"It an't time," said Newman, doggedly.
"My time is yours, and I say it is," returned Ralph.
"You alter it every day," said Newman. "It isn't fair."
"You don't keep many cooks, and can easily apologize to them for the trouble," retorted Ralph. "Begone, sir!"
Ralph not only issued this order in his most preremptory manner, but under pretence of fetching some papers from the little office, saw it obeyed, and when Newman had left the house, chained the door to prevent the possibility of his returning secretly by means of his latch key.
"I have reason to suspect that fellow," said Ralph, when he returned to his own office. "Therefore, until I have thought of the shortest and least troublesome way of ruining him, I hold it best to keep him at a distance."
"It wouldn't take much to ruin him, I should think," said Squeers, with a grin.
"Perhaps not," answered Ralph. "Nor to ruin a great many people whom I know. You were going to say?"
Ralph's summary and matter-of-course way of holding up this example and throwing out the hint that followed it, had evidently an effect (as doubtless it was designed to have) upon Mr. Squeers, who said, after a little hesitation and in a much more subdued tone—
"Why, what I was a going to say, sir, is, that this here business regarding of that ungrateful and hard-hearted chap Snawley senior, puts me out of my way, and occasions a inconveniency quite unparalleled, besides, as I may say, making, for whole weeks together, Mrs. Squeers a perfect widder. It's a pleasure to me to act with you, of course."
"Of course," said Ralph, drily.
"Yes, I say, of course," resumed Mr. Squeers, rubbing his knees, "but at the same time, when one comes, as I do now, better than two hundred and fifty mile to take a affijrdavid, it does put a man out a good deal, letting alone the risk."
"And where may the risk be, Mr. Squeers?" said Ralph.
"I said, letting alone the risk," replied Squeers, evasively.
"And I said, where was the risk?"
"I wasn't complaining, you know, Mr. Nickleby," pleaded Squeers, "Upon my word I never see such a——"
"I ask you where is the risk?" repeated Ralph, emphatically.
"Where the risk?" returned Squeers, rubbing his knees still harder, "Why, it an't necessary to mention—certain subjects is best awoided. Oh, you know what risk I mean."
"How often have I told you," said Ralph, "and how often am I to tell you, that you run no risk? What have you sworn, or what are you asked to swear, but that at such and such a time a boy was left with you in the name of Smike; that he was at your school for a given number of years, was lost under such and such circumstances, is now found, and has been identified by you in such and such keeping. This is all true—is it not?"
