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

The Captain, well pleased to receive it, made preparation of pipes and rum
and water, and awaited his visitor in the back parlour. At the hour of
eight, a deep lowing, as of a nautical Bull, outside the shop-door,
succeeded by the knocking of a stick on the panel, announced to the
listening ear of Captain Cuttle, that Bunsby was alongside: whom he
instantly admitted, shaggy and loose, and with his stolid mahogany visage,
as usual, appearing to have no consciousness of anything before it, but to
be attentively observing something that was taking place in quite another
part of the world.
'Bunsby,' said the Captain, grasping him by the hand, 'what cheer, my lad,
what cheer?'
'Shipmet,' replied the voice within Bunsby, unaccompanied by any sign on the
part of the Commander himself, 'hearty, hearty.'
'Bunsby!' said the Captain, rendering irrepressible homage to his genius,
'here you are! a man as can give an opinion as is brighter than
di'monds--and give me the lad with the tarry trousers as shines to me like
di'monds bright, for which you'll overhaul the Stanfell's Budget, and when
found make a note. Here you are, a man as gave an opinion in this here very
place, that has come true, every letter on it,' which the Captain sincerely
believed.
'Aye, aye?' growled Bunsby.
'Every letter,' said the Captain.
'For why?' growled Bunsby, looking at his friend for the first time. 'Which
way? If so, why not? Therefore.' With these oracular words--they seemed
almost to make the Captain giddy; they launched him upon such a sea of
speculation and conjecture--the sage submitted to be helped off with his
pilotcoat, and accompanied his friend into the back parlour, where his hand
presently alighted on the rum-bottle, from which he brewed a stiff glass of
grog; and presently afterwards on a pipe, which he filled, lighted, and