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Pipchin kept a collection of plants in pots, which imparted an earthy flavour of their own to the establishment." Little Paul afterwards went to Dr. Blimber's, which "was a mighty fine house fronting the sea"; this has been identified as being on or near the site now occupied by the Metropole.
But he could remember, when he got home, and was carried up the well-remembered stairs, that there had been the rumbling of a coach for many hours together, while he lay upon the seat, with Florence still beside him, and old Mrs Pipchin sitting opposite.
For tea there was plenty of milk and water, and bread and butter, with a little black tea-pot for Mrs Pipchin and Berry, and buttered toast unlimited for Mrs Pipchin, which was brought in, hot and hot, like the chops.
'Mr Dombey is in his own room, Miss Dombey, said Mrs Pipchin, 'and the best thing you can do, is to take off your things and go to bed this minute. This was the sagacious woman's remedy for all complaints, particularly lowness of spirits, and inability to sleep; for which offences, many young victims in the days of the Brighton Castle had been committed to bed at ten o'clock in the morning.
I will confess that when, in years to come, I read 'Dombey and Son', certain features of Mrs. Pipchin did irresistibly remind me of my excellent past governess. I can imagine Miss Marks saying, but with a facetious intent, that children who sniffed would not go to heaven.
'Berry's very fond of you, ain't she? Paul once asked Mrs Pipchin when they were sitting by the fire with the cat. 'Yes, said Mrs Pipchin. 'Why? asked Paul. 'Why! returned the disconcerted old lady. 'How can you ask such things, Sir! why are you fond of your sister Florence? 'Because she's very good, said Paul. 'There's nobody like Florence.
'How dare you laugh behind the gentleman's back? said Mrs Pipchin. 'And what do you take me for? 'I ain't a laughing at nobody, and I'm sure I don't take you for nothing, Ma'am, returned the young man, in consternation. 'A pack of idle dogs! said Mrs Pipchin, 'only fit to be turnspits. Go and tell your master that Mr Dombey's here, or it'll be worse for you!
Despite his entreaty that they would not think of stirring, Doctor Blimber, Mrs Blimber, and Miss Blimber all pressed forward to attend him to the hall; and thus Mrs Pipchin got into a state of entanglement with Miss Blimber and the Doctor, and was crowded out of the study before she could clutch Florence.
Although the niece of Mrs Pipchin did not expect to find that exemplary dragon prostrate on the hearth-rug when she went downstairs, she was relieved to find her unusually fractious and severe, and with every present appearance of intending to live a long time to be a comfort to all who knew her.
Pipchin, who conducted an infantile boarding house of a very select description at Brighton, and whose scale of charges was high, was entrusted with the care of Paul's health when he was little more than five years old. Mrs. Pipchin was a marvellous ill-favoured, ill-conditioned old lady, with a mottled face like bad marble, a hook nose, and a hard grey eye. It was generally said that Mrs.
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