,are
ever
at
work
.
The
men
in
the
carpet
caps
get
flustered
and
vicious
with
tumbling
the
Lots
about
,
and
still
the
Lots
are
going
,
going
,
gone
;
still
coming
on
.
Sometimes
there
is
joking
and
a
general
roar
.
This
lasts
all
day
and
three
days
following
.
The
Capital
Modern
Household
Furniture
,
etc.
,
is
on
sale
.
Then
the
mouldy
gigs
and
chaise-carts
reappear
;
and
with
them
come
spring-vans
and
waggons
,
and
an
army
of
porters
with
knots
.
All
day
long
,
the
men
with
carpet
caps
are
screwing
at
screw-drivers
and
bed-winches
,
or
staggering
by
the
dozen
together
on
the
staircase
under
heavy
burdens
,
or
upheaving
perfect
rocks
of
Spanish
mahogany
,
best
rose-wood
,
or
plate-glass
,
into
the
gigs
and
chaise-carts
,
vans
and
waggons
.
All
sorts
of
vehicles
of
burden
are
in
attendance
,
from
a
tilted
waggon
to
a
wheelbarrow
.
Poor
Paul
's
little
bedstead
is
carried
off
in
a
donkey-tandem
.
For
nearly
a
whole
week
,
the
Capital
Modern
Household
Furniture
,
etc.
,
is
in
course
of
removal
.
At
last
it
is
all
gone
.
Nothing
is
left
about
the
house
but
scattered
leaves
of
catalogues
,
littered
scraps
of
straw
and
hay
,
and
a
battery
of
pewter
pots
behind
the
hall-door
.
The
men
with
the
carpet
caps
gather
up
their
screw-drivers
and
bed-winches
into
bags
,
shoulder
them
,
and
walk
off
.
One
of
the
pen-and-ink
gentlemen
goes
over
the
house
as
a
last
attention
;
sticking
up
bills
in
the
windows
respecting
the
lease
of
this
desirable
family
mansion
,
and
shutting
the
shutters
.
At
length
he
follows
the
men
with
the
carpet
caps
.
None
of
the
invaders
remain
.
The
house
is
a
ruin
,
and
the
rats
fly
from
it
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
's
apartments
,
together
with
those
locked
rooms
on
the
ground-floor
where
the
window-blinds
are
drawn
down
close
,
have
been
spared
the
general
devastation
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
has
remained
austere
and
stony
during
the
proceedings
in
her
own
room
;
or
has
occasionally
looked
in
at
the
sale
to
see
what
the
goods
are
fetching
,
and
to
bid
for
one
particular
easy
chair
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
has
been
the
highest
bidder
for
the
easy
chair
,
and
sits
upon
her
property
when
Mrs.
Chick
comes
to
see
her
.
`
How
is
my
brother
,
Mrs.
Pipchin
?
´
says
Mrs.
Chick
.
`
I
do
n't
know
any
more
than
the
deuce
,
´
says
Mrs.
Pipchin
.
`
He
never
does
me
the
honour
to
speak
to
me
.
He
has
his
meat
and
drink
put
in
the
next
room
to
his
own
;
and
what
he
takes
,
he
comes
out
and
takes
when
there
's
nobody
there
.
It
's
no
use
asking
me
.
I
know
no
more
about
him
than
the
man
in
the
south
who
burnt
his
mouth
by
eating
cold
plum
porridge
.
´
This
the
acrimonious
Pipchin
says
with
a
flounce
.
`
But
good
gracious
me
!
´
cries
Mrs.
Chick
blandly
.
`
How
long
is
this
to
last
!
If
my
brother
will
not
make
an
effort
,
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
what
is
to
become
of
him
?
I
am
sure
I
should
have
thought
he
had
seen
enough
of
the
consequences
of
not
making
an
effort
,
by
this
time
,
to
be
warned
against
that
fatal
error
.
´
`
Hoity
toity
!
´
says
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
rubbing
her
nose
.
`
There
's
a
great
fuss
,
I
think
,
about
it
.
It
a
n't
so
wonderful
a
case
.
People
have
had
misfortunes
before
now
,
and
been
obliged
to
part
with
their
furniture
.
I
'm
sure
I
have
!
´
`
My
brother
,
´
pursues
Mrs.
Chick
profoundly
,
`
is
so
peculiar
—
so
strange
a
man
.
He
is
the
most
peculiar
man
I
ever
saw
.
Would
any
one
believe
that
when
he
received
news
of
the
marriage
and
emigration
of
that
unnatural
child
—
it
's
a
comfort
to
me
,
now
,
to
remember
that
I
always
said
there
was
something
extraordinary
about
that
child
:
but
nobody
minds
me
—
would
anybody
believe
,
I
say
,
that
he
should
then
turn
round
upon
me
and
say
he
had
supposed
,
from
my
manner
,
that
she
had
come
to
my
house
?
Why
,
my
gracious
!
And
would
anybody
believe
that
when
I
merely
say
to
him
,
“
Paul
,
I
may
be
very
foolish
,
and
I
have
no
doubt
I
am
,
but
I
cannot
understand
how
your
affairs
can
have
got
into
this
state
,
”
he
should
actually
fly
at
me
,
and
request
that
I
will
come
to
see
him
no
more
until
he
asks
me
!
Why
,
my
goodness
!
´
`
Ah
!
´
says
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
`
It
's
a
pity
he
had
n't
a
little
more
to
do
with
mines
.
They
'd
have
tried
his
temper
for
him
.
´
`
And
what
,
´
resumes
Mrs.
Chick
,
quite
regardless
of
Mrs.
Pipchin
's
observations
,
`
is
it
to
end
in
?
That
's
what
I
want
to
know
.
What
does
my
brother
mean
to
do
?
He
must
do
something
.
It
's
of
no
use
remaining
shut
up
in
his
own
rooms
.
Business
wo
n't
come
to
him
.
No.
He
must
go
to
it
.
Then
why
do
n't
he
go
!
He
knows
where
to
go
,
I
suppose
,
having
been
a
man
of
business
all
his
life
.
Very
good
.
Then
why
not
go
there
?
´
Mrs.
Chick
,
after
forging
this
powerful
chain
of
reasoning
,
remains
silent
for
a
minute
to
admire
it
.
`
Besides
,
´
says
the
discreet
lady
,
with
an
argumentative
air
,
`
who
ever
heard
of
such
obstinacy
as
his
staying
shut
up
here
through
all
these
dreadful
disagreeables
?
It
's
not
as
if
there
was
no
place
for
him
to
go
to
.
Of
course
he
could
have
come
to
our
house
.
He
knows
he
is
at
home
there
,
I
suppose
?
Mr.
Chick
has
perfectly
bored
about
it
,
and
I
said
with
my
own
lips
,
“
Why
surely
,
Paul
,
you
do
n't
imagine
that
because
your
affairs
have
got
into
this
state
,
you
are
the
less
at
home
to
such
near
relatives
as
ourselves
?
You
do
n't
imagine
that
we
are
like
the
rest
of
the
world
?
”
But
no
;
here
he
stays
all
through
,
and
here
he
is
.
Why
,
good
gracious
me
,
suppose
the
house
was
to
be
let
!
What
would
he
do
then
?
He
could
n't
remain
here
then
.
If
he
attempted
to
do
so
,
there
would
be
an
ejectment
,
an
action
for
Doe
,
and
all
sorts
of
things
;
and
then
he
must
go
.
Then
why
not
go
at
first
instead
of
at
last
?
And
that
brings
me
back
to
what
I
said
just
now
,
and
I
naturally
ask
what
is
to
be
the
end
of
it
?
´
`
I
know
what
's
to
be
the
end
of
it
,
as
far
as
I
am
concerned
,
´
replies
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
`
and
that
's
enough
for
me
.
I
'm
going
to
take
myself
off
in
a
jiffy
.
´
`
In
a
which
,
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
´
says
Mrs.
Chick
.
`
In
a
jiffy
,
´
retorts
Mrs.
Pipchin
sharply
.
`
Ah
,
well
!
really
I
ca
n't
blame
you
,
Mrs.
Pipchin
,
´
says
Mrs.
Chick
,
with
frankness
.
`
It
would
be
pretty
much
the
same
to
me
,
if
you
could
,
´
replies
the
sardonic
Pipchin
.
`
At
any
rate
I
'm
going
.
I
ca
n't
stop
here
.
I
should
be
dead
in
a
week
.
I
had
to
cook
my
own
pork
chop
yesterday
,
and
I
'm
not
used
to
it
.
My
constitution
will
be
giving
way
next
.
Besides
,
I
had
a
very
fair
connexion
at
Brighton
when
I
came
here
—
little
Pankey
's
folks
alone
were
worth
a
good
eighty
pounds
a-year
to
me
—
and
I
ca
n't
afford
to
throw
it
away
.
I
've
written
to
my
niece
,
and
she
expects
me
by
this
time
.
´
`
Have
you
spoken
to
my
brother
?
´
inquires
Mrs.
Chick
.
`
Oh
,
yes
,
it
's
very
easy
to
say
speak
to
him
,
´
retorts
Mrs.
Pipchin
.
`
How
is
it
done
?
I
called
out
to
him
yesterday
,
that
I
was
no
use
here
,
and
that
he
had
better
let
me
send
for
Mrs.
Richards
.
He
grunted
something
or
other
that
meant
yes
,
and
I
sent
!
Grunt
indeed
!
If
he
had
been
Mr.
Pipchin
,
he
'd
have
had
some
reason
to
grunt
.
Yah
!
I
've
no
patience
with
it
!
´
Here
this
exemplary
female
,
who
has
pumped
up
so
much
fortitude
and
virtue
from
the
depths
of
the
Peruvian
mines
,
rises
from
her
cushioned
property
to
see
Mrs.
Chick
to
the
door
.
Mrs.
Chick
,
deploring
to
the
last
the
peculiar
character
of
her
brother
,
noiselessly
retires
,
much
occupied
with
her
own
sagacity
and
clearness
of
head
.
In
the
dusk
of
the
evening
Mr.
Toodle
,
being
off
duty
,
arrives
with
Polly
and
a
box
,
and
leaves
them
,
with
a
sounding
kiss
,
in
the
hall
of
the
empty
house
,
the
retired
character
of
which
affects
Mr.
Toodle
's
spirits
strongly
.
`
I
tell
you
what
,
Polly
,
my
dear
.
´
says
Mr.
Toodle
,
`
being
now
an
ingein-driver
,
and
well
to
do
in
the
world
,
I
should
n't
allow
of
your
coming
here
,
to
be
made
dull-like
,
if
it
war
n't
for
favours
past
.
But
favours
past
,
Polly
,
is
never
to
be
forgot
.
To
them
which
is
in
adversity
,
besides
,
your
face
is
a
cord'l
.
So
let
's
have
another
kiss
on
it
,
my
dear
.
You
wish
no
better
than
to
do
a
right
act
,
I
know
;
and
my
views
is
,
that
it
's
right
and
dutiful
to
do
this
.
Good
night
,
Polly
!
´
Mrs.
Pipchin
by
this
time
looms
dark
in
her
black
bombazeen
skirts
,
black
bonnet
,
and
shawl
;
and
has
her
personal
property
packed
up
;
and
has
her
chair
(
late
a
favourite
chair
of
Mr.
Dombey
's
and
the
dead
bargain
of
the
sale
)
ready
near
the
street
door
;
and
is
only
waiting
for
a
fly-van
,
going
to-night
to
Brighton
on
private
service
,
which
is
to
call
for
her
,
by
private
contract
,
and
convey
her
home
.
Presently
it
comes
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
's
wardrobe
being
handed
in
and
stowed
away
,
Mrs.
Pipchin
's
chair
is
next
handed
in
,
and
placed
in
a
convenient
corner
among
certain
trusses
of
hay
;
it
being
the
intention
of
the
amiable
woman
to
occupy
the
chair
during
her
journey
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
herself
is
next
handed
in
,
and
grimly
takes
her
seat
.
There
is
a
snaky
gleam
in
her
hard
grey
eye
,
as
of
anticipated
rounds
of
buttered
toast
,
relays
of
hot
chops
,
worryings
and
quellings
of
young
children
,
sharp
snappings
at
poor
Berry
,
and
all
the
other
delights
of
her
Ogress
's
castle
.
Mrs.
Pipchin
almost
laughs
as
the
fly-van
drives
off
,
and
she
composes
her
black
bombazeen
skirts
,
and
settles
herself
among
the
cushions
of
her
easy
chair
.
The
house
is
such
a
ruin
that
the
rats
have
fled
,
and
there
is
not
one
left
.
But
Polly
,
though
alone
in
the
deserted
mansion
—
for
there
is
no
companionship
in
the
shut-up
rooms
in
which
its
late
master
hides
his
head
—
is
not
alone
long
.
It
is
night
;
and
she
is
sitting
at
work
in
the
housekeeper
's
room
,
trying
to
forget
what
a
lonely
house
it
is
,
and
what
a
history
belongs
to
it
;
when
there
is
a
knock
at
the
hall
door
,
as
loud
sounding
as
any
knock
can
be
,
striking
into
such
an
empty
place
.
Opening
it
,
she
returns
across
the
echoing
hall
,
accompanied
by
a
female
figure
in
a
close
black
bonnet
.
It
is
Miss
Tox
,
and
Miss
Tox
's
eyes
are
red
.
`
Oh
,
Polly
,
´
says
Miss
Tox
,
`
when
I
looked
in
to
have
a
little
lesson
with
the
children
just
now
,
I
got
the
message
that
you
left
for
me
;
and
as
soon
as
I
could
recover
my
spirits
at
all
,
I
came
on
after
you
.
Is
there
no
one
here
but
you
?
´
`
Ah
!
not
a
soul
.
´
says
Polly
.
`
Have
you
seen
him
?
´
whispers
Miss
Tox
.
`
Bless
you
,
´
returns
Polly
,
`
no
;
he
has
not
been
seen
this
many
a
day
.
They
tell
me
he
never
leaves
his
room
.
´
`
Is
he
said
to
be
ill
?
´
inquires
Miss
Tox
.
`
No
,
ma'am
,
not
that
I
know
of
,
´
returns
Polly
,
`
except
in
his
mind
.
He
must
be
very
bad
there
poor
gentleman
!
´
Miss
Tox
's
sympathy
is
such
that
she
can
scarcely
speak
.
She
is
no
chicken
,
but
she
has
not
grown
tough
with
age
and
celibacy
.
Her
heart
is
very
tender
,
her
compassion
very
genuine
,
her
homage
very
real
.
Beneath
the
locket
with
the
fishy
eye
in
it
,
Miss
Tox
bears
better
qualities
than
many
a
less
whimsical
outside
;
such
qualities
as
will
outlive
,
by
many
courses
of
the
sun
,
the
best
outsides
and
brightest
husks
that
fall
in
the
harvest
of
the
great
reaper
.
It
is
long
before
Miss
Tox
goes
away
,
and
before
Polly
,
with
a
candle
flaring
on
the
blank
stairs
,
looks
after
her
,
for
company
,
down
the
street
,
and
feels
unwilling
to
go
back
into
the
dreary
house
,
and
jar
its
emptiness
with
the
heavy
fastenings
of
the
door
,
and
glide
away
to
bed
.
But
all
this
Polly
does
;
and
in
the
morning
sets
in
one
of
those
darkened
rooms
such
matters
as
she
has
been
advised
to
prepare
,
and
then
retires
and
enters
them
no
more
until
next
morning
at
the
same
hour
.
There
are
bells
there
,
but
they
never
ring
;
and
though
she
can
sometimes
hear
a
footfall
going
to
and
fro
,
it
never
comes
out
.
Miss
Tox
returns
early
in
the
day
.
It
then
begins
to
be
Miss
Tox
's
occupation
to
prepare
little
dainties
—
or
what
are
such
to
her
—
to
be
carried
into
these
rooms
next
morning
.
She
derives
so
much
satisfaction
from
the
pursuit
,
that
she
enters
on
it
regularly
from
that
time
;
and
brings
daily
in
her
little
basket
,
various
choice
condiments
selected
from
the
scanty
stores
of
the
deceased
owner
of
the
powered
head
and
pigtail
.
She
likewise
brings
,
in
sheets
of
curl-paper
,
morsels
of
cold
meats
,
tongues
of
sheep
,
halves
of
fowls
,
for
her
own
dinner
;
and
sharing
these
collations
with
Polly
,
passes
the
greater
part
of
her
time
in
the
ruined
house
that
the
rats
have
fled
from
:
hiding
,
in
a
fright
at
every
sound
,
stealing
in
and
out
like
a
criminal
;
only
desiring
to
be
true
to
the
fallen
object
of
her
admiration
,
unknown
to
him
,
unknown
to
all
the
world
but
one
poor
simple
woman
.
The
Major
knows
it
;
but
no
one
is
the
wiser
for
that
,
though
the
Major
is
much
the
merrier
.
The
Major
,
in
a
fit
of
curiosity
,
has
charged
the
Native
to
watch
the
house
sometimes
,
and
find
out
what
becomes
of
Dombey
.
The
Native
has
reported
Miss
Tox
's
fidelity
,
and
the
Major
has
nearly
choked
himself
dead
with
laughter
.
He
is
permanently
bluer
from
that
hour
,
and
constantly
wheezes
to
himself
,
his
lobster
eyes
starting
out
of
his
head
,
`
Damme
,
Sir
,
the
woman
's
a
born
idiot
!
´
And
the
ruined
man
.
How
does
he
pass
the
hours
,
alone
?
`
Let
him
remember
it
in
that
room
,
years
to
come
!
´
He
did
remember
it
.
It
was
heavy
on
his
mind
now
;
heavier
than
all
the
rest
.
`
Let
him
remember
it
in
that
room
,
years
to
come
!
The
rain
that
falls
upon
the
roof
,
the
wind
that
mourns
outside
the
door
,
may
have
foreknowledge
in
their
melancholy
sound
.
Let
him
remember
it
in
that
room
,
years
to
come
!
´
He
did
remember
it
.
In
the
miserable
night
he
thought
of
it
;
in
the
dreary
day
,
the
wretched
dawn
,
the
ghostly
,
memory-haunted
twilight
.
He
did
remember
it
.
In
agony
,
in
sorrow
,
in
remorse
,
in
despair
!
`
Papa
!
papa
!
Speak
to
me
,
dear
papa
!
'
He
heard
the
words
again
,
and
saw
the
face
.
He
saw
it
fall
upon
the
trembling
hands
,
and
heard
the
one
prolonged
low
cry
go
upward
.
He
was
fallen
,
never
to
be
raised
up
any
more
.
For
the
night
of
his
worldly
ruin
there
was
no
to-morrow
's
sun
;
for
the
stain
of
his
domestic
shame
there
was
no
purification
;
nothing
,
thank
Heaven
,
could
bring
his
dead
child
back
to
life
.
But
that
which
he
might
have
made
so
different
in
all
the
Past
—
which
might
have
made
the
Past
itself
so
different
,
though
this
he
hardly
thought
of
now
—
that
which
was
his
own
work
,
that
which
he
could
so
easily
have
wrought
into
a
blessing
,
and
had
set
himself
so
steadily
for
years
to
form
into
a
curse
:
that
was
the
sharp
grief
of
his
soul
.
Oh
!
He
did
remember
it
!
The
rain
that
fell
upon
the
roof
,
the
wind
that
mourned
outside
the
door
that
night
,
had
had
foreknowledge
in
their
melancholy
sound
.
He
knew
,
now
,
what
he
had
done
.
He
knew
,
now
,
that
he
had
called
down
that
upon
his
head
,
which
bowed
it
lower
that
the
heaviest
stroke
of
fortune
.
He
knew
,
now
,
what
it
was
to
be
rejected
and
deserted
;
now
,
when
every
loving
blossom
he
had
withered
in
his
innocent
daughter
's
heart
was
snowing
down
in
ashes
on
him
.
He
thought
of
her
,
as
she
had
been
that
night
when
he
and
his
bride
came
home
.
He
thought
of
her
as
she
had
been
,
in
all
the
home-events
,
of
the
abandoned
House
.
He
thought
,
now
,
that
of
all
around
him
,
she
alone
had
never
changed
.
His
boy
had
faded
into
dust
,
his
proud
wife
had
sunk
into
a
polluted
creature
,
his
flatterer
and
friend
had
been
transformed
into
the
worst
of
villains
,
his
riches
had
melted
away
,
the
very
walls
that
sheltered
him
looked
on
him
as
a
stranger
;
she
alone
had
turned
the
same
mild
gentle
look
upon
him
always
.
Yes
,
to
the
latest
and
the
last
.
She
had
never
changed
to
him
—
nor
had
he
ever
changed
to
her
—
and
she
was
lost
.
As
,
one
by
one
,
they
fell
away
before
his
mind
—
his
baby-hope
,
his
wife
,
his
friend
,
his
fortune
—
oh
how
the
mist
,
through
which
he
had
seen
her
,
cleared
,
and
showed
him
her
true
self
!
Oh
,
how
much
better
than
this
that
he
had
loved
her
as
had
hid
boy
,
and
lost
her
as
he
had
his
boy
,
and
laid
them
in
their
early
grave
together
!
In
his
pride
—
for
he
was
proud
yet
—
he
let
the
world
go
from
him
freely
.
As
it
fell
away
,
he
shook
it
off
.
Whether
he
imagined
its
face
as
expressing
pity
for
him
,
or
indifference
to
him
,
he
shunned
it
alike
.
It
was
in
the
same
degree
to
be
avoided
,
in
either
aspect
.
He
had
no
idea
of
any
one
companion
in
his
misery
,
but
the
one
he
had
driven
away
.
What
he
would
have
said
to
her
,
or
what
consolation
submitted
to
receive
from
her
,
he
never
pictured
to
himself
.
But
he
always
knew
she
would
have
been
true
to
him
,
if
he
had
suffered
her
.
He
always
knew
she
would
have
loved
him
better
now
,
than
at
any
other
time
:
he
was
as
certain
that
it
was
in
her
nature
,
as
he
was
that
there
was
a
sky
above
him
;
and
he
sat
thinking
so
,
in
his
loneliness
,
from
hour
to
hour
.
Day
after
day
uttered
this
speech
;
night
after
night
showed
him
this
knowledge
.
It
began
,
beyond
all
doubt
(
however
slow
it
advanced
for
some
time
)
,
in
the
receipt
of
her
young
husband
's
letter
,
and
the
certainty
that
she
was
gone
.
And
yet
—
so
proud
he
was
in
his
ruin
,
or
so
reminiscent
of
her
,
only
as
something
that
might
have
been
his
,
but
was
lost
beyond
redemption
—
that
if
he
could
have
heard
her
voice
in
an
adjoining
room
,
he
would
not
have
gone
to
her
.
If
he
could
have
seen
her
in
the
street
,
and
she
had
done
no
more
than
look
at
him
as
she
had
been
used
to
look
,
he
would
have
passed
on
with
his
old
cold
unforgiving
face
,
and
not
addressed
her
,
or
relaxed
it
,
though
his
heart
should
have
broken
soon
afterwards
.
However
turbulent
his
thoughts
,
or
harsh
is
anger
had
been
,
at
first
,
concerning
her
marriage
,
or
her
husband
,
that
was
all
past
now
.
He
chiefly
thought
of
what
might
have
been
,
and
what
was
not
.
What
was
,
was
all
summed
up
in
this
:
that
she
was
lost
,
and
he
bowed
down
with
sorrow
and
remorse
.
And
now
he
felt
that
he
had
had
two
children
born
to
him
in
that
house
,
and
that
between
him
and
the
bare
wide
empty
walls
there
was
a
tie
,
mournful
,
but
hard
to
rend
asunder
,
connected
with
a
double
childhood
,
and
a
double
loss
.
He
had
thought
to
leave
the
house
—
knowing
he
must
go
,
not
knowing
whither
—
upon
the
evening
of
the
day
on
which
this
feeling
first
struck
root
in
his
breast
;
but
he
resolved
to
stay
another
night
,
and
in
the
night
to
ramble
through
the
rooms
once
more
.
He
came
out
of
his
solitude
when
it
was
the
dead
of
night
,
and
with
a
candle
in
his
hand
went
softly
up
the
stairs
.
Of
all
the
footmarks
there
,
making
them
as
common
as
the
common
street
,
there
was
not
one
,
he
thought
,
but
had
seemed
at
the
time
to
set
itself
upon
his
brain
while
he
had
kept
close
,
listening
.
He
looked
at
their
number
,
and
their
hurry
,
and
contention
—
foot
treading
foot
out
,
and
upward
track
and
downward
jostling
one
another
—
and
thought
,
with
absolute
dread
and
wonder
,
how
much
he
must
have
suffered
during
that
trial
,
and
what
a
changed
man
he
had
cause
to
be
.
He
thought
,
besides
,
oh
was
there
,
somewhere
in
the
world
,
a
light
footstep
that
might
have
worn
out
in
a
moment
half
those
marks
!
—
and
bent
his
head
,
and
wept
as
he
went
up
.
He
almost
saw
it
,
going
on
before
.
He
stopped
,
looking
up
towards
the
skylight
;
and
a
figure
,
childish
itself
,
but
carrying
a
child
,
and
singing
as
it
went
,
seemed
to
be
there
again
.
Anon
,
it
was
the
same
figure
,
alone
,
stopping
for
an
instant
,
with
suspended
breath
;
the
bright
hair
clustering
loosely
round
its
tearful
face
;
and
looking
back
at
him
.
He
wandered
through
the
rooms
:
lately
so
luxurious
;
now
so
bare
and
dismal
and
so
changed
,
apparently
,
even
in
their
shape
and
size
.
The
press
of
footsteps
was
as
thick
here
;
and
the
same
consideration
of
the
suffering
he
had
had
,
perplexed
and
terrified
him
.
He
began
to
fear
that
all
this
intricacy
in
his
brain
would
drive
him
mad
;
and
that
his
thoughts
already
lost
coherence
as
the
footprints
did
,
and
were
pieced
on
to
one
another
,
with
the
same
trackless
involutions
,
and
varieties
of
indistinct
shapes
.
He
did
not
so
much
as
know
in
which
of
these
rooms
she
had
lived
,
when
she
was
alone
.
He
was
glad
to
leave
them
,
and
go
wandering
higher
up
.
Abundance
of
associations
were
here
,
connected
with
his
false
wife
,
his
false
friend
and
servant
,
his
false
grounds
of
pride
;
but
he
put
them
all
by
now
,
and
only
recalled
miserably
,
weakly
,
fondly
,
his
two
children
.
Everywhere
,
the
footsteps
!
They
had
had
no
respect
for
the
old
room
high
up
,
where
the
little
bed
had
been
;
he
could
hardly
find
a
clear
space
there
,
to
throw
himself
down
,
on
the
floor
,
against
the
wall
,
poor
broken
man
,
and
let
his
tears
flow
as
they
would
.
He
had
shed
so
many
tears
here
,
long
ago
,
that
he
was
less
ashamed
of
his
weakness
in
this
place
than
in
any
other
—
perhaps
,
with
that
consciousness
,
had
made
excuses
to
himself
for
coming
here
.
Here
,
with
stooping
shoulders
,
and
his
chin
dropped
on
his
breast
,
he
had
come
.
Here
,
thrown
upon
the
bare
boards
,
in
the
dead
of
night
,
he
wept
,
alone
—
a
proud
man
,
even
then
;
who
,
if
a
kind
hand
could
have
been
stretched
out
,
or
a
kind
face
could
have
looked
in
would
have
risen
up
,
and
turned
away
,
and
gone
down
to
his
cell
.
When
the
day
broke
he
was
shut
up
in
his
rooms
again
.
He
had
meant
to
go
away
to-day
,
but
clung
to
this
tie
in
the
house
as
the
last
and
only
thing
left
to
him
.
He
would
go
to-morrow
.
To-morrow
came
.
He
would
go
to-morrow
.
Every
night
,
within
the
knowledge
of
no
human
creature
,
he
came
forth
,
and
wandered
through
the
despoiled
house
like
a
ghost
.
Many
a
morning
when
the
day
broke
,
his
altered
face
,
drooping
behind
the
closed
blind
in
his
window
,
imperfectly
transparent
to
the
light
as
yet
,
pondered
on
the
loss
of
his
two
children
.
It
was
one
child
no
more
.
He
reunited
them
in
his
thoughts
,
and
they
were
never
asunder
.
Oh
,
that
he
could
have
united
them
in
his
past
love
,
and
in
death
,
and
that
one
had
not
been
so
much
worse
than
dead
!
Strong
mental
agitation
and
disturbance
was
no
novelty
to
him
,
even
before
his
late
suffering
.
It
never
is
,
to
obstinate
and
sullen
natures
;
for
they
struggle
hard
to
be
such
.
Ground
,
long
undermined
,
will
often
fall
down
in
a
moment
;
what
was
undermined
here
in
so
many
ways
,
weakened
,
and
crumbled
,
little
by
little
,
more
and
more
,
as
the
hand
moved
on
the
dial
.
At
last
he
began
to
think
he
need
not
go
at
all
.
He
might
yet
give
up
what
his
creditors
had
spared
him
(
that
they
had
not
spared
him
more
,
was
his
own
act
)
,
and
only
sever
the
tie
between
him
and
the
ruined
house
,
by
severing
that
other
link
—
—
It
was
then
that
his
footfall
was
audible
in
the
late
house-keeper
's
room
,
as
he
walked
to
and
fro
;
but
not
audible
in
its
true
meaning
,
or
it
would
have
had
an
appalling
sound
.
The
world
was
very
busy
and
restless
about
him
.
He
became
aware
of
that
again
.
It
was
whispering
and
babbling
.
It
was
never
quiet
.
This
,
and
the
intricacy
and
complication
of
the
footsteps
,
harassed
him
to
death
.
Objects
began
to
take
a
bleared
and
russet
colour
in
his
eyes
.
Dombey
and
Son
was
no
more
—
his
children
no
more
.
This
must
be
thought
of
,
well
,
to-morrow
.
He
thought
of
it
to-morrow
;
and
sitting
thinking
in
his
chair
,
saw
in
the
glass
,
from
time
to
time
,
this
picture
:
A
spectral
,
haggard
,
wasted
likeness
of
himself
,
brooded
and
brooded
over
the
empty
fireplace
.
Now
it
lifted
up
its
head
,
examining
the
lines
and
hollows
in
its
face
;
now
hung
it
down
again
,
and
brooded
afresh
.
Now
it
rose
and
walked
about
;
now
passed
into
the
next
room
,
and
came
back
with
something
from
the
dressing-table
in
its
breast
.
Now
,
it
was
looking
at
the
bottom
of
the
door
,
and
thinking
.
—
Hush
!
what
?
It
was
thinking
that
if
blood
were
to
trickle
that
way
,
and
to
leak
out
into
the
hall
,
it
must
be
a
long
time
going
so
far
.
It
would
move
so
stealthily
and
slowly
,
creeping
on
,
with
her
a
lazy
little
pool
,
and
there
a
start
,
and
then
another
little
pool
,
that
a
desperately
wounded
man
could
only
be
discovered
through
its
means
,
either
dead
or
dying
.
When
it
had
thought
of
this
a
long
while
,
it
got
up
again
,
and
walked
to
and
fro
with
its
hand
in
its
breast
.
He
glanced
at
it
occasionally
,
very
curious
to
watch
its
motions
,
and
he
marked
how
wicked
and
murderous
that
hand
looked
.
Now
it
was
thinking
again
!
What
was
it
thinking
?
Whether
they
would
tread
in
the
blood
when
it
crept
so
far
,
and
carry
it
about
the
house
among
those
many
prints
of
feet
,
or
even
out
into
the
street
.
It
sat
down
,
with
its
eyes
upon
the
empty
fireplace
,
and
as
it
lost
itself
in
thought
there
shone
into
the
room
a
gleam
of
light
;
a
ray
of
sun
.
It
was
quite
unmindful
,
and
sat
thinking
.
Suddenly
it
rose
,
with
a
terrible
face
,
and
that
guilty
hand
grasping
what
was
in
its
breast
.
Then
it
was
arrested
by
a
cry
—
a
wild
,
loud
,
piercing
,
loving
rapturous
cry
—
and
he
only
saw
his
own
reflection
in
the
glass
,
and
at
his
knees
,
his
daughter
!
Yes
.
His
daughter
!
Look
at
her
!
Look
here
!
Down
upon
the
ground
,
clinging
to
him
,
calling
to
him
,
folding
her
hands
,
praying
to
him
.
`
Papa
!
Dearest
papa
!
Pardon
me
,
forgive
me
!
I
have
come
back
to
ask
forgiveness
on
my
knees
.
I
never
can
be
happy
more
,
without
it
!
´
Unchanged
still
.
Of
all
the
world
,
unchanged
.
Raising
the
same
face
to
his
,
as
on
that
miserable
night
.
Asking
his
forgiveness
!
`
Dear
papa
,
oh
do
n't
look
strangely
on
me
!
I
never
meant
to
leave
you
.
I
never
thought
of
it
,
before
or
afterwards
.
I
was
frightened
when
I
went
away
,
and
could
not
think
.
Papa
,
dear
,
I
am
changed
.
I
am
penitent
.
I
know
my
fault
.
I
know
my
duty
better
now
.
Papa
,
do
n't
cast
me
off
,
or
I
shall
die
!
´
He
tottered
to
his
chair
.
He
felt
her
draw
his
arms
about
her
neck
;
he
felt
her
put
her
own
round
his
;
he
felt
her
kisses
on
his
face
;
he
felt
her
wet
cheek
laid
against
his
own
;
he
felt
—
oh
,
how
deeply
!
—
all
that
he
had
done
.
Upon
the
breast
that
he
had
bruised
,
against
the
heart
that
he
had
almost
broken
,
she
laid
his
face
,
now
covered
with
his
hands
,
and
said
,
sobbing
:
`
Papa
,
love
,
I
am
a
mother
.
I
have
a
child
who
will
soon
call
Walter
by
the
name
by
which
I
call
you
.
When
it
was
born
,
and
when
I
knew
how
much
I
loved
it
,
I
knew
what
I
had
done
in
leaving
you
.
Forgive
me
,
dear
Papa
!
oh
say
God
bless
me
,
and
my
little
child
!
´
He
would
have
said
it
,
if
he
could
.
He
would
have
raised
his
hands
and
besought
her
for
pardon
,
but
she
caught
them
in
her
own
,
and
put
them
down
,
hurriedly
.
`
My
little
child
was
born
at
sea
,
Papa
.
I
prayed
to
God
(
and
so
did
Walter
for
me
)
to
spare
me
,
that
I
might
come
home
.
The
moment
I
could
land
,
I
came
back
to
you
.
Never
let
us
be
parted
any
more
,
Papa
!
´
His
head
,
now
grey
,
was
encircled
by
her
arm
;
and
he
groaned
to
think
that
never
,
never
,
had
it
rested
so
before
.
`
You
will
come
home
with
me
,
Papa
,
and
see
my
baby
.
A
boy
,
Papa
.
His
name
is
Paul
.
I
think
—
I
hope
—
he
's
like
—
´
Her
tears
stopped
her
.
`
Dear
Papa
,
for
the
sake
of
my
child
,
for
the
sake
of
the
name
we
have
given
him
,
for
my
sake
,
pardon
Walter
.
He
is
so
kind
and
tender
to
me
.
I
am
so
happy
with
him
.
It
was
not
his
fault
that
we
were
married
.
It
was
mine
.
I
loved
him
so
much
.
´
She
clung
closer
to
him
,
more
endearing
and
more
earnest
.
`
He
is
the
darling
of
my
heart
,
Papa
.
I
would
die
for
him
.
He
will
love
and
honour
your
as
I
will
.
We
will
teach
our
little
child
to
love
and
honour
you
;
and
we
will
tell
him
,
when
he
can
understand
,
that
you
had
a
son
of
that
name
once
,
and
that
he
died
,
and
you
were
very
sorry
;
but
that
he
is
gone
to
Heaven
,
where
we
all
hope
to
see
him
when
our
time
for
resting
comes
.
Kiss
me
,
Papa
,
as
a
promise
that
you
will
be
reconciled
to
Walter
—
to
my
dearest
husband
—
to
the
father
of
the
little
child
who
taught
me
to
come
back
,
Papa
.
Who
taught
me
to
come
back
!
´
As
she
clung
closer
to
him
,
in
another
burst
of
tears
,
he
kissed
her
on
her
lips
,
and
,
lifting
up
his
eyes
,
said
,
`
Oh
my
God
,
forgive
me
,
for
I
need
it
very
much
!
´
With
that
he
dropped
his
head
again
,
lamenting
over
and
caressing
her
,
and
there
was
not
a
sound
in
all
the
house
for
a
long
,
long
time
;
they
remaining
clasped
in
one
another
's
arms
,
in
the
glorious
sunshine
that
had
crept
in
with
Florence
.
He
dressed
himself
for
going
out
,
with
a
docile
submission
to
her
entreaty
;
and
walking
with
a
feeble
gait
,
and
looking
back
,
with
a
tremble
,
at
the
room
in
which
he
had
been
so
long
shut
up
,
and
where
he
had
seen
the
picture
in
the
glass
,
passed
out
with
her
into
the
hall
.
Florence
,
hardly
glancing
round
her
,
lest
she
should
remind
him
freshly
of
their
last
parting
—
for
their
feet
were
on
the
very
stones
where
he
had
struck
her
in
his
madness
—
and
keeping
close
to
him
,
with
her
eyes
upon
his
face
,
and
his
arm
about
her
,
led
him
out
to
a
coach
that
was
waiting
at
the
door
,
and
carried
him
away
.
Then
,
Miss
Tox
and
Polly
came
out
of
their
concealment
,
and
exulted
tearfully
.
And
then
they
packed
his
clothes
,
and
books
,
and
so
forth
,
with
great
care
;
and
consigned
them
in
due
course
to
certain
persons
sent
by
Florence
in
the
evening
,
to
fetch
them
.
And
then
they
took
a
last
cup
of
tea
in
the
lonely
house
.
`
And
so
Dombey
and
Son
,
as
I
observed
upon
a
certain
sad
occasion
,
´
said
Miss
Tox
,
winding
up
a
host
of
recollections
,
`
is
indeed
a
daughter
,
Polly
,
after
all
.
´
`
And
a
good
one
!
´
exclaimed
Polly
.
`
You
are
right
,
´
said
Miss
Tox
;
`
and
it
's
a
credit
to
you
Polly
,
that
you
were
always
her
friend
when
she
was
a
little
child
.
You
were
her
friend
long
before
I
was
,
Polly
,
´
said
Miss
Tox
;
`
and
you
're
a
good
creature
.
Robin
!
´
Miss
Tox
addressed
herself
to
a
bullet-headed
young
man
,
who
appeared
to
be
in
but
indifferent
circumstances
,
and
in
depressed
spirits
,
and
who
was
sitting
in
a
remote
corner
.
Rising
,
he
disclosed
to
view
the
form
and
features
of
the
Grinder
.
`
Robin
,
´
said
Miss
Tox
,
`
I
have
just
observed
to
your
mother
,
as
you
may
have
heard
,
that
she
is
a
good
creature
.
´
`
And
so
she
is
,
Miss.
´
quoth
the
Grinder
,
with
some
feeling
.
`
Very
well
,
Robin
,
´
said
Miss
Tox
,
`
I
am
glad
to
hear
you
say
so
.
Now
,
Robin
,
as
I
am
going
to
give
you
a
trial
,
at
your
urgent
request
,
as
my
domestic
,
with
a
view
to
your
restoration
to
respectability
,
I
will
take
this
impressive
occasion
of
remarking
that
I
hope
you
will
never
forget
that
you
have
,
and
have
always
had
,
a
good
mother
,
and
that
your
will
endeavour
so
to
conduct
yourself
as
to
be
a
comfort
to
her
.
´
`
Upon
my
soul
I
will
,
Miss
,
´
returned
the
Grinder
.
`
I
have
come
through
a
good
deal
,
and
my
intentions
is
now
as
straightfor'ard
,
Miss
,
as
a
cove
's
—
´
`
I
must
get
you
to
break
yourself
of
that
word
,
Robin
,
if
you
please
,
´
interposed
Miss
Tox
,
politely
.
`
If
you
please
,
Miss
as
a
chap
's
—
´
`
Thankee
,
Robin
,
no
,
´
returned
Miss
Tox
.
`
I
should
prefer
individual
.
´
`
As
a
indiwiddle
's
,
´
said
the
Grinder
.
`
Much
better
,
´
remarked
Miss
Tox
,
complacently
;
`
infinitely
more
expressive
!
´
`
—
can
be
,
´
pursued
Rob
.
`
If
I
had
n't
been
and
got
made
a
Grinder
on
,
Miss
and
Mother
,
which
was
a
most
unfortunate
circumstance
for
a
young
co
—
indiwiddle
.
´
`
Very
good
indeed
,
´
observed
Miss
Tox
,
approvingly
.
`
—
and
if
I
had
n't
been
led
away
by
birds
,
and
then
fallen
into
a
bad
service
,
'
said
the
Grinder
,
`
I
hope
I
might
have
done
better
.
But
it
's
never
too
late
for
a
—
´
`
Indi
—
´
suggested
Miss
Tox
.
`
—
widdle
,
´
said
the
Grinder
,
`
to
mend
;
and
I
hope
to
mend
,
Miss
,
with
your
kind
trial
;
and
wishing
,
Mother
,
my
love
to
father
,
and
brothers
and
sisters
,
and
saying
of
it
.
´
`
I
am
very
glad
indeed
to
hear
it
,
´
observed
Miss
Tox
.
`
Will
you
take
a
little
bread
and
butter
,
and
a
cup
of
tea
,
before
we
go
,
Robin
?
´
`
Thankee
,
Miss
,
´
returned
the
Grinder
;
who
immediately
began
to
use
his
own
personal
grinders
in
a
most
remarkable
manner
,
as
if
he
had
been
on
very
short
allowance
for
a
considerable
period
.
Miss
Tox
,
being
,
in
good
time
,
bonneted
and
shawled
,
and
Polly
too
,
Rob
hugged
his
mother
,
and
followed
his
new
mistress
away
;
so
much
to
the
hopeful
admiration
of
Polly
,
that
something
in
her
eyes
made
luminous
rings
round
the
gas-lamps
as
she
looked
after
him
.
Polly
then
put
out
her
light
,
locked
the
house-door
,
delivered
the
key
at
an
agent
's
hard
by
,
and
went
home
as
fast
as
she
could
go
;
rejoicing
in
the
shrill
delight
that
her
unexpected
arrival
would
occasion
there
.
The
great
house
,
dumb
as
to
all
that
had
been
suffered
in
it
,
and
the
changes
it
had
witnessed
,
stood
frowning
like
a
dark
mute
on
the
street
;
baulking
any
nearer
inquiries
with
the
staring
announcement
that
the
lease
of
this
desirable
Family
Mansion
was
to
be
disposed
of
.
CHAPTER
LX
Chiefly
Matrimonial
THE
grand
half-yearly
festival
holden
by
Doctor
and
Mrs.
Blimber
,
on
which
occasion
they
requested
the
pleasure
of
the
company
of
every
young
gentleman
pursuing
his
studies
in
that
genteel
establishment
,
at
an
early
party
,
when
the
hour
was
half-past
seven
o'clock
,
and
when
the
object
was
quadrilles
,
had
duly
taken
place
,
about
this
time
;
and
the
young
gentleman
,
with
no
unbecoming
demonstrations
of
levity
,
had
betaken
themselves
,
in
a
state
of
scholastic
repletion
,
to
their
own
homes
.
Mr.
Skettles
had
repaired
abroad
,
permanently
to
grace
the
establishment
of
his
father
Sir
Barnet
Skettles
,
whose
popular
manners
had
obtained
him
a
diplomatic
appointment
,
the
honours
of
which
were
discharged
by
himself
and
Lady
Skettles
,
to
the
satisfaction
even
of
their
own
countrymen
and
countrywomen
:
which
was
considered
almost
miraculous
.
Mr.
Tozer
,
now
a
young
man
of
lofty
stature
,
in
Wellington
boots
,
was
so
extremely
full
of
antiquity
as
to
be
nearly
on
a
par
with
a
genuine
ancient
Roman
in
his
knowledge
of
English
:
a
triumph
that
affected
his
good
parents
with
the
tenderest
emotions
,
and
caused
the
father
and
mother
of
Mr.
Briggs
(
whose
learning
,
like
ill-arranged
luggage
,
was
so
tightly
packed
that
he
could
n't
get
at
anything
he
wanted
)
to
hide
their
diminished
heads
.
The
fruit
laboriously
gathered
from
the
tree
of
knowledge
by
this
latter
young
gentleman
,
in
fact
,
had
been
subjected
to
so
much
pressure
,
that
it
had
become
a
kind
of
intellectual
Norfolk
Biffin
,
and
had
nothing
of
its
original
form
or
flavour
remaining
.
Master
Bitherstone
now
,
on
whom
the
forcing
system
had
the
happier
and
not
uncommon
effect
of
leaving
no
impression
whatever
,
when
the
forcing
apparatus
ceased
to
work
,
was
in
a
much
more
comfortable
plight
;
and
being
then
on
shipboard
,
bound
for
Bengal
,
found
himself
forgetting
,
with
such
admirable
rapidity
,
that
it
was
doubtful
whether
his
declensions
of
noun-substantives
would
hold
out
to
the
end
of
the
voyage
.
When
Doctor
Blimber
,
in
pursuance
of
the
usual
course
,
would
have
said
to
the
young
gentleman
,
on
the
morning
of
the
party
,
`
Gentlemen
,
we
will
resume
our
studies
on
the
twenty-fifth
of
next
month
,
´
he
departed
from
the
usual
course
,
and
said
,
`
Gentlemen
,
when
our
friend
Cincinnatus
retired
to
his
farm
,
he
did
not
present
to
the
senate
any
Roman
whom
he
sought
to
nominate
as
his
successor
.
But
there
is
a
Roman
here
,
´
said
Doctor
Blimber
,
laying
his
hand
on
the
shoulder
of
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
`
adolescens
imprimis
gravis
et
doctus
,
gentlemen
,
whom
I
,
a
retiring
Cincinnatus
,
wish
to
present
to
my
little
senate
,
as
their
future
Dictator
.
Gentleman
,
we
will
resume
our
studies
on
the
twenty-fifth
of
next
month
,
under
the
auspices
of
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
´
At
this
(
which
Doctor
Blimber
had
previously
called
upon
all
the
parents
,
and
urbanely
explained
)
,
the
young
gentlemen
cheered
;
and
Mr.
Tozer
,
on
behalf
of
the
rest
,
instantly
presented
the
Doctor
with
a
silver
inkstand
,
in
a
speech
containing
very
little
of
the
mother-tongue
,
but
fifteen
quotations
from
the
Latin
,
and
seven
from
the
Greek
,
which
moved
the
younger
of
the
young
gentlemen
to
discontent
and
envy
:
they
remarking
,
`
Oh
,
ah
!
It
was
all
very
well
for
old
Tozer
,
but
they
did
n't
subscribe
money
for
old
Tozer
to
show
off
with
,
they
supposed
;
did
they
?
What
business
was
it
of
old
Tozer
's
more
than
anybody
else
's
?
It
was
n't
his
inkstand
.
Why
could
n't
he
leave
the
boys
´
property
alone
?
´
and
murmuring
other
expressions
of
their
dissatisfaction
,
which
seemed
to
find
a
greater
relief
in
calling
him
old
Tozer
,
than
in
any
other
available
vent
.
Not
a
word
had
been
said
to
the
young
gentlemen
,
nor
a
hint
dropped
,
of
anything
like
a
contemplated
marriage
between
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
and
the
fair
Cornelia
Blimber
.
Doctor
Blimber
,
especially
,
seemed
to
take
pains
to
look
as
if
nothing
would
surprise
him
more
;
but
it
was
perfectly
well
known
to
all
the
young
gentlemen
nevertheless
,
and
when
they
departed
for
the
society
of
their
relations
and
friends
,
they
took
leave
of
Mr.
Feeder
with
awe
.
Mr.
Feeder
's
most
romantic
visions
were
fulfilled
.
The
Doctor
had
determined
to
paint
the
house
outside
,
and
put
it
in
thorough
repair
;
and
to
give
up
the
business
,
and
to
give
up
Cornelia
.
The
painting
and
repairing
began
upon
the
very
day
of
the
young
gentlemen
's
departure
,
and
now
behold
!
the
wedding
morning
was
come
,
and
Cornelia
,
in
a
new
pair
of
spectacles
,
was
waiting
to
be
led
to
the
hymeneal
altar
.
The
Doctor
with
his
learned
legs
,
and
Mrs.
Blimber
in
a
lilac
bonnet
,
and
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
with
his
long
knuckles
and
his
bristly
head
of
hair
,
and
Mr.
Feeder
's
brother
,
the
Reverend
Alfred
Feeder
,
M.A.
,
who
was
to
perform
the
ceremony
,
were
all
assembled
in
the
drawing-room
,
and
Cornelia
with
her
orange-flowers
and
bridesmaids
had
just
come
down
,
and
looked
,
as
of
old
,
a
little
squeezed
in
appearance
,
but
very
charming
,
when
the
door
opened
,
and
the
weak-eyed
young
man
,
in
a
loud
voice
,
made
the
following
proclamation
:
`
mr.
and
mrs.
toots
!
´
Upon
which
there
entered
Mr.
Toots
,
grown
extremely
stout
,
and
on
his
arm
a
lady
very
handsomely
and
becomingly
dressed
,
with
very
bright
black
eyes
.
`
Mrs.
Blimber
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
allow
me
to
present
my
wife
.
´
Mrs.
Blimber
was
delighted
to
receive
her
.
Mrs.
Blimber
was
a
little
condescending
,
but
extremely
kind
.
`
And
as
you
've
known
me
for
a
long
time
,
you
know
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
let
me
assure
you
that
she
is
one
of
the
most
remarkable
women
that
ever
lived
.
´
`
My
dear
!
´
remonstrated
Mrs.
Toots
.
`
Upon
my
word
and
honour
she
is
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
.
`
I
—
I
assure
you
,
Mrs.
Blimber
,
she
's
a
most
extraordinary
woman
.
´
Mrs.
Toots
laughed
merrily
,
and
Mrs.
Blimber
led
her
to
Cornelia
.
Mr.
Toots
having
paid
his
respects
in
that
direction
,
and
having
saluted
his
old
preceptor
,
who
said
,
in
allusion
to
his
conjugal
state
,
`
Well
,
Toots
,
well
,
Toots
!
So
you
are
one
of
us
,
are
you
,
Toots
?
'
—
retired
with
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
into
a
window
.
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
being
in
great
spirits
,
made
a
spar
at
Mr.
Toots
,
and
tapped
him
skilfully
with
the
back
of
his
hand
on
the
breast-bone
.
`
Well
,
old
Buck
!
´
said
Mr.
Feeder
with
a
laugh
.
`
Well
!
Here
we
are
!
Taken
in
and
done
for
.
Eh
?
´
`
Feeder
,
´
returned
Mr.
Toots
.
`
I
give
you
joy
.
If
you
're
as
—
as
—
as
perfectly
blissful
in
a
matrimonial
life
,
as
I
am
myself
,
you
'll
have
nothing
to
desire
.
´
`
I
do
n't
forget
my
old
friends
,
you
see
,
´
said
Mr.
Feeder
.
`
I
ask
'
em
to
my
wedding
,
Toots
.
´
`
Feeder
,
´
replied
Mr.
Toots
gravely
,
`
the
fact
is
,
that
there
were
several
circumstances
which
prevented
me
from
communicating
with
you
until
after
my
marriage
had
been
solemnised
.
In
the
first
place
,
I
had
made
a
perfect
Brute
of
myself
to
you
,
on
the
subject
of
Miss
Dombey
;
and
I
felt
that
if
you
were
asked
to
any
wedding
of
mine
,
you
would
naturally
expect
that
it
was
with
Miss
Dombey
,
which
involved
explanations
,
that
upon
my
word
and
honour
,
at
that
crisis
,
would
have
knocked
me
completely
over
.
In
the
second
place
,
our
wedding
was
strictly
private
;
there
being
nobody
present
but
one
friend
of
myself
and
Mrs.
Toots
's
,
who
is
a
Captain
in
—
I
do
n't
exactly
know
in
what
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
but
it
's
of
no
consequence
.
I
hope
,
Feeder
,
that
in
writing
a
statement
of
what
had
occurred
before
Mrs.
Toots
and
myself
went
abroad
upon
our
foreign
tour
,
I
fully
discharged
the
offices
of
friendship
.
´
`
Toots
,
my
boy
,
´
said
Mr.
Feeder
,
shaking
his
hands
,
`
I
was
joking
.
´
`
And
now
,
Feeder
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
I
should
be
glad
to
know
what
you
think
of
my
union
.
´
`
Capital
!
´
returned
Mr.
Feeder
.
`
You
think
it
's
capital
,
do
you
,
Feeder
?
´
said
Mr.
Toots
solemnly
.
`
Then
how
capital
must
it
be
to
Me
!
For
you
can
never
know
what
an
extraordinary
woman
that
is
.
´
Mr.
Feeder
was
willing
to
take
it
for
granted
.
But
Mr.
Toots
shook
his
head
,
and
would
n't
hear
of
that
being
possible
.
`
You
see
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
what
I
wanted
in
a
wife
was
—
in
short
,
was
sense
.
Money
,
Feeder
,
I
had
.
Sense
I
—
I
had
not
,
particularly
.
´
Mr.
Feeder
murmured
,
`
Oh
,
yes
,
you
had
,
Toots
!
´
But
Mr.
Toots
said
:
`
No
,
Feeder
,
I
had
not
.
Why
should
I
disguise
it
?
I
had
not
I
knew
that
sense
was
There
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
stretching
out
his
hand
towards
his
wife
,
`
in
perfect
heaps
.
I
had
no
relation
to
object
or
be
offended
,
on
the
score
of
station
;
for
I
had
no
relation
.
I
have
never
had
anybody
belonging
to
me
but
my
guardian
,
and
him
,
Feeder
,
I
have
always
considered
as
a
Pirate
and
a
Corsair
.
Therefore
,
you
know
it
was
not
likely
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
that
I
should
take
his
opinion
.
´
`
No
,
´
said
Mr.
Feeder
.
`
Accordingly
,
´
resumed
Mr.
Toots
,
`
I
acted
on
my
own
.
Bright
was
the
day
on
which
I
did
so
!
Feeder
!
Nobody
but
myself
can
tell
what
the
capacity
of
that
woman
's
mind
is
.
If
ever
the
Rights
of
Women
,
and
all
that
kind
of
thing
,
are
properly
attended
to
,
it
will
be
through
her
powerful
intellect
.
—
Susan
,
my
dear
!
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
looking
abruptly
out
of
the
window-curtains
,
`
pray
do
not
exert
yourself
!
´
`
My
dear
,
´
said
Mrs.
Toots
,
`
I
was
only
talking
.
´
`
But
,
my
love
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
pray
do
not
exert
yourself
.
You
really
must
be
careful
.
Do
not
,
my
dear
Susan
,
exert
yourself
.
She
's
so
easily
excited
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
apart
to
Mrs.
Blimber
,
`
and
then
she
forgets
the
medical
man
altogether
.
´
Mrs.
Blimber
was
impressing
on
Mrs.
Toots
the
necessity
of
caution
,
when
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
offered
her
his
arm
,
and
led
her
down
to
the
carriages
that
were
in
waiting
to
go
to
church
.
Doctor
Blimber
escorted
Mrs.
Toots
.
Mr.
Toots
escorted
the
fair
bride
,
around
whose
lambent
spectacles
two
gauzy
little
bridesmaids
fluttered
like
moths
.
Mr.
Feeder
's
brother
,
Mr.
Alfred
Feeder
,
M.A.
,
had
already
gone
on
,
in
advance
,
to
assume
his
official
functions
.
The
ceremony
was
performed
in
an
admirable
manner
.
Cornelia
,
with
her
crisp
little
curls
,
`
went
in
,
´
as
the
Chicken
might
have
said
,
with
great
composure
;
and
Doctor
Blimber
gave
her
away
,
like
a
man
who
had
quite
made
up
his
mind
to
it
.
The
gauzy
little
bridesmaids
appeared
to
suffer
most
.
Mrs.
Blimber
was
affected
,
but
gently
so
;
and
told
the
Reverend
Mr.
Alfred
Feeder
,
M.A.
,
on
the
way
home
,
that
if
she
could
only
have
seen
Cicero
in
his
retirement
at
Tusculum
,
she
would
not
have
had
a
wish
,
now
,
ungratified
.
There
was
a
breakfast
afterwards
,
limited
to
the
same
small
party
;
at
which
the
spirits
of
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
were
tremendous
,
and
so
communicated
themselves
to
Mrs.
Toots
that
Mr.
Toots
was
several
times
heard
to
observe
,
across
the
table
,
`
My
dear
Susan
,
do
n't
exert
yourself
!
´
The
best
of
it
was
,
that
Mr.
Toots
felt
it
incumbent
on
him
to
make
a
speech
;
and
in
spite
of
a
whole
code
of
telegraphic
dissuasions
from
Mrs.
Toots
,
appeared
on
his
legs
for
the
first
time
in
his
life
.
`
I
really
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
in
this
house
,
where
whatever
was
done
to
me
in
the
way
of
—
of
any
mental
confusion
sometimes
—
which
is
of
no
consequence
and
I
impute
to
nobody
—
I
was
always
treated
like
one
of
Doctor
Blimber
's
family
,
and
had
a
desk
to
myself
for
a
considerable
period
—
can
—
not
—
allow
—
my
friend
Feeder
to
be
—
´
Mrs.
Toots
suggested
`
married
.
´
`
It
may
not
be
inappropriate
to
the
occasion
,
or
altogether
uninteresting
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
with
a
delighted
face
,
`
to
observe
that
my
wife
is
a
most
extraordinary
woman
,
and
would
do
this
much
better
than
myself
—
allow
my
friend
Feeder
to
be
married
—
especially
to
—
´
Mrs.
Toots
suggested
`
to
Miss
Blimber
.
´
`
To
Mrs.
Feeder
,
my
love
!
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
in
a
subdued
tone
of
private
discussion
:
`
”
whom
God
hath
joined
,
”
you
know
,
“
let
no
man
”
—
do
n't
you
know
?
I
cannot
allow
my
friend
Feeder
to
be
married
—
especially
to
Mrs.
Feeder
—
without
proposing
their
—
their
—
Toasts
;
and
may
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
fixing
his
eyes
on
his
wife
,
as
if
for
inspiration
in
a
high
flight
,
`
may
the
torch
of
Hymen
be
the
beacon
of
joy
,
and
may
the
flowers
we
have
this
day
strewed
in
their
path
,
be
the
—
the
banishers
of
—
of
gloom
!
´
Doctor
Blimber
,
who
had
a
taste
of
metaphor
,
was
pleased
with
this
,
and
said
,
`
Very
good
,
Toots
!
Very
well
said
,
indeed
,
Toots
!
´
and
nodded
his
head
and
patted
his
hands
.
Mr.
Feeder
made
in
reply
,
a
comic
speech
chequered
with
sentiment
.
Mr.
Alfred
Feeder
,
M.A.
,
was
afterwards
very
happy
on
Doctor
and
Mrs.
Blimber
;
Mr.
Feeder
,
B.A.
,
scarcely
less
so
,
on
the
gauzy
little
bridesmaids
.
Doctor
Blimber
then
,
in
a
sonorous
voice
,
delivered
a
few
thoughts
in
the
pastoral
style
,
relative
to
the
rushes
among
which
it
was
the
intention
of
himself
and
Mrs.
Blimber
to
dwell
,
and
the
bee
that
would
hum
around
their
cot
.
Shortly
after
which
,
as
the
Doctor
's
eyes
were
twinkling
in
a
remarkable
manner
,
and
his
son-in-law
had
already
observed
that
time
was
made
for
slaves
,
and
had
inquired
whether
Mrs.
Toots
sang
,
the
discreet
Mrs.
