第129章

But, in this latter respect he was mistaken; for -- whether Mr Vincent Crummles had paved the way, or Miss Petowker had some special reason for treating him with even more than her usual amiability -- their meeting at the theatre next day was more like that of two dear friends who had been inseparable from infancy, than a recognition passing between a lady and gentleman who had only met some half-dozen times, and then by mere chance. Nay, Miss Petowker even whispered that she had wholly dropped the Kenwigses in her conversations with the manager's family, and had represented herself as having encountered Mr Johnson in the very first and most fashionable circles; and on Nicholas receiving this intelligence with unfeigned surprise, she added, with a sweet glance, that she had a claim on his good nature now, and might tax it before long.

Nicholas had the honour of playing in a slight piece with Miss Petowker that night, and could not but observe that the warmth of her reception was mainly attributable to a most persevering umbrella in the upper boxes;he saw, too, that the enchanting actress cast many sweet looks towards the quarter whence these sounds proceeded; and that every time she did so, the umbrella broke out afresh. Once, he thought that a peculiarly shaped hat in the same corner was not wholly unknown to him; but, being occupied with his share of the stage business, he bestowed no great attention upon this circumstance, and it had quite vanished from his memory by the time he reached home.

He had just sat down to supper with Smike, when one of the people of the house came outside the door, and announced that a gentleman belowstairs wished to speak to Mr Johnson.

`Well, if he does, you must tell him to come up; that's all I know,'

replied Nicholas. `One of our hungry brethren, I suppose, Smike.'

His fellow-lodger looked at the cold meat in silent calculation of the quantity that would be left for dinner next day, and put back a slice he had cut for himself, in order that the visitor's encroachments might be less formidable in their effects.

`It is not anybody who has been here before,' said Nicholas, `for he is tumbling up every stair. Come in, come in. In the name of wonder! Mr Lillyvick?'

It was, indeed, the collector of water-rates who, regarding Nicholas with a fixed look and immovable countenance, shook hands with most portentous solemnity, and sat himself down in a seat by the chimney-corner.

`Why, when did you come here?' asked Nicholas.

`This morning, sir,' replied Mr Lillyvick.

`Oh! I see; then you were at the theatre tonight, and it was your umb--'

`This umbrella,' said Mr Lillyvick, producing a fat green cotton one with a battered ferrule. `What did you think of that performance?'

`So far as I could judge, being on the stage,' replied Nicholas, `Ithought it very agreeable.'

`Agreeable!' cried the collector. `I mean to say, sir, that it was delicious.'

Mr Lillyvick bent forward to pronounce the last word with greater emphasis;and having done so, drew himself up, and frowned and nodded a great many times.

`I say, delicious,' repeated Mr Lillyvick. `Absorbing, fairy-like, toomultuous,'

and again Mr Lillyvick drew himself up, and again he frowned and nodded.

`Ah!' said Nicholas, a little surprised at these symptoms of ecstatic approbation. `Yes -- she is a clever girl.'

`She is a divinity,' returned Mr Lillyvick, giving a collector's double knock on the ground with the umbrella before-mentioned. `I have known divine actresses before now, sir, I used to collect -- at least I used to call for -- and very often call for -- the water-rate at the house of a divine actress, who lived in my beat for upwards of four year but never -- no, never, sir of all divine creatures, actresses or no actresses, did I see a diviner one than is Henrietta Petowker.'

Nicholas had much ado to prevent himself from laughing; not trusting himself to speak, he merely nodded in accordance with Mr Lillyvick's nods, and remained silent.

`Let me speak a word with you in private,' said Mr Lillyvick.

Nicholas looked good-humouredly at Smike, who, taking the hint, disappeared.

`A bachelor is a miserable wretch, sir,' said Mr Lillyvick.

`Is he?' asked Nicholas.

`He is,' rejoined the collector. `I have lived in the world for nigh sixty year, and I ought to know what it is.'

`You ought to know, certainly,' thought Nicholas; `but whether you do or not, is another question.'

`If a bachelor happens to have saved a little matter of money,' said Mr Lillyvick, `his sisters and brothers, and nephews and nieces, look to that money, and not to him; even if, by being a public character, he is the head of the family, or, as it may be, the main from which all the other little branches are turned on, they still wish him dead all the while, and get low-spirited every time they see him looking in good health, because they want to come into his little property. You see that?'

`Oh yes,' replied Nicholas: `it's very true, no doubt.'

`The great reason for not being married,' resumed Mr Lillyvick, `is the expense; that's what's kept me off, or else -- Lord!' said Mr Lillyvick, snapping his fingers, `I might have had fifty women.'

`Fine women?' asked Nicholas.

`Fine women, sir!' replied the collector; `ay! not so fine as Henrietta Petowker, for she is an uncommon specimen, but such women as don't fall into every man's way, I can tell you. Now suppose a man can get a fortune in a wife instead of with her -- eh?'

`Why, then, he's a lucky fellow,' replied Nicholas.

`That's what I say,' retorted the collector, patting him benignantly on the side of the head with his umbrella; `just what I say. Henrietta Petowker, the talented Henrietta Petowker has a fortune in herself, and I am going to--'

`To make her Mrs Lillyvick?' suggested Nicholas.

`No, sir, not to make her Mrs Lillyvick,' replied the collector. `Actresses, sir, always keep their maiden names -- that's the regular thing -- but I'm going to marry her; and the day after tomorrow, too.'

`I congratulate you, sir,' said Nicholas.