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Shipping Intelligence and Office Business.
Mr Dombey's offices were in a court where there was an old-established stall of choice fruit at the corner: where perambulating merchants, of both sexes, offered for sale at any time between the hours of ten and five, slippers, pocket-books, sponges, dogs' collars, and Windsor soap; and sometimes a pointer or an oil-painting.
The pointer always came that way, with a view to the Stock Exchange, where a sporting taste (originating generally in bets of new hats) is much in vogue.

The other commodities were addressed to the general public; but they were never offered by the vendors to Mr Dombey.

When he appeared, the dealers in those wares fell off respectfully.

The principal slipper and dogs' collar man--who considered himself a public character, and whose portrait was screwed on to an artist's door in Cheapside--threw up his forefinger to the brim of his hat as Mr Dombey went by.