’Notawordtoanyonebutme，Cavalletto。’
’Al-tro!’criedCavalletto。Andwasgonewithgreatspeed。
CHAPTER23
MistressAfferymakesaConditionalPromise，respectingherDreamsLeftalone，withtheexpressivelooksandgesturesofMrBaptist，otherwiseGiovanniBaptistaCavalletto，vividlybeforehim，Clennamenteredonawearyday。Itwasinvainthathetriedtocontrolhisattentionbydirectingittoanybusinessoccupationortrainofthought；itrodeatanchorbythehauntingtopic，andwouldholdtonootheridea。Asthoughacriminalshouldbechainedinastationaryboatonadeepclearriver，condemned，whatevercountlessleaguesofwaterflowedpasthim，alwaystoseethebodyofthefellow-creaturehehaddrownedlyingatthebottom，immovable，andunchangeable，exceptastheeddiesmadeitbroadorlong，nowexpanding，nowcontractingitsterriblelineaments；soArthur，belowtheshiftingcurrentoftransparentthoughtsandfancieswhichweregoneandsucceededbyothersassoonascome，saw，steadyanddark，andnottobestirredfromitsplace，theonesubjectthatheendeavouredwithallhismighttoridhimselfof，andthathecouldnotflyfrom。Theassurancehenowhad，thatBlandois，whateverhisrightname，wasoneoftheworstofcharacters，greatlyaugmentedtheburdenofhisanxieties。Thoughthedisappearanceshouldbeaccountedforto-morrow，thefactthathismotherhadbeenincommunicationwithsuchaman，wouldremainunalterable。Thatthecommunicationhadbeenofasecretkind，andthatshehadbeensubmissivetohimandafraidofhim，hehopedmightbeknowntonoonebeyondhimself；yet，knowingit，howcouldheseparateitfromhisoldvaguefears，andhowbelievethattherewasnothingevilinsuchrelations？
Herresolutionnottoenteronthequestionwithhim，andhisknowledgeofherindomitablecharacter，enhancedhissenseofhelplessness。Itwasliketheoppressionofadreamtobelievethatshameandexposurewereimpendingoverherandhisfather’smemory，andtobeshutout，asbyabrazenwall，fromthepossibilityofcomingtotheiraid。Thepurposehehadbroughthometohisnativecountry，andhadeversincekeptinview，was，withhergreatestdetermination，defeatedbyhismotherherself，atthetimeofallotherswhenhefearedthatitpressedmost。Hisadvice，energy，activity，money，credit，allhisresourceswhatsoever，wereallmadeuseless。Ifshehadbeenpossessedoftheoldfabledinfluence，andhadturnedthosewholookeduponherintostone，shecouldnothaverenderedhimmorecompletelypowerlesssoitseemedtohiminhisdistressofmindthanshedid，whensheturnedherunyieldingfacetohisinhergloomyroom。