s pretty much the same here, as in your fine house. I am
angry. I have been so, many years. I have as good cause for my anger as
you have for yours, and its object is the same man.'

He started, in spite of himself, and looked at her with astonishment.

'Yes,' she said, with a kind of laugh. 'Wide as the distance may seem
between us, it is so. How it is so, is no matter; that is my story, and
I keep my story to myself. I would bring you and him together, because
I have a rage against him. My mother there, is avaricious and poor; and
she would sell any tidings she could glean, or anything, or anybody, for
money. It is fair enough, perhaps, that you should pay her some, if she
can help you to what you want to know. But that is not my motive. I have
told you what mine is, and it would be as strong and all-sufficient with
me if you haggled and bargained with her for a sixpence. I have done. My
saucy tongue says no more, if you wait here till sunrise tomorrow.'

The old woman, who had shown great uneasiness during this speech, which
had a tendency to depreciate her expected gains, pulled Mr Dombey softly
by the sleeve, and whispered to him not to mind her. He glared at them
both, by turns, with a haggard look, and said, in a deeper voice than
was usual with him:

'Go on--what do you know?'

'Oh, not so fast, your worship! we must wait for someone,' answered the
old woman. 'It's to be got from someone else--wormed out--screwed and
twisted from him.'

'What do you mean?' said Mr Dombey.

'Patience,' she croaked, laying her hand, like a claw, upon his arm.
'Patience. I'll get at it. I know I can! If he was to hold it back from
me,' said Good Mrs Brown, crooking her ten fingers, 'I'd tear it out of
him!'

Mr Dombey followed her with his eyes as she hobbled to the door, and
looked out again: and then his glance sought her daughter; but she
remained impassive, silent, and regardless of him.

'Do you tell me, woman,' he said, when the bent figure of Mrs Brown came
back, shaking its head and chattering to itself, 'that there is another
person expected here?'

'Yes!' said the old woman, looking up into his face, and nodding.

'From whom you are to exact the intelligence that is to be useful to
me?'

'Yes,' said the old woman, nodding again.

'A stranger?'

'Chut!' said the old woman, with a shrill laugh. 'What signifies! Well,
well; no. No stranger to your worship. But he won't see you. He'd be
afraid of you, and wo