 glittered like a
starry bridge. There was no warning in them, or they would have turned as dull
and dim as tarnished honour. Carker still sat and listened, with his eyes cast
down.
    »Mrs. Dombey,« said Mr. Dombey, resuming as much as he could of his arrogant
composure, »you will not conciliate me, or turn me from any purpose, by this
course of conduct.«
    »It is the only true although it is a faint expression of what is within
me,« she replied. »But if I thought it would conciliate you, I would repress it,
if it were repressible by any human effort. I will do nothing that you ask.«
    »I am not accustomed to ask, Mrs. Dombey,« he observed; »I direct.«
    »I will hold no place in your house to-morrow, or on any recurrence of
to-morrow. I will be exhibited to no one, as the refractory slave you purchased,
such a time. If I kept my marriage-day, I would keep it as a day of shame.
Self-respect! appearances before the world! what are these to me? You have done
all you can to make them nothing to me, and they are nothing.«
    »Carker,« said Mr. Dombey, speaking with knitted brows, and after a moment's
consideration, »Mrs. Dombey is so forgetful of herself and me in all this, and
places me in a position so unsuited to my character, that I must bring this
state of matters to a close.«
    »Release me, then,« said Edith, immoveable in voice, in look, and bearing,
as she had been throughout, »from the chain by which I am bound. Let me go.«
    »Madam?« exclaimed Mr. Dombey.
    »Loose me. Set me free!«
    »Madam?« he repeated, »Mrs. Dombey?«
    »Tell him,« said Edith, addressing her proud face to Carker, »that I wish
for a separation between us. That there had better be one. That I recommend it
to him. Tell him it may take place on his own terms - his wealth is nothing to
me - but that it cannot be too soon.«
    »Good Heaven, Mrs. Dombey!« said her husband, with supreme amazement, »do
you imagine it possible that I could ever listen to such a proposition? Do you
know who I am, Madam? Do you know what I represent? Did
