 say I never thought
it was. And what is more,« added Mrs. Chick with increased dignity, as if she
had withheld her crushing argument until now, »I never did think it was.«
    Mr. Dombey walked to the window and back again.
    »It is not to be supposed, Louisa,« he said (Mrs. Chick had nailed her
colours to the mast, and repeated »I know it isn't,« but he took no notice of
it), »but that there are many persons who, supposing that I recognised any claim
at all in such a case, have a claim upon me superior to Miss Tox's. But I do
not. I recognise no such thing. Paul and myself will be able, when the time
comes, to hold our own - the house, in other words, will be able to hold its
own, and maintain its own, and hand down its own of itself, and without any such
commonplace aids. The kind of foreign help which people usually seek for their
children, I can afford to despise; being above it, I hope. So that Paul's
infancy and childhood pass away well, and I see him becoming qualified without
waste of time for the career on which he is destined to enter, I am satisfied.
He will make what powerful friends he pleases in after-life, when he is actively
maintaining - and extending, if that is possible - the dignity and credit of the
Firm. Until then, I am enough for him, perhaps, and all in all. I have no wish
that people should step in between us. I would much rather show my sense of the
obliging conduct of a deserving person like your friend. Therefore let it be so;
and your husband and myself will do well enough for the other sponsors, I dare
say.«
    In the course of these remarks, delivered with great majesty and grandeur,
Mr. Dombey had truly revealed the secret feelings of his breast. An
indescribable distrust of anybody stepping in between himself and his son; a
haughty dread of having any rival or partner in the boy's respect and deference;
a sharp misgiving, recently acquired, that he was not infallible in his power of
bending and binding human wills; as sharp a jealousy of any second check or
cross; these were, at that time, the master keys of his soul. In all his life,
he had never made a friend. His cold and distant nature had neither sought one,
nor found one. And now when that nature
