'Does it take long to get a nose, now?' inquired Nicholas, smiling.

'Why, that depends in a great measure on the pattern,' replied Miss La
Creevy. 'Snubs and Romans are plentiful enough, and there are flats of
all sorts and sizes when there's a meeting at Exeter Hall; but perfect
aquilines, I am sorry to say, are scarce, and we generally use them for
uniforms or public characters.'

'Indeed!' said Nicholas. 'If I should meet with any in my travels, I'll
endeavour to sketch them for you.'

'You don't mean to say that you are really going all the way down into
Yorkshire this cold winter's weather, Mr Nickleby?' said Miss La Creevy.
'I heard something of it last night.'

'I do, indeed,' replied Nicholas. 'Needs must, you know, when somebody
drives. Necessity is my driver, and that is only another name for the
same gentleman.'

'Well, I am very sorry for it; that's all I can say,' said Miss La
Creevy; 'as much on your mother's and sister's account as on yours.
Your sister is a very pretty young lady, Mr Nickleby, and that is
an additional reason why she should have somebody to protect her. I
persuaded her to give me a sitting or two, for the street-door case.
'Ah! she'll make a sweet miniature.' As Miss La Creevy spoke, she held
up an ivory countenance intersected with very perceptible sky-blue
veins, and regarded it with so much complacency, that Nicholas quite
envied her.