edly--never mind that--"If there is
a man in the service on whom I can depend for coming to the point, that
man is Joe--Joe Bagstock."'

Mr Dombey intimates his acquiescence.

'Now, Dombey,' says the Major, 'I am a man of the world. Our friend
Feenix--if I may presume to--'

'Honoured, I am sure,' says Cousin Feenix.

'--is,' proceeds the Major, with a wag of his head, 'also a man of the
world. Dombey, you are a man of the world. Now, when three men of the
world meet together, and are friends--as I believe--' again appealing to
Cousin Feenix.

'I am sure,' says Cousin Feenix, 'most friendly.'

'--and are friends,' resumes the Major, 'Old Joe's opinion is (I may be
wrong), that the opinion of the world on any particular subject, is very
easily got at.

'Undoubtedly,' says Cousin Feenix. 'In point of fact, it's quite a
self-evident sort of thing. I am extremely anxious, Major, that my
friend Dombey should hear me express my very great astonishment and
regret, that my lovely and accomplished relative, who was possessed of
every qualification to make a man happy, should have so far forgotten
what was due to--in point of fact, to the world--as to commit herself
in such a very extraordinary manner. I have been in a devilish state of
depression ever since; and said indeed to Long Saxby last night--man of
six foot ten, with whom my friend Dombey is probably acquainted--that it
had upset me in a confounded way, and made me bilious. It induces a man
to reflect, this kind of fatal catastrophe,' says Cousin Feenix, 'that
events do occur in quite a providential manner; for if my Aunt had been
living at the time, I think the effect upon a devilish lively woman like
herself, would have been prostration, and that she would have fallen, in
point of fact, a victim.'

'Now, Dombey!--' says the Major, resuming his discourse with great
energy.

'I beg your pardon,' interposes Cousin Feenix. 'Allow me another word.
My friend Dombey will permit me to say, that if any circumstance could
have added to the most infernal state of pain in which I find myself
on this occasion, it would be the natural amazement of the world at my
lovely and accomplished relative (as I must still beg leave to call
her) being supposed to have so committed herself with a person--man with
white teeth, in point of fact--of very inferior station to her husband.
But while I must, rather peremptorily, request my friend Dombey not to
criminate my lovely and accom