presume that I am the first
consideration?'

'Oh! Can there be a doubt about it?' replied the other, with the
impatience of a man admitting a notorious and incontrovertible fact.

'Mrs Dombey becomes a secondary consideration, when we are both in
question, I imagine,' said Mr Dombey. 'Is that so?'

'Is it so?' returned Carker. 'Do you know better than anyone, that you
have no need to ask?'

'Then I hope, Carker,' said Mr Dombey, 'that your regret in the
acquisition of Mrs Dombey's displeasure, may be almost counterbalanced
by your satisfaction in retaining my confidence and good opinion.'

'I have the misfortune, I find,' returned Carker, 'to have incurred that
displeasure. Mrs Dombey has expressed it to you?'

'Mrs Dombey has expressed various opinions,' said Mr Dombey, with
majestic coldness and indifference, 'in which I do not participate, and
which I am not inclined to discuss, or to recall. I made Mr Dombey
acquainted, some time since, as I have already told you, with certain
points of domestic deference and submission on which I felt it necessary
to insist. I failed to convince Mrs Dombey of the expediency of her
immediately altering her conduct in those respects, with a view to her
own peace and welfare, and my dignity; and I informed Mrs Dombey that
if I should find it necessary to object or remonstrate again, I should
express my opinion to her through yourself, my confidential agent.'

Blended with the look that Carker bent upon him, was a devilish look
at the picture over his head, that struck upon it like a flash of
lightning.

'Now, Carker,' said Mr Dombey, 'I do not hesitate to say to you that
I will carry my point. I am not to be trifled with. Mrs Dombey must
understand that my will is law, and that I cannot allow of one exception
to the whole rule of my life. You will have the goodness to undertake
this charge, which, coming from me, is not unacceptable to you, I hope,
whatever regret you may politely profess--for which I am obliged to you
on behalf of Mrs Dombey; and you will have the goodness, I am persuaded,
to discharge it as exactly as any other commission.'

'You know,' said Mr Carker, 'that you have only to command me.

'I know,' said Mr Dombey, with a majestic indication of assent, 'that I
have only to command you. It is necessary that I should proceed in this.
Mrs Dombey is a lady undoubtedly highly qualified, in many respects,
to--

'To do credit even to your choice,' suggested Cark