“贝里很喜欢您，是不是？”有一次当他们和那只猫一起坐在炉旁的时候，保罗问皮普钦太太。

　　’Yes,’ said Mrs Pipchin.

　　“是的，”皮普钦太太说道。

　　’Why?’ asked Paul.

　　“为什么？”保罗问道。

　　’Why!’ returned the disconcerted old lady. ’How can you ask such things, Sir! why are you fond of your sister Florence?’

　　“为什么！”心烦意乱的老太太回答道。“您怎么能问这样的事情，先生！您为什么喜欢您的姐姐弗洛伦斯？”

　　’Because she’s very good,’ said Paul. ’There’s nobody like Florence.’

　　“因为她很好，”保罗说道，“没有什么人能像弗洛伦斯那样。”

　　’Well!’ retorted Mrs Pipchin, shortly, ’and there’s nobody like me, I suppose.’

　　“唔！”皮普钦太太简单地回答道。“那么也没有什么人能像我这样，我想。”

　　’Ain’t there really though?’ asked Paul, leaning forward in his chair, and looking at her very hard.

　　“难道真的没有吗？”保罗在椅子里向前欠身，很专注地看着她，问道。

　　’No,’ said the old lady.

　　“没有，”老太太说道。

　　’I am glad of that,’ observed Paul, rubbing his hands thoughtfully. ’That’s a very good thing.’

　　“这使我很高兴，”保罗认真思考地搓搓手，说道。“这是件很好的事情。”

　　Mrs Pipchin didn’t dare to ask him why, lest she should receive some perfectly annihilating answer. But as a compensation to her wounded feelings, she harassed Master Bitherstone to that extentuntil bed-time, that he began that very night to make arrangements for an overland return to India, by secreting from his supper a quarter of a round of bread and a fragment of moist Dutch cheese, as the beginning of a stock of provision to support him on the voyage.

　　皮普钦太太不敢问他为什么，唯恐会得到一个完全使她陷入绝境的答复。可是，为了补偿她在感情上所受到的创伤，她把比瑟斯通少爷大大地折磨了一通，直到睡觉为止，因此他在当天夜里开始作出了由陆路回到印度去的安排，办法是吃晚饭的时候偷偷地藏起四分之一块面包和一小片潮湿的荷兰乳酪，就这样开始储存起旅途中所需的食品。

　　Mrs Pipchin had kept watch and ward over little Paul and his sister for nearly twelve months. They had been home twice, but only for a few days; and had been constant in their weekly visits to Mr Dombey at the hotel. By little and little Paul had grown stronger, and had become able to dispense with his carriage; though he still looked thin and delicate; and still remained the same old, quiet, dreamy child that he had been when first consigned to Mrs Pipchin’s care. One Saturday afternoon, at dusk, great consternation was occasioned in the Castle by the unlooked-for announcementof Mr Dombey as a visitor to Mrs Pipchin. The population of the parlour was immediately swept upstairs as on the wings of a whirlwind, and after much slamming of bedroom doors, and trampling overhead, and some knocking about of Master Bitherstone by Mrs Pipchin, as a relief to the perturbation of her spirits, the black bombazeen garments of the worthy old lady darkened the audience-chamber where Mr Dombey was contemplating the vacant arm-chair of his son and heir.

　　皮普钦太太对小保罗和他的姐姐看管、监护了将近十二个月。他们曾经回家去过两次，但只住了几天，每个星期照常总要到旅馆里去看望董贝先生。保罗虽然看去仍旧消瘦、虚弱，而且跟他当初被托付给皮普钦太太看管时一样，仍然同样是那个老气的、安静的、喜爱幻想的孩子，但他逐渐逐渐地强壮起来，不坐车也能出去走走了；在一个星期六的下午，已经是薄暮的时候，这里接到了一个事先没有预料到的通知：董贝先生要来拜访皮普钦太太，这在城堡中引起了极大的惊慌。客厅里的人们就像被旋风刮起来一般，飞快地被赶到了楼上；寝室的门被砰砰地关上，脚从孩子们的头踩踏过去，皮普钦太太又把比瑟斯通少爷接二连三地打了一阵，来减轻一下她精神上的焦虑不安；在这之后，这位可尊敬的老太太走进了接见室，她的黑色的邦巴辛毛葛衣服使室内的光线昏暗下来；董贝先生正在室内细心观察着他的儿子和继承人的空着的扶手椅子。