ChickorMissTox——daredeverwhispertohimthattherehad，onanyoneoccasion，beentheleastreasonforuneasinessinreferencetolittlePaul。
Hehadsettled，withinhimself，thatthechildmustnecessarilypassthroughacertainroutineofminormaladies，andthatthesoonerhedidsothebetter。Ifhecouldhaveboughthimoff，orprovidedasubstitute，asinthecaseofanunluckydrawingforthemilitia，hewouldhavebeengladtodosoonliberalterms。Butasthiswasnotfeasible，hemerelywondered，inhishaughtymanner，nowandthen，whatNaturemeantbyit；andcomfortedhimselfwiththereflectionthattherewasanothermilestonepassedupontheroad，andthatthegreatendofthejourneylaysomuchthenearer。
Forthefeelinguppermostinhismind，nowandconstantlyintensifying，andincreasinginitasPaulgrewolder，wasimpatience。Impatienceforthetimetocome，whenhisvisionsoftheirunitedconsequenceandgrandeurwouldbetriumphantlyrealized。
SomePhilosopherstellusthatselfishnessisattherootofourbestlovesandaffections。Mr。Dombey\'syoungchildwas，fromthebeginning，sodistinctlyimportanttohimasapartofhisowngreatness，orwhichisthesamethingofthegreatnessofDombeyandSon，thatthereisnodoubthisparentalaffectionmighthavebeeneasilytraced，likemanyagoodlysuper-structureoffairfame，toaverylowfoundation。Buthelovedhissonwithallthelovehehad。Iftherewereawarmplaceinhisfrostyheart，hissonoccupiedit；ifitsveryhardsurfacecouldreceivetheimpressionofanyimage，theimageofthatsonwasthere；thoughnotsomuchasaninfant，orasaboy，butasagrownman——the`Son\'oftheFirm。
Thereforehewasimpatienttoadvanceintothefuture，andtohurryovertheinterveningpassagesofhishistory。Thereforehehadlittleornoanxietyaboutthem，inspiteofhislove；feelingasiftheboyhadacharmedlife，andmustbecomethemanwithwhomheheldsuchconstantcommunicationinhisthoughts，andforwhomheplannedandprojected，asforanexistingreality，everyday。