Charles Dickens's Dombey and Son, No. XIII–XIV (Chs. 39-45)

No. XIII (chs. 39-41)
Towards his first wife, Mr Dombey, in his cold and lofty arrogance, had borne himself like the removed Being he almost conceived himself to be. He had been 'Mr Dombey' with her when she first saw him, and he was 'Mr Dombey' when she died. He had asserted his greatness during their whole married life, and she had meekly recognised it. He had kept his distant seat of state on the top of his throne, and she her humble station on its lowest step; and much good it had done him, so to live in solitary bondage to his one idea. He had imagined that the proud character of his second wife would have been added to his own—would have merged into it, and exalted his greatness. He had pictured himself haughtier than ever, with Edith’s haughtiness subservient to his. He had never entertained the possibility of its arraying itself against him. (608-9)

Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens

Originally published: 1846-48
Acquired: December 2024
Installments read: January 2025

Not much to report about this one, which continues the depiction of the slow deterioration of the Dombey marriage—see above. Also some good but sad stuff about Florence. The new Mrs Dombey's mother dies.

No. XIV (chs. 42-45)
'Does that bold-faced slut... intend to take her warning, or does she not?' (669)

Another one that I found a bit slow and a bit plodding. More Florence, please! I mean, Dombey is thrown from his horse and injured and all, but there's a bit too much Carker. I get that he's up to no good, but I find something about Dickens's underhanded villains who spend a lot of time "on screen" a bit dull; I mean, he's not as bad as Pecksniff from Martin Chuzzlewit, but I feel like less would be more with this guy, but instead we just get more. Which is not more.

That said, at times, he's chillingly effective. When Dombey is injured, Carker brings a message from him to Edith (only I am suspicious that the message probably does not represent Dombey's actual intentions), trying to drive a wedge between Edith and Florence:

'His instructions were,' he said, in a low voice, 'that I should inform you that your demeanour towards Miss Dombey is not agreeable to him. That it suggests comparisons to him which are not favourable to himself. That he desires it may be wholly changed; and that if you are in earnest, he is confident it will be; for your continued show of affection will not benefit its object.'
     'That is a threat,' she said.
     'That is a threat,' he answered, in his voiceless manner of assent: adding aloud, “but not directed against you.' (683)

I've been reading this book a solid month now, you know, and though my reading has slowed a little of late, I'm almost at the three-quarters mark, so I ought to finish it up in February.

I'm worried about that three-quarters mark, though; so far, Dickens has made the worst things happen at the ends of installment nos. v and x. What will no. xv bring?

This is the fifth in a series of posts about Dombey and Son. The next covers installment no. xv and beyond. Previous installments are listed below:

1. Nos. I–IV (chs. 1-13)
2. Nos. V–VII (chs. 14-22)
3. Nos. VIII–X (chs. 23-31)
4. Nos. XI–XII (chs. 32-38)