tell me something to the purpose?'

The Major laughed, and kissed the hand she had bestowed upon him, and
laughed again immensely.

'Is there as much Heart in Mr Dombey as I gave him credit for?'
languished Cleopatra tenderly. 'Do you think he is in earnest, my dear
Major? Would you recommend his being spoken to, or his being left alone?
Now tell me, like a dear man, what would you advise.'

'Shall we marry him to Edith Granger, Ma'am?' chuckled the Major,
hoarsely.

'Mysterious creature!' returned Cleopatra, bringing her fan to bear upon
the Major's nose. 'How can we marry him?'

'Shall we marry him to Edith Granger, Ma'am, I say?' chuckled the Major
again.

Mrs Skewton returned no answer in words, but smiled upon the Major with
so much archness and vivacity, that that gallant officer considering
himself challenged, would have imprinted a kiss on her exceedingly red
lips, but for her interposing the fan with a very winning and juvenile
dexterity. It might have been in modesty; it might have been in
apprehension of some danger to their bloom.

'Dombey, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'is a great catch.'

'Oh, mercenary wretch!' cried Cleopatra, with a little shriek, 'I am
shocked.'

'And Dombey, Ma'am,' pursued the Major, thrusting forward his head, and
distending his eyes, 'is in earnest. Joseph says it; Bagstock knows it;
J. B. keeps him to the mark. Leave Dombey to himself, Ma'am. Dombey is
safe, Ma'am. Do as you have done; do no more; and trust to J. B. for the
end.'

'You really think so, my dear Major?' returned Cleopatra, who had eyed
him very cautiously, and very searchingly, in spite of her listless
bearing.

'Sure of it, Ma'am,' rejoined the Major. 'Cleopatra the peerless,
and her Antony Bagstock, will often speak of this, triumphantly,
when sharing the elegance and wealth of Edith Dombey's establishment.
Dombey's right-hand man, Ma'am,' said the Major, stopping abruptly in a
chuckle, and becoming serious, 'has arrived.'

'This morning?' said Cleopatra.

'This morning, Ma'am,' returned the Major. 'And Dombey's anxiety for his
arrival, Ma'am, is to be referred--take J. B.'s word for this; for Joe
is devilish sly'--the Major tapped his nose, and screwed up one of his
eyes tight: which did not enhance his native beauty--'to his desire that
what is in the wind should become known to him' without Dombey's telling
and consulting him. For Dombey is as proud, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'as
Lucifer.'

'A charm