 be employed in that capacity, sir,« replied Nicholas.
    »Well,« said Mr. Gregsbury; »now what can you do?«
    »I suppose,« replied Nicholas, smiling, »that I can do what usually falls to
the lot of other secretaries.«
    »What's that?« inquired Mr. Gregsbury.
    »What is it?« replied Nicholas.
    »Ah! What is it?« retorted the member, looking shrewdly at him, with his
head on one side.
    »A secretary's duties are rather difficult to define, perhaps,« said
Nicholas, considering. »They include, I presume, correspondence?«
    »Good,« interposed Mr. Gregsbury.
    »The arrangement of papers and documents?«
    »Very good.«
    »Occasionally, perhaps, the writing from your dictation; and possibly, sir,«
- said Nicholas, with a half smile, »the copying of your speech for some public
journal, when you have made one of more than usual importance.«
    »Certainly,« rejoined Mr. Gregsbury. »What else?«
    »Really,« said Nicholas, after a moment's reflection, »I am not able, at
this instant, to recapitulate any other duty of a secretary, beyond the general
one of making himself as agreeable and useful to his employer as he can,
consistently with his own respectability, and without overstepping that line of
duties which he undertakes to perform, and which the designation of his office
is usually understood to imply.«
    Mr. Gregsbury looked fixedly at Nicholas for a short time, and then glancing
warily round the room, said in a suppressed voice:
    »This is all very well, Mr. - what is your name?«
    »Nickleby.«
    »This is all very well, Mr. Nickleby, and very proper, so far as it goes -
so far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. There are other duties, Mr.
Nickleby, which a secretary to a parliamentary gentleman must never lose sight
of. I should require to be crammed, sir.«
    »I beg your pardon,« interposed Nicholas, doubtful whether he had heard
aright.
    »- To be crammed, sir,« repeated Mr. Gregsbury.
    »May I beg your pardon again, if I inquire what you mean, sir?« said
Nicholas.
    »My meaning, sir, is perfectly plain,« replied Mr. Gregsbury, with a solemn
aspect. »My secretary would have to make himself master of the foreign policy
