.

Father and Daughter.
There is a hush through Mr Dombey's house.

Servants gliding up and down stairs rustle, but make no sound of footsteps.

They talk together constantly, and sit long at meals, making much of their meat and drink, and enjoying themselves after a grim unholy fashion.

Mrs Wickam, with her eyes suffused with tears, relates melancholy anecdotes; and tells them how she always said at Mrs Pipchin's that it would be so, and takes more table-ale than usual, and is very sorry but sociable.