stairs into
the tearoom to be ready for Florence. Presently she came; looking so
beautiful in her simple ball-dress, with her fresh flowers in her hand,
that when she knelt down, to take Paul round the neck and kiss him, he
could hardly make up his mind to let her go again, or to take away her
bright and loving eyes from his face.

"But what is the matter, Floy?" asked Paul, almost sure that he saw a tear
there.

"Nothing, darling, nothing," returned Florence.

Paul touched her cheek gently with his finger, and it _was_ a tear.

"We'll go home together, and I'll nurse you, love," said Florence.

"Nurse me?" echoed Paul.

"Floy," said Paul, holding a ringlet of her dark hair in his hand. "Tell
me, dear. Do you think I have grown old-fashioned?"

His sister laughed, and fondled him and told him, "No."

Through the evening Paul sat in his corner watching the dancing and
beaming with pride as he heard praise showered on Dombey's sister. They
all loved her--how could they help it, Paul had known beforehand that they
must and would, and few would have thought with what triumph and delight
he watched her. Thus little Paul sat musing, listening, looking on and
dreaming; and was very happy. Until the time came for taking leave, and
then indeed there was a sensation in the party. Every one took the
heartiest sort of leave of him.

"Good-bye, Doctor Blimber," said Paul, stretching out his hand.

"Good-bye, my little friend," returned the doctor.

"I'm very much obliged to you, sir," said Paul, looking innocently up into
his awful face. "Ask them to take care of Diogenes, if you please."

Diogenes was the dog who had never received a friend into his confidence,
before Paul. The doctor promised that every attention should be paid to
Diogenes in Paul's absence, and Paul having again thanked him, and shaken
hands with him, bade adieu to Mrs. Blimber and Cornelia. Cornelia, taking
both Paul's hands in hers said,--"Dombey, Dombey, you have always been my
favourite pupil. God bless you!" And it showed, Paul thought, how easily
one might do injustice to a person; for Miss Blimber meant it--although
she was a Forcer.

A buzz then went round among the young gentlemen, of "Dombey's going!
little Dombey's going!" and there was a general move after Paul and
Florence down the staircase and into the hall, in which the whole Blimber
family were included. The servants with the butler at their head had all
an interest in seeing Littl