Nicholas Nickleby

Mrs. Nickleby and Kate cry as Nicholas packs to leave for Yorkshire. For dinner that night, Kate and Mrs. Nickleby find a delicacy for Nicholas to eat and pretend that they have already eaten when they give it to him. The morning of Nicholas’s departure, he talks with Miss La Creevy. He asks her to look out for his mother and sister while he’s gone. Miss La Creevy, who is generally good-natured, says she will. Nicholas then goes to meet Squeers at the inn so they can leave for Yorkshire. At the inn, the five pupils ravenously eat the morsels that Squeers gives them.

Mrs. Nickleby and Kate arrive at the inn in a hired carriage to see Nicholas off. Ralph has come too, and he wonders aloud whether Mrs. Nickleby can afford to hire carriages. Newman surreptitiously presses a letter into Nicholas’s hand. He says he hasn’t told anyone what’s in it. Nicholas asks him what he means, but Newman walks away without responding. Kate thinks that Squeers is a vulgar man. When Squeers remarks on Kate’s beauty, Nicholas feels like punching him. Nicholas, Squeers, and the five pupils get into the coach bound for Yorkshire. Another man gets in. When Squeers learns the man’s brother has six children, he talks about the school’s edifying effects on students and hands the man his card. It begins snowing on the trip. Nicholas falls asleep and is woken up by a sharp jolt. The coach overturns halfway, flinging Nicholas onto the road.