’AndallfriendsroundStPaul’s。’Heemptiedandputdownthewine-glasshalf-waythroughthisancientcivictoast，andtookupthebox。Itwasanironboxsometwofeetsquare，whichhecarriedunderhisarmsprettyeasily。Jeremiahwatchedhismannerofadjustingit，withjealouseyes；trieditwithhishands，tobesurethathehadafirmholdofit；badehimforhislifebecarefulwhathewasabout；andthenstoleoutontiptoetoopenthedoorforhim。Affery，anticipatingthelastmovement，wasonthestaircase。Thesequenceofthingswassoordinaryandnatural，that，standingthere，shecouldhearthedooropen，feelthenightair，andseethestarsoutside。
Butnowcamethemostremarkablepartofthedream。Shefeltsoafraidofherhusband，thatbeingonthestaircase，shehadnotthepowertoretreattoherroomwhichshemighteasilyhavedonebeforehehadfastenedthedoor，butstoodtherestaring。
Consequentlywhenhecameupthestaircasetobed，candleinhand，hecamefulluponher。Helookedastonished，butsaidnotaword。
Hekepthiseyesuponher，andkeptadvancing；andshe，completelyunderhisinfluence，keptretiringbeforehim。Thus，shewalkingbackwardandhewalkingforward，theycameintotheirownroom。
Theywerenosoonershutinthere，thanMrFlintwinchtookherbythethroat，andshookheruntilshewasblackintheface。
’Why，Affery，woman——Affery!’saidMrFlintwinch。’Whathaveyoubeendreamingof？Wakeup，wakeup!What’sthematter？’
’The——thematter，Jeremiah？’gaspedMrsFlintwinch，rollinghereyes。
’Why，Affery，woman——Affery!Youhavebeengettingoutofbedinyoursleep，mydear!Icomeup，afterhavingfallenasleepmyself，below，andfindyouinyourwrapperhere，withthenightmare。
Affery，woman，’saidMrFlintwinch，withafriendlygrinonhisexpressivecountenance，’ifyoueverhaveadreamofthissortagain，it’llbeasignofyourbeinginwantofphysic。AndI’llgiveyousuchadose，oldwoman——suchadose!’
MrsFlintwinchthankedhimandcreptintobed。
FamilyAffairsAsthecityclocksstrucknineonMondaymorning，MrsClennamwaswheeledbyJeremiahFlintwinchofthecut-downaspecttohertallcabinet。Whenshehadunlockedandopenedit，andhadsettledherselfatitsdesk，Jeremiahwithdrew——asitmightbe，tohanghimselfmoreeffectually——andhersonappeared。
’Areyouanybetterthismorning，mother？’
Sheshookherhead，withthesameaustereairofluxuriousnessthatshehadshownover-nightwhenspeakingoftheweather。
’Ishallneverbebetteranymore。Itiswellforme，Arthur，thatIknowitandcanbearit。’
Sittingwithherhandslaidseparatelyuponthedesk，andthetallcabinettoweringbeforeher，shelookedasifshewereperformingonadumbchurchorgan。Hersonthoughtsoitwasanoldthoughtwithhim，whilehetookhisseatbesideit。
Sheopenedadrawerortwo，lookedoversomebusinesspapers，andputthembackagain。Herseverefacehadnothreadofrelaxationinit，bywhichanyexplorercouldhavebeenguidedtothegloomylabyrinthofherthoughts。
’ShallIspeakofouraffairs，mother？Areyouinclinedtoenteruponbusiness？’
’AmIinclined，Arthur？Rather，areyou？Yourfatherhasbeendeadayearandmore。Ihavebeenatyourdisposal，andwaitingyourpleasure，eversince。’
’TherewasmuchtoarrangebeforeIcouldleave；andwhenIdidleave，Itravelledalittleforrestandrelief。’
Sheturnedherfacetowardshim，asnothavingheardorunderstoodhislastwords。
’Forrestandrelief。’
Sheglancedroundthesombreroom，andappearedfromthemotionofherlipstorepeatthewordstoherself，ascallingittowitnesshowlittleofeitheritaffordedher。
’Besides，mother，youbeingsoleexecutrix，andhavingthedirectionandmanagementoftheestate，thereremainedlittlebusiness，orImightsaynone，thatIcouldtransact，untilyouhadhadtimetoarrangematterstoyoursatisfaction。’
’Theaccountsaremadeout，’shereturned。’Ihavethemhere。Thevouchershaveallbeenexaminedandpassed。Youcaninspectthemwhenyoulike，Arthur；now，ifyouplease。’
’Itisquiteenough，mother，toknowthatthebusinessiscompleted。ShallIproceedthen？’
’Whynot？’shesaid，inherfrozenway。
’Mother，ourHousehasdonelessandlessforsomeyearspast，andourdealingshavebeenprogressivelyonthedecline。Wehavenevershownmuchconfidence，orinvitedmuch；wehaveattachednopeopletous；thetrackwehavekeptisnotthetrackofthetime；andwehavebeenleftfarbehind。Ineednotdwellonthistoyou，mother。Youknowitnecessarily。’
’Iknowwhatyoumean，’sheanswered，inaqualifiedtone。
’Eventhisoldhouseinwhichwespeak，’pursuedherson，’isaninstanceofwhatIsay。Inmyfather’searliertime，andinhisuncle’stimebeforehim，itwasaplaceofbusiness——reallyaplaceofbusiness，andbusinessresort。Now，itisamereanomalyandincongruityhere，outofdateandoutofpurpose。AllourconsignmentshavelongbeenmadetoRovinghams’thecommission-
merchants；andalthough，asacheckuponthem，andinthestewardshipofmyfather’sresources，yourjudgmentandwatchfulnesshavebeenactivelyexerted，stillthosequalitieswouldhaveinfluencedmyfather’sfortunesequally，ifyouhadlivedinanyprivatedwelling：wouldtheynot？’
’Doyouconsider，’shereturned，withoutansweringhisquestion，’thatahouseservesnopurpose，Arthur，inshelteringyourinfirmandafflicted——justlyinfirmandrighteouslyafflicted——mother？’
’Iwasspeakingonlyofbusinesspurposes。’
’Withwhatobject？’
’Iamcomingtoit。’
’Iforesee，’shereturned，fixinghereyesuponhim，’whatitis。
ButtheLordforbidthatIshouldrepineunderanyvisitation。InmysinfulnessImeritbitterdisappointment，andIacceptit。’
’Mother，Igrievetohearyouspeaklikethis，thoughIhavehadmyapprehensionsthatyouwould——’
’YouknewIwould。YouknewME，’sheinterrupted。
Hersonpausedforamoment。Hehadstruckfireoutofher，andwassurprised。
’Well!’shesaid，relapsingintostone。’Goon。Letmehear。’
’Youhaveanticipated，mother，thatIdecideformypart，toabandonthebusiness。Ihavedonewithit。Iwillnottakeuponmyselftoadviseyou；youwillcontinueit，Isee。IfIhadanyinfluencewithyou，Iwouldsimplyuseittosoftenyourjudgmentofmeincausingyouthisdisappointment：torepresenttoyouthatIhavelivedthehalfofalongtermoflife，andhaveneverbeforesetmyownwillagainstyours。IcannotsaythatIhavebeenabletoconformmyself，inheartandspirit，toyourrules；IcannotsaythatIbelievemyfortyyearshavebeenprofitableorpleasanttomyself，oranyone；butIhavehabituallysubmitted，andIonlyaskyoutorememberit。’
Woetothesuppliant，ifsuchaonetherewereoreverhadbeen，whohadanyconcessiontolookforintheinexorablefaceatthecabinet。Woetothedefaulterwhoseappeallaytothetribunalwherethosesevereeyespresided。Greatneedhadtherigidwomanofhermysticalreligion，veiledingloomanddarkness，withlightningsofcursing，vengeance，anddestruction，flashingthroughthesableclouds。Forgiveusourdebtsasweforgiveourdebtors，wasaprayertoopoorinspiritforher。SmiteThoumydebtors，Lord，witherthem，crushthem；doThouasIwoulddo，andThoushalthavemyworship：thiswastheimpioustowerofstoneshebuiltuptoscaleHeaven。
’Haveyoufinished，Arthur，orhaveyouanythingmoretosaytome？
Ithinktherecanbenothingelse。Youhavebeenshort，butfullofmatter!’
’Mother，Ihaveyetsomethingmoretosay。Ithasbeenuponmymind，nightandday，thislongtime。ItisfarmoredifficulttosaythanwhatIhavesaid。Thatconcernedmyself；thisconcernsusall。’
’Usall!Whoareusall？’
’Yourself，myself，mydeadfather。’
Shetookherhandsfromthedesk；foldedtheminherlap；andsatlookingtowardsthefire，withtheimpenetrabilityofanoldEgyptiansculpture。
’YouknewmyfatherinfinitelybetterthanIeverknewhim；andhisreservewithmeyieldedtoyou。Youweremuchthestronger，mother，anddirectedhim。Asachild，IknewitaswellasIknowitnow。IknewthatyourascendancyoverhimwasthecauseofhisgoingtoChinatotakecareofthebusinessthere，whileyoutookcareofitherethoughIdonotevennowknowwhetherthesewerereallytermsofseparationthatyouagreedupon；andthatitwasyourwillthatIshouldremainwithyouuntilIwastwenty，andthengotohimasIdid。Youwillnotbeoffendedbymyrecallingthis，aftertwentyyears？’
’Iamwaitingtohearwhyyourecallit。’
Heloweredhisvoice，andsaid，withmanifestreluctance，andagainsthiswill：
’Iwanttoaskyou，mother，whetheriteveroccurredtoyoutosuspect——’
AtthewordSuspect，sheturnedhereyesmomentarilyuponherson，withadarkfrown。Shethensufferedthemtoseekthefire，asbefore；butwiththefrownfixedabovethem，asifthesculptorofoldEgypthadindenteditinthehardgraniteface，tofrownforages。
’——thathehadanysecretremembrancewhichcausedhimtroubleofmind——remorse？Whetheryoueverobservedanythinginhisconductsuggestingthat；oreverspoketohimuponit，oreverheardhimhintatsuchathing？’
’Idonotunderstandwhatkindofsecretremembranceyoumeantoinferthatyourfatherwasapreyto，’shereturned，afterasilence。’Youspeaksomysteriously。’
’Isitpossible，mother，’hersonleanedforwardtobethenearertoherwhilehewhisperedit，andlaidhishandnervouslyuponherdesk，’isitpossible，mother，thathehadunhappilywrongedanyone，andmadenoreparation？’
Lookingathimwrathfully，shebentherselfbackinherchairtokeephimfurtheroff，butgavehimnoreply。
’Iamdeeplysensible，mother，thatifthisthoughthasneveratanytimeflasheduponyou，itmustseemcruelandunnaturalinme，eveninthisconfidence，tobreatheit。ButIcannotshakeitoff。
TimeandchangeIhavetriedbothbeforebreakingsilencedonothingtowearitout。Remember，Iwaswithmyfather。Remember，Isawhisfacewhenhegavethewatchintomykeeping，andstruggledtoexpressthathesentitasatokenyouwouldunderstand，toyou。Remember，Isawhimatthelastwiththepencilinhisfailinghand，tryingtowritesomewordforyoutoread，buttowhichhecouldgivenoshape。ThemoreremoteandcruelthisvaguesuspicionthatIhave，thestrongerthecircumstancesthatcouldgiveitanysemblanceofprobabilitytome。ForHeaven’ssake，letusexaminesacredlywhetherthereisanywrongentrustedtoustosetright。Noonecanhelptowardsit，mother，butyou。’
Stillsorecoilinginherchairthatheroverpoisedweightmovedit，fromtimetotime，alittleonitswheels，andgavehertheappearanceofaphantomoffierceaspectglidingawayfromhim，sheinterposedherleftarm，bentattheelbowwiththebackofherhandtowardsherface，betweenherselfandhim，andlookedathiminafixedsilence。
’Ingraspingatmoneyandindrivinghardbargains——Ihavebegun，andImustspeakofsuchthingsnow，mother——someonemayhavebeengrievouslydeceived，injured，ruined。Youwerethemovingpowerofallthismachinerybeforemybirth；yourstrongerspirithasbeeninfusedintoallmyfather’sdealingsformorethantwoscoreyears。Youcansetthesedoubtsatrest，Ithink，ifyouwillreallyhelpmetodiscoverthetruth。Willyou，mother？’