`I have inquired at the door, Sir Mulberry, every day,' said Ralph, `twice a day, indeed, at first -- and tonight, presuming upon old acquaintance, and past transactions by which we have mutually benefited in some degree, I could not resist soliciting admission to your chamber. Have you -- have you suffered much?' said Ralph, bending forward, and allowing the same harsh smile to gather upon his face, as the other closed his eyes.
`More than enough to please me, and less than enough to please some broken-down hacks that you and I know of, and who lay their ruin between us, I dare say,' returned Sir Mulberry, tossing his arm restlessly upon the coverlet.
Ralph shrugged his shoulders in deprecation of the intense irritation with which this had been said; for there was an aggravating, cold distinctness in his speech and manner which so grated on the sick man that he could scarcely endure it.
`And what is it in these "past transactions," that brought you here tonight?' asked Sir Mulberry.
`Nothing,' replied Ralph. `There are some bills of my lord's which need renewal; but let them be till you are well. I -- I -- came,' said Ralph, speaking more slowly, and with harsher emphasis, `I came to say how grieved I am that any relative of mine, although disowned by me, should have inflicted such punishment on you as --'
`Punishment!' interposed Sir Mulberry.
`I know it has been a severe one,' said Ralph, wilfully mistaking the meaning of the interruption, `and that has made me the more anxious to tell you that I disown this vagabond -- that I acknowledge him as no kin of mine -- and that I leave him to take his deserts from you, and every man besides. You may wring his neck if you please. I shall not interfere.'
`This story that they tell me here, has got abroad then, has it?' asked Sir Mulberry, clenching his hands and teeth.
`Noised in all directions,' replied Ralph. `Every club and gaming-room has rung with it. There has been a good song made about it, as I am told,'
said Ralph, looking eagerly at his questioner. `I have not heard it myself, not being in the way of such things, but I have been told it's even printed -- for private circulation -- but that's all over town, of course.'
`It's a lie!' said Sir Mulberry; `I tell you it's all a lie. The mare took fright.'
`They say he frightened her,' observed Ralph, in the same unmoved and quiet manner. `Some say he frightened you, but that's a lie, I know. I have said that boldly -- oh, a score of times! I am a peaceable man, but I can't hear folks tell that of you -- no, no.'
When Sir Mulberry found coherent words to utter, Ralph bent forward with his hand to his ear, and a face as calm as if its every line of sternness had been cast in iron.
`When I am off this cursed bed,' said the invalid, actually striking at his broken leg in the ecstasy of his passion, `I'll have such revenge as never man had yet. By God, I will. Accident favouring him, he has marked me for a week or two, but I'll put a mark on him that he shall carry to his grave. I'll slit his nose and ears -- flog him -- maim him for life.
I'll do more than that; I'll drag that pattern of chastity, that pink of prudery, the delicate sister, through --'
It might have been that even Ralph's cold blood tingled in his cheeks at that moment. It might have been that Sir Mulberry remembered, that, knave and usurer as he was, he must, in some early time of infancy, have twined his arm about her father's neck. He stopped, and menacing with his hand, confirmed the unuttered threat with a tremendous oath.
`It is a galling thing,' said Ralph, after a short term of silence, during which he had eyed the sufferer keenly, `to think that the man about town, the rake, the roue , the rook of twenty seasons should be brought to this pass by a mere boy!'
Sir Mulberry darted a wrathful look at him, but Ralph's eyes were bent upon the ground, and his face wore no other expression than one of thoughtfulness.
`A raw, slight stripling,' continued Ralph, `against a man whose very weight might crush him; to say nothing of his skill in -- I am right, Ithink,' said Ralph, raising his eyes, `you were a parton of the ring once, were you not?'
The sick man made an impatient gesture, which Ralph chose to consider as one of acquiescence.
`Ha!' he said, `I thought so. That was before I knew you, but I was pretty sure I couldn't be mistaken. He is light and active, I suppose.
But those were slight advantages compared with yours. Luck, luck -- these hang-dog outcasts have it.'
`He'll need the most he has, when I am well again,' said Sir Mulberry Hawk, `let him fly where he will.'
`Oh!' returned Ralph quickly, `he doesn't dream of that. He is here, good sir, waiting your pleasure -- here in London, walking the streets at noonday; carrying it off jauntily; looking for you, I swear,' said Ralph, his face darkening, and his own hatred getting the upper hand of him, for the first time, as this gay picture of Nicholas presented itself; `if we were only citizens of a country where it could be safely done, I'd give good money to have him stabbed to the heart and rolled into the kennel for the dogs to tear.'
As Ralph, somewhat to the surprise of his old client, vented this little piece of sound family feeling, and took up his hat preparatory to departing, Lord Frederick Verisopht looked in.
`Why what in the deyvle's name, Hawk, have you and Nickleby been talking about?' said the young man. `I neyver heard such an insufferable riot.
Croak, croak, croak. Bow, wow, wow. What has it all been about?'
`Sir Mulberry has been angry, my Lord,' said Ralph, looking towards the couch.
`Not about money, I hope? Nothing has gone wrong in business, has it, Nickleby?'
`No, my Lord, no,' returned Ralph. `On that point we always agree. Sir Mulberry has been calling to mind the cause of --'
There was neither necessity nor opportunity for Ralph to proceed; for Sir Mulberry took up the theme, and vented his threats and oaths against Nicholas, almost as ferociously as before.