he
thought it must be his bones, but he didn't know, and he hoped she would
overlook it, for he was fond of them all.

"Not so fond," said Paul, with a mixture of frankness and timidity which
was one of the most peculiar and engaging qualities of his, "not so fond
as I am of Florence, of course; that could never be. You couldn't expect
that, could you, ma'am?"

"Oh, the old-fashioned little soul!" cried Mrs. Blimber, in a whisper.

"But I like everybody here very much," pursued Paul, "and I should grieve
to go away and think that any one was glad I had gone, or didn't care."

Mrs. Blimber was now sure that Paul was the oddest child in the world, and
when she told the doctor what had passed, he did not controvert his wife's
opinion.

And Paul's wish was gratified. His purpose was to be a gentle, helpful,
quiet little fellow, and though he was often to be seen at his old post on
the stairs, or watching the waves or the clouds from his solitary window,
he was oftener found too, among the other boys, modestly rendering them
some little voluntary service. Thus it came to pass that Paul was an
object of general interest: a fragile little plaything that they all
liked, and that no one would have thought of treating roughly. But he
could not change his nature, and so they all agreed that Dombey was
old-fashioned.

There were some immunities, however, attaching to the character enjoyed by
no one else. They could have better spared a newer-fashioned child, and
that alone was much. When the others only bowed to Doctor Blimber and
family when retiring, Paul would stretch his morsel of a hand, and boldly
shake the doctor's, also Mrs. Blimber's, also Cornelia's; and if any one
was to be begged off from impending punishment, Paul was always the
delegate.

One evening, when the holidays were very near, Paul was in Toots' room
watching Mr. Feeder and Toots fold, seal, and direct, the invitations for
the evening party with which the term was to close. Paul's head, which had
long been ailing more or less, and was sometimes very heavy and painful,
felt so uneasy that night that he was obliged to support it on his hand.
And it dropped so that by little and little it sunk on Mr. Toots' knee,
and rested there.

That was no reason why he should be deaf; but he must have been, he
thought, for by and by he heard Mr. Feeder calling in his ear, and gently
shaking him to rouse his attention. And when he raised his head, quite
scared, he f