`No, Miss,'said Towlinson.

`And--I'm sorry to give you so much trouble, Towlinson,'--said Miss Tox, looking at him pensively.

`Not at all, Miss,' said Towlinson.

`Mention to the man, then, if you please, Towlinson,' said Miss Tox, `That the lady's uncle is a magistrate, and that if he gives her any of his impertinence he will be punished terribly. You can pretend to say that, if you please, Towlinson, in a friendly way, and because you know it was done to another man, who died.'

`Certainly, Miss,' said Towlinson.

`And now good night to my sweet, sweet, sweet, godson,' said Miss Tox, with a soft shower of kisses at each repetition of the adjective; `and Louisa, my dear friend, promise me to take a little something warm before you go to bed, and not to distress yourself!'

It was with extreme difficulty that Nipper, the black-eyed, who looked on steadfastly, contained herself at this crisis, and, until the subsequent departure of Mrs. Chick. But the nursery being at length free of visitors, she made herself some recompense for her late restraint.

`You might keep me in a strait - waistcoat for six weeks,' said Nipper, `and when I got it off I'd only be more aggravated, who ever heard the like of them two Griffins, Mrs. Richards?'

`And then to talk of having been dreaming, poor dear!' said Polly.

`Oh you beauties!' cried Susan Nipper, affecting to salute the door by which the ladies had departed. `Never be a Dombey won't she? It's to be hoped she won't, we don't want any more such, one's enough.'

`Don't wake the children, Susan dear,' Susan dear,' said Polly.

`I'm very much beholden to you, Mrs. Richards,' said Susan, who was not by any means discriminating in her wrath, `and really feel it as a honour to receive your commands, being a black slave and a mulotter. Mrs. Richards, if there's any other orders, you can give me, pray mention 'em.'

`Nonsense; orders,' said Polly.

`Oh! bless your heart, Mrs. Richards,' cried Susan, `temporaries always orders permanencies here, didn't you know that, why wherever was you born, Mrs. Richards? But wherever you was born, Mrs. Richards,' pursue Spitfire, shaking her head resolutely, `and whenever, and however (which is best known to yourself), you may bear in mind, please, that it's one thing to give orders, and quite another thing to take 'em. A person may tell a person to dive off a bridge head foremost into five-and-forty feet of water, Mrs. Richards, but a person may be very far from diving.'

`There now,' said Polly, `you're angry because you're a good little thing, and fond of Miss Florence; and yet you turn round on me, because there's nobody else.'

`It's very easy for some to keep their tempers, and be soft-spoken, Mrs. Richards,' returned Susan, slightly mollified, ` When their child's made as much of as a prince, and is petted and patted till it wishes its friends further, but when a sweet young pretty innocent, that never ought to have a cross word spoken to or of it, is run down, the case is very different indeed. My goodness gracious me, Miss Floy, you naughty, sinful child if you don't shut your eyes this minute, I'll call in them hobgoblins that lives in the cock-loft to come and eat you up alive!'

Here Miss Nipper made a horrible lowing, supposed to issue from a conscientious goblin of the bull species, impatient to discharge the severe duty of his position. Having further composed her young