Histeethgleamedthroughhismaliciousrelishofthisconceit，ashewentontalking：
`Mr。Dombeyisreallycapableofnomoretrueconsiderationforyou，Madam，thanforme。Thecomparisonisanextremeone；Iintendittobeso；butquitejust。Mr。Dombey，intheplenitudeofhispower，askedme——Ihaditfromhisownlipsyesterdaymorning——tobehisgobetweentoyou，becauseheknowsIamnotagreeabletoyou，andbecauseheintendsthatIshallbeapunishmentforyourcontumacy；andbesidesthat，becausehereallydoesconsider，thatI，hispaidservant，amanambassadorwhomitisderogatorytothedignity——notoftheladytowhomIhavethehappinessofspeaking；shehasnoexistenceinhismind——butofhiswife，apartofhimself，toreceive。Youmayimaginehowregardlessofme，howobtusetothepossibilityofmyhavinganyindividualsentimentoropinionheis，whenhetellsme，openly，thatIamsoemployed。Youknowhowperfectlyindifferenttoyourfeelingsheis，whenhethreatensyouwithsuchamessenger。
Asyou，ofcourse，havenotforgottenthathedid。\'
Shewatchedhimstillattentively。Buthewatchedhertoo；andhesawthatthisindicationofaknowledgeonhispart，ofsomethingthathadpassedbetweenherselfandherhusband，rankledandsmartedinherhaughtybreast，likeapoisonedarrow。
`IdonotrecallallthistowidenthebreachbetweenyourselfandMr。Dombey，Madam——Heavenforbid！whatwoulditprofitme？——butasanexampleofthehopelessnessofimpressingMr。Dombeywithasensethatanybodyistobeconsideredwhenheisinquestion。Wewhoareabouthim，have，inourvariouspositions，doneourpart，Idaresay，toconfirmhiminhiswayofthinking；butifwehadnotdoneso，otherswould——ortheywouldnothavebeenabouthim；andithasalwaysbeenfromthebeginning，theverystapleofhislife。Mr。Dombeyhashadtodeal，inshort，withnonebutsubmissiveanddependentpersons，whohavebowedtheknee，andbenttheneck，beforehim。Hehasneverknownwhatitistohaveangryprideandstrongresentmentopposedtohim。\'