Nicholas Nickleby Chapter 22

In which we accompany a young gentleman, newly freed from the bustle of London, as he embarks upon a hopeful journey into the country, bearing not much more than a spirit undampened by penury and the company of a devoted companion. Along the way, he encounters a theatrical manager, whose boisterous charm and vivid description of the stage world invite our traveller to consider an unexpected calling, with all its peculiar delights and hardships.