,`
and
the
worrit
of
Mrs.
Richards
's
life
!
´
As
Polly
had
been
to
tell
Florence
of
the
resuscitated
prospects
of
her
son
and
heir
,
Florence
was
prepared
for
the
meeting
:
so
,
a
favourable
moment
presenting
itself
,
they
both
hastened
across
,
without
any
further
contemplation
of
Mrs.
Richards
's
bane
.
That
sporting
character
,
unconscious
of
their
approach
,
again
whistled
with
his
utmost
might
,
and
then
yelled
in
a
rapture
of
excitement
,
`
Strays
!
Whoo-oop
!
Strays
!
´
which
identification
had
such
an
effect
upon
the
conscious-stricken
pigeons
,
that
instead
of
going
direct
to
some
town
in
the
North
of
England
,
as
appeared
to
have
been
their
original
intention
,
they
began
to
wheel
and
falter
;
whereupon
Mrs.
Richards
's
firstborn
pierced
them
with
another
whistle
,
and
again
yelled
,
in
a
voice
that
rose
above
the
turmoil
of
the
street
,
`
Strays
!
Whoo-oop
!
Strays
!
´
From
this
transport
,
he
was
abruptly
recalled
to
terrestrial
objects
,
by
a
poke
from
Miss
Nipper
,
which
sent
him
into
the
shop
.
`
Is
this
the
way
you
show
your
penitence
,
when
Mrs.
Richards
has
been
fretting
for
you
months
and
months
?
´
said
Susan
,
following
the
poke
.
`
Where
's
Mr.
Gills
?
´
Rob
,
who
smoothed
his
first
rebellious
glance
at
Miss
Nipper
when
he
saw
Florence
following
,
put
his
knuckles
to
his
hair
,
in
honour
of
the
latter
,
and
said
to
the
former
,
that
Mr.
Gills
was
out
.
`
Fetch
him
home
,
´
said
Miss
Nipper
,
with
authority
,
`
and
say
that
my
young
lady
's
here
.
´
`
I
do
n't
know
where
he
's
gone
,
´
said
Rob
.
`
Is
that
your
penitence
?
´
cried
Susan
,
with
stinging
sharpness
.
`
Why
how
can
I
go
and
fetch
him
when
I
do
n't
know
where
to
go
?
´
whimpered
the
baited
Rob
.
`
How
can
you
be
so
unreasonable
?
´
`
Did
Mr.
Gills
say
when
he
should
be
home
?
´
asked
Florence
.
`
Yes
,
Miss
,
´
replied
Rob
,
with
another
application
of
his
knuckles
to
his
hair
.
`
He
said
he
should
be
home
early
in
the
afternoon
;
in
about
a
couple
of
hours
from
now
,
Miss.
´
`
Is
he
very
anxious
about
his
nephew
?
´
inquired
Susan
.
`
Yes
,
Miss
,
´
returned
Rob
,
preferring
to
address
himself
to
Florence
and
slighting
Nipper
;
`
I
should
say
he
was
very
much
so
.
He
ai
n't
indoors
,
Miss
,
not
a
quarter
of
an
hour
together
.
He
ca
n't
settle
in
one
place
five
minutes
.
He
goes
about
,
like
a
—
just
like
a
stray
,
´
said
Rob
,
stooping
to
get
a
glimpse
of
the
pigeons
through
the
window
,
and
checking
himself
,
with
his
fingers
half-way
to
his
mouth
,
on
the
verge
of
another
whistle
.
`
Do
you
know
a
friend
of
Mr.
Gills
,
called
Captain
Cuttle
?
´
inquired
Florence
,
after
a
moment
's
reflection
.
`
Him
with
a
hook
,
Miss
?
´
rejoined
Rob
,
with
an
illustrative
twist
of
his
left
hand
.
`
Yes
,
Miss.
He
was
here
the
day
before
yesterday
.
´
`
Has
he
not
been
here
since
?
´
asked
Susan
.
`
No
,
Miss
,
´
returned
Rob
,
still
addressing
his
reply
to
Florence
.
`
Perhaps
Walter
's
uncle
has
gone
there
,
Susan
,
´
observed
Florence
,
turning
to
her
.
`
To
Captain
Cuttle
's
,
Miss
?
´
interposed
Rob
;
`
no
,
he
's
not
gone
there
,
Miss.
Because
he
left
particular
word
that
if
Captain
Cuttle
called
,
I
should
tell
him
how
surprised
he
was
,
not
to
have
seen
him
yesterday
,
and
should
make
him
stop
till
he
came
back
.
´
`
Do
you
know
where
Captain
Cuttle
lives
?
´
asked
Florence
.
Rob
replied
in
the
affirmative
,
and
turning
to
a
greasy
parchment
book
on
the
shop
desk
,
read
the
address
aloud
.
Florence
again
turned
to
her
maid
and
took
counsel
with
her
in
a
low
voice
,
while
Rob
the
round-eyed
,
mindful
of
his
patron
's
secret
charge
,
looked
on
and
listened
.
Florence
proposed
that
they
should
go
to
Captain
Cuttle
's
house
;
hear
from
his
own
lips
,
what
he
thought
of
the
absence
of
any
tidings
of
the
Son
and
Heir
;
and
bring
him
,
if
they
could
,
to
comfort
Uncle
Sol
.
Susan
at
first
objected
slightly
,
on
the
score
of
distance
;
but
a
hackney-coach
being
mentioned
by
her
mistress
,
withdrew
that
opposition
,
and
gave
in
her
assent
.
There
were
some
minutes
of
discussion
between
them
before
they
came
to
this
conclusion
,
during
which
the
staring
Rob
paid
close
attention
to
both
speakers
,
and
inclined
his
ear
to
each
by
turns
,
as
if
he
were
appointed
arbitrator
of
the
arguments
.
In
fine
,
Rob
was
despatched
for
a
coach
,
the
visitors
keeping
shop
meanwhile
;
and
when
he
brought
it
,
they
got
into
it
,
leaving
word
for
Uncle
Sol
that
they
would
be
sure
to
call
again
,
on
their
way
back
.
Rob
having
stared
after
the
coach
until
it
was
as
invisible
as
the
pigeons
had
now
become
,
sat
down
behind
the
desk
with
a
most
assiduous
demeanour
;
and
in
order
that
he
might
forget
nothing
of
what
had
transpired
,
made
notes
of
it
on
various
small
scraps
of
paper
,
with
a
vast
expenditure
of
ink
.
There
was
no
danger
of
these
documents
betraying
anything
,
if
accidentally
lost
;
for
long
before
a
word
was
dry
,
it
became
as
profound
a
mystery
to
Rob
,
as
if
he
had
had
no
part
whatever
in
its
production
.
While
he
was
yet
busy
with
these
labours
,
the
hackney-coach
,
after
encountering
unheard-of
difficulties
from
swivel-bridges
,
soft
roads
,
impassable
canals
,
caravans
of
casks
,
settlements
of
scarlet-beans
and
little
wash-houses
,
and
many
such
obstacles
abounding
in
that
country
,
stopped
at
the
corner
of
Brig
Place
.
Alighting
here
,
Florence
and
Susan
Nipper
walked
down
the
street
,
and
sought
out
the
abode
of
Captain
Cuttle
.
It
happened
by
evil
chance
to
be
one
of
Mrs.
MacStinger
's
great
cleaning
days
.
On
these
occasions
,
Mrs.
MacStinger
was
knocked
up
by
the
policeman
at
a
quarter
before
three
in
the
morning
,
and
rarely
succumbed
before
twelve
o'clock
next
night
.
The
chief
object
of
this
institution
appeared
to
be
,
that
Mrs.
MacStinger
should
move
all
the
furniture
into
the
back
garden
at
early
dawn
,
walk
about
the
house
in
pattens
all
day
,
and
move
the
furniture
back
again
after
dark
.
These
ceremonies
greatly
fluttered
those
doves
the
young
MacStingers
,
who
were
not
only
unable
at
such
times
to
find
any
resting-place
for
the
soles
of
their
feet
,
but
generally
came
in
for
a
good
deal
of
pecking
from
the
maternal
bird
during
the
progress
of
the
solemnities
.
At
the
moment
when
Florence
and
Susan
Nipper
presented
themselves
at
Mrs.
MacStinger
's
door
,
that
worthy
but
redoubtable
female
was
in
the
act
of
conveying
Alexander
MacStinger
,
aged
two
years
and
three
months
,
along
the
passage
for
forcible
deposition
in
a
sitting
posture
on
the
street
pavement
;
Alexander
being
black
in
the
face
with
holding
his
breath
after
punishment
,
and
a
cool
paving-stone
being
usually
found
to
act
as
a
powerful
restorative
in
such
cases
.
The
feelings
of
Mrs.
MacStinger
,
as
a
woman
and
a
mother
,
were
outraged
by
the
look
of
pity
for
Alexander
which
she
observed
on
Florence
's
face
.
Therefore
,
Mrs.
MacStinger
asserting
those
finest
emotions
of
our
nature
,
in
preference
to
weakly
gratifying
her
curiosity
,
shook
and
buffeted
Alexander
both
before
and
during
the
application
of
the
paving-stone
,
and
took
no
further
notice
of
the
strangers
.
`
I
beg
your
pardon
,
ma'am
,
´
said
Florence
,
when
the
child
had
found
his
breath
again
,
and
was
using
it
.
`
Is
this
Captain
Cuttle
's
house
?
´
`
No
,
´
said
Mrs.
MacStinger
.
`
Not
Number
Nine
?
´
asked
Florence
,
hesitating
.
`
Who
said
it
was
n't
Number
Nine
?
´
said
Mrs.
MacStinger
.
Susan
Nipper
instantly
struck
in
,
and
begged
to
inquire
what
Mrs.
MacStinger
meant
by
that
,
and
if
she
knew
whom
she
was
talking
to
.
Mrs.
MacStinger
in
retort
,
looked
at
her
all
over
.
`
What
do
you
want
with
Captain
Cuttle
,
I
should
wish
to
know
?
´
said
Mrs.
MacStinger
.
`
Should
you
?
Then
I
'm
sorry
that
you
wo
n't
be
satisfied
,
´
returned
Miss
Nipper
.
`
Hush
,
Susan
!
If
you
please
!
´
said
Florence
.
`
Perhaps
you
can
have
the
goodness
to
tell
us
where
Captain
Cuttle
lives
,
ma'am
,
as
he
do
n't
live
here
.
´
`
Who
says
he
do
n't
live
here
?
´
retorted
the
implacable
MacStinger
.
`
I
said
it
was
n't
Cap'en
Cuttle
's
house
—
and
it
ai
n't
his
house
—
and
forbid
it
,
that
it
ever
should
be
his
house
—
for
Cap'en
Cuttle
do
n't
know
how
to
keep
a
house
—
and
do
n't
deserve
to
have
a
house
—
it
's
my
house
—
and
when
I
let
the
upper
floor
to
Cap'en
Cuttle
,
oh
I
do
a
thankless
thing
,
and
cast
pearls
before
swine
!
´
Mrs.
MacStinger
pitched
her
voice
for
the
upper
windows
in
offering
these
remarks
,
and
cracked
off
each
clause
sharply
by
itself
as
if
from
a
rifle
possessing
an
infinity
of
barrels
.
After
the
last
shot
,
the
Captain
's
voice
was
heard
to
say
,
in
feeble
remonstrance
from
his
own
room
,
`
Steady
below
!
´
`
Since
you
want
Cap'en
Cuttle
,
there
he
is
!
´
said
Mrs.
MacStinger
,
with
an
angry
motion
of
her
hand
.
On
Florence
making
bold
to
enter
,
without
any
more
parley
,
and
on
Susan
following
,
Mrs.
MacStinger
recommenced
her
pedestrian
exercise
in
pattens
,
and
Alexander
MacStinger
(
still
on
the
paving-stone
)
,
who
had
stopped
in
his
crying
to
attend
to
the
conversation
,
began
to
wail
again
,
entertaining
himself
during
that
dismal
performance
,
which
was
quite
mechanical
,
with
a
general
survey
of
the
prospect
,
terminating
in
the
hackney-coach
.
The
Captain
in
his
own
apartment
was
sitting
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
and
his
legs
drawn
up
under
his
chair
,
on
a
very
small
desolate
island
,
lying
about
midway
in
an
ocean
of
soap
and
water
.
The
Captain
's
windows
had
been
cleaned
,
the
walls
had
been
cleaned
,
the
stove
had
been
cleaned
,
and
everything
,
the
stove
excepted
,
was
wet
,
and
shining
with
soft
soap
and
sand
:
the
smell
of
which
dry-saltery
impregnated
the
air
.
In
the
midst
of
the
dreary
scene
,
the
Captain
,
cast
away
upon
his
island
,
looked
round
on
the
waste
of
waters
with
a
rueful
countenance
,
and
seemed
waiting
for
some
friendly
bark
to
come
that
way
,
and
take
him
off
.
But
when
the
Captain
,
directing
his
forlorn
visage
towards
the
door
,
saw
Florence
appear
with
her
maid
,
no
words
can
describe
his
astonishment
.
Mrs.
MacStinger
's
eloquence
having
rendered
all
other
sounds
but
imperfectly
distinguishable
,
he
had
looked
for
no
rarer
visitor
than
the
potboy
or
the
milkman
;
wherefore
,
when
Florence
appeared
,
and
coming
to
the
confines
of
the
island
,
put
her
hand
in
his
,
the
Captain
stood
up
,
aghast
,
as
if
he
supposed
her
,
for
the
moment
,
to
be
some
young
member
of
the
Flying
Dutchman
's
family
.
Instantly
recovering
his
self-possession
,
however
,
the
Captain
's
first
care
was
to
place
her
on
dry
land
,
which
he
happily
accomplished
,
with
one
motion
of
his
arm
.
Issuing
forth
,
then
,
upon
the
main
,
Captain
Cuttle
took
Miss
Nipper
round
the
waist
,
and
bore
her
to
the
island
also
.
Captain
Cuttle
,
then
,
with
great
respect
and
admiration
,
raised
the
hand
of
Florence
to
his
lips
,
and
standing
off
a
little
(
for
the
island
was
not
large
enough
for
three
)
,
beamed
on
her
from
the
soap
and
water
like
a
new
description
of
Triton
.
`
You
are
amazed
to
see
us
,
I
am
sure
,
´
said
Florence
,
with
a
smile
.
The
inexpressibly
gratified
Captain
kissed
his
hook
in
reply
,
and
growled
,
as
if
a
choice
and
delicate
compliment
were
included
in
the
words
,
`
Stand
by
!
Stand
by
!
´
`
But
I
could
n't
rest
,
´
said
Florence
,
`
without
coming
to
ask
you
what
you
think
about
dear
Walter
—
who
is
my
brother
now
—
and
whether
there
is
anything
to
fear
,
and
whether
you
will
not
go
and
console
his
poor
uncle
every
day
,
until
we
have
some
intelligence
of
him
?
´
At
these
words
Captain
Cuttle
,
as
by
an
involuntary
gesture
,
clapped
his
hand
to
his
head
,
on
which
the
hard
glazed
hat
was
not
,
and
looked
discomfited
.
`
Have
you
any
fears
for
Walter
's
safety
?
´
inquired
Florence
,
from
whose
face
the
Captain
(
so
enraptured
he
was
with
it
)
could
not
take
his
eyes
:
while
she
,
in
her
turn
,
looked
earnestly
at
him
,
to
be
assured
of
the
sincerity
of
his
reply
.
`
No
,
Heart's-delight
,
´
said
Captain
Cuttle
,
`
I
am
not
afeard
.
Wal'r
is
a
lad
as
'll
go
through
a
deal
o
´
hard
weather
.
Wal'r
is
a
lad
as
'll
bring
as
much
success
to
that
'
ere
brig
as
a
lad
is
capable
on
.
Wal'r
,
´
said
the
Captain
,
his
eyes
glistening
with
the
praise
of
his
young
friend
,
and
his
hook
raised
to
announce
a
beautiful
quotation
,
`
is
what
you
may
call
a
out'ard
and
visible
sign
of
an
in'ard
and
spirited
grasp
,
and
when
found
make
a
note
of
.
´
Florence
,
who
did
not
quite
understand
this
,
though
the
Captain
evidently
thought
it
full
of
meaning
,
and
highly
satisfactory
,
mildly
looked
to
him
for
something
more
.
`
I
am
not
afeard
,
my
Heart's-delight
,
´
resumed
the
Captain
.
`
There
's
been
most
uncommon
bad
weather
in
them
latitudes
,
there
's
no
denyin
'
,
and
they
have
drove
and
drove
and
been
beat
off
,
may
be
t'other
side
the
world
.
But
the
ship
's
a
good
ship
,
and
the
lad
's
a
good
lad
;
and
it
ai
n't
easy
,
thank
the
Lord
,
´
the
Captain
made
a
little
bow
,
`
to
break
up
hearts
of
oak
,
whether
they
're
in
brigs
or
buzzums
.
Here
we
have
'
em
both
ways
,
which
is
bringing
it
up
with
a
round
turn
,
and
so
I
ai
n't
a
bit
afeard
as
yet
.
´
`
As
yet
?
´
repeated
Florence
.
`
Not
a
bit
,
´
returned
the
Captain
,
kissing
his
iron
hand
;
`
and
afore
I
begin
to
be
,
my
Heart's-delight
,
Wal'r
will
have
wrote
home
from
the
island
,
or
from
some
port
or
another
,
and
made
all
taut
and
ship-shape
.
And
with
regard
to
old
Sol
Gills
,
´
here
the
Captain
became
solemn
,
`
who
I
'll
stand
by
,
and
not
desert
until
death
doe
us
part
,
and
when
the
stormy
winds
do
blow
,
do
blow
,
do
blow
—
overhaul
the
Catechism
,
´
said
the
Captain
parenthetically
,
`
and
there
you
'll
find
them
expressions
—
if
it
would
console
Sol
Gills
to
have
the
opinion
of
a
seafaring
man
as
has
got
a
mind
equal
to
any
undertaking
that
he
puts
it
alongside
of
,
and
as
was
all
but
smashed
in
his
'
prenticeship
,
and
of
which
the
name
is
Bunsby
,
that
'
ere
man
shall
give
him
such
an
opinion
in
his
own
parlour
as
'll
stun
him
.
Ah
!
'
said
Captain
Cuttle
,
vauntingly
,
`
as
much
as
if
he
'd
gone
and
knocked
his
head
again
a
door
!
´
`
Let
us
take
this
gentleman
to
see
him
,
and
let
us
hear
what
he
says
,
´
cried
Florence
.
`
Will
you
go
with
us
now
?
We
have
a
coach
here
.
´
Again
the
Captain
clapped
his
hand
to
his
head
,
on
which
the
hard
glazed
hat
was
not
,
and
looked
discomfited
.
But
at
this
instant
a
most
remarkable
phenomenon
occurred
.
The
door
opening
,
without
any
note
of
preparation
,
and
apparently
of
itself
,
the
hard
glazed
hat
in
question
skimmed
into
the
room
like
a
bird
,
and
alighted
heavily
at
the
Captain
's
feet
.
The
door
then
shut
as
violently
as
it
had
opened
,
and
nothing
ensued
in
explanation
of
the
prodigy
.
Captain
Cuttle
picked
up
his
hat
,
and
having
turned
it
over
with
a
look
of
interest
and
welcome
,
began
to
polish
it
on
his
sleeve
.
While
doing
so
,
the
Captain
eyed
his
visitors
intently
,
and
said
in
a
low
voice
:
`
You
see
I
should
have
bore
down
on
Sol
Gills
yesterday
,
and
this
morning
,
but
she
—
she
took
it
away
and
kep
it
.
That
's
the
long
and
short
of
the
subject
.
´
`
Who
did
,
for
goodness
sake
?
´
asked
Susan
Nipper
.
`
The
lady
of
the
house
,
my
dear
,
´
returned
the
Captain
,
in
a
gruff
whisper
,
and
making
signals
of
secrecy
.
`
We
had
some
words
about
the
swabbing
of
these
here
planks
,
and
she
—
in
short
,
´
said
the
Captain
,
eyeing
the
door
,
and
relieving
himself
with
a
long
breath
,
`
she
stopped
my
liberty
.
´
`
Oh
!
I
wish
she
had
me
to
deal
with
!
´
said
Susan
,
reddening
with
the
energy
of
the
wish
.
`
I
'd
stop
her
!
´
`
Would
you
,
do
you
think
,
my
dear
?
´
rejoined
the
Captain
,
shaking
his
head
doubtfully
,
but
regarding
the
desperate
courage
of
the
fair
aspirant
with
obvious
admiration
.
`
I
do
n't
know
.
It
's
difficult
navigation
.
She
's
very
hard
to
carry
on
with
,
my
dear
.
You
never
can
tell
how
she
'll
head
,
you
see
.
She
's
full
one
minute
,
and
round
upon
you
next
.
And
when
she
is
a
tartar
,
´
said
the
Captain
,
with
the
perspiration
breaking
out
upon
his
forehead
—
.
There
was
nothing
but
a
whistle
emphatic
enough
for
the
conclusion
of
the
sentence
,
so
the
Captain
whistled
tremulously
.
After
which
he
again
shook
his
head
,
and
recurring
to
his
admiration
of
Miss
Nipper
's
devoted
bravery
,
timidly
repeated
,
`
Would
you
,
do
you
think
,
my
dear
?
´
Susan
only
replied
with
a
bridling
smile
,
but
that
was
so
very
full
of
defiance
,
that
there
is
no
knowing
how
long
Captain
Cuttle
might
have
stood
entranced
in
its
contemplation
,
if
Florence
in
her
anxiety
had
not
again
proposed
their
immediately
resorting
to
the
oracular
Bunsby
.
Thus
reminded
of
his
duty
,
Captain
Cuttle
put
on
the
glazed
hat
firmly
,
took
up
another
knobby
stick
,
with
which
he
had
supplied
the
place
of
that
one
given
to
Walter
,
and
offering
his
arm
to
Florence
,
prepared
to
cut
his
way
through
the
enemy
.
It
turned
out
,
however
,
that
Mrs.
MacStinger
had
already
changed
her
course
,
and
that
she
headed
,
as
the
Captain
had
remarked
she
often
did
,
in
quite
a
new
direction
.
For
when
they
got
downstairs
,
they
found
that
exemplary
woman
beating
the
mats
on
the
doorsteps
,
with
Alexander
,
still
upon
the
paving-stone
,
dimly
looming
through
a
fog
of
dust
;
and
so
absorbed
was
Mrs.
MacStinger
in
her
household
occupation
,
that
when
Captain
Cuttle
and
his
visitors
passed
,
she
beat
the
harder
,
and
neither
by
word
nor
gesture
showed
any
consciousness
of
their
vicinity
.
The
Captain
was
so
well
pleased
with
this
easy
escape
—
although
the
effect
of
the
door-mats
on
him
was
like
a
copious
administration
of
snuff
,
and
made
him
sneeze
until
the
tears
ran
down
his
face
—
that
he
could
hardly
believe
his
good
fortune
;
but
more
than
once
,
between
the
door
and
the
hackney-coach
,
looked
over
his
shoulder
,
with
an
obvious
apprehension
of
Mrs.
MacStinger
's
giving
chase
yet
.
However
,
they
got
to
the
corner
of
Brig
Place
without
any
molestation
from
that
terrible
fire-ship
;
and
the
Captain
mounting
the
coach-box
—
for
his
gallantry
would
not
allow
him
to
ride
inside
with
the
ladies
,
though
besought
to
do
so
—
piloted
the
driver
on
his
course
for
Captain
Bunsby
's
vessel
,
which
was
called
the
Cautious
Clara
,
and
was
lying
hard
by
Ratcliffe
.
Arrived
at
the
wharf
off
which
this
great
commander
's
ship
was
jammed
in
among
some
five
hundred
companions
,
whose
tangled
rigging
looked
like
monstrous
cobwebs
half
swept
down
,
Captain
Cuttle
appeared
at
the
coach-window
,
and
invited
Florence
and
Miss
Nipper
to
accompany
him
on
board
;
observing
that
Bunsby
was
to
the
last
degree
soft-hearted
in
respect
of
ladies
,
and
that
nothing
would
so
much
tend
to
bring
his
expansive
intellect
into
a
state
of
harmony
as
their
presentation
to
the
Cautious
Clara
.
Florence
readily
consented
;
and
the
Captain
,
taking
her
little
hand
in
his
prodigious
palm
,
led
her
,
with
a
mixed
expression
of
patronage
,
paternity
,
pride
,
and
ceremony
,
that
was
pleasant
to
see
,
over
several
very
dirty
decks
,
until
,
coming
to
the
Clara
,
they
found
that
cautious
craft
(
which
lay
outside
the
tier
)
with
her
gangway
removed
,
and
half-a-dozen
feet
of
river
interposed
between
herself
and
her
nearest
neighbour
.
It
appeared
,
from
Captain
Cuttle
's
explanation
,
that
the
great
Bunsby
,
like
himself
,
was
cruelly
treated
by
his
landlady
,
and
that
when
her
usage
of
him
for
the
time
being
was
so
hard
that
he
could
bear
it
no
longer
,
he
set
this
gulf
between
them
as
a
last
resource
.
`
Clara
a-hoy
!
´
cried
the
Captain
,
putting
a
hand
to
each
side
of
his
mouth
.
`
A-hoy
!
´
cried
a
boy
,
like
the
Captain
's
echo
,
tumbling
up
from
below
.
`
Bunsby
aboard
?
´
cried
the
Captain
,
hailing
the
boy
in
a
stentorian
voice
,
as
if
he
were
half-a-mile
off
instead
of
two
yards
.
`
Aye
,
aye
!
´
cried
the
boy
,
in
the
same
tone
.
The
boy
then
shoved
out
a
plank
to
Captain
Cuttle
,
who
adjusted
it
carefully
,
and
led
Florence
across
:
returning
presently
for
Miss
Nipper
.
So
they
stood
upon
the
deck
of
the
Cautious
Clara
,
in
whose
standing
rigging
,
divers
fluttering
articles
of
dress
were
curing
,
in
company
with
a
few
tongues
and
some
mackerel
.
Immediately
there
appeared
,
coming
slowly
up
above
the
bulk-head
of
the
cabin
,
another
bulk-head
—
human
,
and
very
large
—
with
one
stationary
eye
in
the
mahogany
face
,
and
one
revolving
one
,
on
the
principle
of
some
lighthouses
.
This
head
was
decorated
with
shaggy
hair
,
like
oakum
,
which
had
no
governing
inclination
towards
the
north
,
east
,
west
,
or
south
,
but
inclined
to
all
four
quarters
of
the
compass
,
and
to
every
point
upon
it
.
The
head
was
followed
by
a
perfect
desert
of
chin
,
and
by
a
shirt-collar
and
neckerchief
,
and
by
a
dreadnought
pilot-coat
,
and
by
a
pair
of
dreadnought
pilot-trousers
,
whereof
the
waistband
was
so
very
broad
and
high
,
that
it
became
a
succedaneum
for
a
waistcoat
:
being
ornamented
near
the
wearer
's
breast-bone
with
some
massive
wooden
buttons
,
like
backgammon
men
.
As
the
lower
portions
of
these
pantaloons
became
revealed
,
Bunsby
stood
confessed
;
his
hands
in
their
pockets
,
which
were
of
vast
size
;
and
his
gaze
directed
,
not
to
Captain
Cuttle
or
the
ladies
,
but
the
mast-head
.
The
profound
appearance
of
this
philosopher
,
who
was
bulky
and
strong
,
and
on
whose
extremely
red
face
an
expression
of
taciturnity
sat
enthroned
,
not
inconsistent
with
his
character
,
in
which
that
quality
was
proudly
conspicuous
,
almost
daunted
Captain
Cuttle
,
though
on
familiar
terms
with
him
.
Whispering
to
Florence
that
Bunsby
had
never
in
his
life
expressed
surprise
,
and
was
considered
not
to
know
what
it
meant
,
the
Captain
watched
him
as
he
eyed
his
mast-head
,
and
afterwards
swept
the
horizon
;
and
when
the
revolving
eye
seemed
to
be
coming
round
in
his
direction
,
said
:
`
Bunsby
,
my
lad
,
how
fares
it
?
´
A
deep
,
gruff
,
husky
utterance
,
which
seemed
to
have
no
connexion
with
Bunsby
,
and
certainly
had
not
the
least
effect
upon
his
face
,
replied
,
`
Aye
,
aye
,
shipmet
,
how
goes
it
?
´
At
the
same
time
Bunsby
's
right
hand
and
arm
,
emerging
from
a
pocket
,
shook
the
Captain
's
,
and
went
back
again
.
`
Bunsby
,
´
said
the
Captain
,
striking
home
at
once
,
`
here
you
are
;
a
man
of
mind
,
and
a
man
as
can
give
as
opinion
.
Here
's
a
young
lady
as
wants
to
take
that
opinion
,
in
regard
of
my
friend
Wal'r
;
likewise
my
t'other
friend
,
Sol
Gills
,
which
is
a
character
for
you
to
come
within
hail
of
,
being
a
man
of
science
,
which
is
the
mother
of
inwention
,
and
knows
no
law
.
Bunsby
,
will
you
wear
,
to
oblige
me
,
and
come
along
with
us
?
´
The
great
commander
,
who
seemed
by
the
expression
of
his
visage
to
be
always
on
the
look-out
for
something
in
the
extremest
distance
,
and
to
have
no
ocular
knowledge
of
anything
within
ten
miles
,
made
no
reply
whatever
.
`
Here
is
a
man
,
´
said
the
Captain
,
addressing
himself
to
his
fair
auditors
,
and
indicating
the
commander
with
his
outstretched
hook
,
`
that
has
fell
down
more
than
any
man
alive
;
that
has
had
more
accidents
happen
to
his
own
self
than
the
Seamen
's
Hospital
to
all
hands
;
that
took
as
many
spars
and
bars
and
bolts
about
the
outside
of
his
head
when
he
was
young
,
as
you
'd
want
a
order
for
on
Chatham-yard
to
build
a
pleasure-yacht
with
;
and
yet
that
got
his
opinions
in
that
way
,
it
's
my
belief
,
for
there
a
n't
nothing
like
'
em
afloat
or
ashore
.
´
The
stolid
commander
appeared
,
by
a
very
slight
vibration
in
his
elbows
,
to
express
some
satisfaction
in
this
encomium
;
but
if
his
face
had
been
as
distant
as
his
gaze
was
,
it
could
hardly
have
enlightened
the
beholders
less
in
reference
to
anything
that
was
passing
in
his
thoughts
.
`
Shipmet
,
´
said
Bunsby
,
all
of
a
sudden
,
and
stooping
down
to
look
out
under
some
interposing
spar
,
`
what
'll
the
ladies
drink
?
´
Captain
Cuttle
,
whose
delicacy
was
shocked
by
such
an
inquiry
in
connection
with
Florence
,
drew
the
sage
aside
,
and
seeming
to
explain
in
his
ear
,
accompanied
him
below
;
where
,
that
he
might
not
take
offence
,
the
Captain
drank
a
dram
himself
,
which
Florence
and
Susan
,
glancing
down
the
open
skylight
,
saw
the
sage
,
with
difficulty
finding
room
for
himself
between
his
berth
and
a
very
little
brass
fireplace
,
serve
out
for
self
and
friend
.
They
soon
reappeared
on
deck
,
and
Captain
Cuttle
,
triumphing
in
the
success
of
his
enterprise
,
conducted
Florence
back
to
the
coach
,
while
Bunsby
followed
,
escorting
Miss
Nipper
,
whom
he
hugged
upon
the
way
(
much
to
that
young
lady
's
indignation
)
with
his
pilot-coated
arm
,
like
a
blue
bear
.
The
Captain
put
his
oracle
inside
,
and
gloried
so
much
in
having
secured
him
,
and
having
got
that
mind
into
a
hackney-coach
,
that
he
could
not
refrain
from
often
peeping
in
at
Florence
through
the
little
window
behind
the
driver
,
and
testifying
his
delight
in
smiles
,
and
also
in
taps
upon
his
forehead
,
to
hint
to
her
that
the
brain
of
Bunsby
was
hard
at
it
.
In
the
meantime
,
Bunsby
,
still
hugging
Miss
Nipper
(
for
his
friend
,
the
Captain
,
had
not
exaggerated
the
softness
of
his
heart
)
,
uniformly
preserved
his
gravity
of
deportment
,
and
showed
no
other
consciousness
of
her
or
anything
.
Uncle
Sol
,
who
had
come
home
,
received
them
at
the
door
,
and
ushered
them
immediately
into
the
little
back
parlour
:
strangely
altered
by
the
absence
of
Walter
.
On
the
table
,
and
about
the
room
,
were
the
charts
and
maps
on
which
the
heavy-hearted
Instrument-maker
had
again
and
again
tracked
the
missing
vessel
across
the
sea
,
and
on
which
,
with
a
pair
of
compasses
that
he
still
had
in
his
hand
,
he
had
been
measuring
,
a
minute
before
,
how
far
she
must
have
driven
,
to
have
driven
here
or
there
:
and
trying
to
demonstrate
that
a
long
time
must
elapse
before
hope
was
exhausted
.
`
Whether
she
can
have
run
,
´
said
Uncle
Sol
,
looking
wistfully
over
the
chart
;
`
but
no
,
that
's
almost
impossible
.
Or
whether
she
can
have
been
forced
by
stress
of
weather
,
—
but
that
's
not
reasonably
likely
.
Or
whether
there
is
any
hope
she
so
far
changed
her
course
as
—
but
even
I
can
hardly
hope
that
!
´
With
such
broken
suggestions
,
poor
old
Uncle
Sol
roamed
over
the
great
sheet
before
him
,
and
could
not
find
a
speck
of
hopeful
probability
in
it
large
enough
to
set
one
small
point
of
the
compasses
upon
.
Florence
saw
immediately
—
it
would
have
been
difficult
to
help
seeing
—
that
there
was
a
singular
indescribable
change
in
the
old
man
,
and
that
while
his
manner
was
far
more
restless
and
unsettled
than
usual
,
there
was
yet
a
curious
,
contradictory
decision
in
it
,
that
perplexed
her
very
much
.
She
fancied
once
that
he
spoke
wildly
,
and
at
random
;
for
on
her
saying
she
regretted
not
to
have
seen
him
when
she
had
been
there
before
that
morning
,
he
at
first
replied
that
he
had
been
to
see
her
,
and
directly
afterwards
seemed
to
wish
to
recall
that
answer
.
`
You
have
been
to
see
me
?
´
said
Florence
.
`
To-day
?
´
`
Yes
,
my
dear
young
lady
,
´
returned
Uncle
Sol
,
looking
at
her
and
away
from
her
in
a
confused
manner
.
`
I
wished
to
see
you
with
my
own
eyes
,
and
to
hear
you
with
my
own
ears
,
once
more
before
—
´
There
he
stopped
.
`
Before
when
?
Before
what
?
´
said
Florence
,
putting
her
hand
upon
his
arm
.
`
Did
I
say
“
before
?
”
´
replied
old
Sol
.
`
If
I
did
,
I
must
have
meant
before
we
should
have
news
of
my
dear
boy
.
´
`
You
are
not
well
,
´
said
Florence
,
tenderly
.
`
You
have
been
so
very
anxious
.
I
am
sure
you
are
not
well
.
´
`
I
am
as
well
,
´
returned
the
old
man
,
shutting
up
his
right
hand
,
and
holding
it
out
to
show
her
:
`
as
well
and
firm
as
any
man
at
my
time
of
life
can
hope
to
be
.
See
!
It
's
steady
.
Is
its
master
not
as
capable
of
resolution
and
fortitude
as
many
a
younger
man
?
I
think
so
.
We
shall
see
.
´
There
was
that
in
his
manner
more
than
in
his
words
,
though
they
remained
with
her
too
,
which
impressed
Florence
so
much
,
that
she
would
have
confided
her
uneasiness
to
Captain
Cuttle
at
that
moment
,
if
the
Captain
had
not
seized
that
moment
for
expounding
the
state
of
circumstances
on
which
the
opinion
of
the
sagacious
Bunsby
was
requested
,
and
entreating
that
profound
authority
to
deliver
the
same
.
Bunsby
,
whose
eye
continued
to
be
addressed
to
somewhere
about
the
half-way
house
between
London
and
Gravesend
,
two
or
three
times
put
out
his
rough
right
arm
,
as
seeking
to
wind
it
for
inspiration
round
the
fair
form
of
Miss
Nipper
;
but
that
young
female
having
withdrawn
herself
,
in
displeasure
,
to
the
opposite
side
of
the
table
,
the
soft
heart
of
the
Commander
of
the
Cautious
Clara
met
with
no
response
to
its
impulses
.
After
sundry
failures
in
this
wise
,
the
Commander
,
addressing
himself
to
nobody
,
thus
spake
;
or
rather
the
voice
within
him
said
of
its
own
accord
,
and
quite
independent
of
himself
,
as
if
he
were
possessed
by
a
gruff
spirit
:
`
My
name
's
Jack
Bunsby
!
´
`
He
was
christened
John
,
´
cried
the
delighted
Captain
Cuttle
.
`
Hear
him
!
´
`
And
what
I
says
,
´
pursued
the
voice
,
after
some
deliberation
,
`
I
stands
to
.
´
The
Captain
,
with
Florence
on
his
arm
,
nodded
at
the
auditory
,
and
seemed
to
say
,
`
Now
he
's
coming
out
.
This
is
what
I
meant
when
I
brought
him
.
´
`
Whereby
,
´
proceeded
the
voice
,
`
why
not
?
If
so
,
what
odds
?
Can
any
man
say
otherwise
?
No.
Awast
then
!
´
When
it
had
pursued
its
train
of
argument
to
this
point
,
the
voice
stopped
,
and
rested
.
It
then
proceeded
very
slowly
,
thus
:
`
Do
I
believe
that
this
here
Son
and
Heir
's
gone
down
,
my
lads
?
Mayhap
.
Do
I
say
so
?
Which
?
If
a
skipper
stands
out
by
Sen
´
George
's
Channel
,
making
for
the
Downs
,
what
's
right
ahead
of
him
?
The
Goodwins
.
He
is
n't
forced
to
run
upon
the
Goodwins
,
but
he
may
.
The
bearings
of
this
observation
lays
in
the
application
on
it
.
That
a
n't
no
part
of
my
duty
.
Awast
then
,
keep
a
bright
look-out
for'ard
,
and
good
luck
to
you
!
´
The
voice
here
went
out
of
the
back
parlour
and
into
the
street
,
taking
the
Commander
of
the
Cautious
Clara
with
it
,
and
accompanying
him
on
board
again
with
all
convenient
expedition
,
where
he
immediately
turned
in
,
and
refreshed
his
mind
with
a
nap
.
The
students
of
the
sage
's
precepts
,
left
to
their
own
application
of
his
wisdom
upon
a
principle
which
was
the
main
leg
of
the
Bunsby
tripod
,
as
it
is
perchance
of
some
other
oracular
stools
—
looked
upon
one
another
in
a
little
uncertainty
;
while
Rob
the
Grinder
,
who
had
taken
the
innocent
freedom
of
peering
in
,
and
listening
,
through
the
skylight
in
the
roof
,
came
softly
down
from
the
leads
,
in
a
state
of
very
dense
confusion
.
Captain
Cuttle
,
however
,
whose
admiration
of
Bunsby
was
,
if
possible
,
enhanced
by
the
splendid
manner
in
which
he
had
justified
his
reputation
and
come
through
this
solemn
reference
,
proceeded
to
explain
that
Bunsby
meant
nothing
but
confidence
;
that
Bunsby
had
no
misgivings
;
and
that
such
an
opinion
as
that
man
had
given
,
coming
from
such
a
mind
as
his
,
was
Hope
's
own
anchor
,
with
good
roads
to
cast
it
in
.
Florence
endeavoured
to
believe
that
the
Captain
was
right
;
but
the
Nipper
,
with
her
arms
tight
folded
,
shook
her
head
in
resolute
denial
,
and
had
no
more
trust
in
Bunsby
than
in
Mr.
Perch
himself
.
The
philosopher
seemed
to
have
left
Uncle
Sol
pretty
much
where
he
had
found
him
,
for
he
still
went
roaming
about
the
watery
world
,
compasses
in
hand
,
and
discovering
no
rest
for
them
.
It
was
in
pursuance
of
a
whisper
in
his
ear
from
Florence
,
while
the
old
man
was
absorbed
in
this
pursuit
,
that
Captain
Cuttle
laid
his
heavy
hand
upon
his
shoulder
.
`
What
cheer
,
Sol
Gills
?
´
cried
the
Captain
,
heartily
.
`
But
so-so
,
Ned
,
´
returned
the
Instrument-maker
.
`
I
have
been
remembering
,
all
this
afternoon
,
that
on
the
very
day
when
my
boy
entered
Dombey
's
house
and
came
home
late
to
dinner
,
sitting
just
there
where
you
stand
,
we
talked
of
storm
and
shipwreck
,
and
I
could
hardly
turn
him
from
the
subject
.
´
But
meeting
the
eyes
of
Florence
,
which
were
fixed
with
earnest
scrutiny
upon
his
face
,
the
old
man
stopped
and
smiled
.
`
Stand
by
,
old
friend
!
´
cried
the
Captain
.
`
Look
alive
!
I
tell
you
what
,
Sol
Gills
;
arter
I
've
convoyed
Heart's-delight
safe
home
,
´
here
the
Captain
kissed
his
hook
to
Florence
,
`
I
'll
come
back
and
take
you
in
tow
for
the
rest
of
this
blessed
day
.
You
'll
come
and
eat
your
dinner
along
with
me
,
Sol
,
somewheres
or
another
.
´
`
Not
to-day
,
Ned
!
´
said
the
old
man
quickly
,
and
appearing
to
be
unaccountably
startled
by
the
proposition
.
`
Not
to-day
.
I
could
n't
do
it
!
´
`
Why
not
?
´
returned
the
Captain
,
gazing
at
him
in
astonishment
.
`
I
—
I
have
so
much
to
do
.
I
—
I
mean
to
think
of
,
and
arrange
.
I
could
n't
do
it
,
Ned
,
indeed
.
I
must
go
out
again
,
and
be
alone
,
and
turn
my
mind
to
many
things
to-day
.
´
The
Captain
looked
at
the
Instrument-maker
,
and
looked
at
Florence
,
and
again
at
the
Instrument-maker
.
`
To-morrow
,
then
,
´
he
suggested
,
at
last
.
`
Yes
,
yes
.
To-morrow
,
´
said
the
old
man
.
`
Think
of
me
to-morrow
.
Say
to-morrow
.
´
`
I
shall
come
here
early
,
mind
,
Sol
Gills
,
´
stipulated
the
Captain
.
`
Yes
,
yes
.
The
first
thing
to-morrow
morning
,
´
said
old
Sol
;
`
and
now
good-bye
,
Ned
Cuttle
,
and
God
bless
you
!
´
Squeezing
both
the
Captain
's
hands
,
with
uncommon
fervour
,
as
he
said
it
,
the
old
man
turned
to
Florence
,
folded
hers
in
his
own
,
and
put
them
to
his
lips
;
then
hurried
her
out
to
the
coach
with
very
singular
precipitation
.
Altogether
,
he
made
such
an
effect
on
Captain
Cuttle
that
the
Captain
lingered
behind
,
and
instructed
Rob
to
be
particularly
gentle
and
attentive
to
his
master
until
the
morning
:
which
injunction
he
strengthened
with
the
payment
of
one
shilling
down
,
and
the
promise
of
another
sixpence
before
noon
next
day
.
This
kind
office
performed
,
Captain
Cuttle
,
who
considered
himself
the
natural
and
lawful
body-guard
of
Florence
,
mounted
the
box
with
a
mighty
sense
of
his
trust
,
and
escorted
her
home
.
At
parting
,
he
assured
her
that
he
would
stand
by
Sol
Gills
,
close
and
true
;
and
once
again
inquired
of
Susan
Nipper
,
unable
to
forget
her
gallant
words
in
reference
to
Mrs.
MacStinger
,
`
Would
you
,
do
you
think
,
my
dear
,
though
?
´
When
the
desolate
house
had
closed
upon
the
two
,
the
Captain
's
thoughts
reverted
to
the
old
Instrument-maker
,
and
he
felt
uncomfortable
.
Therefore
,
instead
of
going
home
,
he
walked
up
and
down
the
street
several
times
,
and
,
eking
out
his
leisure
until
evening
,
dined
late
at
a
certain
angular
little
tavern
in
the
City
,
with
a
public
parlour
like
a
wedge
,
to
which
glazed
hats
much
resorted
.
The
Captain
's
principal
intention
was
to
pass
Sol
Gills
's
after
dark
,
and
look
in
through
the
window
:
which
he
did
.
The
parlour
door
stood
open
,
and
he
could
see
his
old
friend
writing
busily
and
steadily
at
the
table
within
,
while
the
little
Midshipman
,
already
sheltered
from
the
night
dews
,
watched
him
from
the
counter
;
under
which
Rob
the
Grinder
made
his
own
bed
,
preparatory
to
shutting
the
shop
.
Reassured
by
the
tranquillity
that
reigned
within
the
precincts
of
the
wooden
mariner
,
the
Captain
headed
for
Brig
Place
,
resolving
to
weigh
anchor
betimes
in
the
morning
.
CHAPTER
XXIV
The
Study
of
a
Loving
Heart
SIR
BARNET
and
Lady
Skettles
,
very
good
people
,
resided
in
a
pretty
villa
at
Fulham
,
on
the
banks
of
the
Thames
;
which
was
one
of
the
most
desirable
residences
in
the
world
when
a
rowing-match
happened
to
be
going
past
,
but
had
its
little
inconveniences
at
other
times
,
among
which
may
be
enumerated
the
occasional
appearance
of
the
river
in
the
drawing-room
,
and
the
contemporaneous
disappearance
of
the
lawn
and
shrubbery
.
Sir
Barnett
Skettles
expressed
his
personal
consequence
chiefly
through
an
antique
gold
snuff-box
,
and
a
ponderous
silk
pocket-handkerchief
,
which
he
had
an
imposing
manner
of
drawing
out
of
his
pocket
like
a
banner
,
and
using
with
both
hands
at
once
.
Sir
Barnet
's
object
in
life
was
constantly
to
extend
the
range
of
his
acquaintance
.
Like
a
heavy
body
dropped
into
water
—
not
to
disparage
so
worthy
a
gentleman
by
the
comparison
—
it
was
in
the
nature
of
things
that
Sir
Barnet
must
spread
an
ever-widening
circle
about
him
,
until
there
was
no
room
left
.
Or
,
like
a
sound
in
air
,
the
vibration
of
which
,
according
to
the
speculation
of
an
ingenious
modern
philosopher
,
may
go
on
travelling
for
ever
through
the
interminable
fields
of
space
,
nothing
but
coming
to
the
end
of
his
moral
tether
could
stop
Sir
Barnet
Skettles
in
his
voyage
of
discovery
through
the
social
system
.
Sir
Barnet
was
proud
of
making
people
acquainted
with
people
.
He
liked
the
thing
for
its
own
sake
,
and
it
advanced
his
favourite
object
too
.
For
example
,
if
Sir
Barnet
had
the
good
fortune
to
get
hold
of
a
raw
recruit
,
or
a
country
gentleman
,
and
ensnared
him
to
his
hospitable
villa
,
Sir
Barnet
would
say
to
him
,
on
the
morning
after
his
arrival
,
`
Now
,
my
dear
Sir
,
is
there
anybody
you
would
like
to
know
?
Who
is
there
you
would
wish
to
meet
?
Do
you
take
any
interest
in
writing
people
,
or
in
painting
or
sculpturing
people
,
or
in
acting
people
,
or
in
anything
of
that
sort
?
´
Possibly
the
patient
answered
yes
,
and
mentioned
somebody
,
of
whom
Sir
Barnet
had
no
more
personal
knowledge
than
of
Ptolemy
the
Great
.
Sir
Barnet
replied
,
that
nothing
on
earth
was
easier
,
as
he
knew
him
very
well
:
immediately
called
on
the
aforesaid
somebody
,
left
his
card
,
wrote
a
short
note
,
—
`
My
dear
Sir
—
penalty
of
your
eminent
position
—
friend
at
my
house
naturally
desirous
—
Lady
Skettles
and
myself
participate
—
trust
that
genius
being
superior
to
ceremonies
,
you
will
do
us
the
distinguished
favour
of
giving
us
the
pleasure
,
´
etc.
,
etc.
—
and
so
killed
a
brace
of
birds
with
one
stone
,
dead
as
door-nails
.
With
the
snuff-box
and
banner
in
full
force
,
Sir
Barnet
Skettles
propounded
his
usual
inquiry
to
Florence
on
the
first
morning
of
her
visit
.
When
Florence
thanked
him
,
and
said
there
was
no
one
in
particular
whom
she
desired
to
see
,
it
was
natural
she
should
think
with
a
pang
,
of
poor
lost
Walter
.
When
Sir
Barnet
Skettles
,
urging
his
kind
offer
,
said
,
`
My
dear
Miss
Dombey
,
are
you
sure
you
can
remember
no
one
whom
your
good
papa
—
to
whom
I
beg
you
to
present
the
best
compliments
of
myself
and
Lady
Skettles
when
you
write
—
might
wish
you
to
know
?
'
it
was
natural
,
perhaps
,
that
her
poor
head
should
droop
a
little
,
and
that
her
voice
should
tremble
as
it
softly
answered
in
the
negative
.
Skettles
Junior
,
much
stiffened
as
to
his
cravat
,
and
sobered
down
as
to
his
spirits
,
was
at
home
for
the
holidays
,
and
appeared
to
feel
himself
aggrieved
by
the
solicitude
of
his
excellent
mother
that
he
should
be
attentive
to
Florence
.
Another
and
a
deeper
injury
under
which
the
soul
of
young
Barnet
chafed
,
was
the
company
of
Dr.
and
Mrs.
Blimber
,
who
had
been
invited
on
a
visit
to
the
paternal
roof-tree
,
and
of
whom
the
young
gentleman
often
said
he
would
have
preferred
their
passing
the
vacation
at
Jericho
.
`
Is
there
anybody
you
can
suggest
now
,
Doctor
Blimber
?
´
said
Sir
Barnet
Skettles
,
turning
to
that
gentleman
.
`
You
are
very
kind
,
Sir
Barnet
,
´
returned
Doctor
Blimber
.
`
Really
I
am
not
aware
that
there
is
,
in
particular
.
I
like
to
know
my
fellow-men
in
general
,
Sir
Barnet
.
What
does
Terence
say
?
Any
one
who
is
the
parent
of
a
son
is
interesting
to
me
.
´
`
Has
Mrs.
Blimber
any
wish
to
see
any
remarkable
person
?
´
asked
Sir
Barnet
,
courteously
.
Mrs.
Blimber
replied
,
with
a
sweet
smile
and
a
shake
of
her
sky-blue
cap
,
that
if
Sir
Barnet
could
have
made
her
known
to
Cicero
,
she
would
have
troubled
him
;
but
such
an
introduction
not
being
feasible
,
and
she
already
enjoying
the
friendship
of
himself
and
his
amiable
lady
,
and
possessing
with
the
Doctor
her
husband
their
joint
confidence
in
regard
to
their
dear
son
—
here
young
Barnet
was
observed
to
curl
his
nose
—
she
asked
no
more
.
Sir
Barnet
was
fain
,
under
these
circumstances
,
to
content
himself
for
the
time
with
the
company
assembled
.
Florence
was
glad
of
that
;
for
she
had
a
study
to
pursue
among
them
,
and
it
lay
too
near
her
heart
,
and
was
too
precious
and
momentous
,
to
yield
to
any
other
interest
.
There
were
some
children
staying
in
the
house
.
Children
who
were
as
frank
and
happy
with
fathers
and
with
mothers
as
those
rosy
faces
opposite
home
.
Children
who
had
no
restraint
upon
their
love
,
and
freely
showed
it
.
Florence
sought
to
learn
their
secret
;
sought
to
find
out
what
it
was
she
had
missed
;
what
simple
art
they
knew
,
and
she
knew
not
;
how
she
could
be
taught
by
them
to
show
her
father
that
she
loved
him
,
and
to
win
his
love
again
.
Many
a
day
did
Florence
thoughtfully
observe
these
children
.
On
many
a
bright
morning
did
she
leave
her
bed
when
the
glorious
sun
rose
,
and
walking
up
and
down
upon
the
river
's
bank
,
before
any
one
in
the
house
was
stirring
,
look
up
at
the
windows
of
their
rooms
,
and
think
of
them
,
asleep
,
so
gently
tended
and
affectionately
thought
of
.
Florence
would
feel
more
lonely
then
,
than
in
the
great
house
all
alone
;
and
would
think
sometimes
that
she
was
better
there
than
here
,
and
that
there
was
greater
peace
in
hiding
herself
than
in
mingling
with
others
of
her
age
,
and
finding
how
unlike
them
all
she
was
.
But
attentive
to
her
study
,
though
it
touched
her
to
the
quick
at
every
little
leaf
she
turned
in
the
hard
book
,
Florence
remained
among
them
,
and
tried
with
patient
hope
,
to
gain
the
knowledge
that
she
wearied
for
.
Ah
!
how
to
gain
it
!
how
to
know
the
charm
in
its
beginning
!
There
were
daughters
here
,
who
rose
up
in
the
morning
,
and
lay
down
to
rest
at
night
,
possessed
of
fathers
´
hearts
already
.
They
had
no
repulse
to
overcome
,
no
coldness
to
dread
,
no
frown
to
smooth
away
.
As
the
morning
advanced
,
and
the
windows
opened
one
by
one
,
and
the
dew
began
to
dry
upon
the
flowers
and
grass
,
and
youthful
feet
began
to
move
upon
the
lawn
,
Florence
,
glancing
round
at
the
bright
faces
,
thought
what
was
there
she
could
learn
from
these
children
?
It
was
too
late
to
learn
from
them
;
each
could
approach
her
father
fearlessly
,
and
put
up
her
lips
to
meet
the
ready
kiss
,
and
wind
her
arm
about
the
neck
that
bent
down
to
caress
her
.
She
could
not
begin
by
being
so
bold
.
Oh
!
could
it
be
that
there
was
less
and
less
hope
as
she
studied
more
and
more
!
She
remembered
well
,
that
even
the
old
woman
who
had
robbed
her
when
a
little
child
—
whose
image
and
whose
house
,
and
all
she
had
said
and
done
,
were
stamped
upon
her
recollection
,
with
the
enduring
sharpness
of
a
fearful
impression
made
at
that
early
period
of
life
—
had
spoken
fondly
of
her
daughter
,
and
how
terribly
even
she
had
cried
out
in
the
pain
of
hopeless
separation
from
her
child
.
But
her
own
mother
,
she
would
think
again
,
when
she
recalled
this
,
had
loved
her
well
.
Then
,
sometimes
,
when
her
thoughts
reverted
swiftly
to
the
void
between
herself
and
her
father
,
Florence
would
tremble
,
and
the
tears
would
start
upon
her
face
,
as
she
pictured
to
herself
her
mother
living
on
,
and
coming
also
to
dislike
her
,
because
of
her
wanting
the
unknown
grace
that
should
conciliate
that
father
naturally
,
and
had
never
done
so
from
her
cradle
.
She
knew
that
this
imagination
did
wrong
to
her
mother
's
memory
,
and
had
no
truth
in
it
,
or
base
to
rest
upon
;
and
yet
she
tried
so
hard
to
justify
him
,
and
to
find
the
whole
blame
in
herself
,
that
she
could
not
resist
its
passing
,
like
a
wild
cloud
,
through
the
distance
of
her
mind
.
There
came
among
the
other
visitors
,
soon
after
Florence
,
one
beautiful
girl
,
three
or
four
years
younger
than
she
,
who
was
an
orphan
child
,
and
who
was
accompanied
by
her
aunt
,
a
grey-haired
lady
,
who
spoke
much
to
Florence
,
and
who
greatly
liked
(
but
that
they
all
did
)
to
hear
her
sing
of
an
evening
,
and
would
always
sit
near
her
at
that
time
,
with
motherly
interest
.
They
had
only
been
two
days
in
the
house
,
when
Florence
,
being
in
an
arbour
in
the
garden
one
warm
morning
,
musingly
observant
of
a
youthful
group
upon
the
turf
,
through
some
intervening
boughs
,
and
wreathing
flowers
for
the
head
of
one
little
creature
among
them
who
was
the
pet
and
plaything
of
the
rest
,
heard
this
same
lady
and
her
niece
,
in
placing
up
and
down
a
sheltered
nook
close
by
,
speak
of
herself
.
`
Is
Florence
an
orphan
like
me
,
aunt
?
´
said
the
child
.
`
No
,
my
love
.
She
has
no
mother
,
but
her
father
is
living
.
´
`
Is
she
in
mourning
for
her
poor
mama
,
now
?
´
inquired
the
child
quickly
.
`
No
;
for
her
only
brother
.
´
`
Has
she
no
other
brother
?
´
`
None
.
´
`
No
sister
?
´
`
None
.
´
`
I
am
very
,
very
sorry
!
´
said
the
little
girl
.
As
they
stopped
soon
afterwards
to
watch
some
boats
,
and
had
been
silent
in
the
meantime
,
Florence
,
who
had
risen
when
she
heard
her
name
,
and
had
gathered
up
her
flowers
to
go
and
meet
them
,
that
they
might
know
of
her
being
within
hearing
,
resumed
her
seat
and
work
,
expecting
to
hear
no
more
;
but
the
conversation
recommenced
next
moment
.
`
Florence
is
a
favourite
with
every
one
here
,
and
deserves
to
be
,
I
am
sure
,
'
said
the
child
,
earnestly
.
`
Where
is
her
papa
?
´
The
aunt
replied
,
after
a
moment
's
pause
,
that
she
did
not
know
.
Her
tone
of
voice
arrested
Florence
,
who
had
started
from
her
seat
again
;
and
held
her
fastened
to
the
spot
,
with
her
work
hastily
caught
up
to
her
bosom
,
and
her
two
hands
saving
it
from
being
scattered
on
the
ground
.
`
He
is
in
England
,
I
hope
,
aunt
?
´
said
the
child
.
`
I
believe
so
.
Yes
;
I
know
he
is
,
indeed
.
´
`
Has
he
ever
been
here
?
´
`
I
believe
not
.
No.
´
`
Is
he
coming
here
to
see
her
?
´
`
I
believe
not
.
´
`
Is
he
lame
,
or
blind
,
or
ill
,
aunt
?
´
asked
the
child
.
The
flowers
that
Florence
held
to
her
breast
began
to
fall
when
she
heard
those
words
,
so
wonderingly
spoken
.
She
held
them
closer
;
and
her
face
hung
down
upon
them
.
`
Kate
,
´
said
the
lady
,
after
another
moment
of
silence
,
`
I
will
tell
you
the
whole
truth
about
Florence
as
I
have
heard
it
,
and
believe
it
to
be
.
Tell
no
one
else
,
my
dear
,
because
it
may
be
little
known
here
,
and
your
doing
so
would
give
her
pain
.
´
`
I
never
will
!
´
exclaimed
the
child
.
`
I
know
you
never
will
,
´
returned
the
lady
.
`
I
can
trust
you
as
myself
.
I
fear
then
,
Kate
,
that
Florence
's
father
cares
little
for
her
,
very
seldom
sees
her
,
never
was
kind
to
her
in
her
life
,
and
now
quite
shuns
her
and
avoids
her
.
She
would
love
him
dearly
if
he
would
suffer
her
,
but
he
will
not
—
though
for
no
fault
of
hers
;
and
she
is
greatly
to
be
loved
and
pitied
by
all
gentle
hearts
.
´
More
of
the
flowers
that
Florence
held
,
fell
scattering
on
the
ground
;
those
that
remained
were
wet
,
but
not
with
dew
;
and
her
face
dropped
upon
her
laden
hands
.
`
Poor
Florence
!
Dear
,
good
Florence
!
´
cried
the
child
.
`
Do
you
know
why
I
have
told
you
this
,
Kate
?
´
said
the
lady
.
`
That
I
may
be
very
kind
to
her
,
and
take
great
care
to
try
to
please
her
.
Is
that
the
reason
,
aunt
?
´
`
Partly
,
´
said
the
lady
,
`
but
not
all
.
Though
we
see
her
so
cheerful
;
with
a
pleasant
smile
for
every
one
;
ready
to
oblige
us
all
,
and
bearing
her
part
in
every
amusement
here
:
she
can
hardly
be
quite
happy
,
do
you
think
she
can
,
Kate
?
´
`
I
am
afraid
not
,
´
said
the
little
girl
.
`
And
you
can
understand
,
´
pursued
the
lady
,
`
why
her
observation
of
children
who
have
parents
who
are
fond
of
them
,
and
proud
of
them
—
like
many
here
,
just
now
—
should
make
her
sorrowful
in
secret
?
´
`
Yes
,
dear
aunt
,
´
said
the
child
,
`
I
understand
that
very
well
.
Poor
Florence
!
´
More
flowers
strayed
upon
the
ground
,
and
those
she
yet
held
to
her
breast
trembled
as
if
a
wintry
wind
were
rustling
them
.
`
My
Kate
,
´
said
the
lady
,
whose
voice
was
serious
,
but
very
calm
and
sweet
,
and
had
so
impressed
Florence
from
the
first
moment
of
her
hearing
it
,
`
of
all
the
youthful
people
here
,
you
are
her
natural
and
harmless
friend
;
you
have
not
the
innocent
means
,
that
happier
children
have
—
´
`
There
are
none
happier
,
aunt
!
´
exclaimed
the
child
,
who
seemed
to
cling
about
her
.
`
—
As
other
children
have
,
dear
Kate
,
of
reminding
her
of
her
misfortune
.
Therefore
I
would
have
you
,
when
you
try
to
be
her
little
friend
,
try
all
the
more
for
that
,
and
feel
that
the
bereavement
you
sustained
—
thank
Heaven
!
before
you
knew
its
weight
—
gives
you
claim
and
hold
upon
poor
Florence
.
´
`
But
I
am
not
without
a
parent
's
love
,
aunt
,
and
I
