ItwassurprisinghowmuchnewconversationtheMajorhadtoletoffatdinner-time，andwhatoccasionhegaveMr。Dombeytoadmirehissocialqualities。Atbreakfastnextmorning，heknewthecontentsofthelatestnewspapersreceived；andmentionedseveralsubjectsinconnexionwiththem，onwhichhisopinionhadrecentlybeensoughtbypersonsofsuchpowerandmight，thattheywereonlytobeobscurelyhintedat。Mr。
Dombey，whohadbeensolongshutupwithinhimself，andwhohadrarely，atanytime，oversteppedtheenchantedcirclewithinwhichtheoperationsofDombeyandSonwereconducted，begantothinkthisanimprovementonhissolitarylife；andinplaceofexcusinghimselfforanotherday，ashehadthoughtofdoingwhenalone，walkedoutwiththeMajorarm-in-arm。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]DICKENS：DombeyandSon，Chapter21[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]CHAPTERXXINewFacesTHEMajor，moreblue-facedandstaring——moreover-ripe，asitwere，thanever——andgivingvent，everynowandthen，tooneofthehorse\'scoughs，notsomuchofnecessityasinaspontaneousexplosionofimportance，walkedarm-in-armwithMr。Dombeyupthesunnysideoftheway，withhischeeksswellingoverhistightstock，hislegsmajesticallywideapart，andhisgreatheadwaggingfromsidetoside，asifhewereremonstratingwithinhimselfforbeingsuchacaptivatingobject。Theyhadnotwalkedmanyyards，beforetheMajorencounteredsomebodyelseheknew，normanyyardsfartherbeforetheMajorencounteredsomebodyelseheknew，buthemerelyshookhisfingersatthemashepassed，andledMr。Dombeyon：pointingoutthelocalitiesastheywent，andenliveningthewalkwithanycurrentscandalsuggestedbythem。
InthismannertheMajorandMr。Dombeywerewalkingarm-in-arm，muchtotheirownsatisfaction，whentheybeheldadvancingtowardsthem，awheeledchair，inwhichaladywasseated，indolentlysteeringhercarriagebyakindofrudderinfront，whileitwaspropelledbysomeunseenpowerintherear。Althoughtheladywasnotyoung，shewasverybloomingintheface——quiterosy——andherdressandattitudewereperfectlyjuvenile。
Walkingbythesideofthechair，andcarryinghergossamerparasolwithaproudandwearyair，asifsogreataneffortmustbesoonabandonedandtheparasoldropped，saunteredamuchyoungerlady，veryhandsome，veryhaughty，verywilful，whotossedherheadanddroopedhereyelids，asthough，iftherewereanythinginalltheworldworthlookinginto，saveamirror，itcertainlywasnottheearthorsky。