ky! He really was struck silent by its majesty and splendour."

He had begun his third number of _Dombey_ on the 26th of October, on the
4th of the following month he was half through it, on the 7th he was in
the "agonies" of its last chapter, and on the 9th, one day before that
proposed for its completion, all was done. This was marvellously rapid
work, after what else he had undergone; but within a week, Monday the
16th being the day for departure, they were to strike their tents, and
troubled and sad were the few days thus left him for preparation and
farewell. He included in his leave-taking his deaf, dumb, and blind
friends; and, to use his own homely phrase, was yet more terribly "down
in the mouth" at taking leave of his hearing, speaking, and seeing
friends. "I shall see you soon, please God, and that sets all to rights.
But I don't believe there are many dots on the map of the world where we
shall have left such affectionate remembrances behind us, as in
Lausanne. It was quite miserable this last night, when we left them at
Haldimand's."

He shall himself describe how they travelled post to Paris, occupying
five days. "We got through the journey charmingly, though not quite so
quickly as we hoped. The children as good as usual, and even Skittles
jolly to the last. (That name has long superseded Sampson Brass, by the
bye. I call him so, from something skittle-playing and public-housey in
his countenance.) We have been up at five every morning, and on the road
before seven. We were three carriages: a sort of wagon, with a cabriolet
attached, for the luggage; a ramshackle villainous old swing upon wheels
(hired at Geneva), for the children; and for ourselves, that travelling
chariot which I was so kind as to bring here for sale. It was very cold
indeed crossing the Jura--nothing but fog and frost; but when we were
out of Switzerland and across the French frontier, it became warmer, and
continued so. We stopped at between six and seven each evening; had two
rather queer inns, wild French country inns; but the rest good. They
were three hours and a half examining the luggage at the frontier
custom-house--atop of a mountain, in a hard and biting frost; where Anne
and Roche had sharp work I assure you, and the latter insisted on
volunteering the most astonishing and unnecessary lies about my books,
for the mere pleasure of deceiving the officials. When we were out of
the mountain country, we came at a good pace, but w