eers continued to gaze upon him with his eyes starting out of his
head; but astonishment had actually for the moment bereft him of
speech.

"You have disregarded all my quiet interference in this miserable lad's
behalf," said Nicholas; "you have returned no answer to the letter in
which I begged forgiveness for him and offered to be responsible that he
would remain quietly here. Don't blame me for this public interference.
You have brought it upon yourself; not I."

"Sit down, beggar!" screamed Squeers, almost beside himself with rage,
and seizing Smike as he spoke.

"Wretch," rejoined Nicholas, fiercely, "touch him at your peril! I will
not stand by and see it done. My blood is up, and I have the strength of
ten such men as you. Look to yourself, for by Heaven I will not spare
you, if you drive me on!"

"Stand back!" cried Squeers, brandishing his weapon.

"I have a long series of insults to avenge," said Nicholas, flushed with
passion; "and my indignation is aggravated by the dastardly cruelties
practised on helpless infancy in this foul den. Have a care; for if you
do raise the devil within me, the consequences shall fall heavily upon
your own head!"

He had scarcely spoken, when Squeers in a violent outbreak of wrath,
and with a cry like the howl of a wild beast, spat upon him and struck
him a blow across the face with his instrument of torture, which raised
a bar of livid flesh as it was inflicted. Smarting with the agony of the
blow, and concentrating into that one moment all his feelings of rage,
scorn, and indignation, Nicholas sprang upon him, wrested the weapon
from his hand, and pinning him by the throat beat the ruffian till he
roared for mercy.

The boys--with the exception of Master Squeers, who, coming to his
father's assistance, harassed the enemy in the rear--moved not hand or
foot; but Mrs. Squeers, with many shrieks for aid, hung on to the tail
of her partner's coat and endeavoured to drag him from his infuriated
adversary; while Miss Squeers, who had been peeping through the keyhole
in the expectation of a very different scene, darted in at the very
beginning of the attack, and after launching a shower of inkstands at
the usher's head, beat Nicholas to her heart's content; animating
herself, at every blow, with the recollection of his having refused her
proffered love, and thus imparting additional strength to an arm which
(as she took after her mother in this respect) was, at no time, of the