Auxiliary policeman steps forward, and
communicates, after the manner of the Greek
chorus, the following startling epitome of his
fate:

"In his anxiety to escape," says he, "he
ran up-stairs, and gained the roof; his foot
slipped—and—he was dashed to pieces!!!"

Dombey senior (clasping his hand). "Death
to my ambitious hopes! My poor boy is
dead!" a conclusion logically drawn from
the policeman's intelligence. Tableau!!!
Scene closes in.

There is more to come. "Walter Gay is
shipped for Sierra Leone in due course, which
leads to a scene thus briefly epitomised:

SCENE IV. Exterior of Mr. Dombey's
house. Tableau. The wedding-party. Edith
Granger comes home from church. Mrs.
Brown the spy. Church bells ringing.
Closed in. See tableau in the work. Which
leads again to Carker's office; where, curious
to say, two chairs and a candle are burning.
This wicked person, having just received a
note from Walter Gay, announcing his return,
addresses his own intellectual perceptions
with—"Brain, serve me now!" and proceeds
to lay a deep train of villainy. "What a nice,
plain signature," he says, reflectively, "we
will see how it looks upon paper for a large
amount. You have escaped the vengeance of
the sea, but not mine!" He then places one
of the papers for a large amount against the
window-pane, and traces Walter's signature.
The deed is done, that young man's acceptance
is now at foot of a note-of-hand for the
round five thousand pounds, at a short date.

The young man, Gay, enters presently as a
midshipman, "slightly care-worn and
dejected," at whose service villain Carker places
a sealed envelope, containing the paper
to a large amount. With a strange lack of
grateful feeling, the midshipman merely
remarks, "Bless you; you are, indeed, a friend!"
Presses his hand, takes packet, and exit.

Midshipman Gay and Florence meet
presently, but are interrupted by an indecent
knocking at the door, and ringing at the bell.

"O, ma'am," says Susan, running in, "it's
Mr. Carker and a whole mob of people."
Which includes villain Carker, Mr. Dombey,
and many more. The midshipman is
denounced at once, and the paper to a large
amount torn from him.

"I have policemen ready," the villain says.

"O, well-laid plan," bursts out Mr. Gay—
"plan of a demon—for such you are. Where
shall I turn now for one kind look—where
shall I find a friend?"

"Here," says Mrs. Brown, the Child-
Stealer, entering at the very nick of time
At whose threats, however, Mr. Carker
laughs. But now the most marvellous
denouement is approaching, for presently Edith
Granger, escorted by Captain Cuttle and Mr.
Gills, arrives. "Come in, good old heart,"
says the last named gentleman. "You wanted
friends, Walter—you have them now, Walter,
loving friends. Walter no more—stranger
no longer—long, long parted—never to part
again. Come to your mother's heart!"

Altogether: 'His mother!"

Not at all surprising this start from the
assembled company. Mr. Gills gives us some
details.

"Yes, he was picked up by me off
Falmouth, having been upset by a boat, and his
nurse was drowned. I advertised vainly."

"Carker," Mr. Dombey says reproachfully,
and in a tone of mild remonstrance, "what
could have induced you?"

"Ambition! love for her!" I plotted
—executed—it has failed. Hag! you have
triumphed!"

Which last observation is addressed to the
child-stealer. But the child-stealer ripostes
cleverly:

"I have got what you have failed in—
revenge!"

Carker grins (sic), and is led out by
servants. He will probably be indicted for
conspiracy at the next assizes. Then, strange
to tell, everybody turns facetious of a sudden,
including the disdainful Mrs. Dombey. Mr.
Gills draws out a bottle, goes to Captain
Cuttle, and shows it.

Cuttle. "Walter, the bottle!" (holds it up
triumphantly). "True to his pledge, Uncle Sol has
brought the last of the old Madeira."

Edith. "And, conquering. We will now drink
success to—"

Cuttle. "Dombey!"

Edith. "Son!"

Dombey. "And Daughter!" (He joins their
hands.)

Picture. The curtain falls.

Which most ingenious tag brings the piece
to a close. Hard it is truly to reconcile
oneself to this undignified turn of thought
on the part of Edith. The notion of finding
high parentages for Walter, however, was
bold, and not a whit less ingenious that
device of fitting him so neatly in the tag,
as Dombey, Son, and Daughter. He thus
becomes allied to that house by a left-handed
process not to be too nicely scanned. In this
fashion do they profanely use the drama over
the water.

MR. CHARLES DICKENS
WILL READ AT ST. MARTIN'S HALL:
On THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 20th, his "Cricket on
the Hearth."
Each Reading will commence at Eight exactly, and
will last two hours.
PLACES:—Stalls (numbered and reserved), Five
Shillings; Area and Galleries, Half-a-crown; Unreserved
Seats, One Shilling. Tickets to be had at Messrs. Chapman
and Halls, Publishers, 193, Piccadilly; and at
St. Martin's Hall, Long Acre.