`All right,' he said in a low voice. `I knew he would. You'll see something rather worth seeing, in there. Ecod, how they are a-going of it!'
There was no time to inquire to what this exclamation, which was delivered in a very rapturous tone, referred; for he had already thrown open the door of the room; into which Nicholas, followed by Smike with the bundle on his shoulder (he carried it about with him as vigilantly as if it had been a sack of gold), straightway repaired.
Nicholas was prepared for something odd, but not for something quite so odd as the sight he encountered. At the upper end of the room, were a couple of boys, one of them very tall and the other very short, both dressed as sailors -- or at least as theatrical sailors, with belts, buckles, pigtails, and pistols complete -- fighting what is called in playbills a terrific combat, with two of those short broad-swords with basket hilts which are commonly used at our minor theatres. The short boy had gained a great advantage over the tall boy, who was reduced to mortal strait, and both were overlooked by a large heavy man, perched against the corner of a table, who emphatically adjured them to strike a little more fire out of the swords, and they couldn't fail to bring the house down, on the very first night.
`Mr Vincent Crummles,' said the landlord with an air of great deference.
`This is the young gentleman.'
Mr Vincent Crummles received Nicholas with an inclination of the head, something between the courtesy of a Roman emperor and the nod of a pot companion; and bade the landlord shut the door and begone.
`There's a picture,' said Mr Crummles, motioning Nicholas not to advance and spoil it. `The little 'un has him; if the big 'un doesn't knock under, in three seconds, he's a dead man. Do that again, boys.'
The two combatants went to work afresh, and chopped away until the swords emitted a shower of sparks: to the great satisfaction of Mr Crummles, who appeared to consider this a very great point indeed. The engagement commenced with about two hundred chops administered by the short sailor and the tall sailor alternately, without producing any particular result, until the short sailor was chopped down on one knee; but this was nothing to him, for he worked himself about on the one knee with the assistance of his left hand, and fought most desperately until the tall sailor chopped his sword out of his grasp. Now, the inference was, that the short sailor, reduced to this extremity, would give in at once and cry quarter, but, instead of that, he all of a sudden drew a large pistol from his belt and presented it at the face of the tall sailor, who was so overcome at this (not expecting it) that he let the short sailor pick up his sword and begin again. Then, the chopping recommenced, and a variety of fancy chops were administered on both sides; such as chops dealt with the left hand, and under the leg, and over the right shoulder, and over the left; and when the short sailor made a vigorous cut at the tall sailor's legs, which would have shaved them clean off if it had taken effect, the tall sailor jumped over the short sailor's sword, wherefore to balance the matter, and make it all fair, the tall sailor administered the same cut, and the short sailor jumped over his sword. After this, there was a good deal of dodging about, and hitching up of the inexpressibles in the absence of braces, and then the short sailor (who was the moral character evidently, for he always had the best of it) made a violent demonstration and closed with the tall sailor, who, after a few unavailing struggles, went down, and expired in great torture as the short sailor put his foot upon his breast, and bored a hole in him through and through.
`That'll be a double encore if you take care, boys,' said Mr Crummles. `You had better get your wind now and change your clothes.'
Having addressed these words to the combatants, he saluted Nicholas, who then observed that the face of Mr Crummles was quite proportionate in size to his body; that he had a very full under-lip, a hoarse voice, as though he were in the habit of shouting very much, and very short black hair, shaved off nearly to the crown of his head -- to admit (as he afterwards learnt) of his more easily wearing character wigs of any shape or pattern.
`What did you think of that, sir?' inquired Mr Crummles. `Very good, indeed -- capital,' answered Nicholas.
`You won't see such boys as those very often, I think,' said Mr Crummles.
Nicholas assented -- observing that if they were a little better match --`Match!' cried Mr Crummles.
`I mean if they were a little more of a size,' said Nicholas, explaining himself.
`Size!' repeated Mr Crummles; `why, it's the essence of the combat that there should be a foot or two between them. How are you to get up the sympathies of the audience in a legitimate manner, if there isn't a little man contending against a big one? -- unless there's at least five to one, and we haven't hands enough for that business in our company.'
`I see,' replied Nicholas. `I beg your pardon. That didn't occur to me, I confess.'
`It's the main point,' said Mr Crummles. `I open at Portsmouth the day after tomorrow. If you're going there, look into the theatre, and see how that'll tell.'
