CHAPTER I. Dombey and Son

hereforetobecommendedandupheld)makeththeheartsick.Theyhadbeenmarriedtenyears,anduntilthispresentdayonwhichMrDombeysatjinglingandjinglinghisheavygoldwatch-chaininthegreatarm-chairbythesideofthebed,hadhadnoissue. —Tospeakofnoneworthmentioning.Therehadbeenagirlsomesixyearsbefore,andthechild,whohadstolenintothechamberunobserved,wasnowcrouchingtimidly,inacornerwhenceshecouldseehermother’sface.ButwhatwasagirltoDombeyandSon!InthecapitaloftheHouse’snameanddignity,suchachildwasmerelyapieceofbasecointhatcouldn’tbeinvested—abadBoy—nothingmore. MrDombey’scupofsatisfactionwassofullatthismoment,however,thathefelthecouldaffordadroportwoofitscontents,eventosprinkleonthedustintheby-pathofhislittledaughter. Sohesaid,“Florence,youmaygoandlookatyourprettybrother,ifyoulike,Idaresay.Don’ttouchhim!” Thechildglancedkeenlyatthebluecoatandstiffwhitecravat,which,withapairofcreakingbootsandaveryloudtickingwatch,embodiedherideaofafatherbuthereyesreturnedtohermother’sfaceimmediately,andsheneithermovednoranswered. “Herinsensibilityisasproofagainstabrotherasagainsteverythingelse,”saidMrDombeytohimselfHeseemedsoconfirmedinapreviousopinionbythediscovery,astobequitegladofit.” Nextmoment,theladyhadopenedhereyesandseenthechildandthechildhadruntowardsherand,standingontiptoe,thebettertohideherfaceinherembrace,hadclungaboutherwithadesperateaffectionverymuchatvariancewithheryears. “OhLordblessme!”saidMrDombey,risingtestily.“Averyill-advisedandfeverishproceedingthis,Iamsure.PleasetoringthereforMissFlorence’snurse.Reallythepersonshouldbemorecare-” “Wait!I—hadbetteraskDoctorPepsifhe’llhavethegoodnesstostepupstairsagainperhaps.I’llgodown.I’llgodown.Ineedn’tbegyou,”headded,pausingforamomentatthesetteebeforethefire,“totakeparticularcareofthisyounggentleman,Mrs——” “Blockitt,Sir?”suggestedthenurse,asimperingpieceoffadedgentility,whodidnotpresumetostatehernameasafact,butmerelyoffereditasamildsuggestion. “Ofthisyounggentleman,MrsBlockitt.” “No,Sir,indeed.IrememberwhenMissFlorencewasborn—” “Ay,ay,ay,”saidMrDombey,bendingoverthebasketbedstead,andslightlybendinghisbrowsatthesametime.“MissFlorencewasallverywell,butthisisanothermatter.Thisyounggentlemanhastoaccomplishadestiny.Adestiny,littlefellow!”Ashethusapostrophisedtheinfantheraisedoneofhishandstohislips,andkisseditthen,seemingtofearthattheactioninvolvedsomecompromiseofhisdignity,went,awkwardlyenough,away. DoctorParkerPeps,oneoftheCourtPhysicians,andamanofimmensereputationforassistingattheincreaseofgreatfamilies,waswalkingupanddownthedrawing-roomwithhishandsbehindhim,totheunspeakableadmirationofthefamilySurgeon,whohadregularlypuffedthecaseforthelastsixweeks,amongallhispatients,friends,andacquaintances,asonetowhichhewasinhourlyexpectationdayandnightofbeingsummoned,inconjunctionwithDoctorParkerPep. “Well,Sir,”saidDoctorParkerPepsinaround,deep,sonorousvoice,muffledfortheoccasion,liketheknocker“doyoufindthatyourdearladyisatallrousedbyyourvisit?” “Stimulatedasitwere?”saidthefamilypractitionerfaintly:bowingatthesametimetotheDoctor,asmuchastosay,“Excusemyputtinginaword,butthisisavaluableconnexion.” MrDombeywasquitediscomfitedbythequestion.Hehadthoughtsolittleofthepatient,thathewasnotinaconditiontoanswerit.Hesaidthatitwouldbeasatisfactiontohim,ifDoctorParkerPepswouldwalkupstairsagain. “Good!Wemustnotdisguisefromyou,Sir,”saidDoctorParkerPeps,“thatthereisawantofpowerinHerGracetheDuchess—IbegyourpardonIconfoundnamesIshouldsay,inyouramiablelady.Thatthereisacertaindegreeoflanguor,andageneralabsenceofelasticity,whichwewouldrather—not—” “See,”interposedthefamilypractitionerwithanotherinclinationofthehead. “Quiteso,”saidDoctorParkerPeps,“whichwewouldrathernotsee.ItwouldappearthatthesystemofLadyCankaby—excuseme:IshouldsayofMrsDombey:Iconfusethenamesofcases—” “Soverynumerous,”murmuredthefamilypractitioner—“can’tbeexpectedI’msure—quitewonderfulifotherwise—DoctorParkerPeps’sWest-Endpractice—” “Thankyou,”saidtheDoctor,“quiteso.Itwouldappear,Iwasobserving,thatthesystemofourpatienthassustainedashock,fromwhichitcanonlyhopetorallybyagreatandstrong—” “Andvigorous,”murmuredthefamilypractitioner. “Quiteso,”assentedtheDoctor—“andvigorouseffort.MrPilkinshere,whofromhispositionofmedicaladviserinthisfamily—noonebetterqualifiedtofillthatposition,Iamsure.” “Oh!”murmuredthefamilypractitioner.“‘PraisefromSirHubertStanley!’” “Youaregoodenough,”returnedDoctorParkerPeps,“tosayso.MrPilkinswho,fromhisposition,isbestacquaintedwiththepatient’sconstitutioninitsno