maybe，byanaccident。Sympathy，sympathy!’
　　’Itellyoubeforehand，MrBlandois，thatyou’llfinditverydingyandverybare，’saidJeremiah，takingupthecandle。’It’snotworthyourlookingat。’ButMrBlandois，smitinghiminafriendlymannerontheback，onlylaughed；sothesaidBlandoiskissedhishandagaintoMrsClennam，andtheywentoutoftheroomtogether。
　　’Youdon’tcaretogoup-stairs？’saidJeremiah，onthelanding。
　　’Onthecontrary，MrFlintwinch；ifnottiresometoyou，Ishallberavished!’
　　MrFlintwinch，therefore，wormedhimselfupthestaircase，andMrBlandoisfollowedclose。Theyascendedtothegreatgarretbed-
　　roomwhichArthurhadoccupiedonthenightofhisreturn。’There，MrBlandois!’saidJeremiah，showingit，’Ihopeyoumaythinkthatworthcomingsohightosee。IconfessIdon’t。’
　　MrBlandoisbeingenraptured，theywalkedthroughothergarretsandpassages，andcamedownthestaircaseagain。BythistimeMrFlintwinchhadremarkedthatheneverfoundthevisitorlookingatanyroom，afterthrowingonequickglancearound，butalwaysfoundthevisitorlookingathim，MrFlintwinch。Withthisdiscoveryinhisthoughts，heturnedaboutonthestaircaseforanotherexperiment。Hemethiseyesdirectly；andontheinstantoftheirfixingoneanother，thevisitor，withthatuglyplayofnoseandmoustache，laughedashehaddoneateverysimilarmomentsincetheyleftMrsClennam’schamberadiabolicallysilentlaugh。
　　Asamuchshortermanthanthevisitor，MrFlintwinchwasatthephysicaldisadvantageofbeingthusdisagreeablyleeredatfromaheight；andashewentfirstdownthestaircase，andwasusuallyasteportwolowerthantheother，thisdisadvantagewasatthetimeincreased。HepostponedlookingatMrBlandoisagainuntilthisaccidentalinequalitywasremovedbytheirhavingenteredthelateMrClennam’sroom。But，thentwistinghimselfsuddenlyrounduponhim，hefoundhislookunchanged。
　　’Amostadmirableoldhouse，’smiledMrBlandois。’Somysterious。
　　Doyouneverhearanyhauntednoiseshere？’
　　’Noises，’returnedMrFlintwinch。’No。’
　　’Norseeanydevils？’
　　’Not，’saidMrFlintwinch，grimlyscrewinghimselfathisquestioner，’notanythatintroducethemselvesunderthatnameandinthatcapacity。’
　　’Haha!Aportraithere，Isee。’
　　StilllookingatMrFlintwinch，asifheweretheportrait。
　　’It’saportrait，sir，asyouobserve。’
　　’MayIaskthesubject，MrFlintwinch？’
　　’MrClennam，deceased。Herhusband。’
　　’Formerowneroftheremarkablewatch，perhaps？’saidthevisitor。
　　MrFlintwinch，whohadcasthiseyestowardstheportrait，twistedhimselfaboutagain，andagainfoundhimselfthesubjectofthesamelookandsmile。’Yes，MrBlandois，’herepliedtartly。’Itwashis，andhisuncle’sbeforehim，andLordknowswhobeforehim；
　　andthat’sallIcantellyouofitspedigree。’
　　’That’sastronglymarkedcharacter，MrFlintwinch，ourfriendup-
　　stairs。’
　　’Yes，sir，’saidJeremiah，twistinghimselfatthevisitoragain，ashedidduringthewholeofthisdialogue，likesomescrew-
　　machinethatfellshortofitsgrip；fortheotherneverchanged，andhealwaysfeltobligedtoretreatalittle。’Sheisaremarkablewoman。Greatfortitude——greatstrengthofmind。’
　　’Theymusthavebeenveryhappy，’saidBlandois。
　　’Who？’demandedMrFlintwinch，withanotherscrewathim。
　　MrBlandoisshookhisrightforefingertowardsthesickroom，andhisleftforefingertowardstheportrait，andthen，puttinghisarmsakimboandstridinghislegswideapart，stoodsmilingdownatMrFlintwinchwiththeadvancingnoseandtheretreatingmoustache。
　　’Ashappyasmostothermarriedpeople，Isuppose，’returnedMrFlintwinch。’Ican’tsay。Idon’tknow。Therearesecretsinallfamilies。’
　　’Secrets!’criedMrBlandois，quickly。’Sayitagain，myson。’
　　’Isay，’repliedMrFlintwinch，uponwhomhehadswelledhimselfsosuddenlythatMrFlintwinchfoundhisfacealmostbrushedbythedilatedchest。’Isaytherearesecretsinallfamilies。’
　　’Sothereare，’criedtheother，clappinghimonbothshoulders，androllinghimbackwardsandforwards。’Haha!youareright。Sothereare!Secrets!HolyBlue!Therearethedevil’sownsecretsinsomefamilies，MrFlintwinch!’Withthat，afterclappingMrFlintwinchonbothshouldersseveraltimes，asifinafriendlyandhumorouswayhewererallyinghimonajokehehadmade，hethrewuphisarms，threwbackhishead，hookedhishandstogetherbehindit，andburstintoaroaroflaughter。ItwasinvainforMrFlintwinchtotryanotherscrewathim。Hehadhislaughout。
　　’But，favourmewiththecandleamoment，’hesaid，whenhehaddone。’Letushavealookatthehusbandoftheremarkablelady。
　　Hah!’holdingupthelightatarm’slength。’Adecidedexpressionoffaceheretoo，thoughnotofthesamecharacter。Looksasifheweresaying，whatisit——DoNotForget——doeshenot，MrFlintwinch？
　　ByHeaven，sir，hedoes!’
　　Ashereturnedthecandle，helookedathimoncemore；andthen，leisurelystrollingoutwithhimintothehall，declaredittobeacharmingoldhouseindeed，andonewhichhadsogreatlypleasedhimthathewouldnothavemissedinspectingitforahundredpounds。
　　ThroughoutthesesingularfreedomsonthepartofMrBlandois，whichinvolvedageneralalterationinhisdemeanour，makingitmuchcoarserandrougher，muchmoreviolentandaudaciousthanbefore，MrFlintwinch，whoseleathernfacewasnotliabletomanychanges，preserveditsimmobilityintact。Beyondnowappearingperhaps，tohavebeenlefthangingatrifletoolongbeforethatfriendlyoperationofcuttingdown，heoutwardlymaintainedanequablecomposure。Theyhadbroughttheirsurveytoacloseinthelittleroomatthesideofthehall，andhestoodthere，eyeingMrBlandois。
　　’Iamgladyouaresowellsatisfied，sir，’washiscalmremark。
　　’Ididn’texpectit。Youseemtobequiteingoodspirits。’
　　’Inadmirablespirits，’returnedBlandois。’Wordofhonour!nevermorerefreshedinspirits。Doyoueverhavepresentiments，MrFlintwinch？’
　　’IamnotsurethatIknowwhatyoumeanbytheterm，sir，’repliedthatgentleman。
　　’Say，inthiscase，MrFlintwinch，undefinedanticipationsofpleasuretocome。’
　　’Ican’tsayI’msensibleofsuchasensationatpresent，’returnedMrFlintwinchwiththeutmostgravity。’IfIshouldfinditcomingon，I’llmentionit。’
　　’NowI，’saidBlandois，’I，myson，haveapresentimentto-nightthatweshallbewellacquainted。Doyoufinditcomingon？’
　　’N-no，’returnedMrFlintwinch，deliberatelyinquiringofhimself。
　　’Ican’tsayIdo。’
　　’Ihaveastrongpresentimentthatweshallbecomeintimatelyacquainted——Youhavenofeelingofthatsortyet？’
　　’Notyet，’saidMrFlintwinch。
　　MrBlandois，takinghimbybothshouldersagain，rolledhimaboutalittleinhisformermerryway，thendrewhisarmthroughhisown，andinvitedhimtocomeoffanddrinkabottleofwinelikeadeardeepolddogashewas。
　　Withoutamoment’sindecision，MrFlintwinchacceptedtheinvitation，andtheywentouttothequarterswherethetravellerwaslodged，throughaheavyrainwhichhadrattledonthewindows，roofs，andpavements，eversincenightfall。Thethunderandlightninghadlongagopassedover，buttherainwasfurious。OntheirarrivalatMrBlandois’room，abottleofportwinewasorderedbythatgallantgentleman；whocrushingeveryprettythinghecouldcollect，inthesoftdispositionofhisdaintyfigure
　　coiledhimselfuponthewindow-seat，whileMrFlintwinchtookachairoppositetohim，withthetablebetweenthem。MrBlandoisproposedhavingthelargestglassesinthehouse，towhichMrFlintwinchassented。Thebumpersfilled，MrBlandois，witharoysteringgaiety，clinkedthetopofhisglassagainstthebottomofMrFlintwinch’s，andthebottomofhisglassagainstthetopofMrFlintwinch’s，anddranktotheintimateacquaintanceheforesaw。
　　MrFlintwinchgravelypledgedhim，anddrankallthewinehecouldget，andsaidnothing。AsoftenasMrBlandoisclinkedglasseswhichwasateveryreplenishment，MrFlintwinchstolidlydidhispartoftheclinking，andwouldhavestolidlydonehiscompanion’spartofthewineaswellashisown：being，exceptinthearticleofpalate，amerecask。
　　Inshort，MrBlandoisfoundthattopourportwineintothereticentFlintwinchwas，nottoopenhimbuttoshuthimup。
　　Moreover，hehadtheappearanceofaperfectabilitytogoonallnight；or，ifoccasionwere，allnextdayandallnextnight；
　　whereasMrBlandoissoongrewindistinctlyconsciousofswaggeringtoofiercelyandboastfully。Hethereforeterminatedtheentertainmentattheendofthethirdbottle。
　　’Youwilldrawuponusto-morrow，sir，’saidMrFlintwinch，withabusiness-likefaceatparting。
　　’MyCabbage，’returnedtheother，takinghimbythecollarwithbothhands，’I’lldrawuponyou；havenofear。Adieu，myFlintwinch。Receiveatparting；’herehegavehimasouthernembrace，andkissedhimsoundlyonbothcheeks；’thewordofagentleman!ByathousandThunders，youshallseemeagain!’
　　Hedidnotpresenthimselfnextday，thoughtheletterofadvicecamedulytohand。Inquiringafterhimatnight，MrFlintwinchfound，withsurprise，thathehadpaidhisbillandgonebacktotheContinentbywayofCalais。Nevertheless，JeremiahscrapedoutofhiscogitatingfacealivelyconvictionthatMrBlandoiswouldkeephiswordonthisoccasion，andwouldbeseenagain。
　　SpiritAnybodymaypass，anyday，inthethrongedthoroughfaresofthemetropolis，somemeagre，wrinkled，yellowoldmanwhomightbesupposedtohavedroppedfromthestars，iftherewereanystarintheHeavensdullenoughtobesuspectedofcastingoffsofeebleaspark，creepingalongwithascaredair，asthoughbewilderedandalittlefrightenedbythenoiseandbustle。Thisoldmanisalwaysalittleoldman。Ifhewereeverabigoldman，hehasshrunkintoalittleoldman；ifhewerealwaysalittleoldman，hehasdwindledintoalessoldman。Hiscoatisacolour，andcut，thatneverwasthemodeanywhere，atanyperiod。Clearly，itwasnotmadeforhim，orforanyindividualmortal。SomewholesalecontractormeasuredFateforfivethousandcoatsofsuchquality，andFatehaslentthisoldcoattothisoldman，asoneofalongunfinishedlineofmanyoldmen。Ithasalwayslargedullmetalbuttons，similartonootherbuttons。Thisoldmanwearsahat，athumbedandnaplessandyetanobduratehat，whichhasneveradapteditselftotheshapeofhispoorhead。Hiscoarseshirtandhiscoarseneckclothhavenomoreindividualitythanhiscoatandhat；theyhavethesamecharacterofnotbeinghis——ofnotbeinganybody’s。Yetthisoldmanwearstheseclotheswithacertainunaccustomedairofbeingdressedandelaboratedforthepublicways；asthoughhepassedthegreaterpartofhistimeinanightcapandgown。Andso，likethecountrymouseinthesecondyearofafamine，cometoseethetownmouse，andtimidlythreadinghiswaytothetown-mouse’slodgingthroughacityofcats，thisoldmanpassesinthestreets。