s it were by stealth with a disturbed and doubtful look. 'Go to
Richards! Go!'

His little daughter hesitated for another instant as though she would
have clung about him still, or had some lingering hope that he might
raise her in his arms and kiss her. She looked up in his face once more.
He thought how like her expression was then, to what it had been when
she looked round at the Doctor--that night--and instinctively dropped
her hand and turned away.

It was not difficult to perceive that Florence was at a great
disadvantage in her father's presence. It was not only a constraint upon
the child's mind, but even upon the natural grace and freedom of her
actions. As she sported and played about her baby brother that night,
her manner was seldom so winning and so pretty as it naturally was,
and sometimes when in his pacing to and fro, he came near her (she had,
perhaps, for the moment, forgotten him) it changed upon the instant and
became forced and embarrassed.

Still, Polly persevered with all the better heart for seeing this; and,
judging of Mr Dombey by herself, had great confidence in the mute appeal
of poor little Florence's mourning dress.' It's hard indeed,' thought
Polly, 'if he takes only to one little motherless child, when he has
another, and that a girl, before his eyes.'

So, Polly kept her before his eyes, as long as she could, and managed
so well with little Paul, as to make it very plain that he was all the
livelier for his sister's company. When it was time to withdraw
upstairs again, she would have sent Florence into the inner room to say
good-night to her father, but the child was timid and drew back; and
when she urged her again, said, spreading her hands before her eyes, as
if to shut out her own unworthiness, 'Oh no, no! He don't want me. He
don't want me!'

The little altercation between them had attracted the notice of Mr
Dombey, who inquired from the table where he was sitting at his wine,
what the matter was.

'Miss Florence was afraid of interrupting, Sir, if she came in to say
good-night,' said Richards.

'It doesn't matter,' returned Mr Dombey. 'You can let her come and go
without regarding me.'

The child shrunk as she listened--and was gone, before her humble friend
looked round again.

However, Polly triumphed not a little in the success of her
well-intentioned scheme, and in the address with which she had brought
it to bear: whereof she made a full disclosure to Spitfire when