‘Her name’s Madeline. Many, many years ago I loved her mother. But, sadly, in the end she married another man, whose name is Bray. He thinks only of himself, never of her. Now,when the mother died, she asked her only daughter -Madeline- to look after her father. This is where my brother Ned and I are trying to help. Madeline is an artist, and we buy her pictures, usually for much more than the real price. This is the only money that she has.
‘I understand,’ said Nicholas. He went back to his work with two words sounding in his head: ‘Madeline Bray!’ Those two words were like music to Nicholas’s ears.
‘Don’t think that we need your help,’ he cried. ‘We come from a better family than you, my daughter and I.’
At the door Madeline said, ‘Please don’t think badly of my father. He’s ill and suffers so much. And please don’t say anything of this to the Cheeryble brothers. They’re so kind to us.’
One afternoon, not long after Nicholas started visiting the Brays’ house, Newman Noggs came to see him at home.
‘It’s very good to see you, my friend,’ said Nicholas, showing Noggs into the front room.
‘And you, Nicholas. But I bring bad news, I’m afraid. I believe that you know Madeline Bray?’
‘Yes, I do. Why? Has something happened to her?’ asked Nicholas worriedly.
‘Not yet. But she’s in great danger. This morning I overheard a conversation between your uncle and Mr Arthur Gride.’
‘Who’s he?’ asked Nicholas.
‘He’s a moneylender, like your uncle. He’s an ugly old man, with no friends and no kindness in his heart. Madeline’s father borrowed a lot of money from him in the past, and one day he must pay it all back. Gride has never been married and now that he’s an old man, he wants only one thing.’
Suddenly Nicholas’s heart went cold.
‘Gride has agreed to cancel Bray’s debt if Bray gives him Madeline’s hand in marriage,’ Noggs went on.
‘No! That can’t be true!’ cried Nicholas.
Night comes on
‘I’m afraid that it is true, Nicholas,’ went on Noggs. ‘Your uncle has agreed to talk to Bray about Madeline for Gride. If Bray agrees to the marriage with his daughter, Gride will pay your uncle a small part of the cancelled debt.
The next morning Ralph Nickleby was at Gride’s house.
‘He’s agreed to the marriage in two days’ time.’
‘And what about Madeline?’ asked Gride.
That afternoon Nicholas again went to the Brays’ house. He took a small picture from Madeline, and gave her five pounds for it.
At the door he spoke to her quietly, ‘Madeline, I know about the marriage with Gride. And I beg you not to do it.’
Just then, they heard Bray’s voice from his room upstairs. ‘If you’ve given Madeline the money, young man, why are you still here? And you needn’t come back again.
Two days later Ralph Nickleby and Gride went to the Brays’ house for the wedding. A servant opened the door to them, and they waited downstairs.
‘Madeline was very ill last night.
‘No, no, I think it’s a fine plan,’ answered Ralph Nickleby quickly.