CHARLES DICKENS DOMBEY AND SON CHAPTER I Dombey and ...

'They know what they're about, if ever people did,' murmured Miss Nipper,
drawing in her breath, 'oh! trust them Skettleses for that!'
'I am not very anxious to go to Fulham, Susan, I confess,' said Florence
thoughtfully: 'but it will be right to go. I think it will be better.'
'Much better,' interposed Susan, with another emphatic shake of her head.
'And so,' said Florence, 'though I would prefer to have gone when there was
no one there, instead of in this vacation time, when it seems there are some
young people staying in the house, I have thankfully said yes.'
'For which I say, Miss Floy, Oh be joyful!' returned Susan. 'Ah! h--h!'
This last ejaculation, with which Miss Nipper frequently wound up a
sentence, at about that epoch of time, was supposed below the level of the
hall to have a general reference to Mr. Dombey, and to be expressive of a
yearning in Miss Nipper to favour that gentleman with a piece of her mind.
But she never explained it; and it had, in consequence, the charm of
mystery, in addition to the advantage of the sharpest expression.
'How long it is before we have any news of Walter, Susan!' observed
Florence, after a moment's silence.
'Long indeed, Miss Floy!' replied her maid. 'And Perch said, when he came
just now to see for letters--but what signifies what he says!' exclaimed
Susan, reddening and breaking off. 'Much he knows about it!'
Florence raised her eyes quickly, and a flush overspread her face.
'If I hadn't,' said Susan Nipper, evidently struggling with some latent
anxiety and alarm, and looking full at her young mistress, while
endeavouring to work herself into a state of resentment with the unoffending
Mr. Perch's image, 'if I hadn't more manliness than that insipidest of his
sex, I'd never take pride in my hair again, but turn it up behind my ears,