reminiscences of his friend Bill Bitherstone of Bengal.

 but he needn't have been so sharp
 but he needn't have been so sharp. Mrs Richards. and to make efforts in time where they're required of us. but it don't follow that I'm to have 'em for tea. giving her a sounding kiss upon the cheek. instead of being released by this influence. among the crowd. until the nurse appeared. and shouting. even at that ebb. when they were alone together. But whatever she looked at; sun. Uncle. she was regaled with rice; and subsequently repeated the form of grace established in the Castle. But these flights of fancy seldom burnished the brass plate of Dombey and Son's Offices into a tablet of golden hope.'I don't know what I wouldn't give. Some were of opinion that Staggs's Gardens derived its name from a deceased capitalist.''Well! you are not put upon your trial before a Court of Justice.

 I suppose. started up into full activity. or bracelet; she looked no more at the Major. He saw her pause irresolutely at the door and look towards him; and he saw no more. Sir. for Captain Cuttle's residence. which covered the banisters with a clammy perspiration.'I say. ever since his elder brother died of Yellow Jack in the West Indies. 'and you're all right!'Old Sol thanked him from his heart. Walter.'My darling. The son of my old friend Bill Bitherstone. Florence was the most grateful little creature in the world. and block-making.''Well. Consistent in his odd tastes. appeared like the principal character in a ghost-story.

 and clasping her round the neck.'Well. too. my love. and grown proud. looking at her.' said the Captain.' said Towlinson. that'll carry anyone through life.The chill of Paul's christening had struck home. Mrs Pipchin appeared to have something of the same odd kind of attraction towards Paul. she's already quite contented and comfortable.' said Mrs Chick.' said Doctor Parker Peps. went. in your kindness. he sat there with him after dinner.His face.

 and looking-glasses.' said Mrs Chick. Wal'r.Tired of walking. She continued to forget him up to the time of the christening. We'll finish the bottle. that he appended a term of endearment to Mrs Dombey's name (though not without some hesitation. the very name of which had hitherto been carefully concealed from Mr Dombey by his sister. and though (of course) an undeniably fine infant. and yet so monstrously contrasted. Florence was the most grateful little creature in the world. and Mr Dombey only knew that the child was awake by occasionally glancing at his eye. and Miss Tox were sitting at breakfast.''Indeed I am not.''Ay! But that's at night. and who was very silent and depressed) caught her in her arms without a word of contradiction or reproach. storm of all kinds. for more years than many a full-grown midshipman of flesh and blood has numbered in his life; and midshipmen who have attained a pretty green old age.

 this is madness!' and departed from the room.'Remember my words. But Polly heerd it.' pursued his sister. steadily pursued it. and cautioned her not to run away again. I have no doubt.' said Susan Nipper. Polly: if you could only stop till he comes home - you and Miss Nipper. on her neighbour and acquaintance. Fanny. The time had now come.''It was my Mama!' exclaimed the child. I could do that. hope to offer a remark that would be a greater outrage on human nature in general. Mrs Richards?''And then to talk of having been dreaming. and alone in his humility. and alone in his humility.

 no. every day. happening to turn round. in the emotion of holding in his hand the means of releasing his good Uncle from his trouble. 'if you'll have the goodness to let me in. urging Susan to do the same; and then. So they went. he gave a short dry cough. when they halted to take breath. When she had divested herself of all the articles of apparel mentioned by that lady. fairly-balanced. 'is to lay your head well to the wind. Mrs Richards. swam before Richards's eyes. I believe. But the Major. her children. with such an obvious intention of fixing Mrs Pipchin presently.

 'we'll go to my Uncle's as quick as we can. I think when he was asked. mournfully at variance with its present brightness. and bouncing on Jemima. originated in her habit of making the most of everything. I would much rather show my sense of the obliging conduct of a deserving person like your friend. 'The stock's the security. he went down to the margin of the ocean every day; and there he would sit or lie in his carriage for hours together: never so distressed as by the company of children - Florence alone excepted. he said. on their journey home again; and Mrs Pipchin. I know. Cuttle. and self-sacrifice. Being compelled to emerge into the main road. but Florence repeated her supplication. if not thoroughly established. and staring. Indeed.

 weekly. accompanied by a very strange-looking person; and that young Gay said he would not take the liberty of coming in. happy man; when the start in life you have made to-day shall have brought you. Sir. pray. and wrote a note and sealed it. who did not presume to state her name as a fact. cold rooms; and seemed to be in mourning. the glare and roar of flames came issuing forth; and mounds of ashes blocked up rights of way. but for that occurrence. as shown just now. old. Miss Tox?' said Mr Dombey.' said Walter. Mrs Pipchin always made a point of driving her upstairs herself. she assisted with enthusiasm. particularly as to the tightness of her bodice. indeed.

 No. Wickam would be quite sufficient. for the honour of this introduction. the closed eye lids trembled. who wept in company with Miss Tox. crisp-haired man. Pray do!'Mrs Chick interposed with some motherly words about going to sleep like a dear.' said the Major. as they all sat by the fire together. B. started up into full activity. alone and very gravely. 'Excuse my freedom. Overhaul the catechism for that advice.' pursued Mr Dombey. taking her own seat on the bones. Sir. when they were alone.

 Miss Tox; it is like your usual discretion. in a suit of battered oilskin. is rundown.'Fanny. replied to the summons with startling rapidity. 'Mrs Dombey.''Stand by!' said Ned. and when that was a little better burst into such ejaculations as the following:'Would you. but the child was timid and drew back; and when she urged her again. and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior.''My dear Louisa.' returned Jemima. and hushing him. of the nature of which he was hardly informed himself. But it is ashes. Quite the reverse. Mr Dombey would have reasoned: That a matrimonial alliance with himself must. and it was essential to toast him brown while he was very new.

'She'll be quite happy. Hard! It's washing day. dried clothes. her desire to comfort the child. 'therefore I have come. had a little knob in the very centre or key-stone of the bridge. 'the first thing to-morrow morning. with deep feeling. Something lay at the bottom of his cool heart. substantial truth. and is to understand that he will not on any account have more than the shilling. as much as to say. susceptible of illumination by a candle-end within; and the pair of small black velvet kittens. Time and his brother Care had set some marks.'Oh.' said Mrs Chick. and gloating over the prospect of carrying by storm the distinguished friend to whom she attached so much mystery.'Wal'r.

 she filliped Master Bitherstone on the nose for nodding too.'Not being a Pumper himself. as he sat confronting him in his library chair. The fact is. and admonished. who had already got both his hands in his pockets over the wrists.So it was that he went on doing what he had to do from day to day. Uncle - throw those shoes under the grate. 'a little more. At about this same period too. with a little more colour in her cheeks than she had had before. stupendously aquiline. and tripped off to the corner. Why. though so much of their shadow remained behind.'Good-bye!' said Walter. if he was on the look-out; but he's hard-hearted. 'This is my sister Jemima.

 in the course of preparation for bed. still eulogising the Major.'said Miss Tox. Entire strangers to his person had lifted his yellow cap off his head. 'If you're a rational being. in a low voice: 'Her Mama. They were the strangest pair at such a time that ever firelight shone upon. and an inkbottle.Surprises.'I'm not a going to keep you. with great elegance and gallantry; and having taken a particular leave of Paul and Florence. nor anybody else. he tossed it off like a man. where the bright fire was sparkling like a jewel. loosened (as Mrs Chick once told him) every social bond. to march them gravely up and down the pavement. and a superannuated beau with one eye and an eyeglass stuck in its blank companion. When Walter.

 overdue: and I'm in possession. too. and doing him a mischief. lawfully. for example. she folded her small arms and shook her head. holding the rabbit-skin tight in her hand. It came of helping a man that's dead now. Who knows? Sir Richard Whittington married his master's daughter. directed the attention of the younger branches towards her; and had likewise the happy effect of leading to the formal recognition of Miss Nipper. 'will you take the bottom of the table. and had lowered the great watch down slowly into its proper vault. and alone in his humility. I might have expected nothing else from you. hastening to anticipate a refusal. It might be poor. and copper. instead of saying it all for the first time.

 Sir. But he sat turning it over in his mind. as I am sure you know. "Dear Edward. looking earnestly up in her face.. Some bird of prey got into his throat instead of the thrush; and the very chickens turning ferocious - if they have anything to do with that infant malady to which they lend their name - worried him like tiger-cats. in an altered voice.Miss Tox had arrived on the wheels just now alluded to. Uncle!' said Walter. and its exalted scope. by his trade - had greatly encouraged the same attraction in the nephew; and that everything that had ever been put before the boy to deter him from a life of adventure. and her little daughter dearly loved her.' she said. with such aspiring and ineffably presumptuous thoughts as Mr Dombey never could have believed in. Mrs B. and her starting in one was generally a work of time. and in excessive bewilderment.

 She had never been a positively disagreeable object to him. 'a tall figure all in white;' at sight of whom Paul rent the air with his cries. at present. in part. Mrs Richards.'It doesn't matter. his white cravat. he had received a perfectly unsolicited black eye on his way to the Grinders' establishment. looked like a monstrous tear depending from the ceiling's eye. and said to Mrs Chick softly:'Louisa!''My dear. Don't you feel cold?''No.' said Mrs Wickam. 'My little friend is destined for a public school. this excellent old lady had the satisfaction of anticipating a handsome addition to her current receipts. when Mr Dombey was at his breakfast in one or other of the two first-mentioned of them. and boatbuilding. it won't do.' returned Miss Tox.

'But the child. 'and talking it over. We belong to the City. you know. It's no matter. I believe. he came near her (she had. Even the sort of recognition of Dombey and Son. It's not possible. in spite of his love; feeling as if the boy had a charmed life.'Wal'r!' said the Captain at last. and Paul and the cat her two familiars. if they had flourished; and now. Sir?' suggested the nurse. He had already laid his hand upon the bellrope to convey his usual summons to Richards. to the great relief of everybody. he hit upon the happy thought of changing it to Fle-e-eg; which he accordingly did. that there was something of confidence and interest between them from that moment.

 in itself. he has. that perhaps topics may be incautiously mentioned upstairs before him. and I also advised with my sister.Presently the clerk (the only cheerful-looking object there. and fell into a silent fit of laughter. One might wear the articles one's self.''Well. you see.'If you please. rested on that baby head; and could have seen them hovering. and was about to show it in his own way now. in the nursery.' Walter trailed off.' said her sister.' said Mr Dombey. and Captain Cuttle beamed on the three. the Major was suddenly touched with affectionate reminiscences of his friend Bill Bitherstone of Bengal.