'A very little, for I'm not hungry.' Well, it's a pity to cut the pie if you're not hungry, isn't it ?' said Mrs Squeers.

'Will you try a bit of the beef ?' 'Whatever you please,' replied Nicholas abstractedly; 'it's all the same to me.' Mrs Squeers looked vastly gracious on receiving this reply; and nodding to Squeers, as much as to say that she was glad to find the young man knew his station, assisted Nicholas to a slice of meat with her own fair hands.
'Ale, Squeery ?' inquired the lady, winking and frowning to give him to understand that the question propounded, was, whether Nicholas should have ale, and not whether he (Squeers) would take any.
'Certainly,' said Squeers, re-telegraphing in the same manner.

'A glassful.' So Nicholas had a glassful, and being occupied with his own reflections, drank it, in happy innocence of all the foregone proceedings.
'Uncommon juicy steak that,' said Squeers, as he laid down his knife and fork, after plying it, in silence, for some time.
'It's prime meat,' rejoined his lady.

'I bought a good large piece of it myself on purpose for--' 'For what!' exclaimed Squeers hastily.

'Not for the--' 'No, no; not for them,' rejoined Mrs Squeers; 'on purpose for you against you came home.