Chapter III

In a spacious room――sat Edith! In a spacious room――richly furnished――but dim――dim――as her aching soul. Gorgeous curtains shut out the light――the blessed light! It fell on all alike――that day――on the infant in his cradle――on the dead man in his coffin. On the kennel――on the palace――on Dombey straying away from Ball’s-pond――on Perch looking after him fruitlessly (in public houses). On Mr. and Mrs. Gay, and the Captain and Gills――all on the steamer’s deck going to eat the marriage feast at a pleasant suburban tavern called the Red House, Battersea――on Toots in the patent safety――on Carker with the teeth, in a cell of Newgate. On all――on all! But on Mrs. Dombey. There, there was darkness――darkness in the air――darkness in the soul――darkness in the light! Dim――aching――lonely――alone! Alone! but for her fearful thoughts! Which haunted her! Spectres――looming ghastly gray in the gloom! Spectres with rods and serpents! Gnawing in her soul――like unblessed things potent for evil and foul thoughts, and things accursed of man! Out――out――awful shadows!

But she sat there――rigid――unmoved. The mortal and the immortal. Edith and the shadows!

Suddenly a voice arose――cleaving the darkness――She listened――mechanically.

“A full, true, and particular account of the harrest of Mister Carker of the ’ouse of Dombey and Son in the City on three distinct charges hof forgery, perjury, and murder all for the small charge of one halfpenny.”

She fell on her knees, That erring woman――on her knees and her hands were uplifted, and on the bright face――tense and passion strung――played strange awful thoughts!

The shadows gathered round her!

Her head drooped――dropped until with a sudden clash the marble forehead smote the floor.

Still the shadows gathered round her! There was silence――but the low deep roar of humanity――the surges of the million-peopled city――spoke voiceless things in the summer air.

Listen to the music?

The shadows listened!

Edith lay on the floor beneath the music and the shadows! When the people of the house came, they found her――――asleep!

“Ding-a-dong-a-ding-dong.” The echoes of the joy bells rung in the ears of the wedding party, even after they had got by steamer――as far as Hungerford. They were still there――lying close to the wooden pier――when there was a great outcry and a confusion, and many shouts of “He’s in――he’s in――a man in the river.” But the Cap’en was all presence of mind.――He saw the struggling form! and clambering down to the water by the paddle-wheel――with his hook――hooked it out. It was Dombey!