and, and patting Diogenes with the other as he licked her face,
confessed to being more composed, and laughed and cried a little more in
proof of it.

'I-I-I never did see such a creetur as that Toots,' said Susan, 'in all
my born days never!'

'So kind,' suggested Florence.

'And so comic!' Susan sobbed. 'The way he's been going on inside with me
with that disrespectable Chicken on the box!'

'About what, Susan?' inquired Florence, timidly.

'Oh about Lieutenant Walters, and Captain Gills, and you my dear Miss
Floy, and the silent tomb,' said Susan.

'The silent tomb!' repeated Florence.

'He says,' here Susan burst into a violent hysterical laugh, 'that he'll
go down into it now immediately and quite comfortable, but bless your
heart my dear Miss Floy he won't, he's a great deal too happy in seeing
other people happy for that, he may not be a Solomon,' pursued the
Nipper, with her usual volubility, 'nor do I say he is but this I do
say a less selfish human creature human nature never knew!' Miss Nipper
being still hysterical, laughed immoderately after making this energetic
declaration, and then informed Florence that he was waiting below to see
her; which would be a rich repayment for the trouble he had had in his
late expedition.

Florence entreated Susan to beg of Mr Toots as a favour that she might
have the pleasure of thanking him for his kindness; and Susan, in a few
moments, produced that young gentleman, still very much dishevelled in
appearance, and stammering exceedingly.

'Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots. 'To be again permitted to--to--gaze--at
least, not to gaze, but--I don't exactly know what I was going to say,
but it's of no consequence.

'I have to thank you so often,' returned Florence, giving him both her
hands, with all her innocent gratitude beaming in her face, 'that I have
no words left, and don't know how to do it.'

'Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots, in an awful voice, 'if it was possible
that you could, consistently with your angelic nature, Curse me, you
would--if I may be allowed to say so--floor me infinitely less, than by
these undeserved expressions of kindness Their effect upon me--is--but,'
said Mr Toots, abruptly, 'this is a digression, and of no consequence at
all.'

As there seemed to be no means of replying to this, but by thanking him
again, Florence thanked him again.

'I could wish,' said Mr Toots, 'to take this opportunity, Miss Dombey,
if I might, of entering into a wor