t for his
deceased Mama--or whether she was conscious of any other motives--are
questions which in this stage of the Firm's history herself only could
have solved. Nor have they much bearing on the fact (of which there
is no doubt), that Miss Tox's constancy and zeal were a heavy
discouragement to Richards, who lost flesh hourly under her patronage,
and was in some danger of being superintended to death.

Miss Tox was often in the habit of assuring Mrs Chick, that nothing
could exceed her interest in all connected with the development of
that sweet child;' and an observer of Miss Tox's proceedings might have
inferred so much without declaratory confirmation. She would
preside over the innocent repasts of the young heir, with ineffable
satisfaction, almost with an air of joint proprietorship with Richards
in the entertainment. At the little ceremonies of the bath and toilette,
she assisted with enthusiasm. 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 wor