quite confidential with you, Major Bagstock.'

'You do me honour, Sir,' returned the Major. 'You may be.'

'Do you know, then,' pursued Carker, 'that I have not found my
friend--our friend, I ought rather to call him--'

'Meaning Dombey, Sir?' cried the Major. 'You see me, Mr Carker, standing
here! J. B.?'

He was puffy enough to see, and blue enough; and Mr Carker intimated the
he had that pleasure.

'Then you see a man, Sir, who would go through fire and water to serve
Dombey,' returned Major Bagstock.

Mr Carker smiled, and said he was sure of it. 'Do you know, Major,' he
proceeded: 'to resume where I left off' that I have not found our friend
so attentive to business today, as usual?'

'No?' observed the delighted Major.

'I have found him a little abstracted, and with his attention disposed
to wander,' said Carker.

'By Jove, Sir,' cried the Major, 'there's a lady in the case.'

'Indeed, I begin to believe there really is,' returned Carker; 'I
thought you might be jesting when you seemed to hint at it; for I know
you military men--

The Major gave the horse's cough, and shook his head and shoulders, as
much as to say, 'Well! we are gay dogs, there's no denying.' He then
seized Mr Carker by the button-hole, and with starting eyes whispered in
his ear, that she was a woman of extraordinary charms, Sir. That she was
a young widow, Sir. That she was of a fine family, Sir. That Dombey was
over head and ears in love with her, Sir, and that it would be a good
match on both sides; for she had beauty, blood, and talent, and Dombey
had fortune; and what more could any couple have? Hearing Mr Dombey's
footsteps without, the Major cut himself short by saying, that Mr Carker
would see her tomorrow morning, and would judge for himself; and between
his mental excitement, and the exertion of saying all this in wheezy
whispers, the Major sat gurgling in the throat and watering at the eyes,
until dinner was ready.

The Major, like some other noble animals, exhibited himself to great
advantage at feeding-time. On this occasion, he shone resplendent at
one end of the table, supported by the milder lustre of Mr Dombey at
the other; while Carker on one side lent his ray to either light, or
suffered it to merge into both, as occasion arose.

During the first course or two, the Major was usually grave; for the
Native, in obedience to general orders, secretly issued, collected every
sauce and cruet round him, and gave him