But the conversation was suspended as they withdrew, and resumed with even greater freedom when they had left the room.
'I am afraid,' said the younger gentleman, 'that the old woman has grown jea-a-lous, and locked her up.

Upon my soul it looks like it.' 'If they quarrel and little Nickleby goes home to her mother, so much the better,' said the first.

'I can do anything with the old lady.
She'll believe anything I tell her.' 'Egad that's true,' returned the other voice.

'Ha, ha, ha! Poor deyvle!' The laugh was taken up by the two voices which always came in together, and became general at Mrs Nickleby's expense.

Nicholas turned burning hot with rage, but he commanded himself for the moment, and waited to hear more.
What he heard need not be repeated here.