New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-12-21
NEW-YORIl TRIBUNE.
PART III. ENTIRE.
DEALINGS WITH THE FIRM Of
DOMBEY AND SON,
WHOLESALE. RETAIL AND FOR EXPLORATION
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

BY CHARLES DICKENS.
CHAPTER VIII.

TauIs fatVrc PrQ9ress CrDuctk, md CbcTqc,cr
BrSEArH the watching aud attentive eyes OF
Tlme-so far another Maior-PaulS sIumbcrs grad
ually changed More and moro tight broke IN upon
Them distincter and distinctcr dreams disturbed
them an accommodating crowd Of objects and impress
sions swarincd about his rest md so he passed
from baby hood to childhood, aud became talking.
walking wondering Domhcy
On the downfall and bailshmcnt Of Richards, the
nursery may be sad to have hccnput INTO commits
sion as Public Department is sometimes, when
no individual Atlas can be found TO support II. The
Commissioners were, Of course, Mrs. Chick and
Miss Tox who devoted themselves to their duties
with such astonishing ardor that Major Bagstock
had every day some reminder of his being for
'saken while Mr. Chick, bercft OF domestic super
vision, cast himself upon the gay world dlncd at
clubs mud coffee houses, smclt oil smoke on three
distinct occasions went to the play by himself aud
in short lvoscned las Mrs. Chick once told HIM
every social bond and moral obligation
Yet, III spite Of bis. early promise. all this vSi-
lance and care could Hot make little Paul thriving
boy Naturally delicate perhaps, he pined and
wasted after the dismissal OF his nurse, and, Tor
long time seemed but to wait his opportunity OF
gliding through their hands, and seeking his lost
mother This dangerous ground in his stceplc
chase toward manhood passed lie stu found livery
roach ridiag and grevously besct by all the
Obstacles ia his course. Every tooth was break
neck fence and every pimpc IN the measles stone
wall to hun. He w0s down in every Ill oi the
hopping cough and rolled upon and crushed by n
whole field Of small diseases, that came trooping on
each others heels to prevent his getting mp again.
Some bird of prey got INTO his throat instead OF tue
thrush and the very chickens turning erocious-
thew have anything to do with that infant maadv
20 which they lend their name-worled hmlike IL
gercats.
The chill of Paus Christening had struck home,
perhaps to some sensitive part OF his nature. which
could not itself in the cold shade of his Ia
Their but he WAS an unfortunate child from that
day. Mrs. Wicham often said she never see adear
so put upon.
Mrs Wickam was waters wlfe.-which
would seem equivalent TO being any other mans
widow-whose application tor an engagement IN
Mr. Dombeys service had been iavoraby consid
cred on account of the apparent impossibllity OF
her having any followers, or any one 10 follow aud
who from within day two OF Pauls sharp
weaning had been engaged as his nurse. Mrs.
Wckam was meek woman, OF n fair complexion,
with her eyebrows always elevated. and her head
always dropping; who was always ready to pity
herself or to be pited to pity any body else and
who had a surprising natural gift OF viewing all
subjects in utterly lororn and Pltiable light and
bringing dreadful precedcnts to bear upon them
and deriving the greatest consolation from the eA
ercse OF that talent.
1t is hardly necessary to observe, that no touch
of this quality reached the magnificent knowl'
edge of Mr. Dombey. 1t would have been re-
markable indeed, if any had when no one IN the
house--not even Mrs Chick or Miss Tox-dared
ever whisper to him that there had, any one oc
eason been the least reason fer uneasness in ref
erence to little Paul. He had settled within him
self that the child must necessarily pass through
certain routine OF minor mnadlcs, and that the
sooner hc did the better. III he could have
bought him of or provided substitute, rs III the
case of nm uulucky drawing for the militia he would
have been glad TO do SO, on liberal terms. But as
this was not feasible. he merely wondered. in his
naughty manner now and then what Nature meant
by il; and comtorted himself with tho reflection
,hartl laStO pnsSHu
road and that thu great end Of the journey lay SO
much the nearer. For tho feeling uppcrmost III his
mind now and constantly ntcnslyin6. and ncreos
INK in it rs Paul grow older was impotence I'm
patience for the time To come when his VISIONS OF
their united consequence aud grandeur WOULD DC
trumphantly realized,
Some philosophers tell us that scllishness rs at
tue root OF our best loves and affections. Mr. Dom.
beys young child was, from the beginning SO dis
tnc,y important to him as part OF has own great
ness or (which is the same thing OF the greatness
Of Dombey and Son that there is no doubt his pa
rental affection might have been easily traced, hike
many goodly superstructure OF tar tame, to avery
lew foundation. But he loved his son with all the
lcvc he had II there were warm place IN his
frosty heart his son occupied 1t ii its very hard
surface could receive the impression OF any image
the IMAGE of that son was there tho3Sh not SO
much as an infant or rs boy, but as grown man
the SON oithe Firm Therefore he was I'M
patient TO advance INTO the future, and 10 hurry
orc lie had little or no anxiety about them IN spite
If his love feeling as il the boy had charmed
htc and mast become the man with whom he held
such constant communication in his thoughts and
to- whom he planned and projected as Tor an exist
ing reality. every day.
Thus Paul grew To bc nearly live wears old lie
WAS pretty Gttlc fellow though there was some.
thing and wisttul in his small face, that gave
occasion 10 many significant shakes OF Mrs, Wick
am $ head. and many ionc-trawn inspirations OF
promise ci beng impcriouS ia alter lie aud he had
as hopeful an apprehension OF his own Importance,
and the richu subscryicncc OF all other things and
persons 10 IT. heart could desire he was child
ish and Sportive enough at times and not OF sui
len (isposition but he had strange old fashioned,
thoughtful way at other times OF sitting eroodias
In his miniature arm char when he looked land
talkeC like one OF those terrible little Beings IN
the any tales who at hundred and htty or two
hundred wears OF ave. iastastically represent the
children Tor whom they have been substituted he
would frequently BE- stricken with this precociouS
mood up stairs in the nursery, and would some
times lapse INTO it suddenly, cxc!simiuS that he
was tired even while playing with Florence, or
driving Miss Tox iii single harn9ss. But at no time
did he fall into it surely when. his little char
BEING carried down into his fathers room. he sat
there with him after dinner by the fire. They were
the straucest pair at such time that ever freight
shone upcn Mr., Dombey erect and solemn,
gazing al the blaze; his little image. with an old.
old face peernS into the red perspective with the
liked and rapt attention OF sage. Mr.. Dombey
entertaining complicated worldly schemes and plans
tho little image entertaining, Heaven knows what
wild tancses, haltformed thoughts. and wandering
specalat'ons, Mr.. Donibey stiff with starch and
arrogance the little image by inheritance. and IN
0nconsciouS imitation The two ST. very much alike.
and vet so nlonstrously eontrastcd
Ga one OF these .occasinHs when they had both
been perfectly quiet fer lcas time aad NJ Dom
hey oGly knew that the child was awake by ucca
sonally eancing a. his eye. where the bright ire
was sparkling like jewel little Paul broke 81,
!ence thus:
Papa what's money Z!
The abrup, question had such immediate refer.
ence 70 the subject of Mr.. Dombeys thoughts that
ar Dombey was quite disconnected.
What Is money Paul = ne answered
Money :"
Yes, said the child laying his hands upon the
eoows OF his little chair, and farming tho old face
up toward Mr Dombay's what is money