Tales from Dickens Part 20

He tottered to a chair, feeling her draw his arms around her neck. He felt her wet cheek laid against his own. He heard her soft voice telling him that now she herself had a little child--a baby boy born at sea--whom she and Walter had named Paul.

"Dear papa," she said, "you will come home with me. We will teach our little child to love and honor you, and we will tell him when he can understand that you had a son of that name once, and that he died and that you were sorry; but that he is gone to Heaven, where we all hope to see him sometime. Kiss me, papa, as a promise that you will be reconciled. Never let us be parted any more!"

His hard heart had been melting while she spoke. As she clung closer to him he kissed her, and she heard him mutter, "Oh, G.o.d forgive me, for I need it very much!"

She drew him to his feet, and walking with a feeble gait he went with her. With her eyes upon his face and his arm about her, she led him to the coach waiting at the door and carried him away.

Mr. Dombey was very ill for a long time. When he recovered he was no longer his old self, but a gentle, loving, white-haired old man. Walter did not go to sea again, but found a position of great trust and confidence in London, and in their home the old man felt growing stronger and stronger his new-found love for the daughter whom till now he had never really known.

Florence never saw Edith again but once. Then the latter came back to bid her farewell for ever before she went to live in Italy. In these years Edith had seen her own pride and grieved for her fault. There were tears in her stern, dark eyes when Florence asked if she would send some message to Mr. Dombey.

"Tell him," she answered, "that if in his own present he can find a reason to think less bitterly of me, I asked him to do so. I will try to forgive him his share of blame; let him try to forgive me mine."

Time went happily by in the home of Walter and Florence. They often visited the little shop where stood the wooden mids.h.i.+pman, now in a new suit of paint. The sign above the door had become "Gills and Cuttle,"

for Old Sol and the Captain had gone into partners.h.i.+p, and the firm had grown rich through the successes of some of Solomon Gills's old investments which had finally turned out well.

Walter was beloved by everybody who knew him, and in time refounded the old firm of Dombey and Son.

Often in the summer, on the sea-beach, old Mr. Dombey might have been seen wandering with Florence's little children. The oldest was little Paul, and he thought of him sometimes almost as of the other little Paul who died.

But most of all the old gentleman loved the little girl. He could not bear to see her sit apart or with a cloud on her face. He often stole away to look at her in her sleep, and was fondest and most loving to her when there was no one by.

The child used to say then sometimes:

"Dear grandpa, why do you cry when you kiss me?"

But he would only answer, "Little Florence! Little Florence!" and smooth away the curls that shaded her earnest eyes.

THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE PICKWICK CLUB

Published 1836-1837

_Scene_: London, Neighboring Towns, Bath, and the Country

_Time_: 1827 to 1831

CHARACTERS

Mr. Samuel Pickwick A gentleman of an inquiring mind Founder and chairman of "The Pickwick Club"

Sam Weller His body-servant

Mrs. Bardell His London landlady

Tupman } } Snodgra.s.s} Members of "The Pickwick Club"

} Winkle }

Alfred Jingle A strolling actor and adventurer Later, known as "Fitz-Marshall"

Job Trotter His servant

Mrs. Budger A rich widow

Doctor Slammer An army surgeon Mrs. Budger's suitor

Mr. Wardle A country gentleman A friend of the Pickwickians

Emily His daughter

Miss Wardle His spinster sister

Joe Mr. Wardle's footman Known as "The Fat Boy"

Tony Weller A stage driver. Sam's father

Mrs. Weller His second wife

Mrs. Leo Hunter A lady with a fondness for knowing celebrated persons

Mr. Peter Magnus One of Mr. Pickwick's traveling acquaintances

Nupkins Mayor of Ipswich

Mrs. Nupkins His wife

Miss Nupkins His daughter

Ben Allen } } Medical students Bob Sawyer }

Arabella Allen Ben's pretty sister

Sergeant Buzfuz Mrs. Bardell's lawyer

Mr. Dowler One of Mr. Pickwick's acquaintances at Bath

Mrs. Dowler His wife

Mr. Angelo Cyrus Bantam A society leader at Bath

Mary Nupkins's pretty housemaid