# XLV: The Trusty Agent explained — Dombey and Son

> Chapter companion for Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens.

## What happens

Edith Dombey confronts Mr. Carker after he has manipulated a private audience with her. She accuses him of feigning loyalty to her husband while secretly undermining her. Carker admits his awareness of her contempt for Mr. Dombey and proposes a secret alliance to protect Florence Dombey's interests. Edith, though proud and angry, reluctantly agrees to further consultations, and Carker departs after kissing her hand.

## Themes in this chapter

### Marriage and Power

Edith's marriage to Dombey is depicted as a power struggle, with Carker exploiting her contempt for her husband to gain influence over her.

### Pride and Ambition

Edith's fierce pride and Carker's calculated ambition drive the confrontation, each seeking to assert dominance.

### Love and Sacrifice

Edith's concern for Florence's welfare motivates her to consider Carker's proposal, sacrificing her own pride for the girl's protection.

## Character check-ins

### Edith Dombey

Confronts Carker with fierce pride and disdain, plucking feathers from her fan in agitation, and ultimately agrees to a secret understanding.

### Mr. Carker

Manipulates Edith into a private interview, admits his awareness of her contempt for Dombey, and proposes a confidential alliance to protect Florence.

### Florence Dombey

Mentioned as a concern; Carker and Edith discuss sparing her from knowledge of their dealings.

### Mr. Dombey

Referenced as the husband Edith despises and as Carker's 'instructor' and patient.

## Key lines

> Sir, returned Edith, bending her dark gaze full upon him, and speaking with a rising passion that inflated her proud nostril and her swelling neck, and stirred the delicate white down upon a robe she wore, thrown loosely over shoulders that could bear its snowy neighbourhood, Why do you present yourself to me, as you have done, and speak to me of love and duty to my husband, and pretend to think that I am happily married, and that I honour him?

Edith angrily asks Carker why he pretends she is happily married when he knows she despises her husband.

_Edith's passionate outburst reveals her true feelings about her marriage and her contempt for Carker's hypocrisy._

> She gave him the gloved hand she had maimed last night. He took it in one of his, and kissed it, and withdrew. And when he had closed the door, he waved the hand with which he had taken hers, and thrust it in his breast.

Edith reluctantly offers her gloved hand, which Carker kisses before leaving; afterward, he triumphantly gestures with that hand.

_The gesture symbolizes Carker's victory in securing a secret understanding with Edith, and her submission to his manipulation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dombey_and_son_se/chapters/xlv-the-trusty-agent
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dombey_and_son_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dombey_and_son_se/chapters