'Have you a good memory ?' 'I don't know,' said Smike, shaking his head sorrowfully.

'I think I had once; but it's all gone now--all gone.' 'Why do you think you had once ?' asked Nicholas, turning quickly upon him as though the answer in some way helped out the purport of his question.
'Because I could remember, when I was a child,' said Smike, 'but that is very, very long ago, or at least it seems so.

I was always confused and giddy at that place you took me from; and could never remember, and sometimes couldn't even understand, what they said to me.

I--let me see--let me see!' 'You are wandering now,' said Nicholas, touching him on the arm.
'No,' replied his companion, with a vacant look 'I was only thinking how--' He shivered involuntarily as he spoke.
'Think no more of that place, for it is all over,' retorted Nicholas, fixing his eyes full upon that of his companion, which was fast settling into an unmeaning stupefied gaze, once habitual to him, and common even then.

'What of the first day you went to Yorkshire ?' 'Eh!' cried the lad.
'That was before you began to lose your recollection, you know,' said Nicholas quietly.