e--Uncle--frugal,
honourable, old man.' Walter trailed off, through these broken
sentences, into silence: and stood with downcast head, before his
employer.

Considering this a favourable moment for the display of the valuables,
Captain Cuttle advanced to the table; and clearing a space among the
breakfast-cups at Mr Dombey's elbow, produced the silver watch, the
ready money, the teaspoons, and the sugar-tongs; and piling them up into
a heap that they might look as precious as possible, delivered himself
of these words:

'Half a loaf's better than no bread, and the same remark holds good with
crumbs. There's a few. Annuity of one hundred pound premium also ready
to be made over. If there is a man chock full of science in the world,
it's old Sol Gills. If there is a lad of promise--one flowing,' added
the Captain, in one of his happy quotations, 'with milk and honey--it's
his nevy!'

The Captain then withdrew to his former place, where he stood arranging
his scattered locks with the air of a man who had given the finishing
touch to a difficult performance.

When Walter ceased to speak, Mr Dombey's eyes were attracted to little
Paul, who, seeing his sister hanging down her head and silently weeping
in her commiseration for the distress she had heard described, went over
to her, and tried to comfort her: looking at Walter and his father as he
did so, with a very expressive face. After the momentary distraction of
Captain Cuttle's address, which he regarded with lofty indifference, Mr
Dombey again turned his eyes upon his son, and sat steadily regarding
the child, for some moments, in silence.

'What was this debt contracted for?' asked Mr Dombey, at length. 'Who is
the creditor?'

'He don't know,' replied the Captain, putting his hand on Walter's
shoulder. 'I do. It came of helping a man that's dead now, and that's
cost my friend Gills many a hundred pound already. More particulars in
private, if agreeable.'

'People who have enough to do to hold their own way,' said Mr Dombey,
unobservant of the Captain's mysterious signs behind Walter, and still
looking at his son, 'had better be content with their own obligations
and difficulties, and not increase them by engaging for other men. It
is an act of dishonesty and presumption, too,' said Mr Dombey, sternly;
'great presumption; for the wealthy could do no more. Paul, come here!'

The child obeyed: and Mr Dombey took him on his knee.

'If you had money now--' said