And, perhaps, unlearned as she was, she could have brought a dawning knowledge home to Mr Dombey at that early day, which would not then have struck him in the end like lightning.
But this is from the purpose. Polly only thought, at that time, of improving on her successful propitiation of Miss Nipper, and devising some means of having little Florence aide her, lawfully, and without rebellion. An opening happened to present itself that very night.
She had been rung down into the glass room as usual, and had walked about and about it a long time, with the baby in her arms, when, to her great surprise and dismay, Mr Dombey - whom she had seen at first leaning on his elbow at the table, and afterwards walking up and down the middle room, drawing, each time, a little nearer, she thought, to the open folding doors - came out, suddenly, and stopped before her.
′Good evening, Richards.′
Just the same austere, stiff gentleman, as he had appeared to her on that first day. Such a hard-looking gentleman, that she involuntarily dropped her eyes and her curtsey at the same time.
′How is Master Paul, Richards?′
′Quite thriving, Sir, and well.′
′He looks so,′ said Mr Dombey, glancing with great interest at the tiny face she uncovered for his observation, and yet affecting to be half careless of it. ′They give you everything you want, I hope?′
′Oh yes, thank you, Sir.′
She suddenly appended such an obvious hesitation to this reply, however, that Mr Dombey, who had turned away; stopped, and turned round again, inquiringly.
′If you please, Sir, the child is very much disposed to take notice of things,′ said Richards, with another curtsey, ′and - upstairs is a little dull for him, perhaps, Sir.′
′I begged them to take you out for airings, constantly,′ said Mr Dombey. ′Very well! You shall go out oftener. You′re quite right to mention it.′
′I beg your pardon, Sir,′ faltered Polly, ′but we go out quite plenty Sir, thank you.′
′What would you have then?′ asked Mr Dombey.
′Indeed Sir, I don′t exactly know,′ said Polly, ′unless - ′
′Yes?′
′I believe nothing is so good for making children lively and cheerful, Sir, as seeing other children playing about ′em,′ observed Polly, taking courage.
′I think I mentioned to you, Richards, when you came here,′ said Mr Dombey, with a frown, ′that I wished you to see as little of your family as possible.′
′Oh dear yes, Sir, I wasn′t so much as thinking of that.′
′I am glad of it,′ said Mr Dombey hastily. ′You can continue your walk if you please.′
With that, he disappeared into his inner room; and Polly had the satisfaction of feeling that he had thoroughly misunderstood her object, and that she had fallen into disgrace without the least advancement of her purpose.
Next night, she found him walking about the conservatory when she came down. As she stopped at the door, checked by this unusual sight, and uncertain whether to advance or retreat, he called her in. His mind was too much set on Dombey and Son, it soon appeared, to admit of his having forgotten her suggestion.
′If you really think that sort of society is good for the child,′ he said sharply, as if there had been no interval since she proposed it, ′where′s Miss Florence?′
′Nothing could be better than Miss Florence, Sir,′ said Polly eagerly, ′but I understood from her maid that they were not to - ′
Mr Dombey rang the bell, and walked till it was answered.
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