[Illustration: THE INDIAN SAVAGE AND THE MAIDEN--Chap. xxiii.] [Illustration: "AS AN EXQUISITE EMBODIMENT OF THE POET'S VISIONS, AND A REALISATION OF HUMAN INTELLECTUALITY, GILDING WITH REFULGENT LIGHT OUR DREAMY MOMENTS, AND LAYING OPEN A NEW AND MAGIC WORLD BEFORE THE MENTAL EYE, THE DRAMA IS GONE, PERFECTLY GONE," SAID MR. CURDLE--Chap. xxiv.] [Illustration: "NICKLEBY," SAID HIS CLIENT, THROWING HIMSELF ALONG THE SOFA ON WHICH HE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SEATED, SO AS TO BRING HIS LIPS NEARER TO THE OLD MAN'S EAR, "WHAT A PRETTY CREATURE YOUR NIECE IS!"--Chap. xxvi.] [Illustration: SIR MULBERRY HAWK AND HIS FRIEND EXCHANGED GLANCES OVER THE TOP OF THE BONNET--Chap. xxvi.] [Illustration: "I SEE HOW IT IS," SAID POOR NOGGS, DRAWING FROM HIS POCKET WHAT SEEMED TO BE A VERY OLD DUSTER, AND WIPING KATE'S EYES WITH IT AS GENTLY AS IF SHE WERE AN INFANT--Chap. xxviii.] [Illustration: "BUT THEY SHALL NOT PROTECT YE!" SAID THE TRAGEDIAN, TAKING AN UPWARD LOOK AT NICHOLAS, BEGINNING AT HIS BOOTS AND ENDING AT THE CROWN OF HIS HEAD--Chap. xxix.] [Illustration: MR. SNEVELLICCI REPEATED THE WINK, AND, DRINKING TO MRS. LILYVICK IN DUMB-SHOW, ACTUALLY BLEW HER A KISS--Chap. xxx.] [Illustration: LASHING HIMSELF UP TO AN EXTRAORDINARY PITCH OF FURY, NEWMAN NOGGS JERKED HIMSELF ABOUT THE ROOM WITH THE MOST ECCENTRIC MOTION EVER BEHELD IN A HUMAN BEING--Chap. xxxi.] [Illustration: "LOOK AT THEM TEARS, SIR!" SAID SQUEERS WITH A TRIUMPHANT AIR, AS MASTER WACKFORD WIPED HIS EYES WITH THE CUFF OF HIS JACKET; "THERE'S OILINESS"--Chap. xxxiv.] [Illustration: SIR MULBERRY, SHORTENING HIS WHIP, APPLIED IT FURIOUSLY TO THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS OF NICHOLAS. IT WAS BROKEN IN THE STRUGGLE: NICHOLAS GAINED THE HEAVY HANDLE, AND WITH IT LAID OPEN ONE SIDE OF HIS ANTAGONIST'S FACE FROM THE EYE TO THE LIP--Chap. xxxii.] [Illustration: NIGHT FOUND HIM, AT LAST, STILL HARPING ON THE SAME THEME, AND STILL PURSUING THE SAME UNPROFITABLE REFLECTIONS--Chap. xxxiv.] [Illustration: "I'M NOT COMING AN HOUR LATER IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW," SAID TIM, BREAKING OUT ALL AT ONCE, AND LOOKING VERY RESOLUTE. "I'M NOT GOING TO SLEEP IN THE FRESH AIR--NO, NOR I'M NOT GOING INTO THE COUNTRY EITHER"--Chap. xxxv.] [Illustration: WITH THIS THE DOCTOR LAUGHED; BUT HE DIDN'T LAUGH HALF AS MUCH AS A MARRIED FRIEND OF MRS. KENWIGS'S, WHO HAD JUST COME IN FROM THE SICK CHAMBER--Chap. xxxvi.] [Illustration: "YE'ES," SAID THE OTHER, TURNING FULL UPON HIM. "IF YOU HAD TOLD HIM WHO YOU WERE: IF YOU HAD GIVEN HIM YOUR CARD, AND FOUND OUT, AFTERWARDS, THAT HIS STATION OR CHARACTER PREVENTED YOUR FIGHTING HIM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BAD ENOUGH THEN"--Chap. xxxviii.] [Illustration: DARTING IN, COVERED SMIKE'S MOUTH WITH HIS HUGE HAND BEFORE HE COULD UTTER A SOUND--Chap. xxxix.] [Illustration: THE MEDITATIVE OGRE--Chap. xl.] [Illustration: CONCLUDED BY STANDING ON ONE LEG, AND REPEATING HIS FAVOURITE BELLOW WITH INCREASED VEHEMENCE--Chap. xli.]