 remarkable woman to permit her recognition
of them to degenerate into weakness. Therefore, after vainly endeavouring to
convince his reason by shakes, pokes, bawlings-out, and similar applications to
his head, she led him into the air, and tried another method; which was
manifested to the marriage party by a quick succession of sharp sounds,
resembling applause, and subsequently, by their seeing Alexander in contact with
the coolest paving-stone in the court, greatly flushed, and loudly lamenting.
    The procession being then in a condition to form itself once more, and
repair to Brig Place, where a marriage feast was in readiness, returned as it
had come; not without the receipt, by Bunsby, of many humorous congratulations
from the populace on his recently-acquired happiness. The Captain accompanied it
as far as the house-door, but, being made uneasy by the gentler manner of Mrs.
Bokum, who, now that she was relieved from her engrossing duty - for the
watchfulness and alacrity of the ladies sensibly diminished when the bridegroom
was safely married - had greater leisure to show an interest in his behalf,
there left it and the captive; faintly pleading an appointment, and promising to
return presently. The Captain had another cause for uneasiness, in remorsefully
reflecting that he had been the first means of Bunsby's entrapment, though
certainly without intending it, and through his unbounded faith in the resources
of that philosopher.
    To go back to old Sol Gills at the Wooden Midshipman's, and not first go
round to ask how Mr. Dombey fared - albeit the house where he lay was out of
London, and away on the borders of a fresh heath - was quite out of the
Captain's course. So he got a lift when he was tired, and made out the journey
gaily.
    The blinds were pulled down, and the house so quiet, that the Captain was
almost afraid to knock; but listening at the door, he heard low voices within,
very near it, and, knocking softly, was admitted by Mr. Toots. Mr. Toots and his
wife had, in fact, just arrived there; having been at the Midshipman's to seek
him, and having there obtained the address.
    They were not so recently arrived, but that Mrs. Toots had caught the baby
from somebody, taken it in her arms, and sat down on the stairs, hugging and
fondling it. Florence was stooping down beside her; and no one could have said
which Mrs. Toots was hugging and fondling most, the mother or the child, or
which
