinking about how the story meanders each instalment, and I wonder if Dickens planned the whole story before he started, or maybe a brief outline that he worked to, or just made it up as he went along, seeing where his characters took him?

Ackroyd makes it clear that Dickens had a good idea of the overall shape of where his novel was going, but otherwise it wasn't planned in detail a long way in advance. Dickens did do a lot of planning and thinking - his diaries are full of references to that - but it was shorter range. This was particularly true of his earlier novels - obviously including NN - his later novels being more carefully worked out in advance. There's a book available with all his work plans included, but at £93 it's a bit out of my range! However, the blurb on Amazon is interesting: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dickens-Working-Notes-His-Novels/dp/0226145905.

He had to have done a fair amount of planning: he was, after all, committed to a specific number of pages per instalment (32) and a certain number of instalments (20). You can't just free write on that basis!

  

ETA: I've been wondering about that too Claire. Would the magazine have wanted a full synopsis before publishing or would Dickens have needed the money as he was writing?!

Dickens was paid by the instalment, on delivery, an arrangement that suited him, and enabled him to marry Catherine Hogarth when he did. I'm fairly certain from what I've read that there were no synopses before pubishing, but may be wrong.

Edited November 1, 2014 by willoyd

[Janet]

WARNING --- THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTERS 30 - 33

 

Summary under spoiler

 

Crummles doesn’t want Nicholas to leave the troop and tries to persuade him to stay but Nicholas is resolved to return to London to check up on Kate even if Noggs doesn’t contact him.  Crummles then resolves to advertise Nicholas’s departure to draw in crowds and if Nicholas manages to stay longer they’ll say his departure was delayed in order for people to be able to see him act before he has to leave.

 

There is some discussion amongst Miss Snevellicci, Mr Folair and Mr Lenville about how Messrs Johnson and Digby (Nickleby and Smike) are such unlikely companions.  Lenville says that he thinks they have run away from someone or somewhere and that Digby resembles a pickpocket who used to work in Covent Garden, although he could be a relative.

 

Nicholas visits Miss Snevellicci’s house where her parents and Mr and Mrs Lillyvick are also living.  There is a bit of an altercation when Mr Snevellicci gets drunk and flirts with Mrs Lillyvick which Nicholas breaks up.   Mrs Snevellicci tries to make a match between her daughter and Nicholas but he is having none of it.

 

That evening at the show a London manager is in the audience.  Mr Crummles believes he’s there to sign up ‘the phenomenon’ [why doesn’t she have a capital letter for her nickname – or is that just my version?!] but to Mr C’s disappointment the manager falls asleep and then leaves the show early.

 

Nicholas receives a letter from Noggs and returns to London with Smike.

 

Ralph mulls over his meeting with Kate which is preventing him from concentrating on his work.  He likes her and wishes her mother and Nicholas were dead so that she could move in with him.  This makes him feel very lonely.

 

Noggs delivers a package for Ralph and then calls on Miss La Creevy who has returned from visiting her brother whom she hasn’t seen for many years.  Miss La Creevy has called on Mrs Nickleby but found her to be quite unwelcoming.  She would have liked to have visited Kate too but is worried that the Witterlys wouldn’t approve of her and plans to write instead.  Noggs tells her that he’d like to attack Ralph Nickleby and that he believes that one day the desire will become too much and he will actually carry this wish out.  Miss La Creevy is alarmed.  Noggs tells her how Ralph has used Kate as bait and that she is now suffering unwanted attentions from Messrs Hawk, Vesisopht, Pyke and Pluck.  When Miss La Creevy is concerned that Nicholas will deal with these men and Ralph aggressively and that they need to deal with the situation delicately when telling Nicholas what has been going on.

 

They agree to both be out when Nicholas arrives so that he won’t find out what has been going on until very late at night in order that he will have some time to cool down before acting.

 

On arrival in London, Nicholas and Smike find lodgings and Nicholas goes to Noggs’s house, only to discover that Noggs is not in.  Noggs’s neighbour Mr Crowl informs him that Noggs will be back and midnight and that he will entertain Nicholas for the evening but Nicholas is restless and instead goes to visit Miss La Creevy only to discover that she is not at home either.  Nicholas goes for a walk because he can’t settle.  He stops at a hotel for some refreshments and then encounters a group of men who are talking about his sister!  He listens for a while and then confronts Mulberry Hawk.  The pair argue and when Hawk leaves Nicholas follows him.  They have an altercation and both end up injured and bleeding.  Nicholas leaves the scene.

 

Noggs returns home before midnight.  He and Smike worry about Nicholas as he has not returned.  When Nicholas does come back they can see he is injured – he tells Noggs that he has heard some of the story and worked out the rest but still wants to hear what Noggs has to say about the situation.

 

They plan to remove Mrs Nicholby from Ralph’s house with the help of Miss La Creevy and Nicholas writes to his Uncle.  The next morning Nicholas visits Kate at the Witterlys’ house and the pair plan for her to leave.  Mr Witterly is introduced to Nicholas and Kate tells him she is leaving.  He is glad to see her go!

 

They go to collect Mrs Nicholby and her things.  Mrs N is confused about what has happened and thinks that they should hear Ralph’s side of things but Nicholas refuses. Mrs N is also upset that Hawk isn’t the man she thought he was – she would have liked Kate to have married him, which in turn would have helped Nicholas’s career prospects. 

 

Mrs N and Kate go to live, on a temporary basis, with Miss La Creevy.  Nicholas gives Noggs a letter he has written to Ralph, together with the key to his uncle’s house.  He asks Noggs if he knows how badly Hawk was injured in the previous evening’s altercation but Noggs doesn’t know.  Noggs urges Nicholas to rest as he is clearly unwell due to the injury he received from Hawk.

 

Noggs takes the letter to Ralph Nickleby – the letter contains statements as to the disgust and contempt that Nicholas feels towards his uncle and hopes that when Ralph is dying he looks back on these events with shame.  Ralph Nickleby is furious, especially because Noggs is in the room, but Noggs pretends to be doing his work and appears oblivious to Ralph.

 

I hope you don't mind if I continue to post a summary - it helps me remember what's going on!

 

This is just supposition on my part as I didn’t know the story before we started reading this together and I don’t know anything that is to happen in later parts of the story.  Therefore I haven’t tagged them as it’s all guesswork – I hope that’s okay.   

 

I’m sure this one has probably crossed your minds as well anyway, but I wonder if there really is a pickpocket in Covent Garden who is related to Smike?  I love how Nicholas has taken Smike under his wing and he obviously feels real affection for the boy – and vice versa.  Part of me would love it if Smike does have some family – but only if they are able to take him into their affections.  Hopefully if this is not the case then Smike will always have a family with the Nicklebys.

 

Miss La Creevy being reunited with her brother is good news for her.  I wonder if she’ll end up moving to live with them as they’d asked?

 

Mulberry Hawk is a really nasty piece of work, isn’t he!  I wonder how badly injured he was.  I hope he doesn’t die of his injuries.    That would be terrible for our Nicholas, wouldn’t it!

 

As for Ralph, I’m still unsure as to whether I think he’s likely to redeem himself in the novel or whether he will die a bitter, lonely old man!

[chesilbeach]

Aargh, I've just realised I should have read four chapters last week, not three! I'm going to read it now, so I'll be back shortly with my thoughts on ALL of the last instalment.

[Janet]

I nearly did the same, Claire - for some reason I decided to double check (I only started reading the instalments last night) and realised that I needed to read one more chapter. 

 

I hope my comments didn't spoil it too much for you? 

[chesilbeach]

I hope my comments didn't spoil it too much for you? 

No, fortunately, I saw the first line and thought "I've only read up to Chapter 32, I'll go and check the first post …" and then realised my mistake!

 

 

I hope you don't mind if I continue to post a summary - it helps me remember what's going on!

 

Fine with me, it is useful to be able to refer to with a week between reading chapters

 

I’m sure this one has probably crossed your minds as well anyway, but I wonder if there really is a pickpocket in Covent Garden who is related to Smike?  I love how Nicholas has taken Smike under his wing and he obviously feels real affection for the boy – and vice versa.  Part of me would love it if Smike does have some family – but only if they are able to take him into their affections.  Hopefully if this is not the case then Smike will always have a family with the Nicklebys.

I would love Smike to find some loving family too, or at least to find some affection and love in his life, but I guess I'm just a big softie at heart.

 

Miss La Creevy being reunited with her brother is good news for her.  I wonder if she’ll end up moving to live with them as they’d asked?

My guess would be yes, but not until after the Nickleby's situation is resolved. Does Dickens do happy endings? We'll find out soon …

 

Mulberry Hawk is a really nasty piece of work, isn’t he!  I wonder how badly injured he was.  I hope he doesn’t die of his injuries.    That would be terrible for our Nicholas, wouldn’t it!

 

I'm worried that the authorities will be on Nicholas's tail for this too, even if just for assault … I hope that's not in his future.

 

As for Ralph, I’m still unsure as to whether I think he’s likely to redeem himself in the novel or whether he will die a bitter, lonely old man!

It's going to come down to the happy endings issue again, isn't it?

[Janet]

My guess would be yes, but not until after the Nickleby's situation is resolved. Does Dickens do happy endings? We'll find out soon …

 

It's going to come down to the happy endings issue again, isn't it?

I've only read two Dickens books so far.  One had a happy ending and the other had a mostly happy ending - or at least, happy endings for those who deserved them!    I'm sure Nicholas deserves a good end to his tale.  It will be interesting to find out if Dickens agrees! 

 

I'm really enjoying reading this.  I definitely feel encouraged to read more of his. 

[Alexi]

I've just finished Chapter 33 and have to say I'm a bit worried about our Nicholas for the same reasons as you two are - Mulberry Hawk is a nasty piece of work and could easily report him. Could even exaggerate his injuries? I do hope not!

 

Nicholas is beginning to learn about the evil ways of the world though it would seem - he was a lot more careful with Miss Snevellici after his experience with Miss Squeers!

 

I have the vintage kindle edition and its good, but every so often it mistypes Crummles as Crummies which is beginning to really irritate me!

[chesilbeach]

I have the vintage kindle edition and its good, but every so often it mistypes Crummles as Crummies which is beginning to really irritate me!

How annoying!  Isn't it a shame you can't edit ebooks and do a "find and replace" for all those irritating typos.

[Janet]

You can with the Paperwhite.  I reported a typo in it (although I can't now remember what it was!).  

[Alexi]

I'm asking for a new kindle for Christmas - really considering the paper white!

[Athena]

I'm asking for a new kindle for Christmas - really considering the paper white!

I hope you get a new Kindle !

[Janet]

Me too.  I do really like the Paperwhite. 

[Janet]

WARNING --- THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTERS 34 – 36

 

Summary under spoiler

 

Mr Mantalini goes to visit Ralph Nickleby. Noggs implies that Nickleby is too busy to receive him but Mantalini pushes his way in – he wants Ralph give him some money in return for some bills and Ralph agrees to give him £25 but Mrs Mantalini turns up and Mr M hides the bills in his pocket.  She tells him she is ashamed of him and says he’s stolen papers from her desk.  She decides to give Mr Mantalini an allowance.  He threatens to drown himself but eventually after some upset he agrees not to.

 

Mr Mantalini mentions Hawk’s injuries and the fact that he’s in a critical condition – he tells Ralph that it was Nicholas who tried to kill Hawk in defence of Kate. The Mantalinis leave and Wackford Squeers arrives, together with his son.  Squeers explains that he has just recovered from the injuries he alleges were caused by Nicholas which were considerably expensive, but that he is not out of pocket because he adds the cost of his bills onto those of the boys of Dotheboys Hall’s parents. 

 

Squeers’ visit is as a result of a complaint against him of neglect brought against him when a child in his care ate turnips from a neighbour’s garden (!) and became ill.  Ralph thinks Squeers is after compensation for the injuries he claims Nicholas caused to him. Ralph questions him about Smike – Squeers tells him the boy is about 21 years old and that he isn’t very clever.  He arrived at Dotheboys Hall when he was around five years old and the man who brought him paid for his keep for about eight years.  When he stopped paying, Squeers made enquiries but was unable to establish the man’s identity. He claimed to have allowed Smike to stay out of a sense of charity.  He says that someone is asking about Smike but that as the boy ran away he is not able to help.

 

Ralph tells Squeers he plans to have revenge on Nicholas – once he’s worked out what form that revenge will take. 

 

Before leaving the office, Squeers sings the praises of his son to Noggs.  However, he doesn’t get the reaction he hoped for (after Noggs laughs at Squeers junior) and leaves, declaring Noggs to be mad and drunk.

 

Ralph is upset that Nicholas will make Kate hate him.  He ponders how his brother was always more popular than he was.  He destroys the letter that Nicholas sent him

 

Smike is at Newman’s home waiting for Nicholas to arrive.  Nicholas tells Smike he is going to bring him home and Smike fears Nicholas means he has found somewhere for him to live away from Nicholas.  Nicholas reassures Smike that he means for him to stay with the Nicklelby family.

 

Smike is introduced to Mrs Nickleby and Kate. Mrs N is upset when she hears Smike’s name because it reminds her of Pyke.  She is worried they won’t be able to fit Smike in.  Mrs N asks Smike if he has ever dined with a anyone from a high class background in Yorkshire.  Nicholas dismisses the idea as ludicrous and she defends herself, telling them that when she was at school she was often invited out to dinner. 

 

Nicholas considers the idea of returning to the Crummles, but rejects this idea because he knows his mother wouldn’t approve and he doesn’t really fancy travelling between different towns – he would prefer the family to be settled.  He goes to the Register Office and whilst looking in the window he notices a pleasant looking chap who in turn keeps looking at Nicholas.  Eventually they start talking and Nicholas tells the man that he is looking for a job in order to support his mother and sister – he also tells him about Kate’s troubles.  The man invites Nicholas to accompany him to a warehouse. 

 

The man is Charles Cheeryble and is in business with his twin brother.  They employ an elderly gent called Mr Linkinwater and the brothers agree to take in Nicholas which will allow the man to take a break from his job – Mr Linkinwater doesn’t want to take time off but the brothers hire Nicholas anyway.  They also rent him a cottage where the family live very happily and Smike enjoys making over the garden. 

 

The chapter ends by noting that “the poor Nicklebys were social and happy, whilst the rich Nickleby was alone and miserable.”

 

Mr Kenwigs’ wife is about to have a baby so he goes out to buy a pair of white gloves with which to muffle the door knocker.  (This is a superfluous gesture but carried out for the sake of superstition, since the front door is always open).  The doctor is present and is admiring the Kenwigs’ children.  Mr Kenwigs says he hopes that his eldest daughter Morleena will marry well, and maybe even into a higher social class.   Various neighbours gather in the house and talk about Mrs Kenwigs and the children.  Mr Kenwigs proudly tells them that he believes his children will inherit some money – “a matter of a hundred pounds apiece, perhaps. Maybe more, but certainly that.”

 

Nicholas arrives.  He apologises for the intrusion – he has come to inform Mr K that Mr Lillyvik and Miss Petowker are now married.  Mr Kenwigs is furious, especially as he has lavished much food and many gifts on Mr Lillyvik in anticipation of the inheritance.  He is making so much noise that the nurse comes out to tell him to be quiet.  He says the new baby would be better of dead or taken to the foundling hospital as he now has no inheritance to look forward to.  The nurse is horrified and thinks that Mr Kenwigs must be mad but the doctor persuades the onlookers that Mr K doesn’t actually mean what he says.  Eventually Mr K is persuaded to go to bed and Nicholas and some of the other visitors creep away until eventually the family are alone.

 

I’m not entirely sure what the bills are that are mentioned at the start of chapter 34 that Mr Mantalini wants Ralph to buy?  I can’t remember if we’re told what Ralph’s occupation is – is he a debt collector?  Are they debts owed to the Mantalini’s that Ralph will then pursue?

 

As we feared, it appears that Hawk’s condition is critical.    Time will tell just how poorly he is.

 

Squeers has reared his ugly head again.  He really is a nasty piece of work, isn’t he!  It seems someone has been looking for Smike – thus adding to our hopes of him having a family of his own. 

 

I’m pleased that Nicholas has had some luck in terms of his job and meeting Mr Cheeryble (another great Dickensian surname!) and his brother – I just hope that good fortune lasts!

 

Mr Kenwigs is a very melodramatic man, isn’t he!  It’s kind of ironic (which is probably the point!) that he wishes the new baby dead considering that mortality in the Victorian era was particularly high for infants.  I know he said it in the heat of the moment, but it was a horrible, harsh thing to say.  Hopefully those words won’t come back to haunt him.

 

I'm looking forward to the next instalment! 

[chesilbeach]

I’m not entirely sure what the bills are that are mentioned at the start of chapter 34 that Mr Mantalini wants Ralph to buy?  I can’t remember if we’re told what Ralph’s occupation is – is he a debt collector?  Are they debts owed to the Mantalini’s that Ralph will then pursue?

I assumed they were Mrs Mantalini's customers bills, and that Ralph buys them for a lower value so that Mr Mantalini can get cash immediately, but at a lower face value, so when Ralph will eventually then collect the payment direct from the customers and make a profit. I don't think we've been told what "profession" Ralph has, but it does seem to revolve around money, and I think buying other people's debts is probably one part of that.

 

 

 

Squeers has reared his ugly head again.  He really is a nasty piece of work, isn’t he!  It seems someone has been looking for Smike – thus adding to our hopes of him having a family of his own. 

 

Urgh, wasn't that a nasty surprise for us. Nice to learn a little more of Smike's back story, and you're right, it does give us more hope

 

 

I’m pleased that Nicholas has had some luck in terms of his job and meeting Mr Cheeryble (another great Dickensian surname!) and his brother – I just hope that good fortune lasts!

I love the Cheeryble brothers! At last, some kind, honest and generous people - lovely for Nicholas to find some good in society.

 

 

 

Mr Kenwigs is a very melodramatic man, isn’t he!  It’s kind of ironic (which is probably the point!) that he wishes the new baby dead considering that mortality in the Victorian era was particularly high for infants.  I know he said it in the heat of the moment, but it was a horrible, harsh thing to say.  Hopefully those words won’t come back to haunt him.

Whilst it was a terrible thing to say, it must be awful to have put all your hopes on your children inheriting from a rich uncle, thinking that they would be financially secure, only to find that this was now only a distant possibility and worry for their future. I'm just reading another book set in Victorian London, about a working class family who have had multiple babies die, but still have five children alive. The father leaves after the death of the youngest baby, and the mother does the only thing she can to get immediate money to be able to feed her children, and prostitutes herself, and as they live in a single room, the only thing separating the children from what their mother has to do, is a sheet hung up shielding the bed. As she says to her eldest daughter, it's that or the workhouse. It doesn't bear thinking about.

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to the next instalment! 

Back to this book … me too!!! Oh, actually, I've already read this weeks chapters as I'm working a lot of overtime this week, and not sure when I'd have time to settle down with it, and didn't want to get behind. You've got some cracking stuff coming up!

[Alexi]

I really enjoyed this installment as we we got the nasty and nice bits of society side by side. The reappearance of Squeers was a welcome one for me (merely because I hope by the end he will get his comeuppance!) and I thought it was then really nice that alongside those memories we were introduced to the Cheeryble brothers. The Nicklebys' luck does seem to be turning...

 

I hope I haven't tempted fate there!

 

I'm also nervous about Hawk and what that incident could do to poor Nicholas in the forthcoming chapters.

 

As for Ralph, I also don't think we've been told explicitly what it is but it seems to revolve around the lending and collecting of money. It doesn't seem to be entirely above board either - given he isn't at home to the tax man!

 

I'm also looking forward to this week's instalment, which I'm hoping to read before the weekend. I'm currently immersed in a non fiction book on corruption in the police and Scotland Yard which seems to suggest we haven't come nearly as far from Dickensian times as we would like to think - certainly in the 1980s and 1990s.

[Janet]

WARNING --- THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTERS 37 – 39
 
Summary under spoiler
 

(37) Nicholas works hard in order to learn about bookkeeping. Tim Linkinwater is a bit concerned about Nicholas’ capability but Nicholas proves his worth and Tim is reassured that when he dies the business will continue to be successful.  Charles Cheryble wishes Tim a happy birthday. The other brother says he looks ten years younger than he did on his last birthday and Charles comments that Tim was born “a hundred and fifty years old and is gradually coming down to five-and-twenty”.  A party is held to celebrate Tim’s birthday with the two Cheeryble brothers, Nicholas, Tim’s sister and one of his friends present.  The party goes on for a long time!
 
Nicholas returns home very late and tells his mother and Smike about the party.  Mrs Nickleby asks Smike to leave and then tells Nicholas that the man next door wants to marry her – and that he keeps gifting her cucumbers!  Nicholas is not amused and tells Mrs N to put him off.  Mrs N is upset that Nicholas thinks the man is silly for pursuing her. She looks out of the window to discover he has put more cucumbers over the wall!
 
(38) Kate is very happy in her new home and starts to feel like her old self.  She grows more beautiful.  Miss La Creevy comments that the move seems to have had a positive effect on everyone apart from Smike.  She thinks he feels stupid – she asks him to accompany her back to her house, which he does, and his visit seems to cheer him up.
 
Hawk is still suffering from his injuries.  Lord Verisopht helps to look after him. Ralph Nickleby visits and says he’s sorry for the injuries caused by his nephew. He tells Hawk he won’t stand in his way if Hawk wants Nicholas punished.  He wishes that Nicholas was dead.  Ralph tells Hawk that everyone knows about the incident and Hawk vows to avenge himself by getting even with Nicholas – and with Kate.
 
Verisopht overhears the exchange and tells Hawk he will try to prevent an attack on Nicholas.  He says that Hawks behaviour towards Kate was wrong and that any brother would have wanted to defend his sister’s honour in the same way.
 
Smike leaves Miss La Creevy’s house to walk home – on the way he is attacked by Squeers junior and Squeers senior grabs him and takes him to Mr Snawley’s house where they have been lodging.  Squeers snr pretends to the Snawley family that Smike was treated as a son and that he was really ungrateful when he ran away.  Smike refuses to say where he has been living.  Squeers snr locks him in a bedroom.
 
(39)John Browdie and his wife, Tilda, are on honeymoon in London with Fanny Squeers.  Fanny is asleep in a carriage – John wakes her up and she is grumpy, accusing Tilda of kicking her and disapproving of John’s choice of venue for lunch.  Fanny asks the waiter if her father is around but he doesn’t know.   He returns later to tell her that although her father isn’t using the inn’s accommodation, he does visit every day and that he should be there shortly.  When Mr and Master Squeers turn up the waiter takes them to Fanny.  Mr Squeers tells Fanny it’s high time she was married but she says she is happy to wait – Tilda sarcastically remarks that it appears that men are also happy to wait rather than marry Fanny.  The girls start to argue but Squeers interrupts and tells them that he has caught Smike.  He then invites the party to accompany him to Mr Snawley’s house for tea.  Soon after arrival Mr Browdie feigns illness and retires upstairs to rest.  He creeps into Smikes room and helps him to escape!  

 
Chapter 37 opens with some beautiful language, especially in the second paragraph.  I loved this bit –

“But now, he starts into full wakefulness, recoils a step or two, and gazes out before him with eager

wildness in his eye. Is it a job, or a boy at marbles? Does he see a ghost, or hear an organ?

No; sight more unwonted still - there is a butterfly in the square - a real, live butterfly!

astray from flowers and sweets, and fluttering among the iron heads of the dusty area railings.” 

 

 
Re: the Cheeryble brothers comments about Tim – I wondered if that’s where the idea behind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button came from, but Googling suggests not!
 
It seems that Verisopht does have some redeeming qualities after all.  I wonder if Kate will forgive him and whether they’ll end up together?
 
Poor Smike getting captured. Hurrah for John Browdie – he really is some sort of guardian angel, isn’t he?!  I must admit that I do struggle reading Mr Browdie’s dialogue.  I’m glad there aren’t too many characters who speak the same way! 

 

ETA: The business with the neighbour courting Mrs Nickleby with cucumbers is a bit bizarre! 

Edited November 17, 2014 by chesilbeach

[chesilbeach]

I totally agree about the speech of John Browdie.  I've noticed that Dickens does like to write his regional characters in dialect, and I find it very difficult to read.  I suffer with this with any author, not just Dickens, and I wish they wouldn't do it!  Fortunately, it was only a small section, and with such a happy results, I can't be too hard on him!

 

The Cheeryble brothers just get better and better.  But, we're still only just over halfway through, so I fear they won't be the saviours of the Nickleby family - I hope they last the course, but I still wonder what will become of the Nickleby's.

 

Hah! I laughed out loud at the the cucumber episode - such an oddly eccentric thing to do.

[Alexi]

Ah the Squeers are just too much! Glad John Browdie was on hand to rescue young Smike. I really enjoyed this instalment, it flew by, although I'm finding a need to get used to Dickens' style again each week which can be rather troublesome for the first few paragraphs!

 

The cucumber episode is most odd - I was thinking that Mrs Nickleby must have got hold of the wrong end of the stick!

 

At the end of Chapter 39 my kindle says we are 62% of the way through, so I fear there may be a few more twists and turns left to go before the (hopefully!!) Dickensian happy ending.