e speaker's face more beautiful and pure than ever, that
she could only cling to her again, crying. Was her little mistress
really, really going to be married, and pitying, caressing, and
protecting her, as she had done before. But the Nipper, though
susceptible of womanly weaknesses, was almost as capable of putting
constraint upon herself as of attacking the redoubtable MacStinger. From
that time, she never returned to the subject, but was always cheerful,
active, bustling, and hopeful. She did, indeed, inform Mr Toots
privately, that she was only 'keeping up' for the time, and that when it
was all over, and Miss Dombey was gone, she might be expected to become
a spectacle distressful; and Mr Toots did also express that it was his
case too, and that they would mingle their tears together; but she never
otherwise indulged her private feelings in the presence of Florence or
within the precincts of the Midshipman.

Limited and plain as Florence's wardrobe was--what a contrast to that
prepared for the last marriage in which she had taken part!--there was a
good deal to do in getting it ready, and Susan Nipper worked away at
her side, all day, with the concentrated zeal of fifty sempstresses. The
wonderful contributions Captain Cuttle would have made to this branch
of the outfit, if he had been permitted--as pink parasols, tinted
silk stockings, blue shoes, and other articles no less necessary on
shipboard--would occupy some space in the recital. He was induced,
however, by various fraudulent representations, to limit his
contributions to a work-box and dressing case, of each of which he
purchased the very largest specimen that could be got for money. For
ten days or a fortnight afterwards, he generally sat, during the
greater part of the day, gazing at these boxes; divided between extreme
admiration of them, and dejected misgivings that they were not gorgeous
enough, and frequently diving out into the street to purchase some
wild article that he deemed necessary to their completeness. But his
master-stroke was, the bearing of them both off, suddenly, one morning,
and getting the two words FLORENCE GAY engraved upon a brass heart
inlaid over the lid of each. After this, he smoked four pipes
successively in the little parlour by himself, and was discovered
chuckling, at the expiration of as many hours.

Walter was busy and away all day, but came there every morning early
to see Florence, and always passed the evening with