What is a little poverty or suffering, to the disgrace of the basest and most inhuman cowardice! I tell you, if I had stood by, tamely and passively, I should have hated myself, and merited the contempt of every man in existence.
The black-hearted scoundrel!' With this gentle allusion to the absent Mr Squeers, Nicholas repressed his rising wrath, and relating to Newman exactly what had passed at Dotheboys Hall, entreated him to speak out without more pressing.

Thus adjured, Mr Noggs took, from an old trunk, a sheet of paper, which appeared to have been scrawled over in great haste; and after sundry extraordinary demonstrations of reluctance, delivered himself in the following terms.
'My dear young man, you mustn't give way to--this sort of thing will never do, you know--as to getting on in the world, if you take everybody's part that's ill-treated--Damn it, I am proud to hear of it; and would have done it myself!' Newman accompanied this very unusual outbreak with a violent blow upon the table, as if, in the heat of the moment, he had mistaken it for the chest or ribs of Mr Wackford Squeers.

Having, by this open declaration of his feelings, quite precluded himself from offering Nicholas any cautious worldly advice (which had been his first intention), Mr Noggs went straight to the point.
'The day before yesterday,' said Newman, 'your uncle received this letter.

I took a hasty copy of it, while he was out.

Shall I read it ?' 'If you please,' replied Nicholas.