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

looking with a fiery eye over the intermediate heads.
'Yes, Mrs. Pipchin, it is,' replies Cook, advancing. 'And what then, pray?'
'Why, then you may go as soon as you like,' says Mrs. Pipchin, 'The sooner
the better; and I hope I shall never see your face again.'
With this the doughty Pipchin produces a canvas bag; and tells her wages out
to that day, and a month beyond it: and clutches the money tight until a
receipt for the same is duly signed, to the last up-stroke; when she
grudgingly lets it go. This form of proceeding Mrs. Pipchin repeats with
every member of the household, until are paid.
'Now those that choose can go about their business,' says Mrs. Pipchin, 'and
those that choose can stay here on board wages for a week or so, and make
themselves useful. Except,' says the inflammable Pipchin, 'that slut of a
cook, who'll go immediately.'
'That,' says Cook, 'she certainly will! I wish you good day, Mrs. Pipchin,
and sincerely wish I could compliment you on the sweetness of your
appearance!'
'Get along with you,' says Mrs. Pipchin, stamping her foot.
Cook sails off with an air of beneficent dignity, highly exasperating to
Mrs. Pipchin, and is shortly joined below stairs by the rest of the
confederation.
Mr. Towlinson then says that, in the first place, he would beg to propose a
little snack of something to eat; and over that snack would desire to offer
a suggestion which he thinks will meet the position in which they find
themselves. The refreshment being produced, and very heartily partaken of,
Mr. Towlinson's suggestion is, in effect, that Cook is going, and that if we
are not true to ourselves, nobody will be true to us. That they have lived
in that house a long time, and exerted themselves very much to be sociable
together. (At this, Cook says, with emotion, 'Hear, hear!' and Mrs. Perch,