When old Mr Nick Nickleby died at home in Devon in the south-west of England,he left many debts behind him. Once these were paid, his wife, his son-Nicholas-and his-daughter-Kate-found themselves with little money and no house to live in. There was only one person that they could turn to for help; Ralph Nickleby, the children's uncle. Mrs Nickleby didn't really know him, but-because he was in the London finance business-he was rich and knew many people. Before her husband died, he said that Ralph would help them. So she wrote a letter to say that they were coming, and the very next day they all travelled to London.
Soon after the arrived, Ralph Nickleby came to the little house where they were staying. He wore fine clothes, but had cold eyes and a hard voice. He didn't look very sad about his brother's death.
‘How did he die?’ he asked Mrs Nickleby.
‘The doctors don’t really know what the problem was.
We think that perhaps he died of broken heart,’ replied Mrs Nickleby.
‘I’ve heard of people dying of a broken neck, but a broken heart? Never. A man can’t pay his debts and so he dies of a broken heart! Ha!’ laughed Ralph Nickleby coldly.
‘Some people have no heart to break,’ said Nicholas to himself quietly.
‘How old is this boy?’ asked Ralph Nickleby, looking angrily at Nicholas.
‘Nearly nineteen,’ replied Mrs Nickleby.
‘And how will you pay for your food now, boy?’ Ralph Nickleby asked Nicholas.
‘I shall not cost you or my mother anything at all,’ replied Nicholas.
For a while Nicholas and his uncle looked at each other without speaking. The older man saw in front of him a young man who was kind and honest, and from that moment he hated him.
Then Ralph Nickleby talked with Mrs Nickleby about finding work for poor but beautiful Kate. Turning back to Nicholas,he showed him an advertisement in the newspaper that he had with him.