▁ref uses ▁to ▁believe ▁that ▁her ▁su itor ▁is ▁ins ane ▁until ▁he ▁suddenly ▁switch es ▁his ▁att ent ions ▁to ▁Miss ▁La C ree vy . ▁ ▁The ▁C rum m les ▁tr oupe ▁Mr ▁Vincent ▁C rum m les : ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁C rum m les ▁theatre ▁tr oupe , ▁a ▁larger - than - life ▁actor - manager ▁who ▁takes ▁Nicholas ▁under ▁his ▁wing . ▁He ▁takes ▁great ▁pride ▁in ▁his ▁profession , ▁but ▁also ▁sometimes ▁year ns ▁for ▁a ▁qui eter ▁life , ▁settled ▁down ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁children . ▁Event ually , ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁take ▁their ▁act ▁to ▁America ▁to ▁purs ue ▁greater ▁success ▁on ▁the ▁the atr ical ▁stage . ▁Mrs ▁C rum m les : ▁Mr ▁C rum m les ' s ▁wife . ▁A ▁form id able ▁but ▁lov ing ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁company , ▁she ▁is ▁a ▁great ▁div a , ▁but ▁Dick ens ▁leaves ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁her ▁actual ▁ability ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁reader . ▁Miss ▁N inet ta ▁C rum m les , ▁The ▁" Inf ant ▁Ph en omen on ": ▁D augh ter ▁of ▁Mr ▁and ▁Mrs ▁C rum m les . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁very ▁prominent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁C rum m les ▁tr oupe : ▁a ▁dan cing ▁part ▁is ▁written ▁for ▁her ▁in ▁every ▁performance , ▁even ▁if ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁place ▁for ▁it . ▁She ▁is ▁supposed ly ▁ten ▁years ▁old , ▁but ▁is ▁actually ▁closer ▁to ▁eigh teen , ▁having ▁been