which was the only interruption he received until breakfast
time, for which meal he had no appetite, and when it was finished, he
followed Miss Blimber upstairs.

"Now, Dombey, how have you got on with those books?" asked Miss Blimber.

They comprised a little English, and a deal of Latin, names of things,
declensions of articles and nouns, exercises thereon, and preliminary
rules; a trifle of orthography, a glance at ancient history, a wink or two
at modern ditto, a few tables, two or three weights and measures, and a
little general information. When poor Paul had spelt out number two, he
found he had no idea of number one, fragments whereof obtruded themselves
into number three, which slided into number four, which grafted itself on
to number two. So that whether twenty Romuluses made a Remus, or hic,
haec, hoc, was troy weight, or a verb always agreed with an ancient
Briton, or three times four was Taurus, a bull, were open questions with
him.

"Oh, Dombey, Dombey!" said Miss Blimber, "this is very shocking!"

"If you please," said Paul, "I think if I might sometimes talk a little
with old Glubb, I should be able to do better."

"Nonsense, Dombey," said Miss Blimber, "I couldn't hear of it; and now
take away the top book, if you please, Dombey, and return when you are
master of the theme."

From that time Paul gave his whole mind to the pursuit of knowledge and
acquitted himself very well, but it was hard work, and only on Saturdays
did he have time to draw a free breath.

Oh Saturdays, happy Saturdays, when Florence, still at Mrs. Pipchin's,
came at noon; they made up for all the other days!

It did not take long for the loving sister to discover that Paul needed
help with the lessons over which he plodded so patiently, and so,
procuring the books which he used, she kept pace with him in his studies,
and every Saturday was able to assist him with his next week's work, and
thus he was kept from sinking underneath the burden which Cornelia Blimber
piled upon his back.

It was not that Miss Blimber meant to be too hard upon him, or that Doctor
Blimber meant to bear too heavily upon the young gentlemen in general, but
comforted by the applause of the young gentlemen's nearest relatives, and
urged on by their blind vanity and ill-considered haste, it would have
been strange if Doctor Blimber had discovered his mistake. Thus in the
case of Paul. When Doctor Blimber said he made great progress and was
naturally