youmean
to
tell
me
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
taking
him
by
the
throat
again
,
holding
him
out
at
arm's-length
,
and
surveying
him
in
silence
for
some
moments
,
`
that
you
want
a
place
,
do
you
?
´
`
I
should
be
thankful
to
be
tried
,
Sir
,
´
returned
Toodle
Junior
,
faintly
.
Mr.
Carker
the
Manager
pushed
him
backward
into
a
corner
—
the
boy
submitting
quietly
,
hardly
venturing
to
breathe
,
and
never
once
removing
his
eyes
from
his
face
—
and
rang
the
bell
.
`
Tell
Mr.
Gills
to
come
here
.
´
Mr.
Perch
was
too
deferential
to
express
surprise
or
recognition
of
the
figure
in
the
corner
:
and
Uncle
Sol
appeared
immediately
.
`
Mr.
Gills
!
´
said
Carker
,
with
a
smile
,
`
sit
down
.
How
do
you
do
?
You
continue
to
enjoy
your
health
,
I
hope
?
´
`
Thank
you
,
Sir
,
´
returned
Uncle
Sol
,
taking
out
his
pocket-book
,
and
handing
over
some
notes
as
he
spoke
.
`
Nothing
ails
me
in
body
but
old
age
.
Twenty-five
,
Sir
.
´
`
You
are
as
punctual
and
exact
,
Mr.
Gills
,
´
replied
the
smiling
Manager
,
taking
a
paper
from
one
of
his
many
drawers
,
and
making
an
endorsement
on
it
,
while
Uncle
Sol
looked
over
him
,
`
as
one
of
your
own
chronometers
.
Quite
right
.
´
`
The
Son
and
Heir
has
not
been
spoken
,
I
find
by
the
list
,
Sir
,
´
said
Uncle
Sol
,
with
a
slight
addition
to
the
usual
tremor
in
his
voice
.
`
The
Son
and
Heir
has
not
been
spoken
,
´
returned
Carker
.
`
There
seems
to
have
been
tempestuous
weather
,
Mr.
Gills
,
and
she
has
probably
been
driven
out
of
her
course
.
´
`
She
is
safe
,
I
trust
in
Heaven
!
´
said
old
Sol
.
`
She
is
safe
,
I
trust
in
Heaven
!
´
assented
Mr.
Carker
in
that
voiceless
manner
of
his
:
which
made
the
observant
young
Toodle
tremble
again
.
`
Mr.
Gills
,
´
he
added
aloud
,
throwing
himself
back
in
his
chair
,
`
you
must
miss
your
nephew
very
much
?
´
Uncle
Sol
,
standing
by
him
,
shook
his
head
and
heaved
a
deep
sigh
.
`
Mr.
Gills
,
´
said
Carker
,
with
his
soft
hand
playing
round
his
mouth
,
and
looking
up
into
the
Instrument-maker
's
face
,
`
it
would
be
company
to
you
to
have
a
young
fellow
in
your
shop
just
now
,
and
it
would
be
obliging
me
if
you
would
give
one
house-room
for
the
present
.
No
,
to
be
sure
,
´
he
added
quickly
,
in
anticipation
of
what
the
old
man
was
going
to
say
,
`
there
's
not
much
business
doing
there
,
I
know
;
but
you
can
make
him
clean
the
place
out
,
polish
up
the
instruments
;
drudge
,
Mr.
Gills
.
That
's
the
lad
!
´
Sol
Gills
pulled
down
his
spectacles
from
his
forehead
to
his
eyes
,
and
looked
at
Toodle
Junior
standing
upright
in
the
corner
:
his
head
presenting
the
appearance
(
which
it
always
did
)
of
having
been
newly
drawn
out
of
a
bucket
of
cold
water
;
his
small
waistcoat
rising
and
falling
quickly
in
the
play
of
this
emotions
;
and
his
eyes
intently
fixed
on
Mr.
Carker
,
without
the
least
reference
to
his
proposed
master
.
`
Will
you
give
him
house-room
,
Mr.
Gills
?
´
said
the
Manager
.
Old
Sol
,
without
being
quite
enthusiastic
on
the
subject
,
replied
that
he
was
glad
of
any
opportunity
,
however
slight
,
to
oblige
Mr.
Carker
,
whose
wish
on
such
a
point
was
a
command
:
and
that
the
Wooden
Midshipman
would
consider
himself
happy
to
receive
in
his
berth
any
visitor
of
Mr.
Carker
's
selecting
.
Mr.
Carker
bared
himself
to
the
tops
and
bottoms
of
his
gums
:
making
the
watchful
Toodle
Junior
tremble
more
and
more
:
and
acknowledged
the
Instrument-maker
's
politeness
in
his
most
affable
manner
.
`
I
'll
dispose
of
him
so
,
then
,
Mr.
Gills
,
´
he
answered
,
rising
,
and
shaking
the
old
man
by
the
hand
,
`
until
I
make
up
my
mind
what
to
do
with
him
,
and
what
he
deserves
.
As
I
consider
myself
responsible
for
him
,
Mr.
Gills
,
´
here
he
smiled
a
wide
smile
at
Rob
,
who
shock
before
it
:
`
I
shall
be
glad
if
you
'll
look
sharply
after
him
,
and
report
his
behaviour
to
me
.
I
'll
ask
a
question
or
two
of
his
parents
as
I
ride
home
this
afternoon
—
respectable
people
—
to
confirm
some
particulars
in
his
own
account
of
himself
;
and
that
done
,
Mr.
Gills
,
I
'll
send
him
round
to
you
to-morrow
morning
.
Good-bye
!
´
His
smile
at
parting
was
so
full
of
teeth
,
that
it
confused
old
Sol
,
and
made
him
vaguely
uncomfortable
.
He
went
home
,
thinking
of
raging
seas
,
foundering
ships
,
drowning
men
,
an
ancient
bottle
of
Madeira
never
brought
to
light
,
and
other
dismal
matter
.
`
Now
,
boy
!
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
putting
his
hand
on
young
Toodle
's
shoulder
,
and
bringing
him
out
into
the
middle
of
the
room
.
`
You
have
heard
me
?
´
Rob
said
,
`
Yes
,
Sir
.
´
`
Perhaps
you
understand
,
´
pursued
his
patron
,
`
that
if
you
ever
deceive
or
play
tricks
with
me
,
you
had
better
have
drowned
yourself
,
indeed
,
once
for
all
,
before
you
came
here
?
´
There
was
nothing
in
any
branch
of
mental
acquisition
that
Rob
seemed
to
understand
better
than
that
.
`
If
you
have
lied
to
me
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
`
in
anything
,
never
come
in
my
way
again
.
If
not
,
you
may
let
me
find
you
waiting
for
me
somewhere
near
your
mother
's
house
this
afternoon
.
I
shall
leave
this
at
five
o'clock
,
and
ride
there
on
horseback
.
Now
,
give
me
the
address
.
´
Rob
repeated
it
slowly
,
as
Mr.
Carker
wrote
it
down
.
Rob
even
spelt
it
over
a
second
time
,
letter
by
letter
,
as
if
he
thought
that
the
omission
of
a
dot
or
scratch
would
lead
to
his
destruction
.
Mr.
Carker
then
handed
him
out
of
the
room
;
and
Rob
,
keeping
his
round
eyes
fixed
upon
his
patron
to
the
last
,
vanished
for
the
time
being
.
Mr.
Carker
the
Manager
did
a
great
deal
of
business
in
the
course
of
the
day
,
and
bestowed
his
teeth
upon
a
great
many
people
.
In
the
office
,
in
the
court
,
in
the
street
,
and
on
'
Change
,
they
glistened
and
bristled
to
a
terrible
extent
.
Five
o'clock
arriving
,
and
with
it
Mr.
Carker
's
bay
horse
,
they
got
on
horseback
,
and
went
gleaming
up
Cheapside
.
As
no
one
can
easily
ride
fast
,
even
if
inclined
to
do
so
,
through
the
press
and
throng
of
the
City
at
that
hour
,
and
as
Mr.
Carker
was
not
inclined
,
he
went
leisurely
along
,
picking
his
way
among
the
carts
and
carriages
,
avoiding
whenever
he
could
the
wetter
and
more
dirty
places
in
the
over-watered
road
,
and
taking
infinite
pains
to
keep
himself
and
his
steed
clean
.
Glancing
at
the
passers-by
while
he
was
thus
ambling
on
his
way
,
he
suddenly
encountered
the
round
eyes
of
the
sleek-headed
Rob
intently
fixed
upon
his
face
as
if
they
had
never
been
taken
off
,
while
the
boy
himself
,
with
a
pocket-handkerchief
twisted
up
like
a
speckled
eel
and
girded
round
his
waist
,
made
a
very
conspicuous
demonstration
of
being
prepared
to
attend
upon
him
,
at
whatever
pace
he
might
think
proper
to
go
.
This
attention
,
however
flattering
,
being
one
of
an
unusual
kind
,
and
attracting
some
notice
from
the
other
passengers
,
Mr.
Carker
took
advantage
of
a
clearer
thoroughfare
and
a
cleaner
road
,
and
broke
into
a
trot
.
Rob
immediately
did
the
same
.
Mr.
Carker
presently
tried
a
canter
;
Rob
was
still
in
attendance
.
Then
a
short
gallop
;
it
was
all
one
to
the
boy
.
Whenever
Mr.
Carker
turned
his
eyes
to
that
side
of
the
road
,
he
still
saw
Toodle
Junior
holding
his
course
,
apparently
without
distress
,
and
working
himself
along
by
the
elbows
after
the
most
approved
manner
of
professional
gentlemen
who
get
over
the
ground
for
wagers
.
Ridiculous
as
this
attendance
was
,
it
was
a
sign
of
an
influence
established
over
the
boy
,
and
therefore
Mr.
Carker
,
affecting
not
to
notice
it
,
rode
away
into
the
neighbourhood
of
Mr.
Toodle
's
house
.
On
his
slackening
his
pace
here
,
Rob
appeared
before
him
to
point
out
the
turnings
;
and
when
he
called
to
a
man
at
a
neighbouring
gateway
to
hold
his
horse
,
pending
his
visit
to
the
Buildings
that
had
succeeded
Staggs
's
Gardens
,
Rob
dutifully
held
the
stirrup
,
while
the
Manager
dismounted
.
`
Now
,
Sir
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
taking
him
by
the
shoulder
,
`
come
along
!
´
The
prodigal
son
was
evidently
nervous
of
visiting
the
parental
abode
;
but
Mr.
Carker
pushing
him
on
before
,
he
had
nothing
for
it
but
to
open
the
right
door
,
and
suffer
himself
to
be
walked
into
the
midst
of
his
brothers
and
sisters
,
mustered
in
overwhelming
force
round
the
family
tea-table
.
At
sight
of
the
prodigal
in
the
grasp
of
a
stranger
,
these
tender
relations
united
in
a
general
howl
,
which
smote
upon
the
prodigal
's
breast
so
sharply
when
he
saw
his
mother
stand
up
among
them
,
pale
and
trembling
,
with
the
baby
in
her
arms
,
that
he
lent
his
own
voice
to
the
chorus
.
Nothing
doubting
now
that
the
stranger
,
if
not
Mr.
Ketch
in
person
,
was
one
of
that
company
,
the
whole
of
the
young
family
wailed
the
louder
,
while
its
more
infantine
members
,
unable
to
control
the
transports
of
emotion
appertaining
to
their
time
of
life
,
threw
themselves
on
their
backs
like
young
birds
when
terrified
by
a
hawk
,
and
kicked
violently
.
At
length
,
poor
Polly
making
herself
audible
,
said
,
with
quivering
lips
,
`
Oh
Rob
,
my
poor
boy
,
what
have
you
done
at
last
!
´
`
Nothing
,
mother
,
´
cried
Rob
,
in
a
piteous
voice
,
`
ask
the
gentleman
!
´
`
Do
n't
be
alarmed
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
`
I
want
to
do
him
good
.
´
At
this
announcement
,
Polly
,
who
had
not
cried
yet
,
began
to
do
so
.
The
elder
Toodles
,
who
appeared
to
have
been
meditating
a
rescue
,
unclenched
their
fists
.
The
younger
Toodles
clustered
round
their
mother
's
gown
,
and
peeped
from
under
their
own
chubby
arms
at
their
desperado
brother
and
his
unknown
friend
.
Everybody
blessed
the
gentleman
with
the
beautiful
teeth
,
who
wanted
to
do
good
.
`
This
fellow
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
to
Polly
,
giving
him
a
gentle
shake
,
`
is
your
son
,
eh
,
Ma'am
?
´
`
Yes
,
Sir
,
´
sobbed
Polly
,
with
a
curtsey
;
`
yes
,
Sir
,
´
`
A
bad
son
,
I
am
afraid
?
´
said
Mr.
Carker
.
`
Never
a
bad
son
to
me
,
Sir
,
´
returned
Polly
.
`
To
whom
then
?
´
said
Mr.
Carker
.
`
He
has
been
a
little
wild
,
Sir
,
´
returned
Polly
,
checking
the
baby
,
who
was
making
convulsive
efforts
with
his
arms
and
legs
to
launch
himself
on
Biler
,
through
the
ambient
air
,
`
and
has
gone
with
wrong
companions
:
but
I
hope
he
has
seen
the
misery
of
that
,
Sir
,
and
will
do
well
again
.
´
Mr.
Carker
looked
at
Polly
,
and
the
clean
room
,
and
the
clean
children
,
and
the
simple
Toodle
face
,
combined
of
father
and
mother
,
that
was
reflected
and
repeated
everywhere
about
him
—
and
seemed
to
have
achieved
the
real
purpose
of
his
visit
.
`
Your
husband
,
I
take
it
,
is
not
at
home
?
´
he
said
.
`
No
,
Sir
,
´
replied
Polly
.
`
He
's
down
the
line
at
present
.
´
The
prodigal
Rob
seemed
very
much
relieved
to
hear
it
:
though
still
in
the
absorption
of
all
his
faculties
in
his
patron
,
he
hardly
took
his
eyes
from
Mr.
Carker
's
face
,
unless
for
a
moment
at
a
time
to
steal
a
sorrowful
glance
at
his
mother
.
`
Then
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
`
I
'll
tell
you
how
I
have
stumbled
on
this
boy
of
yours
,
and
who
I
am
,
and
what
I
am
going
to
do
for
him
.
´
This
Mr.
Carker
did
,
in
his
own
way
;
saying
that
he
at
first
intended
to
have
accumulated
nameless
terrors
on
his
presumptuous
head
,
for
coming
to
the
whereabout
of
Dombey
and
Son
.
That
he
had
relented
,
in
consideration
of
his
youth
,
his
professed
contribution
,
and
his
friends
.
That
he
was
afraid
he
took
a
rash
step
in
doing
anything
for
the
boy
,
and
one
that
might
expose
him
to
the
censure
of
the
prudent
;
but
that
he
did
it
of
himself
and
for
himself
,
and
risked
the
consequences
single-handed
;
and
that
his
mother
's
past
connection
with
Mr.
Dombey
's
family
had
nothing
to
do
with
it
,
and
that
Mr.
Dombey
had
nothing
to
do
with
it
,
but
that
he
,
Mr.
Carker
,
was
the
be-all
and
the
end-all
of
this
business
.
Taking
great
credit
to
himself
for
his
goodness
,
and
receiving
no
less
from
all
the
family
then
present
,
Mr.
Carker
signified
,
indirectly
but
still
pretty
plainly
,
that
Rob
's
implicit
fidelity
,
attachment
,
and
devotion
,
were
for
evermore
his
due
,
and
the
least
homage
he
could
receive
.
And
with
this
great
truth
Rob
himself
was
so
impressed
,
that
standing
gazing
on
his
patron
with
tears
rolling
down
his
cheeks
,
he
nodded
his
shiny
head
until
it
seemed
almost
as
loose
as
it
had
done
under
the
same
patron
's
hands
that
morning
.
Polly
,
who
had
passed
Heaven
knows
how
many
sleepless
nights
on
account
of
this
her
dissipated
firstborn
,
and
had
not
seen
him
for
weeks
and
weeks
,
could
have
almost
kneeled
to
Mr.
Carker
the
Manager
,
as
to
a
Good
Spirit
—
in
spite
of
his
teeth
.
But
Mr.
Carker
rising
to
depart
,
she
only
thanked
him
with
her
mother
's
prayers
and
blessings
;
thanks
so
rich
when
paid
out
of
the
Heart
's
mint
,
especially
for
any
service
Mr.
Carker
had
rendered
,
that
he
might
have
given
back
a
large
amount
of
change
,
and
yet
been
overpaid
.
As
that
gentleman
made
his
way
among
the
crowding
children
to
the
door
,
Rob
retreated
on
his
mother
,
and
took
her
and
the
baby
in
the
same
repentant
hug
.
`
I
'll
try
hard
,
dear
mother
,
now
.
Upon
my
soul
I
will
!
´
said
Rob
.
`
Oh
do
,
my
dear
boy
!
I
am
sure
you
will
,
for
our
sakes
and
your
own
!
´
cried
Polly
,
kissing
him
.
`
But
you
're
coming
back
to
speak
to
me
,
when
you
have
seen
the
gentleman
away
?
´
`
I
do
n't
know
,
mother
.
´
Rob
hesitated
,
and
looked
down
.
`
Father
—
when
's
he
coming
home
?
´
`
Not
till
two
o'clock
to-morrow
morning
.
´
`
I
'll
come
back
,
mother
dear
!
´
cried
Rob
.
And
passing
through
the
shrill
cry
of
his
brothers
and
sisters
in
reception
of
this
promise
,
he
followed
Mr.
Carker
out
.
`
What
!
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
who
had
heard
this
.
`
You
have
a
bad
father
,
have
you
?
´
`
No
,
Sir
!
´
returned
Rob
,
amazed
.
`
There
ai
n't
a
better
nor
a
kinder
father
going
,
than
mine
is
.
´
`
Why
do
n't
you
want
to
see
him
then
?
´
inquired
his
patron
.
`
There
's
such
a
difference
between
a
father
and
a
mother
,
Sir
,
´
said
Rob
,
after
faltering
for
a
moment
.
`
He
could
n't
hardly
believe
yet
that
I
was
going
to
do
better
—
though
I
know
he
'd
try
to
—
but
a
mother
—
she
always
believes
what
's
good
,
Sir
;
at
least
I
know
my
mother
does
,
God
bless
her
!
´
Mr.
Carker
's
mouth
expanded
,
but
he
said
no
more
until
he
was
mounted
on
his
horse
,
and
had
dismissed
the
man
who
held
it
,
when
,
looking
down
from
the
saddle
steadily
into
the
attentive
and
watchful
face
of
the
boy
,
he
said
:
`
You
'll
come
to
me
to-morrow
morning
,
and
you
shall
be
shown
where
that
old
gentleman
lives
;
that
old
gentleman
who
was
with
me
this
morning
;
where
you
are
going
,
as
you
heard
me
say
.
´
`
Yes
,
Sir
,
´
returned
Rob
.
`
I
have
a
great
interest
in
that
old
gentleman
,
and
in
serving
him
,
you
serve
me
,
boy
,
do
you
understand
?
Well
,
´
he
added
,
interrupting
him
,
for
he
saw
his
round
face
brighten
when
he
was
told
that
:
`
I
see
you
do
.
I
want
to
know
all
about
that
old
gentleman
,
and
how
he
goes
on
from
day
to
day
—
for
I
am
anxious
to
be
of
service
to
him
—
and
especially
who
comes
there
to
see
him
.
Do
you
understand
?
´
Rob
nodded
his
steadfast
face
,
and
said
`
Yes
,
Sir
,
´
again
.
`
I
should
like
to
know
that
he
has
friends
who
are
attentive
to
him
,
and
that
they
do
n't
desert
him
—
for
he
lives
very
much
alone
now
,
poor
fellow
;
but
that
they
are
fond
of
him
,
and
of
his
nephew
who
has
gone
abroad
.
There
is
a
very
young
lady
who
may
perhaps
come
to
see
him
.
I
want
particularly
to
know
all
about
her
.
´
`
I
'll
take
care
,
Sir
,
´
said
the
boy
.
`
And
take
care
,
´
returned
his
patron
,
bending
forward
to
advance
his
grinning
face
closer
to
the
boy
's
,
and
pat
him
on
the
shoulder
with
the
handle
of
his
whip
:
`
take
care
you
talk
about
affairs
of
mine
to
nobody
but
me
.
´
`
To
nobody
in
the
world
,
Sir
,
´
replied
Rob
,
shaking
his
head
.
`
Neither
there
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
pointing
to
the
place
they
had
just
left
,
`
nor
anywhere
else
.
I
'll
try
how
true
and
grateful
you
can
be
.
I
'll
prove
you
!
'
Making
this
,
by
his
display
of
teeth
and
by
the
action
of
his
head
,
as
much
a
threat
as
a
promise
,
he
turned
from
Rob
's
eyes
,
which
were
nailed
upon
him
as
if
he
had
won
the
boy
by
a
charm
,
body
and
soul
,
and
rode
away
.
But
again
becoming
conscious
,
after
trotting
a
short
distance
,
that
his
devoted
henchman
,
girt
as
before
,
was
yielding
him
the
same
attendance
,
to
the
great
amusement
of
sundry
spectators
,
he
reined
up
,
and
ordered
him
off
.
To
insure
his
obedience
,
he
turned
in
the
saddle
and
watched
him
as
he
retired
.
It
was
curious
to
see
that
even
then
Rob
could
not
keep
his
eyes
wholly
averted
from
his
patron
's
face
,
but
,
constantly
turning
and
turning
again
to
look
after
him
,
involved
himself
in
a
tempest
of
buffetings
and
jostlings
from
the
other
passengers
in
the
street
:
of
which
,
in
the
pursuit
of
the
one
paramount
idea
,
he
was
perfectly
heedless
.
Mr.
Carker
the
Manager
rode
on
at
a
foot-pace
,
with
the
easy
air
of
one
who
had
performed
all
the
business
of
the
day
in
a
satisfactory
manner
,
and
got
it
comfortably
off
his
mind
.
Complacent
and
affable
as
man
could
be
,
Mr.
Carker
picked
his
way
along
the
streets
and
hummed
a
soft
tune
as
he
went
.
He
seemed
to
purr
,
he
was
so
glad
.
And
in
some
sort
,
Mr.
Carker
,
in
his
fancy
,
basked
upon
a
hearth
too
.
Coiled
up
snugly
at
certain
feet
,
he
was
ready
for
a
spring
,
or
for
a
tear
,
or
for
a
scratch
,
or
for
a
velvet
touch
,
as
the
humour
took
him
and
occasion
served
.
Was
there
any
bird
in
a
cage
,
that
came
in
for
a
share
of
his
regards
?
`
A
very
young
lady
!
´
thought
Mr.
Carker
the
Manager
,
through
his
song
.
`
Ay
!
when
I
saw
her
last
,
she
was
a
little
child
.
With
dark
eyes
and
hair
,
I
recollect
,
and
a
good
face
;
a
very
good
face
!
I
dare
say
she
's
pretty
.
´
More
affable
and
pleasant
yet
,
and
humming
his
song
until
his
many
teeth
vibrated
to
it
,
Mr.
Carker
picked
his
way
along
,
and
turned
at
last
into
the
shady
street
where
Mr.
Dombey
's
house
stood
.
He
had
been
so
busy
,
winding
webs
round
good
faces
,
and
obscuring
them
with
meshes
,
that
he
hardly
thought
of
being
at
this
point
of
his
ride
,
until
,
glancing
down
the
cold
perspective
of
tall
houses
,
he
reined
in
his
horse
quickly
within
a
few
yards
of
the
door
.
But
to
explain
why
Mr.
Carker
reined
in
his
horse
quickly
,
and
what
he
looked
at
in
no
small
surprise
,
a
few
digressive
words
are
necessary
.
Mr.
Toots
,
emancipated
from
the
Blimber
thraldom
and
coming
into
the
possession
of
a
certain
portion
of
his
worldly
wealth
,
`
which
,
´
as
he
had
been
wont
,
during
his
last
half-year
's
probation
,
to
communicate
to
Mr.
Feeder
every
evening
as
a
new
discovery
,
`
the
executors
could
n't
keep
him
out
of
,
´
had
applied
himself
,
with
great
diligence
,
to
the
science
of
Life
.
Fired
with
a
noble
emulation
to
pursue
a
brilliant
and
distinguished
career
,
Mr.
Toots
had
furnished
a
choice
set
of
apartments
;
had
established
among
them
a
sporting
bower
,
embellished
with
the
portraits
of
winning
horses
,
in
which
he
took
no
particle
of
interest
;
and
a
divan
,
which
made
him
poorly
.
In
this
delicious
abode
,
Mr.
Toots
devoted
himself
to
the
cultivation
of
those
gentle
arts
which
refine
and
humanise
existence
,
his
chief
instructor
in
which
was
an
interesting
character
called
the
Game
Chicken
,
who
was
always
to
be
heard
of
at
the
bar
of
the
Black
Badger
,
wore
a
shaggy
white
great-coat
in
the
warmest
weather
,
and
knocked
Mr.
Toots
about
the
head
three
times
a
week
,
for
the
small
consideration
of
ten
and
six
per
visit
.
The
Game
Chicken
,
who
was
quite
the
Apollo
of
Mr.
Toots
's
Pantheon
,
had
introduced
to
him
a
marker
who
taught
billiards
,
a
Life
Guard
who
taught
fencing
,
a
job-master
who
taught
riding
,
a
Cornish
gentleman
who
was
up
to
anything
in
the
athletic
line
,
and
two
or
three
other
friends
connected
no
less
intimately
with
the
fine
arts
.
Under
whose
auspices
Mr.
Toots
could
hardly
fail
to
improve
apace
,
and
under
whose
tuition
he
went
to
work
.
But
however
it
came
about
,
it
came
to
pass
,
even
while
these
gentlemen
had
the
gloss
of
novelty
upon
them
,
that
Mr.
Toots
felt
,
he
did
n't
know
how
,
unsettled
and
uneasy
.
There
were
husks
in
his
corn
,
that
even
Game
Chickens
could
n't
peck
up
;
gloomy
giants
in
his
leisure
,
that
even
Game
Chickens
could
n't
knock
down
.
Nothing
seemed
to
do
Mr.
Toots
so
much
good
as
incessantly
leaving
cards
at
Mr.
Dombey
's
door
.
No
tax-gatherer
in
the
British
dominions
—
that
wide-spread
territory
on
which
the
sun
never
sets
,
and
where
the
tax-gatherer
never
goes
to
bed
—
was
more
regular
and
persevering
in
his
calls
than
Mr.
Toots
.
Mr.
Toots
never
went
up
stairs
;
and
always
performed
the
same
ceremonies
,
richly
dressed
for
the
purpose
,
at
the
hall
door
.
`
Oh
!
Good
morning
!
´
would
be
Mr.
Toots
's
first
remark
to
the
servant
.
`
For
Mr.
Dombey
,
´
would
be
Mr.
Toots
's
next
remark
,
as
he
handed
in
a
card
.
`
For
Miss
Dombey
,
´
would
be
his
next
,
as
he
handed
in
another
.
Mr.
Toots
would
then
turn
round
as
if
to
go
away
;
but
the
man
knew
him
by
this
time
,
and
knew
he
would
n't
.
`
Oh
,
I
beg
your
pardon
,
´
Mr.
Toots
would
say
,
as
if
a
thought
had
suddenly
descended
on
him
.
`
Is
the
young
woman
at
home
?
´
The
man
would
rather
think
she
was
,
but
would
n't
quite
know
.
Then
he
would
ring
a
bell
that
rang
upstairs
,
and
would
look
up
the
staircase
,
and
would
say
,
yes
,
she
was
at
home
,
and
was
coming
down
.
Then
Miss
Nipper
would
appear
,
and
the
man
would
retire
.
`
Oh
!
How
de
do
?
´
Mr.
Toots
would
say
,
with
a
chuckle
and
a
blush
.
Susan
would
thank
him
,
and
say
she
was
very
well
.
`
How
's
Diogenes
going
on
?
´
would
be
Mr.
Toot
's
second
interrogation
.
Very
well
indeed
.
Miss
Florence
was
fonder
and
fonder
of
him
every
day
.
Mr.
Toots
was
sure
to
hail
this
with
a
burst
of
chuckles
,
like
the
opening
of
a
bottle
of
some
effervescent
beverage
.
`
Miss
Florence
is
quite
well
,
Sir
,
´
Susan
would
add
.
`
Oh
,
it
's
of
no
consequence
,
thank'ee
,
´
was
the
invariable
reply
of
Mr.
Toots
;
and
when
he
had
said
so
,
he
always
went
away
very
fast
.
Now
it
is
certain
that
Mr.
Toots
had
a
filmy
something
in
his
mind
,
which
led
him
to
conclude
that
if
he
could
aspire
successfully
in
the
fulness
of
time
,
to
the
hand
of
Florence
,
he
would
be
fortunate
and
blest
.
It
is
certain
that
Mr.
Toots
,
by
some
remote
and
roundabout
road
,
had
got
to
that
point
,
and
that
there
he
made
a
stand
.
His
heart
was
wounded
;
he
was
touched
;
he
was
in
love
.
He
had
made
a
desperate
attempt
,
one
night
,
and
had
sat
up
all
night
for
the
purpose
,
to
write
an
acrostic
on
Florence
,
which
affected
him
to
tears
in
the
conception
.
But
he
never
proceeded
in
the
execution
further
than
the
words
`
For
when
I
gaze
,
'
—
the
flow
of
imagination
in
which
he
had
previously
written
down
the
initial
letters
of
the
other
seven
lines
,
deserting
him
at
that
point
.
Beyond
devising
that
very
artful
and
politic
measure
of
leaving
a
card
for
Mr.
Dombey
daily
,
the
brain
of
Mr.
Toots
had
not
worked
much
in
reference
to
the
subject
that
held
his
feelings
prisoner
.
But
deep
consideration
at
length
assured
Mr.
Toots
that
an
important
step
to
gain
,
was
,
the
conciliation
of
Miss
Susan
Nipper
,
preparatory
to
giving
her
some
inkling
of
his
state
of
mind
.
A
little
light
and
playful
gallantry
towards
this
lady
seemed
the
means
to
employ
in
that
early
chapter
of
the
history
,
for
winning
her
to
his
interests
.
Not
being
able
quite
to
make
up
his
mind
about
it
,
he
consulted
the
Chicken
—
without
taking
that
gentleman
into
his
confidence
;
merely
informing
him
that
a
friend
in
Yorkshire
had
written
to
him
(
Mr.
Toots
)
for
his
opinion
on
such
a
question
.
The
Chicken
replying
that
his
opinion
always
was
,
`
Go
in
and
win
,
´
and
further
,
`
When
your
man
's
before
you
and
your
work
cut
out
,
go
in
and
do
it
,
´
Mr.
Toots
considered
this
a
figurative
way
of
supporting
his
own
view
of
the
case
,
and
heroically
resolved
to
kiss
Miss
Nipper
next
day
.
Upon
the
next
day
,
therefore
,
Mr.
Toots
,
putting
into
requisition
some
of
the
greatest
marvels
that
Burgess
and
Co.
had
ever
turned
out
,
went
off
to
Mr.
Dombey
's
upon
this
design
.
But
his
heart
failed
him
so
much
as
he
approached
the
scene
of
action
,
that
,
although
he
arrived
on
the
ground
at
three
o'clock
in
the
afternoon
,
it
was
six
before
he
knocked
at
the
door
.
Everything
happened
as
usual
,
down
to
the
point
where
Susan
said
her
young
mistress
was
well
,
and
Mr.
Toots
said
it
was
of
no
consequence
.
To
her
amazement
,
Mr.
Toots
,
instead
of
going
off
like
a
rocket
,
after
that
observation
,
lingered
and
chuckled
.
`
Perhaps
you
'd
like
to
walk
up
stairs
,
Sir
!
´
said
Susan
.
`
Well
,
I
think
I
will
come
in
!
´
said
Mr.
Toots
.
But
instead
of
walking
up
stairs
,
the
bold
Toots
made
an
awkward
plunge
at
Susan
when
the
door
was
shut
,
and
embracing
that
fair
creature
,
kissed
her
on
the
cheek
.
`
Go
along
with
you
!
´
cried
Susan
,
`
or
I
'll
tear
your
eyes
out
.
´
`
Just
another
!
´
said
Mr.
Toots
.
`
Go
along
with
you
!
´
exclaimed
Susan
,
giving
him
a
push
.
`
Innocents
like
you
,
too
!
Who
'll
begin
next
?
Go
along
,
Sir
!
´
Susan
was
not
in
any
serious
strait
,
for
she
could
hardly
speak
for
laughing
;
but
Diogenes
,
on
the
staircase
,
hearing
a
rustling
against
the
wall
,
and
a
shuffling
of
feet
,
and
seeing
through
the
banisters
that
there
was
some
contention
going
on
,
and
foreign
invasion
in
the
house
,
formed
a
different
opinion
,
dashed
down
to
the
rescue
,
and
in
the
twinkling
of
an
eye
had
Mr.
Toots
by
the
leg
.
Susan
screamed
,
laughed
,
opened
the
street-door
,
and
ran
down
stairs
;
the
bold
Toots
tumbled
staggering
out
into
the
street
,
with
Diogenes
holding
on
to
one
leg
of
his
pantaloons
,
as
if
Burgess
and
Co.
were
his
cooks
,
and
had
provided
that
dainty
morsel
for
his
holiday
entertainment
;
Diogenes
shaken
off
,
rolled
over
and
over
in
the
dust
,
got
up
again
,
whirled
round
the
giddy
Toots
and
snapped
at
him
:
and
all
this
turmoil
,
Mr.
Carker
,
reining
up
his
horse
and
sitting
a
little
at
a
distance
,
saw
to
his
amazement
,
issue
from
the
stately
house
of
Mr.
Dombey
.
Mr.
Carker
remained
watching
the
discomfited
Toots
,
when
Diogenes
was
called
in
,
and
the
door
shut
:
and
while
that
gentleman
,
taking
refuge
in
a
doorway
near
at
hand
,
bound
up
the
torn
leg
of
his
pantaloons
with
a
costly
silk
handkerchief
that
had
formed
part
of
his
expensive
outfit
for
the
adventure
.
`
I
beg
your
pardon
,
Sir
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
riding
up
,
with
his
most
propitiatory
smile
.
`
I
hope
you
are
not
hurt
?
´
`
Oh
no
,
thank
you
,
´
replied
Mr.
Toots
,
raising
his
flushed
face
,
`
it
's
of
no
consequence
.
´
Mr.
Toots
would
have
signified
,
if
he
could
,
that
he
liked
it
very
much
.
`
If
the
dog
's
teeth
have
entered
the
leg
,
Sir
—
´
began
Carker
,
with
a
display
of
his
own
.
`
No
,
thank
you
,
´
said
Mr.
Toots
,
`
it
's
all
quite
right
.
It
's
very
comfortable
,
thank
you
.
´
`
I
have
the
pleasure
of
knowing
Mr.
Dombey
,
´
observed
Carker
.
`
Have
you
though
?
´
rejoined
the
blushing
Toots
.
`
And
you
will
allow
me
,
perhaps
,
to
apologise
,
in
his
absence
,
´
said
Mr.
Carker
,
taking
off
his
hat
,
`
for
such
a
misadventure
,
and
to
wonder
how
it
can
possibly
have
happened
.
´
Mr.
Toots
is
so
much
gratified
by
this
politeness
,
and
the
lucky
chance
of
making
friends
with
a
friend
of
Mr.
Dombey
,
that
he
pulls
out
his
card-case
,
which
he
never
loses
an
opportunity
of
using
,
and
hands
his
name
and
address
to
Mr.
Carker
:
who
responds
to
that
courtesy
by
giving
him
his
own
,
and
with
that
they
part
.
As
Mr.
Carker
picks
his
way
so
softly
past
the
house
,
glancing
up
at
the
windows
,
and
trying
to
make
out
the
pensive
face
behind
the
curtain
looking
at
the
children
opposite
,
the
rough
head
of
Diogenes
came
clambering
up
close
by
it
,
and
the
dog
,
regardless
of
all
soothing
,
barks
and
growls
,
and
makes
at
him
from
that
height
,
as
if
he
would
spring
down
and
tear
him
limb
from
limb
.
Well
spoken
,
Di
,
so
near
your
Mistress
!
Another
,
and
another
with
your
head
up
,
your
eyes
flashing
,
and
your
vexed
mouth
worrying
itself
,
for
want
of
him
!
Another
,
as
he
picks
his
way
along
!
You
have
a
good
scent
,
Di
,
—
cats
,
boy
,
cats
!
CHAPTER
XXIII
Florence
solitary
,
and
the
Midshipman
mysterious
FLORENCE
lived
alone
in
the
great
dreary
house
,
and
day
succeeded
day
,
and
still
she
lived
alone
;
and
the
blank
walls
looked
down
upon
her
with
a
vacant
stare
,
as
if
they
had
a
Gorgon-like
mind
to
stare
her
youth
and
beauty
into
stone
.
No
magic
dwelling-place
in
magic
story
,
shut
up
in
the
heart
of
a
thick
wood
,
was
ever
more
solitary
and
deserted
to
the
fancy
,
than
was
her
father
's
mansion
in
its
grim
reality
,
as
it
stood
lowering
on
the
street
:
always
by
night
,
when
lights
were
shining
from
neighbouring
windows
,
a
blot
upon
its
scanty
brightness
;
always
by
day
,
a
frown
upon
its
never-smiling
face
.
There
were
not
two
dragon
sentries
keeping
ward
before
the
gate
of
this
abode
,
as
in
magic
legend
are
usually
found
on
duty
over
the
wronged
innocence
imprisoned
;
but
besides
a
glowering
visage
,
with
its
thin
lips
parted
wickedly
,
that
surveyed
all
comers
from
above
the
archway
of
the
door
,
there
was
a
monstrous
fantasy
of
rusty
iron
,
curling
and
twisting
like
a
petrifaction
of
an
arbour
over
the
threshold
,
budding
in
spikes
and
corkscrew
points
,
and
bearing
,
one
on
either
side
,
two
ominous
extinguishers
,
that
seemed
to
say
,
`
Who
enter
here
,
leave
light
behind
!
´
There
were
no
talismanic
characters
engraven
on
the
portal
,
but
the
house
was
now
so
neglected
in
appearance
,
that
boys
chalked
the
railings
and
the
pavement
—
particularly
round
the
corner
where
the
side
wall
was
—
and
drew
ghosts
on
the
stable
door
;
and
being
sometimes
driven
off
by
Mr.
Towlinson
,
made
portraits
of
him
,
in
return
,
with
his
ears
growing
out
horizontally
from
under
his
hat
.
Noise
ceased
to
be
,
within
the
shadow
of
the
roof
.
The
brass
band
that
came
into
the
street
once
a
week
,
in
the
morning
,
never
brayed
a
note
in
at
those
windows
;
but
all
such
company
,
down
to
a
poor
little
piping
organ
of
weak
intellect
,
with
an
imbecile
party
of
automaton
dancers
,
waltzing
in
and
out
at
folding-doors
,
fell
off
from
it
with
one
accord
,
and
shunned
it
as
a
hopeless
place
.
The
spell
upon
it
was
more
wasting
than
the
spell
that
used
to
set
enchanted
houses
sleeping
once
upon
a
time
but
left
their
waking
freshness
unimpaired
.
The
passive
desolation
of
disuse
was
everywhere
silently
manifest
about
it
.
Within
doors
,
curtains
,
drooping
heavily
,
lost
their
old
folds
and
shapes
,
and
hung
like
cumbrous
palls
.
Hecatombs
of
furniture
,
still
piled
and
covered
up
,
shrunk
like
imprisoned
and
forgotten
men
,
and
changed
insensibly
.
Mirrors
were
dim
as
with
the
breath
of
years
.
Patterns
of
carpets
faded
and
became
perplexed
and
faint
,
like
the
memory
of
those
years
´
trifling
incidents
.
Boards
,
starting
at
unwonted
footsteps
,
creaked
and
shook
.
Keys
rusted
in
the
locks
of
doors
.
Damp
started
on
the
walls
,
and
as
the
stains
came
out
,
the
pictures
seemed
to
go
in
and
secrete
themselves
.
Mildew
and
mould
began
to
lurk
in
closets
.
Fungus
trees
grew
in
corners
of
the
cellars
.
Dust
accumulated
,
nobody
knew
whence
nor
how
;
spiders
,
moths
,
and
grubs
were
heard
of
every
day
.
An
exploratory
blackbeetle
now
and
then
was
found
immovable
upon
the
stairs
,
or
in
an
upper
room
,
as
wondering
how
he
got
there
.
Rats
began
to
squeak
and
scuffle
in
the
night
time
,
through
dark
galleries
they
mined
behind
the
panelling
.
The
dreary
magnificence
of
the
state
rooms
,
seen
imperfectly
by
the
doubtful
light
admitted
through
closed
shutters
,
would
have
answered
well
enough
for
an
enchanted
abode
.
Such
as
the
tarnished
paws
of
gilded
lions
,
stealthily
put
out
from
beneath
their
wrappers
;
the
marble
lineaments
of
busts
on
pedestals
,
fearfully
revealing
themselves
through
veils
;
the
clocks
that
never
told
the
time
,
or
,
if
wound
up
by
any
chance
,
told
it
wrong
,
and
struck
unearthly
numbers
,
which
are
not
upon
the
dial
;
the
accidental
tinklings
among
the
pendant
lustres
,
more
startling
than
alarm-bells
;
the
softened
sounds
and
laggard
air
that
made
their
way
among
these
objects
,
and
a
phantom
crowd
of
others
,
shrouded
and
hooded
,
and
made
spectral
of
shade
.
But
,
besides
,
there
was
the
great
staircase
,
where
the
lord
of
the
place
so
rarely
set
his
foot
,
and
by
which
his
little
child
had
gone
up
to
Heaven
.
There
were
other
staircases
and
passages
where
no
one
went
for
weeks
together
;
there
were
two
closed
rooms
associated
with
dead
members
of
the
family
,
and
with
whispered
recollections
of
them
;
and
to
all
the
house
but
Florence
,
there
was
a
gentle
figure
moving
through
the
solitude
and
gloom
,
that
gave
to
every
lifeless
thing
a
touch
of
present
human
interest
and
wonder
.
For
Florence
lived
alone
in
the
deserted
house
,
and
day
succeeded
day
,
and
still
she
lived
alone
,
and
the
cold
walls
looked
down
upon
her
with
a
vacant
stare
,
as
if
they
had
a
Gorgon-like
mind
to
stare
her
youth
and
beauty
into
stone
.
The
grass
began
to
grow
upon
the
roof
,
and
in
the
crevices
of
the
basement
paving
.
A
scaly
crumbling
vegetation
sprouted
round
the
window-sills
.
Fragments
of
mortar
lost
their
hold
upon
the
insides
of
the
unused
chimneys
,
and
came
dropping
down
.
The
two
trees
with
the
smoky
trunks
were
blighted
high
up
,
and
the
withered
branches
domineered
above
the
leaves
.
Through
the
whole
building
white
had
turned
yellow
,
yellow
nearly
black
;
and
since
the
time
when
the
poor
lady
died
,
it
had
slowly
become
a
dark
gap
in
the
long
monotonous
street
.
But
Florence
bloomed
there
,
like
the
king
's
fair
daughter
in
the
story
.
Her
books
,
her
music
,
and
her
daily
teachers
,
were
her
only
real
companions
,
Susan
Nipper
and
Diogenes
excepted
:
of
whom
the
former
,
in
her
attendance
on
the
studies
of
her
young
mistress
,
began
to
grow
quite
learned
herself
,
while
the
latter
,
softened
possibly
by
the
same
influences
,
would
lay
his
head
upon
the
window-ledge
,
and
placidly
open
and
shut
his
eyes
upon
the
street
,
all
through
a
summer
morning
;
sometimes
pricking
up
his
head
to
look
with
great
significance
after
some
noisy
dog
in
a
cart
,
who
was
barking
his
way
along
,
and
sometimes
,
with
an
exasperated
and
unaccountable
recollection
of
his
supposed
enemy
in
the
neighbourhood
,
rushing
to
the
door
,
whence
,
after
a
deafening
disturbance
,
he
would
come
jogging
back
with
a
ridiculous
complacency
that
belonged
to
him
,
and
lay
his
jaw
upon
the
window-ledge
again
,
with
the
air
of
a
dog
who
had
done
a
public
service
.
So
Florence
lived
in
her
wilderness
of
a
home
,
within
the
circle
of
her
innocent
pursuits
and
thoughts
,
and
nothing
harmed
her
.
She
could
go
down
to
her
father
's
rooms
now
,
and
think
of
him
,
and
suffer
her
loving
heart
humbly
to
approach
him
,
without
fear
of
repulse
.
She
could
look
upon
the
objects
that
had
surrounded
him
in
his
sorrow
,
and
could
nestle
near
his
chair
,
and
not
dread
the
glance
that
she
so
well
remembered
.
She
could
render
him
such
little
tokens
of
her
duty
and
service
,
as
putting
everything
in
order
for
him
with
her
own
hands
,
binding
little
nosegays
for
his
table
,
changing
them
as
one
by
one
they
withered
,
and
he
did
not
come
back
,
preparing
something
for
him
every
day
,
and
leaving
some
timid
mark
of
her
presence
near
his
usual
seat
.
To-day
,
it
was
a
little
painted
stand
for
his
watch
;
to-morrow
she
would
be
afraid
to
leave
it
,
and
would
substitute
some
other
trifle
of
her
making
not
so
likely
to
attract
his
eye
.
Waking
in
the
night
,
perhaps
,
she
would
tremble
at
the
thought
of
his
coming
home
and
angrily
rejecting
it
,
and
would
hurry
down
with
slippered
feet
and
quickly
beating
heart
,
and
bring
it
away
.
At
another
time
,
she
would
only
lay
her
face
upon
his
desk
,
and
leave
a
kiss
there
,
and
a
tear
.
Still
no
one
knew
of
this
.
Unless
the
household
found
it
out
when
she
was
not
there
—
and
they
all
held
Mr.
Dombey
's
rooms
in
awe
—
it
was
as
deep
a
secret
in
her
breast
as
what
had
gone
before
it
.
Florence
stole
into
those
rooms
at
twilight
,
early
in
the
morning
,
and
at
times
when
meals
were
served
downstairs
.
And
although
they
were
in
every
nook
the
better
and
the
brighter
for
her
care
,
she
entered
and
passed
out
as
quietly
as
any
sunbeam
,
excepting
that
she
left
her
light
behind
.
Shadowy
company
attended
Florence
up
and
down
the
echoing
house
,
and
sat
with
her
in
the
dismantled
rooms
.
As
if
her
life
were
an
enchanted
vision
,
there
arose
out
of
her
solitude
ministering
thoughts
,
that
made
it
fanciful
and
unreal
.
She
imagined
so
often
what
her
life
would
have
been
if
her
father
could
have
loved
her
and
she
had
been
a
favourite
child
,
that
sometimes
,
for
the
moment
,
she
almost
believed
it
was
so
,
and
,
borne
on
by
the
current
of
that
pensive
fiction
,
seemed
to
remember
how
they
had
watched
her
brother
in
his
grave
together
;
how
they
had
freely
shared
his
heart
between
them
;
how
they
were
united
in
the
dear
remembrance
of
him
;
how
they
often
spoke
about
him
yet
;
and
her
kind
father
,
looking
at
her
gently
,
told
her
of
their
common
hope
and
trust
in
God
.
At
other
times
she
pictured
to
herself
her
mother
yet
alive
.
And
oh
the
happiness
of
falling
on
her
neck
,
and
clinging
to
her
with
the
love
and
confidence
of
all
her
soul
!
And
oh
the
desolation
of
the
solitary
house
again
,
with
evening
coming
on
,
and
no
one
there
!
But
there
was
one
thought
,
scarcely
shaped
out
to
herself
,
yet
fervent
and
strong
within
her
,
that
upheld
Florence
when
she
strove
,
and
filled
her
true
young
heart
,
so
sorely
tried
,
with
constancy
of
purpose
.
Into
her
mind
,
as
into
all
others
contending
with
the
great
affliction
of
our
mortal
nature
,
there
had
stolen
solemn
wonderings
and
hopes
,
arising
in
the
dim
world
beyond
the
present
life
,
and
murmuring
,
like
faint
music
,
of
recognition
in
the
far-off
land
between
her
brother
and
her
mother
:
of
some
present
consciousness
in
both
of
her
:
some
love
and
commiseration
for
her
:
and
some
knowledge
of
her
as
she
went
her
way
upon
the
earth
.
It
was
a
soothing
consolation
to
Florence
to
give
shelter
to
these
thoughts
,
until
one
day
—
it
was
soon
after
she
had
last
seen
her
father
in
his
own
room
,
late
at
night
—
the
fancy
came
upon
her
,
that
,
in
weeping
for
his
alienated
heart
,
she
might
stir
the
spirits
of
the
dead
against
him
.
Wild
,
weak
,
childish
,
as
it
may
have
been
to
think
so
,
and
to
tremble
at
the
half-formed
thought
,
it
was
the
impulse
of
her
loving
nature
;
and
from
that
hour
Florence
strove
against
the
cruel
wound
in
her
breast
,
and
tried
to
think
of
him
whose
hand
had
made
it
only
with
hope
.
Her
father
did
not
know
—
she
held
to
it
from
that
time
—
how
much
she
loved
him
.
She
was
very
young
,
and
had
no
mother
,
and
had
never
learned
,
by
some
fault
or
misfortune
,
how
to
express
to
him
that
she
loved
him
.
She
would
be
patient
,
and
would
try
to
gain
that
art
in
time
,
and
win
him
to
a
better
knowledge
of
his
only
child
.
This
became
the
purpose
of
her
life
.
The
morning
sun
shone
down
upon
the
faded
house
,
and
found
the
resolution
bright
and
fresh
within
the
bosom
of
its
solitary
mistress
.
Through
all
the
duties
of
the
day
,
it
animated
her
;
for
Florence
hoped
that
the
more
she
knew
,
and
the
more
accomplished
she
became
,
the
more
glad
he
would
be
when
he
came
to
know
and
like
her
.
Sometimes
she
wondered
,
with
a
swelling
heart
and
rising
tear
,
whether
she
was
proficient
enough
in
anything
to
surprise
him
when
they
should
become
companions
.
Sometimes
she
tried
to
think
if
there
were
any
kind
of
knowledge
that
would
bespeak
his
interest
more
readily
than
another
.
Always
:
at
her
books
,
her
music
,
and
her
work
:
in
her
morning
walks
,
and
in
her
nightly
prayers
:
she
had
her
engrossing
aim
in
view
.
Strange
study
for
a
child
,
to
learn
the
road
to
a
hard
parent
's
heart
!
There
were
many
careless
loungers
through
the
street
,
as
the
summer
evening
deepened
into
night
,
who
glanced
across
the
road
at
the
sombre
house
,
and
saw
the
youthful
figure
at
the
window
,
such
a
contrast
to
it
,
looking
upward
at
the
stars
as
they
began
to
shine
,
who
would
have
slept
the
worse
if
they
had
known
on
what
design
she
mused
so
steadfastly
.
The
reputation
of
the
mansion
as
a
haunted
house
,
would
not
have
been
the
gayer
with
some
humble
dwellers
elsewhere
,
who
were
struck
by
its
external
gloom
in
passing
and
repassing
on
their
daily
avocations
,
and
so
named
it
,
if
they
could
have
read
its
story
in
the
darkening
face
.
But
Florence
held
her
sacred
purpose
,
unsuspected
and
unaided
:
and
studied
only
how
to
bring
her
father
to
the
understanding
that
she
loved
him
,
and
made
no
appeal
against
him
in
any
wandering
thought
.
Thus
Florence
lived
alone
in
the
deserted
house
,
and
day
succeeded
day
,
and
still
she
lived
alone
,
and
the
monotonous
walls
looked
down
upon
her
with
a
stare
,
as
if
they
had
a
Gorgon-like
intent
to
stare
her
youth
and
beauty
into
stone
.
Susan
Nipper
stood
opposite
to
her
young
mistress
one
morning
,
as
she
folded
and
sealed
a
note
she
had
been
writing
:
and
showed
in
her
looks
an
approving
knowledge
of
its
contents
.
`
Better
late
than
never
,
dear
Miss
Floy
,
´
said
Susan
,
`
and
I
do
say
,
that
even
a
visit
to
them
old
Skettleses
will
be
a
God-send
.
´
`
It
is
very
good
of
Sir
Barnet
and
Lady
Skettles
,
Susan
,
´
returned
Florence
,
with
a
mild
correction
of
that
young
lady
's
familiar
mention
of
the
family
in
question
,
`
to
repeat
their
invitation
so
kindly
.
´
Miss
Nipper
,
who
was
perhaps
the
most
thoroughgoing
partisan
on
the
face
of
the
earth
,
and
who
carried
her
partisanship
into
all
matters
great
or
small
,
and
perpetually
waged
war
with
it
against
society
,
screwed
up
her
lips
and
shook
her
head
,
as
a
protest
against
any
recognition
of
disinterestedness
in
the
Skettleses
,
and
a
plea
in
bar
that
they
would
have
valuable
consideration
for
their
kindness
,
in
the
company
of
Florence
.
`
They
know
what
they
're
about
,
if
ever
people
did
,
´
murmured
Miss
Nipper
,
drawing
in
her
breath
,
`
oh
!
trust
them
Skettleses
for
that
!
´
`
I
am
not
very
anxious
to
go
to
Fulham
,
Susan
,
I
confess
,
´
said
Florence
thoughtfully
:
`
but
it
will
be
right
to
go
.
I
think
it
will
be
better
.
´
`
Much
better
,
´
interposed
Susan
,
with
another
emphatic
shake
of
her
head
.
`
And
so
,
´
said
Florence
,
`
though
I
would
prefer
to
have
gone
when
there
was
no
one
there
,
instead
of
in
this
vacation
time
,
when
it
seems
there
are
some
young
people
staying
in
the
house
,
I
have
thankfully
said
yes
.
´
`
For
which
I
say
,
Miss
Floy
,
Oh
be
joyful
!
´
returned
Susan
.
`
Ah
!
h
—
h
!
´
This
last
ejaculation
,
with
which
Miss
Nipper
frequently
wound
up
a
sentence
,
at
about
that
epoch
of
time
,
was
supposed
below
the
level
of
the
hall
to
have
a
general
reference
to
Mr.
Dombey
,
and
to
be
expressive
of
a
yearning
in
Miss
Nipper
to
favour
that
gentleman
with
a
piece
of
her
mind
.
But
she
never
explained
it
;
and
it
had
,
in
consequence
,
the
charm
of
mystery
,
in
addition
to
the
advantage
of
the
sharpest
expression
.
`
How
long
it
is
before
we
have
any
news
of
Walter
,
Susan
!
´
observed
Florence
,
after
a
moment
's
silence
.
`
Long
indeed
,
Miss
Floy
!
´
replied
her
maid
.
`
And
Perch
said
,
when
he
came
just
now
to
see
for
letters
—
but
what
signifies
what
he
says
!
´
exclaimed
Susan
,
reddening
and
breaking
off
.
`
Much
he
knows
about
it
!
´
Florence
raised
her
eyes
quickly
,
and
a
flush
overspread
her
face
.
`
If
I
had
n't
,
´
said
Susan
Nipper
,
evidently
struggling
with
some
latent
anxiety
and
alarm
,
and
looking
full
at
her
young
mistress
,
while
endeavouring
to
work
herself
into
a
state
of
resentment
with
the
unoffending
Mr.
Perch
's
image
,
`
if
I
had
n't
more
manliness
than
that
insipidest
of
his
sex
,
I
'd
never
take
pride
in
my
hair
again
,
but
turn
it
up
behind
my
ears
,
and
wear
coarse
caps
,
without
a
bit
of
border
,
until
death
released
me
from
my
insignificance
.
I
may
not
be
a
Amazon
,
Miss
Floy
,
and
would
n't
so
demean
myself
by
such
disfigurement
,
but
anyways
I
'm
not
a
giver
up
,
I
hope
.
´
`
Give
up
!
What
?
´
cried
Florence
,
with
a
face
of
terror
.
`
Why
,
nothing
,
Miss
,
´
said
Susan
.
`
Good
gracious
,
nothing
!
It
's
only
that
wet
curl-paper
of
a
man
Perch
,
that
any
one
might
almost
make
away
with
,
with
a
touch
,
and
really
it
would
be
a
blessed
event
for
all
parties
if
some
one
would
take
pity
on
him
,
and
would
have
the
goodness
!
´
`
Does
he
give
up
the
ship
,
Susan
?
´
inquired
Florence
,
very
pale
.
`
No
,
Miss
,
´
returned
Susan
,
`
I
should
like
to
see
him
make
so
bold
as
do
it
to
my
face
!
No
,
Miss
,
but
he
goes
on
about
some
bothering
ginger
that
Mr.
Walter
was
to
send
to
Mrs.
Perch
,
and
shakes
his
dismal
head
,
and
says
he
hopes
it
may
be
coming
;
anyhow
,
he
says
,
it
ca
n't
come
now
in
time
for
the
intended
occasion
,
but
may
do
for
next
,
which
really
,
´
said
Miss
Nipper
,
with
aggravated
scorn
,
`
puts
me
out
of
patience
with
the
man
,
for
though
I
can
bear
a
great
deal
,
I
am
not
a
camel
,
neither
am
I
,
´
added
Susan
,
after
a
moment
's
consideration
,
`
if
I
know
myself
,
a
dromedary
neither
.
´
`
What
else
does
he
say
,
Susan
?
´
inquired
Florence
,
earnestly
.
`
Wo
n't
you
tell
me
?
´
`
As
if
I
would
n't
tell
you
anything
,
Miss
Floy
,
and
everything
!
´
said
Susan
.
`
Why
,
Miss
,
he
says
that
there
begins
to
be
a
general
talk
about
the
ship
,
and
that
they
have
never
had
a
ship
on
that
voyage
half
so
long
unheard
of
,
and
that
the
Captain
's
wife
was
at
the
office
yesterday
,
and
seemed
a
little
put
out
about
it
,
but
any
one
could
say
that
,
we
knew
nearly
that
before
.
´
`
I
must
visit
Walter
's
uncle
,
´
said
Florence
,
hurriedly
,
`
before
I
leave
home
.
I
will
go
and
see
him
this
morning
.
Let
us
walk
there
,
directly
,
Susan
.
´
Miss
Nipper
having
nothing
to
urge
against
the
proposal
,
but
being
perfectly
acquiescent
,
they
were
soon
equipped
,
and
in
the
streets
,
and
on
their
way
towards
the
little
Midshipman
.
The
state
of
mind
in
which
poor
Walter
had
gone
to
Captain
Cuttle
's
,
on
the
day
when
Brogley
the
broker
came
into
possession
,
and
when
there
seemed
to
him
to
be
an
execution
in
the
very
steeples
,
was
pretty
much
the
same
as
that
in
which
Florence
now
took
her
way
to
Uncle
Sol
's
;
with
this
difference
,
that
Florence
suffered
the
added
pain
of
thinking
that
she
had
been
,
perhaps
,
the
innocent
occasion
of
involving
Walter
in
peril
,
and
all
to
whom
he
was
dear
,
herself
included
,
in
an
agony
of
suspense
.
For
the
rest
,
uncertainty
and
danger
seemed
written
upon
everything
.
The
weathercocks
on
spires
and
housetops
were
mysterious
with
hints
of
stormy
wind
,
and
pointed
,
like
so
many
ghostly
fingers
,
out
to
dangerous
seas
,
where
fragments
of
great
wrecks
were
drifting
,
perhaps
,
and
helpless
men
were
rocked
upon
them
into
a
sleep
as
deep
as
the
unfathomable
waters
.
When
Florence
came
into
the
City
,
and
passed
gentlemen
who
were
talking
together
,
she
dreaded
to
hear
them
speaking
of
the
ship
,
and
saying
it
was
lost
.
Pictures
and
prints
of
vessels
fighting
with
the
rolling
waves
filled
her
with
alarm
.
The
smoke
and
clouds
,
though
moving
gently
,
moved
too
fast
for
her
apprehensions
,
and
made
her
fear
there
was
a
tempest
blowing
at
that
moment
on
the
ocean
.
Susan
Nipper
may
or
may
not
have
been
affected
similarly
,
but
having
her
attention
much
engaged
in
struggles
with
boys
,
whenever
there
was
any
press
of
people
—
for
,
between
that
grade
of
human
kind
and
herself
,
there
was
some
natural
animosity
that
invariably
broke
out
,
whenever
they
came
together
—
it
would
seem
that
she
had
not
much
leisure
on
the
road
for
intellectual
operations
.
Arriving
in
good
time
abreast
of
the
Wooden
Midshipman
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
way
,
and
waiting
for
an
opportunity
to
cross
the
street
,
they
were
a
little
surprised
at
first
to
see
,
at
the
Instrument-maker
's
door
,
a
round-headed
lad
,
with
his
chubby
face
addressed
towards
the
sky
,
who
,
as
they
looked
at
him
,
suddenly
thrust
into
his
capacious
mouth
two
fingers
of
each
hand
,
and
with
the
assistance
of
that
machinery
whistled
,
with
astonishing
shrillness
,
to
some
pigeons
at
a
considerable
elevation
in
the
air
.
`
Mrs.
Richards
's
eldest
,
Miss
!
´
said
Susan
