ung woman from Cap'en Cuttle, that it's over.
Over!' And the Captain, hooking off his glazed hat, pulled his
handkerchief out of the crown, wiped his grizzled head despairingly,
and tossed the handkerchief in again, with the indifference of deep
dejection.

'Oh! I assure you,' said Mr Toots, 'really I am dreadfully sorry. Upon
my word I am, though I wasn't acquainted with the party. Do you think
Miss Dombey will be very much affected, Captain Gills--I mean Mr
Cuttle?'

'Why, Lord love you,' returned the Captain, with something of compassion
for Mr Toots's innocence. When she warn't no higher than that, they were
as fond of one another as two young doves.'

'Were they though!' said Mr Toots, with a considerably lengthened face.

'They were made for one another,' said the Captain, mournfully; 'but
what signifies that now!'

'Upon my word and honour,' cried Mr Toots, blurting out his words
through a singular combination of awkward chuckles and emotion, 'I'm
even more sorry than I was before. You know, Captain Gills, I--I
positively adore Miss Dombey;--I--I am perfectly sore with loving her;'
the burst with which this confession forced itself out of the unhappy
Mr Toots, bespoke the vehemence of his feelings; 'but what would be the
good of my regarding her in this manner, if I wasn't truly sorry for
her feeling pain, whatever was the cause of it. Mine ain't a selfish
affection, you know,' said Mr Toots, in the confidence engendered by
his having been a witness of the Captain's tenderness. 'It's the sort
of thing with me, Captain Gills, that if I could be run over--or--or
trampled upon--or--or thrown off a very high place-or anything of that
sort--for Miss Dombey's sake, it would be the most delightful thing that
could happen to me.

All this, Mr Toots said in a suppressed voice, to prevent its reaching
the jealous ears of the Chicken, who objected to the softer emotions;
which effort of restraint, coupled with the intensity of his feelings,
made him red to the tips of his ears, and caused him to present such an
affecting spectacle of disinterested love to the eyes of Captain Cuttle,
that the good Captain patted him consolingly on the back, and bade him
cheer up.

'Thankee, Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'it's kind of you, in the midst
of your own troubles, to say so. I'm very much obliged to you. As I
said before, I really want a friend, and should be glad to have your
acquaintance. Although I am very well off,' sa