The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-07-29

lie
aMy dearest love-" said Cleopatra, "do
you hear what Mr.. Dombey saysl All, my
dear Dombey!" aside to that gentleman,
" How her absence, as the time approaches,
reminds me of the days, when that most
agreeable of creatures, her papa, was In
your situation J"
have nothing TO suggest. IT shall De
when you please" said Edith, scarcely
looking over the table at Mr.. Dombey.
"To-morrowl I" suggested Mr. Dombey.
aIf you please"
"Or would next day." said Mr.. Dombey,
6 suit your engagements better I"
81 have no engagements. am always
at your disposal. Let it be when you like"
"No engagements, my dear Edith" re-
her mother; "when you are in
q most terrible state Of furry all day long,
and have thousand and one appointments
with all sorts Of uadespeople!"
"They are of your making" returned
Edith, turning on her with slight contrac-
ton Of her brow. "You and Mr.. Dombey
can arrange between you"
very true, indeed, my love, and most
considerate of you! !" said Cleopatra. "My
darling Florence, you must really come and
kiss me once more, if you please, my dear"
Singular coincidence, that these gushes
of interest hurried Cleopatra away from al
most every dialogue in which Edith had q
share, however triaing! Florence had GER
tainly never undergone SO much embracing,
and perhaps had never been, unconsciously,
30 useful in her life.
Mr.. Dombey was far from quarrelling in
his own breast, with the manner Of his
beautiful betrothed. He had that good rea-
son for sympathy with haughtiness and
GOODNESS, which is found in fellow feel
ing. II fattered him to think how these
deferred to him in Editli's case, and SEEM
ed to have no will apart from his. 1t fiat
tered him to picture to himself, this proud
and stately woman doing the honors Of his
guests after his own manner. The dignity
Of Dombey and Son would be heightened
and maintained, indeed, in such hands.
+ So thought Mr.. Dombey, when he was
left alone at the dining-table, and unused
upon his past and future fortunes; finding
no uncongeniality in an air of scant and
gloomy state, that pervaded the room, in
color dark brown, with dark Indictments
Of pictures blotching the walls, and twenty
four black chairs, with almost as many nails
in them as 80 many collins; waiting like
mutes upon the Threshold of the Turkey
carpet; and two exhausted negroes holding
up two withered branches Of candelabra
on the sideboard, and a. musty smell pre-
vailing, as if the ashes Of ten thousand
dinners were entombed in the sarcophagus
below it. The owner of the house lived
much abroad; the air Of England seldom
agreed long with member of the Feenix
family and the room had gradually put
itself into deeper and still deeper mourning
for him, until it was become so funereal
as to want nothing but body in it 10 be
quite complete.
No bad representation of the body for
the nonce, in his unbending form, if not in
his attitude, Mr.. Dombey looked down in
to the cold depths Of the dead sea Of mo-
hogany on which the fruit-dishes and de-
canfers lay -.---I--, - IS A. --Ljoo.. "
his thoughts were rising toward the sur
face one by one, and plunging down again.
Edith was there in all her majesty of brow
and figure and close to her, came Florence,
with her timid head turned tow ard him,
as it had been, for an instant, when she left
the room; and Edith's eye upon her, and
Edith's hand put out protectingly. A little
figure in low armchair came springing
next into light, and looked upon him won
deringly, with it's bright eyes and its old
young face cleaning as in the Pickering Of
an evening fire. Again came Florence close
upon il and absorbed his whole attention.
Whether as fore-doomed difficulty and
disappointment to him , whether as a rival
who had crossed him in his way, and might
again whether as his child, Of whom, in
his successful wooing, he could stoop to
think, as claiming, at such time, to be no
more estranged; or whether as a hint to
him that the mere appearance Of caring for
his own blood should be maintained in his
new relations he best knew. Indifferent
ly well, perhaps, at best; for marriage COM
pany, and marriage affairs, and ambitious
scenes--stll blotted here and there with
Florence--always Florence-turned up SO
fast and so confusedly, that he rose, and
went up stairs to escape them.
It was quite late at night before candles
were brought; for at present they only
made Mrs. Skewton's head ache, she COM
planned and ia the meantime Florence and
Mrs. Skewton talked together, (Cleopatrs
being very anxious to keep her close tc
herself), or Florence touched the piano soft
ly for Mrs. Skewton's delight; to make nc
mention of few occasions in the course
of the evening, when that affectionate lady
was impelled to solicit another kiss, ant
which always happened after Edith hac
said anything. They were not many, how.
ever, for Edith sat apart by an open win
dow during the whole time lin spite Of he
mothers fears that she would take cold ,ant
remained there until Mr.. Dombey tool
his leave He was serenely gracious t
Florence when he did so; and Florenc,
went to bed in room within Edith's, 81
happy and hopeful, that she thought Of he