sometimes, on Miss Dombey. I don't go there on purpose, you know,
but I happen to be in the neighbourhood very often; and when I find
myself there, why--why I call.'

'Nat'rally,' observed the Captain.

'Yes,' said Mr Toots. 'I called this afternoon. Upon my word and honour,
I don't think it's possible to form an idea of the angel Miss Dombey was
this afternoon.'

The Captain answered with a jerk of his head, implying that it might not
be easy to some people, but was quite so to him.

'As I was coming out,' said Mr Toots, 'the young woman, in the most
unexpected manner, took me into the pantry.

The Captain seemed, for the moment, to object to this proceeding; and
leaning back in his chair, looked at Mr Toots with a distrustful, if not
threatening visage.

'Where she brought out,' said Mr Toots, 'this newspaper. She told me
that she had kept it from Miss Dombey all day, on account of something
that was in it, about somebody that she and Dombey used to know; and
then she read the passage to me. Very well. Then she said--wait a
minute; what was it she said, though!'

Mr Toots, endeavouring to concentrate his mental powers on this
question, unintentionally fixed the Captain's eye, and was so much
discomposed by its stern expression, that his difficulty in resuming the
thread of his subject was enhanced to a painful extent.

'Oh!' said Mr Toots after long consideration. 'Oh, ah! Yes! She said
that she hoped there was a bare possibility that it mightn't be true;
and that as she couldn't very well come out herself, without surprising
Miss Dombey, would I go down to Mr Solomon Gills the Instrument-maker's
in this street, who was the party's Uncle, and ask whether he believed
it was true, or had heard anything else in the City. She said, if he
couldn't speak to me, no doubt Captain Cuttle could. By the bye!' said
Mr Toots, as the discovery flashed upon him, 'you, you know!'

The Captain glanced at the newspaper in Mr Toots's hand, and breathed
short and hurriedly.

'Well, pursued Mr Toots, 'the reason why I'm rather late is, because I
went up as far as Finchley first, to get some uncommonly fine chickweed
that grows there, for Miss Dombey's bird. But I came on here, directly
afterwards. You've seen the paper, I suppose?'

The Captain, who had become cautious of reading the news, lest he should
find himself advertised at full length by Mrs MacStinger, shook his
head.

'Shall I read the passage to you?' inquired M