Ugh! They were black, cold rooms; and seemed to be in mourning, like the inmates of the house. The books precisely matched as to size, and drawn up in line, like soldiers, looked in their cold, hard, slippery uniforms, as if they had but one idea among them, and that was a freezer. The bookcase, glazed and locked, repudiated all familiarities. Mr. Pitt, in bronze, on the top, with no trace of his celestial origin' about him, guarded the unattainable treasure like an enchanted Moor. A dusty urn at each high corner, dug up from an ancient tomb, preached desolation and decay, as from two pulpits; and the chimney-glass, reflecting Mr. Dombey and his portrait at one blow, seemed fraught with melancholy meditations.

The stiff and stark fire-irons appeared to claim a nearer relationship than anything else there to Mr. Dombey, with his buttoned coat, his white cravat, his heavy gold watch-chain, and his creaking boots.

But this was before the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Chick, his lawful relatives, who soon presented themselves.

'My dear Paul,' Mrs. Chick murmured, as she embraced him, 'the beginning, I hope, of many joyful days!'

'Thank you, Louisa,' said Mr. Dombey, grimly. 'How do you do, Mr. John?'

'How do you do, Sir?' said Chick.

He gave Mr. Dombey his hand, as if he feared it might electrify him. Mr. Dombey tool: it as if it was a fish, or seaweed,or some such clammy substance, and immediately returned it to him with exalted politeness.

'Perhaps, Louisa,' said Mr. Dombey, slightly turning his head in his cravat, as if it were a socket, 'you would have preferred a fire?'

注释：inmates n. 居民；同住者
词组：
escaped inmates越狱犯
Prison Inmates监牢囚犯
Billionaire Convicts And Inmates亿万富翁的牢狱之灾
例句：
1. There are at least 100 inmates in that labor camp.
在那个集中营里面，至少有100个入狱者。
2. And prison inmates may live even better than many poor citizens.
而监狱里囚犯的生活甚至可能比很多穷人还要好。