# How Ralph Nickleby's auxiliary went about his work, and how he prospered with it. explained — Nicholas Nickleby > Chapter companion for Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. ## What happens On a dark, wet night, Wackford Squeers, disguised and hiding in a poor Lambeth attic, reflects on his long collaboration with Ralph Nickleby to track down Peg Sliderskew. He drinks heavily, reads a letter from Dotheboys Hall, and then visits Peg to examine the stolen deeds, hoping to secure his hundred-pound reward. ## Themes in this chapter ### Social Injustice and Corruption Squeers's manipulation of Peg Sliderskew and his partnership with Ralph Nickleby exemplify the corrupt exploitation of the vulnerable for financial gain. ### Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality Squeers disguises himself and pretends to be a lawyer and friend, while his true motives are greed and self-interest; the contrast between his cheerful toast to Mrs. Squeers and his actual neglect of the boys is stark. ## Character check-ins ### Wackford Squeers Disguised in a large coat, Squeers waits in a mean Lambeth attic, drinking and soliloquizing about Ralph Nickleby's cunning and his own mission to extract information and deeds from Peg Sliderskew. ### Peg Sliderskew Peg is visited by Squeers in her wretched garret; she delights in hearing about Arthur Gride's wedding humiliation and is persuaded to show Squeers the stolen documents. ### Ralph Nickleby Mentioned in Squeers's soliloquy as a sly, cunning 'file' who tracked down Peg Sliderskew and cleared the ground for Squeers to work. ### Arthur Gride Referenced as the old man whose wedding was disrupted and who was tricked by Peg; his defeat is a source of malicious glee for Peg. ## Key lines > Well, this is a pretty go, is this here! An uncommon pretty go! Here have I been, a matter of how many weeks—hard upon six—a follering up this here blessed old dowager petty larcenerer,”— Mr. Squeers delivered himself of this epithet with great difficulty and effort—“and Dotheboys Hall a-running itself regularly to seed the while! Squeers complains that he has spent nearly six weeks tracking down the old thief Peg Sliderskew, while his school falls into neglect. _Squeers's frustration reveals his selfish prioritization of Ralph's scheme over his own school._ > To see how sly and cunning he grubbed on, day after day, a-worming and plodding and tracing and turning and twining of his-self about, till he found out where this precious Mrs. Peg was hid, and cleared the ground for me to work upon. Squeers admires Ralph Nickleby's relentless, serpentine cunning in discovering Peg's hiding place, setting the stage for Squeers's own efforts. _Squeers's admiration for Ralph underscores the theme of corruption and mutual exploitation._ > He’s a treacherous old goat,” said Peg, “and cozened me with cunning tricks and lying promises, but never mind. I’m even with him. I’m even with him.” Peg Sliderskew calls Arthur Gride a treacherous old man who deceived her, but she takes satisfaction in having gotten revenge on him. _Peg's vengeful glee highlights the cycle of deceit and retaliation among the characters._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se/chapters/lvii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se/chapters