 of Parliament.«
    Having pretty well run herself out by this time, Mrs. Nickleby stopped as
suddenly as she had started off, and repeated that Kate was quite well.
»Indeed,« said Mrs. Nickleby, »I don't think she ever was better, since she had
the hooping-cough, scarlet fever and measles, all at the same time, and that's
the fact.«
    »Is that letter for me?« growled Ralph, pointing to the little packet Mrs.
Nickleby held in her hand.
    »For you, brother-in-law,« replied Mrs. Nickleby, »and I walked all the way
up here on purpose to give it you.«
    »All the way up here!« cried Sir Mulberry, seizing upon the chance of
discovering where Mrs. Nickleby had come from. »What a confounded distance! How
far do you call it now?«
    »How far do I call it!« said Mrs. Nickleby. »Let me see. It's just a mile,
from our door to the Old Bailey.«
    »No, no. Not so much as that,« urged Sir Mulberry.
    »Oh! It is indeed,« said Mrs. Nickleby. »I appeal to his lordship.«
    »I should decidedly say it was a mile,« remarked Lord Frederick, with a
solemn aspect.
    »It must be; it can't be a yard less,« said Mrs. Nickleby. »All down Newgate
Street, all down Cheapside, all up Lombard Street, down Gracechurch Street, and
along Thames Street, as far as Spigwiffin's Wharf. Oh! It's a mile.«
    »Yes, on second thoughts I should say it was,« replied Sir Mulberry. »But
you don't surely mean to walk all the way back?«
    »Oh, no,« rejoined Mrs. Nickleby. »I shall go back in an omnibus. I didn't
travel about in omnibuses, when my poor dear Nicholas was alive, brother-in-law.
But as it is, you know -«
    »Yes, yes,« replied Ralph impatiently, »and you had better get back before
dark.«
    »Thank you, brother-in-law, so I had,« returned Mrs. Nickleby. »I think I
had better say good bye, at once.«
    »Not stop and - rest?« said Ralph, who seldom offered refreshments unless
something was to be got by it.
    »Oh dear me
