Sayingsomethingapologeticallyashecrossedthehall，totheeffectthatatthattimeofnighttheywerenotinthehabitofreceivinganyone，andwerealwaysshutup，MrFlintwinchledthewayintohisownoffice，whichpresentedasufficientlybusiness-
　　likeappearance。Hereheputthelightonhisdesk，andsaidtothestranger，withhiswryesttwistuponhim，’Yourcommands。’
　　’MYnameisBlandois。’
　　’Blandois。Idon’tknowit，’saidJeremiah。
　　’Ithoughtitpossible，’resumedtheother，’thatyoumighthavebeenadvisedfromParis——’
　　’WehavehadnoadvicefromParisrespectinganybodyofthenameofBlandois，’saidJeremiah。
　　’No？’
　　’No。’
　　Jeremiahstoodinhisfavouriteattitude。ThesmilingMrBlandois，openinghiscloaktogethishandtoabreast-pocket，pausedtosay，withalaughinhisglitteringeyes，whichitoccurredtoMrFlintwinchweretooneartogether：
　　’Youaresolikeafriendofmine!NotsoidenticallythesameasIsupposedwhenIreallydidforthemomenttakeyoutobethesameinthedusk——forwhichIoughttoapologise；permitmetodoso；areadinesstoconfessmyerrorsis，Ihope，apartofthefranknessofmycharacter——still，however，uncommonlylike。’
　　’Indeed？’saidJeremiah，perversely。’ButIhavenotreceivedanyletterofadvicefromanywhererespectinganybodyofthenameofBlandois。’
　　’Justso，’saidthestranger。
　　’JUSTso，’saidJeremiah。
　　MrBlandois，notatallputoutbythisomissiononthepartofthecorrespondentsofthehouseofClennamandCo。，tookhispocket-
　　bookfromhisbreast-pocket，selectedaletterfromthatreceptacle，andhandedittoMrFlintwinch。’Nodoubtyouarewellacquaintedwiththewriting。Perhapstheletterspeaksforitself，andrequiresnoadvice。YouareafarmorecompetentjudgeofsuchaffairsthanIam。Itismymisfortunetobe，notsomuchamanofbusiness，aswhattheworldcallsarbitrarilyagentleman。’
　　MrFlintwinchtooktheletter，andread，underdateofParis，’Wehavetopresenttoyou，onbehalfofahighlyesteemedcorrespondentofourFirm，M。Blandois，ofthiscity，’&c。&c。
　　’Suchfacilitiesashemayrequireandsuchattentionsasmaylieinyourpower，’&c。&c。’AlsohavetoaddthatifyouwillhonourM。Blandois’draftsatsighttotheextentof，sayFiftyPoundssterlingl50，’&c。&c。
　　’Verygood，sir，’saidMrFlintwinch。’Takeachair。TotheextentofanythingthatourHousecando——weareinaretired，old-
　　fashioned，steadywayofbusiness，sir——weshallbehappytorenderyouourbestassistance。Iobserve，fromthedateofthis，thatwecouldnotyetbeadvisedofit。Probablyyoucameoverwiththedelayedmailthatbringstheadvice。’
　　’ThatIcameoverwiththedelayedmail，sir，’returnedMrBlandois，passinghiswhitehanddownhishigh-hookednose，’Iknowtothecostofmyheadandstomach：thedetestableandintolerableweatherhavingrackedthemboth。YouseemeintheplightinwhichIcameoutofthepacketwithinthishalf-hour。Ioughttohavebeenherehoursago，andthenIshouldnothavetoapologise——
　　permitmetoapologise——forpresentingmyselfsounreasonably，andfrightening——no，by-the-bye，yousaidnotfrightening；permitmetoapologiseagain——theesteemedlady，MrsClennam，inherinvalidchamberabovestairs。’
　　Swaggerandanairofauthorisedcondescensiondosomuch，thatMrFlintwinchhadalreadybeguntothinkthisahighlygentlemanlypersonage。Notthelessunyieldingwithhimonthataccount，hescrapedhischinandsaid，whatcouldhehavethehonourofdoingforMrBlandoisto-night，outofbusinesshours？
　　’Faith!’returnedthatgentleman，shrugginghiscloakedshoulders，’Imustchange，andeatanddrink，andbelodgedsomewhere。Havethekindnesstoadviseme，atotalstranger，where，andmoneyisamatterofperfectindifferenceuntilto-morrow。Thenearertheplace，thebetter。Nextdoor，ifthat’sall。’
　　MrFlintwinchwasslowlybeginning，’Foragentlemanofyourhabits，thereisnotinthisimmediateneighbourhoodanyhotel——’
　　whenMrBlandoistookhimup。
　　’Somuchformyhabits!mydearsir，’snappinghisfingers。’A
　　citizenoftheworldhasnohabits。ThatIam，inmypoorway，agentleman，byHeaven!Iwillnotdeny，butIhavenounaccommodatingprejudicedhabits。Acleanroom，ahotdishfordinner，andabottleofnotabsolutelypoisonouswine，areallI
　　wanttonight。ButIwantthatmuchwithoutthetroubleofgoingoneunnecessaryinchtogetit。’
　　’Thereis，’saidMrFlintwinch，withmorethanhisusualdeliberation，ashemet，foramoment，MrBlandois’shiningeyes，whichwererestless；’thereisacoffee-houseandtavernclosehere，which，sofar，Icanrecommend；butthere’snostyleaboutit。’
　　’Idispensewithstyle!’saidMrBlandois，wavinghishand。’Domethehonourtoshowmethehouse，andintroducemethereifIamnottootroublesome，andIshallbeinfinitelyobliged。’
　　MrFlintwinch，uponthis，lookeduphishat，andlightedMrBlandoisacrossthehallagain。Asheputthecandleonabracket，wherethedarkoldpanellingalmostservedasanextinguisherforit，hebethoughthimselfofgoinguptotelltheinvalidthathewouldnotbeabsentfiveminutes。
　　’Obligeme，’saidthevisitor，onhissayingso，’bypresentingmycardofvisit。DomethefavourtoaddthatIshallbehappytowaitonMrsClennam，tooffermypersonalcompliments，andtoapologiseforhavingoccasionedanyagitationinthistranquilcorner，ifitshouldsuitherconveniencetoendurethepresenceofastrangerforafewminutes，afterheshallhavechangedhiswetclothesandfortifiedhimselfwithsomethingtoeatanddrink。’
　　Jeremiahmadealldespatch，andsaid，onhisreturn，’She’llbegladtoseeyou，sir；but，beingconsciousthathersickroomhasnoattractions，wishesmetosaythatshewon’tholdyoutoyouroffer，incaseyoushouldthinkbetterofit。’
　　’Tothinkbetterofit，’returnedthegallantBlandois，’wouldbetoslightalady；toslightaladywouldbetobedeficientinchivalrytowardsthesex；andchivalrytowardsthesexisapartofmycharacter!’Thusexpressinghimself，hethrewthedraggledskirtofhiscloakoverhisshoulder，andaccompaniedMrFlintwinchtothetavern；takingupontheroadaporterwhowaswaitingwithhisportmanteauontheoutersideofthegateway。
　　Thehousewaskeptinahomelymanner，andthecondescensionofMrBlandoiswasinfinite。Itseemedtofilltoinconveniencethelittlebarinwhichthewidowlandladyandhertwodaughtersreceivedhim；itwasmuchtoobigforthenarrowwainscotedroomwithabagatelle-boardinit，thatwasfirstproposedforhisreception；itperfectlyswampedthelittleprivateholidaysitting-
　　roomofthefamily，whichwasfinallygivenuptohim。Here，indryclothesandscentedlinen，withsleekedhair，agreatringoneachforefingerandamassiveshowofwatch-chain，MrBlandoiswaitingforhisdinner，lollingonawindow-seatwithhiskneesdrawnup，lookedforallthedifferenceinthesettingofthejewelfearfullyandwonderfullylikeacertainMonsieurRigaudwhohadoncesowaitedforhisbreakfast，lyingonthestoneledgeoftheirongratingofacellinavillainousdungeonatMarseilles。
　　Hisgreedatdinner，too，wascloselyinkeepingwiththegreedofMonsieurRigaudatbreakfast。Hisavariciousmannerofcollectingalltheeatablesabouthim，anddevouringsomewithhiseyeswhiledevouringotherswithhisjaws，wasthesamemanner。Hisutterdisregardofotherpeople，asshowninhiswayoftossingthelittlewomanlytoysoffurnitureabout，flingingfavouritecushionsunderhisbootsforasofterrest，andcrushingdelicatecoveringswithhisbigbodyandhisgreatblackhead，hadthesamebruteselfishnessatthebottomofit。Thesoftlymovinghandsthatweresobusyamongthedisheshadtheoldwickedfacilityofthehandsthathadclungtothebars。Andwhenhecouldeatnomore，andsatsuckinghisdelicatefingersonebyoneandwipingthemonacloth，therewantednothingbutthesubstitutionofvine-leavestofinishthepicture。
　　Onthisman，withhismoustachegoingupandhisnosecomingdowninthatmostevilofsmiles，andwithhissurfaceeyeslookingasiftheybelongedtohisdyedhair，andhadhadtheirnaturalpowerofreflectinglightstoppedbysomesimilarprocess，Nature，alwaystrue，andneverworkinginvain，hadsetthemark，Beware!Itwasnotherfault，ifthewarningwerefruitless。Sheisnevertoblameinanysuchinstance。
　　MrBlandois，havingfinishedhisrepastandcleanedhisfingers，tookacigarfromhispocket，and，lyingonthewindow-seatagain，smokeditoutathisleisure，occasionallyapostrophisingthesmokeasitpartedfromhisthinlipsinathinstream：
　　’Blandois，youshallturnthetablesonsociety，mylittlechild。
　　Haha!Holyblue，youhavebegunwell，Blandois!Atapinch，anexcellentmasterinEnglishorFrench；amanforthebosomoffamilies!Youhaveaquickperception，youhavehumour，youhaveease，youhaveinsinuatingmanners，youhaveagoodappearance；ineffect，youareagentleman!Agentlemanyoushalllive，mysmallboy，andagentlemanyoushalldie。Youshallwin，howeverthegamegoes。Theyshallallconfessyourmerit，Blandois。Youshallsubduethesocietywhichhasgrievouslywrongedyou，toyourownhighspirit。Deathofmysoul!Youarehighspiritedbyrightandbynature，myBlandois!’
　　Tosuchsoothingmurmursdidthisgentlemansmokeouthiscigaranddrinkouthisbottleofwine。Bothbeingfinished，heshookhimselfintoasittingattitude；andwiththeconcludingseriousapostrophe，’Hold，then!Blandois，youingeniousone，haveallyourwitsaboutyou!’aroseandwentbacktothehouseofClennamandCo。
　　HewasreceivedatthedoorbyMistressAffery，who，underinstructionsfromherlord，hadlighteduptwocandlesinthehallandathirdonthestaircase，andwhoconductedhimtoMrsClennam’sroom。Teawaspreparedthere，andsuchlittlecompanyarrangementshadbeenmadeasusuallyattendedthereceptionofexpectedvisitors。Theywereslightonthegreatestoccasion，neverextendingbeyondtheproductionoftheChinatea-service，andthecoveringofthebedwithasoberandsaddrapery。Fortherest，therewasthebier-likesofawiththeblockuponit，andthefigureinthewidow’sdress，asifattiredforexecution；thefiretoppedbythemoundofdampedashes；thegratewithitssecondlittlemoundofashes；thekettleandthesmellofblackdye；allastheyhadbeenforfifteenyears。
　　MrFlintwinchpresentedthegentlemancommendedtotheconsiderationofClennamandCo。MrsClennam，whohadtheletterlyingbeforeher，bentherheadandrequestedhimtosit。Theylookedverycloselyatoneanother。Thatwasbutnaturalcuriosity。
　　’Ithankyou，sir，forthinkingofadisabledwomanlikeme。Fewwhocomehereonbusinesshaveanyremembrancetobestowononesoremovedfromobservation。Itwouldbeidletoexpectthattheyshouldhave。Outofsight，outofmind。WhileIamgratefulfortheexception，Idon’tcomplainoftherule。’
　　MrBlandois，inhismostgentlemanlymanner，wasafraidhehaddisturbedherbyunhappilypresentinghimselfatsuchanunconscionabletime。ForwhichhehadalreadyofferedhisbestapologiestoMr——hebeggedpardon——butbynamehadnotthedistinguishedhonour——
　　’MrFlintwinchhasbeenconnectedwiththeHousemanyyears。’
　　MrBlandoiswasMrFlintwinch’smostobedienthumbleservant。HeentreatedMrFlintwinchtoreceivetheassuranceofhisprofoundestconsideration。
　　’Myhusbandbeingdead，’saidMrsClennam，’andmysonpreferringanotherpursuit，ouroldHousehasnootherrepresentativeinthesedaysthanMrFlintwinch。’