’Mother，shallIdonothingtoassistyou？’
　　’Nothing。’
　　’Willyouentrustmewithnoconfidence，nocharge，noexplanation？
　　Willyoutakenocounselwithme？Willyounotletmecomenearyou？’
　　’Howcanyouaskme？Youseparatedyourselffrommyaffairs。Itwasnotmyact；itwasyours。Howcanyouconsistentlyaskmesuchaquestion？YouknowthatyouleftmetoFlintwinch，andthatheoccupiesyourplace。’
　　GlancingatJeremiah，Clennamsawinhisverygaitersthathisattentionwascloselydirectedtothem，thoughhestoodleaningagainstthewallscrapinghisjaw，andpretendedtolistentoFloraassheheldforthinamostdistractingmanneronachaosofsubjects，inwhichmackerel，andMrF。’sAuntinaswing，hadbecomeentangledwithcockchafersandthewinetrade。
　　’Aprisoner，inaFrenchgaol，onanaccusationofmurder，’
　　repeatedMrsClennam，steadilygoingoverwhathersonhadsaid。
　　’Thatisallyouknowofhimfromthefellow-prisoner？’
　　’Insubstance，all。’
　　’Andwasthefellow-prisonerhisaccompliceandamurderer，too？
　　But，ofcourse，hegivesabetteraccountofhimselfthanofhisfriend；itisneedlesstoask。Thiswillsupplytherestofthemherewithsomethingnewtotalkabout。Casby，Arthurtellsme——’
　　’Stay，mother!Stay，stay!’Heinterruptedherhastily，forithadnotenteredhisimaginationthatshewouldopenlyproclaimwhathehadtoldher。
　　’Whatnow？’shesaidwithdispleasure。’Whatmore？’
　　’Ibegyoutoexcuseme，MrCasby——andyou，too，MrsFinching——foroneothermomentwithmymother——’
　　Hehadlaidhishanduponherchair，orshewouldotherwisehavewheeleditroundwiththetouchofherfootupontheground。Theywerestillfacetoface。Shelookedathim，asheranoverthepossibilitiesofsomeresulthehadnotintended，andcouldnotforesee，beinginfluencedbyCavalletto’sdisclosurebecomingamatterofnotoriety，andhurriedlyarrivedattheconclusionthatithadbestnotbetalkedabout；thoughperhapshewasguidedbynomoredistinctreasonthanthathehadtakenitforgrantedthathismotherwouldreserveittoherselfandherpartner。
　　’Whatnow？’shesaidagain，impatiently。’Whatisit？’
　　’Ididnotmean，mother，thatyoushouldrepeatwhatIhavecommunicated。Ithinkyouhadbetternotrepeatit。’
　　’Doyoumakethataconditionwithme？’
　　’Well!Yes。’
　　’Observe，then!Itisyouwhomakethisasecret，’saidshe，holdingupherhand，’andnotI。Itisyou，Arthur，whobringheredoubtsandsuspicionsandentreatiesforexplanations，anditisyou，Arthur，whobringsecretshere。Whatisittome，doyouthink，wherethemanhasbeen，orwhathehasbeen？Whatcanitbetome？Thewholeworldmayknowit，iftheycaretoknowit；itisnothingtome。Now，letmego。’
　　Heyieldedtoherimperiousbutelatedlook，andturnedherchairbacktotheplacefromwhichhehadwheeledit。IndoingsohesawelationinthefaceofMrFlintwinch，whichmostassuredlywasnotinspiredbyFlora。thisturningofhisintelligenceandofhiswholeattemptanddesignagainsthimself，didevenmorethanhismother’sfixednessandfirmnesstoconvincehimthathiseffortswithherwereidle。NothingremainedbuttheappealtohisoldfriendAffery。
　　Buteventogettheverydoubtfulandpreliminarystageofmakingtheappeal，seemedoneoftheleastpromisingofhumanundertakings。Shewassocompletelyunderthethrallofthetwocleverones，wassosystematicallykeptinsightbyoneorotherofthem，andwassoafraidtogoaboutthehousebesides，thateveryopportunityofspeakingtoheraloneappearedtobeforestalled。
　　Overandabovethat，MistressAffery，bysomemeansitwasnotverydifficulttoguess，throughthesharpargumentsofherliegelord，hadacquiredsuchalivelyconvictionofthehazardofsayinganythingunderanycircumstances，thatshehadremainedallthistimeinacornerguardingherselffromapproachwiththatsymbolicalinstrumentofhers；sothat，whenawordortwohadbeenaddressedtoherbyFlora，orevenbythebottle-greenpatriarchhimself，shehadwardedoffconversationwiththetoasting-forklikeadumbwoman。
　　AfterseveralabortiveattemptstogetAfferytolookathimwhilesheclearedthetableandwashedthetea-service，ArthurthoughtofanexpedientwhichFloramightoriginate。Towhomhethereforewhispered，’Couldyousayyouwouldliketogothroughthehouse？’
　　Now，poorFlora，beingalwaysinfluctuatingexpectationofthetimewhenClennamwouldrenewhisboyhoodandbemadlyinlovewithheragain，receivedthewhisperwiththeutmostdelight；notonlyasrenderedpreciousbyitsmysteriouscharacter，butaspreparingthewayforatenderinterviewinwhichhewoulddeclarethestateofhisaffections。Sheimmediatelybegantoworkoutthehint。
　　’Ahdearmethepooroldroom，’saidFlora，glancinground，’looksjustaseverMrsClennamIamtouchedtoseeexceptforbeingsmokierwhichwastobeexpectedwithtimeandwhichwemustallexpectandreconcileourselvestobeingwhetherwelikeitornotasIamsureIhavehadtodomyselfifnotexactlysmokierdreadfullystouterwhichisthesameorworse，tothinkofthedayswhenpapausedtobringmeheretheleastofgirlsaperfectmassofchilblainstobestuckuponachairwithmyfeetontherailsandstareatArthur——prayexcuseme——MrClennam——theleastofboysinthefrightfullestoffrillsandjacketsereyetMrF。appearedamistyshadowonthehorizonpayingattentionslikethewell-knownspectreofsomeplaceinGermanybeginningwithaBisamorallessoninculcatingthatallthepathsinlifearesimilartothepathsdownintheNorthofEnglandwheretheygetthecoalsandmaketheironandthingsgravelledwithashes!’
　　Havingpaidthetributeofasightotheinstabilityofhumanexistence，Florahurriedonwithherpurpose。
　　’Notthatatanytime，’sheproceeded，’itsworstenemycouldhavesaiditwasacheerfulhouseforthatitwasnevermadetobebutalwayshighlyimpressive，fondmemoryrecallsanoccasioninyouthereyetthejudgmentwasmaturewhenArthur——confirmedhabit——MrClennam——tookmedownintoanunusedkitcheneminentformouldinessandproposedtosecretemethereforlifeandfeedmeonwhathecouldhidefromhismealswhenhewasnotathomefortheholidaysandondrybreadindisgracewhichatthathalcyonperiodtoofrequentlyoccurred，woulditbeinconvenientoraskingtoomuchtobegtobepermittedtorevivethosescenesandwalkthroughthehouse？’
　　MrsClennam，whorespondedwithaconstrainedgracetoMrsFinching’sgoodnatureinbeingthereatall，thoughhervisitbeforeArthur’sunexpectedarrivalwasundoubtedlyanactofpuregoodnatureandnoself-gratification，intimatedthatallthehousewasopentoher。FloraroseandlookedtoArthurforhisescort。
　　’Certainly，’saidhe，aloud；’andAfferywilllightus，Idaresay。’
　　Afferywasexcusingherselfwith’Don’tasknothingofme，Arthur!’
　　whenMrFlintwinchstoppedherwith’Whynot？Affery，what’sthematterwithyou，woman？Whynot，jade!’Thusexpostulatedwith，shecameunwillinglyoutofhercorner，resignedthetoasting-forkintooneofherhusband’shands，andtookthecandlestickheofferedfromtheother。
　　’Gobefore，youfool!’saidJeremiah。’Areyougoingup，ordown，MrsFinching？’
　　Floraanswered，’Down。’
　　’Thengobefore，anddown，youAffery，’saidJeremiah。’Anddoitproperly，orI’llcomerollingdownthebanisters，andtumblingoveryou!’
　　Afferyheadedtheexploringparty；Jeremiahclosedit。Hehadnointentionofleavingthem。Clennamlookingback，andseeinghimfollowingthreestairsbehind，inthecoolestandmostmethodicalmannerexclaimedinalowvoice，’Istherenogettingridofhim!’
　　Florareassuredhismindbyreplyingpromptly，’WhythoughnotexactlyproperArthurandathingIcouldn’tthinkofbeforeayoungermanorastrangerstillIdon’tmindhimifyousoparticularlywishitandprovidedyou’llhavethegoodnessnottotakemetootight。’
　　Wantingthehearttoexplainthatthiswasnotatallwhathemeant，ArthurextendedhissupportingarmroundFlora’sfigure。
　　’Ohmygoodnessme，’saidshe。’Youareveryobedientindeedreallyandit’sextremelyhonourableandgentlemanlyinyouIamsurebutstillatthesametimeifyouwouldliketobealittletighterthanthatIshouldn’tconsideritintruding。’
　　Inthispreposterousattitude，unspeakablyatvariancewithhisanxiousmind，Clennamdescendedtothebasementofthehouse；
　　findingthatwhereveritbecamedarkerthanelsewhere，Florabecameheavier，andthatwhenthehousewaslightestshewastoo。
　　Returningfromthedismalkitchenregions，whichwereasdrearyastheycouldbe，MistressAfferypassedwiththelightintohisfather’soldroom，andthenintotheolddining-room；alwayspassingonbeforelikeaphantomthatwasnottobeovertaken，andneitherturningnoransweringwhenhewhispered，’Affery!Iwanttospeaktoyou!’
　　Inthedining-room，asentimentaldesirecameoverFloratolookintothedragonclosetwhichhadsooftenswallowedArthurinthedaysofhisboyhood——notimprobablybecause，asaverydarkcloset，itwasalikelyplacetobeheavyin。Arthur，fastsubsidingintodespair，hadopenedit，whenaknockwasheardattheouterdoor。
　　MistressAffery，withasuppressedcry，threwherapronoverherhead。
　　’What？Youwantanotherdose!’saidMrFlintwinch。’Youshallhaveit，mywoman，youshallhaveagoodone!Oh!Youshallhaveasneezer，youshallhaveateaser!’
　　’Inthemeantimeisanybodygoingtothedoor？’saidArthur。
　　’Inthemeantime，Iamgoingtothedoor，sir，’returnedtheoldmansosavagely，astorenderitclearthatinachoiceofdifficultieshefelthemustgo，thoughhewouldhavepreferrednottogo。’Stayherethewhile，all!Affery，mywoman，moveaninch，orspeakawordinyourfoolishness，andI’lltrebleyourdose!’
　　Themomenthewasgone，ArthurreleasedMrsFinching：withsomedifficulty，byreasonofthatladymisunderstandinghisintentions，andmakingarrangementswithaviewtotighteninginsteadofslackening。
　　’Affery，speaktomenow!’
　　’Don’ttouchme，Arthur!’shecried，shrinkingfromhim。’Don’tcomenearme。He’llseeyou。Jeremiahwill。Don’t。’
　　’Hecan’tseeme，’returnedArthur，suitingtheactiontotheword，’ifIblowthecandleout。’
　　’He’llhearyou，’criedAffery。
　　’Hecan’thearme，’returnedArthur，suitingtheactiontothewordsagain，’ifIdrawyouintothisblackcloset，andspeakhere。
　　Whydoyouhideyourface？’
　　’BecauseIamafraidofseeingsomething。’
　　’Youcan’tbeafraidofseeinganythinginthisdarkness，Affery。’
　　’YesIam。Muchmorethanifitwaslight。’
　　’Whyareyouafraid？’