observing the effect of her bare lean
arm, looking upward from the wrist, 'how could we possibly bear it? In
short, obdurate man!' glancing at the Major, round the screen, 'I would
have my world all heart; and Faith is so excessively charming, that I
won't allow you to disturb it, do you hear?'

The Major replied that it was hard in Cleopatra to require the world to
be all heart, and yet to appropriate to herself the hearts of all
the world; which obliged Cleopatra to remind him that flattery was
insupportable to her, and that if he had the boldness to address her in
that strain any more, she would positively send him home.

Withers the Wan, at this period, handing round the tea, Mr Dombey again
addressed himself to Edith.

'There is not much company here, it would seem?' said Mr Dombey, in his
own portentous gentlemanly way.

'I believe not. We see none.'

'Why really,' observed Mrs Skewton from her couch, 'there are no people
here just now with whom we care to associate.'

'They have not enough heart,' said Edith, with a smile. The very
twilight of a smile: so singularly were its light and darkness blended.

'My dearest Edith rallies me, you see!' said her mother, shaking her
head: which shook a little of itself sometimes, as if the palsy Bed now
and then in opposition to the diamonds. 'Wicked one!'

'You have been here before, if I am not mistaken?' said Mr Dombey. Still
to Edith.

'Oh, several times. I think we have been everywhere.'

'A beautiful country!'

'I suppose it is. Everybody says so.'

'Your cousin Feenix raves about it, Edith,' interposed her mother from
her couch.

The daughter slightly turned her graceful head, and raising her eyebrows
by a hair's-breadth, as if her cousin Feenix were of all the mortal
world the least to be regarded, turned her eyes again towards Mr Dombey.

'I hope, for the credit of my good taste, that I am tired of the
neighbourhood,' she said.

'You have almost reason to be, Madam,' he replied, glancing at a variety
of landscape drawings, of which he had already recognised several
as representing neighbouring points of view, and which were strewn
abundantly about the room, 'if these beautiful productions are from your
hand.'

She gave him no reply, but sat in a disdainful beauty, quite amazing.

'Have they that interest?' said Mr Dombey. 'Are they yours?'

'Yes.'

'And you play, I already know.'

'Yes.'

'And sing?'

'Yes.'

She answered all these q