Charles Dickens: Dombey and Son (unabridged)
Read by David Timson
Dickens’s descriptions of the dark face of Progress are matched by the brilliant narration. — The Observer More…
- Release Date: 28th Sep 2009
- Catalogue No: NAX98912
- Label: Naxos AudioBooks
- Series: Classic Fiction, Complete Classics
- Length: 39 hours 2 minutes
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What are FLAC and MP3?Contents
Charles Dickens: Dombey and Son (Unabridged)
- Recording Venue: The Square Recording Studio, Codicote, Hertfordshire
Chapter One
Or, at all events, with one drawback.
'Good! We must not disguise from you Sir,'…
The lady thus specially presented…
'Well!' said Mrs. Chick, with a sweet smile…
There was no sound in answer…
Chapter Two
Miss Tox had arrived on the wheels…
Miss Tox seemed to be so little enlightened…
Thus arrested on the threshold…
As his unusual emotion subsided…
Chapter Three
The apartments which Mr. Dombey reserved…
The child, who had dropped her head…
Spitfire seemed to be…
She suddenly appended…
When little Florence timidly presented herself…
Chapter Four
Here he lived too, in skipper-like state…
'The Lord Mayor, Wally,' said Solomon…
'Dear Uncle,' said the boy…
Solomon Gills rubbed his hands…
Upon that he whistled as he filled his glass…
Chapter Five
'Louisa,' said Mr. Dombey, after a short pause…
The two interlopers…
'Have the goodness, if you please, Towlinson,'…
It happened to be an iron-grey autumnal day…
The baby soon appeared, carried in great glory…
Before he turned again to lead the way…
There they found Mr. Pitt turning up his nose…
'I was about to say to you, Richards,'…
Such temporary indications of a partial thaw…
Chapter Six
Staggs's Gardens was uncommonly incredulous.
'But where's my pretty boy?' said Polly…
Now, it happened that poor Biler's life…
They had not gone very far…
Mrs. Brown's was not a melodious cry…
'If you please, is this the city?'
As they stood deliberating in the street…
Solomon Gills was quite as hot…
'Why, I believe I found Miss Dombey, Sir,'…
The entrance of the lost child…
Chapter Seven
Although Major Bagstock had arrived…
But still, when that day…
Chapter Eight
Some philosophers tell us that selfishness is…
Heaven and Earth, how old his face was…
Mr. Dombey was so astonished…
'Surely you must know, Louisa,'…
This celebrated Mrs. Pipchin…
'Well, Sir,' said Mrs. Pipchin to Paul…
Such was life at Mrs. Pipchin's.
This, however, never came to pass.
It being clear that somebody was dead…
With this notable attendant to pull him along…
Chapter Nine
In this way, Walter, so far from forgetting…
'What I mean, Uncle Sol,' pursued Walter…
Walter looked from the broker to his uncle…
Walter, in his impatience…
These directions were not issued…
'I'm behind the time altogether, my dear Ned,'…
Chapter Ten
'An old campaigner, Sir,' said thE Major…
None the worse on account…
At the same time the Captain…
'What was the debt contracted for?'
As he motioned towards the door…
Chapter Eleven
'Mrs. Pipchin,' said Mr. Dombey…
Mr. Dombey waited…
The Doctor's was a mighty fine house…
'Doctor Blimber is at home, I believe?'
'Mrs. Pipchin', said his father…
A learned enthusiasm is so very contagious…
'I think,' said Mr. Dombey…
Chapter Twelve
Cornelia took him first to the schoolroom…
Young Toots who was ready…
'It is remarkable, Mr. Feeder,'…
Tea was served in a style no less polite…
Miss Blimber presented exactly the appearance…
He acquitted himself very well…
The books were not easy to procure…
Such spirits as he had in the outset, Paul soon lost…
'I say!' cried Toots, speaking…
Chapter Thirteen
The gentleman last mentioned…
'You respect nobody, Carker, I think,'…
'Gay,' said Mr. Dombey, turning a little…
During this conversation…
'You have only yourself to thank for it,'…
Again his last few words hung…
Chapter Fourteen
It was perfectly understood…
'It may be generally observed of Dombey,'…
Over and above these extensive privileges…
Mr. Feeder then told him, to his great joy…
'If I grow up,' said Paul.
'Our little friend,' observed Doctor Blimber…
He had to think of a portrait on the stairs…
There was a grand array of white waistcoats…
It was Sir Barnet Skettles, Lady Skettles…
From his nest among the pillows…
Once, when there was a pause in the dancing…
Diogenes was the dog: who had never in his life…
How Florence laughed!
Chapter Fifteen
This the Captain, in a moment of uncommon…
'Keep her off a point or so!' observed the Captain…
The Captain, however,…
As these reflections presented themselves…
Though still, of what the house had suggested to him…
There was no such place as Staggs's Gardens.
Miss Nipper then took breath…
Chapter Sixteen
The people around him changed…
Paul closed his eyes with those words…
For an instant, Paul looked at her…
Chapter Seventeen
One fact was quite clear to the Captain…
As it was a contest of affection and self denial…
The Captain's equanimity was so impenetrable…
The acuteness and significence…
The Captain's complacency…
The unconscious Captain walked out…
Chapter Eighteen
The feathers wind their gloomy way…
'My dear child,' said Mrs. Chick…
'Florence, my dear child, your poor papa…'
Mrs. Chick approved of this resolution…
It was easy to know when he had gone out…
One day, about a week after the funeral…
Mr. Toots, seeing Florence in tears…
Although Miss Nipper was nervous…
Her father sat at his old table…
Chapter Nineteen
'And I added,' pursued Walter…
'You remember me,' said Florence with a smile…
'Oh! but Walter,' said Florence…
Had Florence any misgiving…
Walter was coming down…
The relentless chronometer at last announced…
Chapter Twenty
'Where is my scoundrel!' said thE Major…
'Dombey,' said thE Major warmly…
But before the carriage moved away…
'Take advice from plain old Joe…'
Breasting the wind and light…
The sweet, calm, gentle presence…
Chapter Twenty-One
The discrepancy between Mrs. Skewton's fresh…
'Stop a moment, Withers!' said Mrs. Skewton…
Mr. Dombey's eyes sought the ground…
'I hope, Mrs. Granger,' said Mr. Dombey…
Withers the Wan, at this period…
ThE Major, who was quite forgiven…
Chapter Twenty-Two
'Don't mistake me.'
Still that passage, which was in a postscript…
Obedient to a nod from Mr. Carker…
Mr. Perch was too deferential to express surprise…
Mr. Carker the Manager…
Mr. Carker looked at Polly…
Mr. Carker's mouth expanded…
The Game Chicken…
Everything happened as usual…
Chapter Twenty-Three
For Florence lived alone in the deserted house…
But there was one thought…
'And so,' said Florence…
Arriving in good time…
In time, Rob was despatched for a coach…
But when the Captain…
Captain Cuttle picked up his hat…
'Clara a-hoy!' cried the Captain…
Captain Cuttle, whose delicacy was shocked…
'My name's Jack Bunsby!'
But meeting the eyes of Florence…
Chapter Twenty-Four
There were some children staying in the house.
As they stopped soon afterwards…
Even in the response she made…
The man drew a deep sigh.
The father and his sick daughter…
Chapter Twenty-Five
'My dear Ned Cuttle. Enclosed is my Will!'
The Captain's first care was to establish himself…
Not a station-house, or bone-house…
These innocent MacStingers…
Rob nodded his understanding…
Chapter Twenty-Six
'I shall have the pleasure, Carker'…
While they were thus engaged…
'I feel that I am weak…'
ThE Major advancing his double chin…
'This morning, Ma'am,' returned thE Major…
'Your regards, Edith, my dear?'
ThE Major gave the horse's cough…
'This was respectful and becoming…
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A withered and very ugly old woman…
'Mrs. Skewton,' said Mr. Dombey…
Few people had less reason to complain…
Mr. Carker cantered behind the carriage…
They were not exchanging a word or a look.
Warwick Castle being at length…
The dinner was the counterpart…
The very voice was changed…
'You might have been well married,'…
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Again, Florence, in pursuit of her strong purpose…
Stretched on a crimson cushion…
Such of her late friends and companions…
'There is nothing the matter?' inquired Florence.
'Mrs. Skewton,' said her father…
Chapter Twenty-Nine
A flush - it was warm weather…
Miss Tox assented…
Miss Tox left her seat in a hurry…
In the moment's silence that ensued…
Miss Tox directed an imploring…
Figuratively speaking, that is to say…
Chapter Thirty
Edith sat looking at her…
Oh Edith! it were well to die…
'I hear him now!' cried Florence…
The conversation was almost entirely sustained…
No bad representation of the body…
'My dear Dombey,' said Cleopatra…
'I am tired to death,' said she…
Edith bent the same fixed look upon her…
Chapter Thirty-One
The pastry cook is hard at work…
Mr. Dombey leaves his dressing room…
'Dombey', says thE Major…
There is a pause while Mr. Sownds…
'I am proud to see,' says Mr. Carker…
Now, there are more congratulations…
'But I know sufficient of my friend…'
The chariot is at the door; the Bride is descending…
Mrs. Skewton sleeps upstairs…
Chapter Thirty-Two
Nevertheless, the Captain did not tempt ill fortune…
The wind still rushing, and the rain still pattering…
Captain Cuttle proferred a glass of rum…
'As I was coming out,' said Mr. Toots…
'Wal'r my dear lad,' said the Captain…
'Thankee Captain Gills,' said Mr. Toots…
'My lad,' returned the captain…
'You hatch nice little plots…'
But the Captain was not unmindful…
Chapter Thirty-Three
The second home is on the other side of London…
The cordial face she lifted up to his…
'There is a kind of pride, Sir,' she returned…
'We are contented, Sir.'
Many half forgotten emotions were awakened…
She was now opposite the house…
Chapter Thirty-Four
The old woman, mumbling…
'I!' cried the old woman.
The old woman leaned her elbows on the table…
In uttering this last word…
'You seem to say you know a great deal…'
At the sound of her raised voice…
Chapter Thirty-Five
Florence is ready to receive her father…
With that Mr. Dombey stalked away…
Soon after tea, Mrs. Skewton…
There are yielding moments…
Florence and Edith, seated before the fire…
She saw that Florence would have spoken here…
She sat for some time silent…
Chapter Thirty-Six
The next arrival was a Bank Director…
Cousin Feenix was in great force…
Mr. Dombey's face was not a changeful one…
Mrs. Chick had some such thoughts too…
At last, the guests were all gone…
There was a sharpness…
Chapter Thirty-Seven
'I have presumed,' said Mr. Carker…
'You may pass that by, Sir,' she returned…
Edith raised her head quickly…
She got on no better towards night…
'Where is Mrs. Dombey?'
Chapter Thirty-Eight
'Polly, my gal,' said Mr. Toodle…
At these desperate words…
'You never mean to say, Mrs. Richards,'…
Mr. Toodle, who had a great respect for learning…
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Captain Cuttle also, as a man of business…
'Well, you'll excuse me…'
'And so you've got another berth…?'
Therefore Captain Cuttle read the newspaper…
'For why?' growled Bunsby…
'If so be,' returned Bunsby…
'Oh I was a weak and trusting Fool…'
Some uneasy ideas that he must be walking…
Chapter Forty
Yes, and he would have it…
She looked upon him as she said so…
His insolence of self importance…
The hand that had so pressed the bracelet…
Mr. Dombey took a long respiration…
But she was youthful…
From Edith she would sometimes look…
Mrs. Skewton, on one particular day…
'My Lady, don't believe her,'…
Chapter Forty-One
And here is Doctor Blimber…
There is much shaking of hands…
'Certainly, Miss Dombey,' says Mr. Toots…
Mr. Toots is likewise roaming up and down…
A shadow even on that shadowed face…
'There's an uncommon good church…'
Chapter Forty-Two
Thoroughly checked in his expectations…
He directed a sharp glance…
'Mrs. Dombey and myself,' said Mr. Dombey…
'You know,' said Mr. Carker…
Mr. Carker bowed his head…
'There is nothing more,' quoth Carker…
He rode direct to Mr. Dombey's house…
Nothing escaped him.
Chapter Forty-Three
'Papa thinks well of Mrs. Pipchin, Susan,'…
She listened at her own.
He may sleep on now.
'I have dreamed,' said Edith in a low voice…
Chapter Forty-Four
'Miss Floy,' said Susan Nipper…
But the inflexible Nipper…
'What is it! Why is it?' said Florence…
'Yes,' said Florence hurriedly…
Chapter Forty-Five
'Sir', returned Edith…
She bit her blood-red lip…
'Mr. Dombey…'
'You know that you are free to do so Sir,'…
Chapter Forty-Six
'See where he goes!'
'Will you hold your tongue, Misses Brown?'
Turning into a silent little square…
As Rob took another cautious survey of the yard…
Alone again, in his own room…
'I tell you,' said the Manager…
He rode near Mr. Dombey's house…
Chapter Forty-Seven
Those who study the physical sciences…
Florence loved him still…
Her voice died away into silence…
Thus living, in a dream…
'However doubtful reason I may have…'
'It may be natural enough…'
'Release me, then,' said Edith…
'Perhaps,' said Carker…
As Florence stood transfixed…
Her father seized a candle…
Chapter Forty-Eight
With this last adherent, Florence hurried away…
'Cheerily,' said the Captain…
In evidence of these convictions…
'How de do, Captain Gills?'
The Captain nodded his own as a mark of assent.
The Captain removed his hand from his face…
Chapter Forty-Nine
Her tears burst forth afresh…
Florence essayed to eat a morsel…
Unlike as they were externally…
When they were alone again…
The Captain did not go to bed for a long time.
'What! Lady lass,' returned the Captain…
'Were they saved!' cried Florence.
But Walter sought him out…
'I am the cause of your going away…'
Chapter Fifty
'I have been thinking of this…'
'Yes, Captain Cuttle,' replied Walter…
'The young woman?' returned the Captain.
All these good wishes, and better intentions…
Mr. Toots was so manifestly delighted…
Interested in her, anxious for her…
She laid her hand on his…
The head was still bent down, the tears…
Chapter Fifty-One
It is not a phantom of his imagination.
'Dombey!,' says thE Major…
'Shocking circumstances occur, Towlinson,' says Miss Tox.
'As to Perch, the messenger…'
Chapter Fifty-Two
'Woman,' said Mr. Dombey to the old witch…
Mr. Dombey followed her with his eyes…
'Drink a little drop to comfort you…'
'What, young woman!' blubbered Rob…
The impetuous Mrs. Brown rising directly…
'No, Rob. Not yet,' answered Mrs. Brown…
'Well then, the way was this…'
Chapter Fifty-Three
John Carker broke the seal…
'Oh, dearest sister! Tied, of your own noble…'
'John!' she said, half breathless.
'Its matter was not new to me…'
'That he has abused his trust…
John Carker had gone out…
Still upon her knees…
'Since then,' said Alice…
Chapter Fifty-Four
The men - the second of whom…
'Hard, unrelenting terms they were!'
'I am a woman,' she said, confronting him…
He sprung up from his chair…
He did not venture…
Chapter Fifty-Five
'Who goes there! Monsieur?'
The word soon brought carriage, horses…
Of morning, noon, and sunset…
Of receding from the coast, and looking back…
For now, indeed, it was no fancy.
He passed his hand across his throbbing head…
Chapter Fifty-Six
'This, however,' said Mr. Toots, 'is not the point…'
'Aye!' nodded the Captain.
This piece of Generalship accomplished…
Walter was busy and away all day…
Walter seemed to understand her…
The church Walter had chosen…
These proceedings on the part of Mr. Toots…
'Although,' stammered Mr. Toots…
'Began to think as how he was a scientific…'
At an early hour…
His patron being much engaged…
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Not even in that childish walk of long ago…
They are married, and have signed their names…
The Captain and Old Sol have been on board…
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Mr. Perch always closed these conferences…
The clerks dispersed after holding…
'The extent of Mr. Dombey's resources…
'Dear Sir,' she went on to say…
He handed her down to a coach…
Oh the strong eyes, and the weak frame!
'My handsome gal -'
With another of those wild cries…
Chapter Fifty-Nine
It is wonderful how good they feel…
Mr. Towlinson then says…
Then the mouldy gigs and chaise-carts reappear…
'Besides,' says the discreet lady…
The house is such a ruin…
And the ruined man.
As one by one, they fell away before his mind…
He came out of his solitude…
The world was very busy and restless…
He would have said it, if he could.
Miss Tox addressed herself…
Chapter Sixty
The Doctor, with his learned legs…
'My dear,' said Mrs. Toots, 'I was only talking.'
'Why, my love,' said Mr. Toots…
The first impulse of the Captain was to run away.
'Why not sheer off?' said the Captain.
The ceremony was concluded…
Chapter Sixty-One
It chanced one evening, towards sunset…
'The fact is,' said Cousin Feenix…
'I will leave,' said Cousin Feenix…
Florence was the first to change.
'I trust,' said Cousin Feenix…
Edith remained silent for some minutes…
Her sternness seemed to yield…
Chapter Sixty-Two
As to his partner, Captain Cuttle…
'"Here he is" says my wife…'
