The administration of infantine doses of physic awakened all the active sympathy of her character; and being on one occasion secreted in a cupboard (whither she had fled in modesty), when Mr Dombey was introduced into the nursery by his sister, to behold his son, in the course of preparation for bed, taking a short walk uphill over Richards′s gown, in a short and airy linen jacket, Miss Tox was so transported beyond the ignorant present as to be unable to refrain from crying out, ′Is he not beautiful Mr Dombey! Is he not a Cupid, Sir!′ and then almost sinking behind the closet door with confusion and blushes.
′Louisa,′ said Mr Dombey, one day, to his sister, ′I really think I must present your friend with some little token, on the occasion of Paul′s christening. She has exerted herself so warmly in the child′s behalf from the first, and seems to understand her position so thoroughly (a very rare merit in this world, I am sorry to say), that it would really be agreeable to me to notice her.′
Let it be no detraction from the merits of Miss Tox, to hint that in Mr Dombey′s eyes, as in some others that occasionally see the light, they only achieved that mighty piece of knowledge, the understanding of their own position, who showed a fitting reverence for his. It was not so much their merit that they knew themselves, as that they knew him, and bowed low before him.
′My dear Paul,′ returned his sister, ′you do Miss Tox but justice, as a man of your penetration was sure, I knew, to do. I believe if there are three words in the English language for which she has a respect amounting almost to veneration, those words are, Dombey and Son.′
′Well,′ said Mr Dombey, ′I believe it. It does Miss Tox credit.′
′And as to anything in the shape of a token, my dear Paul,′ pursued his sister, ′all I can say is that anything you give Miss Tox will be hoarded and prized, I am sure, like a relic. But there is a way, my dear Paul, of showing your sense of Miss Tox′s friendliness in a still more flattering and acceptable manner, if you should be so inclined.′
′How is that?′ asked Mr Dombey.
′Godfathers, of course,′ continued Mrs Chick, ′are important in point of connexion and influence.′
′I don′t know why they should be, to my son, said Mr Dombey, coldly.
′Very true, my dear Paul,′ retorted Mrs Chick, with an extraordinary show of animation, to cover the suddenness of her conversion; ′and spoken like yourself. I might have expected nothing else from you. I might have known that such would have been your opinion. Perhaps;′ here Mrs Chick faltered again, as not quite comfortably feeling her way; ′perhaps that is a reason why you might have the less objection to allowing Miss Tox to be godmother to the dear thing, if it were only as deputy and proxy for someone else. That it would be received as a great honour and distinction, Paul, I need not say.
′Louisa,′ said Mr Dombey, after a short pause, ′it is not to be supposed - ′
′Certainly not,′ cried Mrs Chick, hastening to anticipate a refusal, ′I never thought it was.′
Mr Dombey looked at her impatiently.
′Don′t flurry me, my dear Paul,′ said his sister; ′for that destroys me. I am far from strong. I have not been quite myself, since poor dear Fanny departed.′
Mr Dombey glanced at the pocket-handkerchief which his sister applied to her eyes, and resumed:
′It is not be supposed, I say ′And I say,′ murmured Mrs Chick, ′that I never thought it was.′
′Good Heaven, Louisa!′ said Mr Dombey.
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