don’tknowwhatImean!’HereFloratitteredconfusedly，andgavehimoneofheroldglances。
ThePatriarch，asifhenowbegantoperceivethathispartinthepiecewastogetoffthestageassoonasmightbe，rose，andwenttothedoorbywhichPanckshadworkedout，hailingthatTugbyname。HereceivedananswerfromsomelittleDockbeyond，andwastowedoutofsightdirectly。
’Youmustn’tthinkofgoingyet，’saidFlora——Arthurhadlookedathishat，beinginaludicrousdismay，andnotknowingwhattodo：
’youcouldneverbesounkindastothinkofgoing，Arthur——ImeanMrArthur——orIsupposeMrClennamwouldbefarmoreproper——butI
amsureIdon’tknowwhatIamsaying——withoutawordaboutthedearolddaysgoneforever，whenIcometothinkofitIdaresayitwouldbemuchbetternottospeakofthemandit’shighlyprobablethatyouhavesomemuchmoreagreeableengagementandprayletMebethelastpersonintheworldtointerferewithitthoughtherewasatime，butIamrunningintononsenseagain。’
WasitpossiblethatFloracouldhavebeensuchachattererinthedaysshereferredto？Couldtherehavebeenanythinglikeherpresentdisjointedvolubilityinthefascinationsthathadcaptivatedhim？
’IndeedIhavelittledoubt，’saidFlora，runningonwithastonishingspeed，andpointingherconversationwithnothingbutcommas，andveryfewofthem，’thatyouaremarriedtosomeChineselady，beinginChinasolongandbeinginbusinessandnaturallydesiroustosettleandextendyourconnectionnothingwasmorelikelythanthatyoushouldproposetoaChineseladyandnothingwasmorenaturalIamsurethanthattheChineseladyshouldacceptyouandthinkherselfverywellofftoo，Ionlyhopeshe’snotaPagodiandissenter。’
’Iamnot，’returnedArthur，smilinginspiteofhimself，’marriedtoanylady，Flora。’
’OhgoodgraciousmeIhopeyouneverkeptyourselfabachelorsolongonmyaccount!’titteredFlora；’butofcourseyouneverdidwhyshouldyou，praydon’tanswer，Idon’tknowwhereI’mrunningto，ohdotellmesomethingabouttheChineseladieswhethertheireyesarereallysolongandnarrowalwaysputtingmeinmindofmother-of-pearlfishatcardsanddotheyreallyweartailsdowntheirbackandplaitedtooorisitonlythemen，andwhentheypulltheirhairsoverytightofftheirforeheadsdon’ttheyhurtthemselves，andwhydotheysticklittlebellsallovertheirbridgesandtemplesandhatsandthingsordon’ttheyreallydoit？’Floragavehimanotherofheroldglances。Instantlyshewentonagain，asifhehadspokeninreplyforsometime。
’Thenit’salltrueandtheyreallydo!goodgraciousArthur!——
prayexcuseme——oldhabit——MrClennamfarmoreproper——whatacountrytoliveinforsolongatime，andwithsomanylanternsandumbrellastoohowverydarkandwettheclimateoughttobeandnodoubtactuallyis，andthesumsofmoneythatmustbemadebythosetwotradeswhereeverybodycarriesthemandhangsthemeverywhere，thelittleshoestooandthefeetscrewedbackininfancyisquitesurprising，whatatravelleryouare!’
Inhisridiculousdistress，Clennamreceivedanotheroftheoldglanceswithoutintheleastknowingwhattodowithit。
’Deardear，’saidFlora，’onlytothinkofthechangesathomeArthur——cannotovercomeit，andseemssonatural，MrClennamfarmoreproper——sinceyoubecamefamiliarwiththeChinesecustomsandlanguagewhichIampersuadedyouspeaklikeaNativeifnotbetterforyouwerealwaysquickandcleverthoughimmenselydifficultnodoubt，IamsuretheteachestsalonewouldkillmeifItried，suchchangesArthur——Iamdoingitagain，seemssonatural，mostimproper——asnoonecouldhavebelieved，whocouldhaveeverimaginedMrsFinchingwhenIcan’timagineitmyself!’
’Isthatyourmarriedname？’askedArthur，struck，inthemidstofallthis，byacertainwarmthofheartthatexpresseditselfinhertonewhenshereferred，howeveroddly，totheyouthfulrelationinwhichtheyhadstoodtooneanother。’Finching？’
’Finchingohyesisn’titadreadfulname，butasMrF。saidwhenheproposedtomewhichhedidseventimesandhandsomelyconsentedImustsaytobewhatheusedtocallonlikingtwelvemonths，afterall，hewasn’tanswerableforitandcouldn’thelpitcouldhe，Excellentman，notatalllikeyoubutexcellentman!’
Florahadatlasttalkedherselfoutofbreathforonemoment。Onemoment；forsherecoveredbreathintheactofraisingaminutecornerofherpocket-handkerchieftohereye，asatributetotheghostofthedepartedMrF。，andbeganagain。
’Noonecoulddispute，Arthur——MrClennam——thatit’squiterightyoushouldbeformallyfriendlytomeunderthealteredcircumstancesandindeedyoucouldn’tbeanythingelse，atleastI
supposenotyououghttoknow，butIcan’thelprecallingthattherewasatimewhenthingswereverydifferent。’
’MydearMrsFinching，’Arthurbegan，struckbythegoodtoneagain。
’Ohnotthatnastyuglyname，sayFlora!’
’Flora。Iassureyou，Flora，Iamhappyinseeingyouoncemore，andinfindingthat，likeme，youhavenotforgottentheoldfoolishdreams，whenwesawallbeforeusinthelightofouryouthandhope。’
’Youdon’tseemso，’poutedFlora，’youtakeitverycoolly，buthoweverIknowyouaredisappointedinme，IsupposetheChineseladies——Mandarinessesifyoucallthemso——arethecauseorperhapsIamthecausemyself，it’sjustaslikely。’
’No，no，’Clennamentreated，’don’tsaythat。’
’OhImustyouknow，’saidFlora，inapositivetone，’whatnonsensenotto，IknowIamnotwhatyouexpected，Iknowthatverywell。’
Inthemidstofherrapidity，shehadfoundthatoutwiththequickperceptionofaclevererwoman。Theinconsistentandprofoundlyunreasonablewayinwhichsheinstantlywenton，nevertheless，tointerweavetheirlong-abandonedboyandgirlrelationswiththeirpresentinterview，madeClennamfeelasifhewerelight-headed。
’Oneremark，’saidFlora，givingtheirconversation，withouttheslightestnoticeandtothegreatterrorofClennam，thetoneofalove-quarrel，’Iwishtomake，oneexplanationIwishtooffer，whenyourMamacameandmadeasceneofitwithmyPapaandwhenI
wascalleddownintothelittlebreakfast-roomwheretheywerelookingatoneanotherwithyourMama’sparasolbetweenthemseatedontwochairslikemadbullswhatwasItodo？’
’MydearMrsFinching，’urgedClennam——’allsolongagoandsolongconcluded，isitworthwhileseriouslyto——’
’Ican’tArthur，’returnedFlora，’bedenouncedasheartlessbythewholesocietyofChinawithoutsettingmyselfrightwhenIhavetheopportunityofdoingso，andyoumustbeverywellawarethattherewasPaulandVirginiawhichhadtobereturnedandwhichwasreturnedwithoutnoteorcomment，notthatImeantosayyoucouldhavewrittentomewatchedasIwasbutifithadonlycomebackwitharedwaferonthecoverIshouldhaveknownthatitmeantCometoPekinNankeenandWhat’sthethirdplace，barefoot。’
’MydearMrsFinching，youwerenottoblame，andIneverblamedyou。Wewerebothtooyoung，toodependentandhelpless，todoanythingbutacceptourseparation——Praythinkhowlongago，’
gentlyremonstratedArthur。
’Onemoreremark，’proceededFlorawithunslackenedvolubility，’I
wishtomake，onemoreexplanationIwishtooffer，forfivedaysIhadacoldintheheadfromcryingwhichIpassedentirelyinthebackdrawing-room——thereisthebackdrawing-roomstillonthefirstfloorandstillatthebackofthehousetoconfirmmywords——whenthatdrearyperiodhadpassedalullsucceededyearsrolledonandMrF。becameacquaintedwithusatamutualfriend’s，hewasallattentionhecallednextdayhesoonbegantocallthreeeveningsaweekandtosendinlittlethingsforsupperitwasnotloveonMrF。’spartitwasadoration，MrF。proposedwiththefullapprovalofPapaandwhatcouldIdo？’
’Nothingwhatever，’saidArthur，withthecheerfulestreadiness，’butwhatyoudid。Letanoldfriendassureyouofhisfullconvictionthatyoudidquiteright。’
’Onelastremark，’proceededFlora，rejectingcommonplacelifewithawaveofherhand，’Iwishtomake，onelastexplanationIwishtooffer，therewasatimeereMrF。firstpaidattentionsincapableofbeingmistaken，butthatispastandwasnottobe，dearMrClennamyounolongerwearagoldenchainyouarefreeItrustyoumaybehappy，hereisPapawhoisalwaystiresomeandputtinginhisnoseeverywherewhereheisnotwanted。’
Withthesewords，andwithahastygesturefraughtwithtimidcaution——suchagesturehadClennam’seyesbeenfamiliarwithintheoldtime——poorFloraleftherselfateighteenyearsofage，alonglongwaybehindagain；andcametoafullstopatlast。
Orrather，sheleftabouthalfofherselfateighteenyearsofagebehind，andgraftedtherestontotherelictofthelateMrF。；
thusmakingamoralmermaidofherself，whichheronceboy-lovercontemplatedwithfeelingswhereinhissenseofthesorrowfulandhissenseofthecomicalwerecuriouslyblended。
Forexample。AsiftherewereasecretunderstandingbetweenherselfandClennamofthemostthrillingnature；asifthefirstofatrainofpost-chaisesandfour，extendingallthewaytoScotland，wereatthatmomentroundthecorner；andasifshecouldn’tandwouldn’thavewalkedintotheParishChurchwithhim，undertheshadeofthefamilyumbrella，withthePatriarchalblessingonherhead，andtheperfectconcurrenceofallmankind；
Floracomfortedhersoulwithagoniesofmysterioussignalling，expressingdreadofdiscovery。Withthesensationofbecomingmoreandmorelight-headedeveryminute，ClennamsawtherelictofthelateMrF。enjoyingherselfinthemostwonderfulmanner，byputtingherselfandhimintheiroldplaces，andgoingthroughalltheoldperformances——now，whenthestagewasdusty，whenthescenerywasfaded，whentheyouthfulactorsweredead，whentheorchestrawasempty，whenthelightswereout。Andstill，throughallthisgrotesquerevivalofwhatherememberedashavingoncebeenprettilynaturaltoher，hecouldnotbutfeelthatitrevivedatsightofhim，andthattherewasatendermemoryinit。
ThePatriarchinsistedonhisstayingtodinner，andFlorasignalled’Yes!’Clennamsowishedhecouldhavedonemorethanstaytodinner——soheartilywishedhecouldhavefoundtheFlorathathadbeen，orthatneverhadbeen——thathethoughttheleastatonementhecouldmakeforthedisappointmenthealmostfeltashamedof，wastogivehimselfuptothefamilydesire。
Therefore，hestayedtodinner。
Pancksdinedwiththem。Panckssteamedoutofhislittledockataquarterbeforesix，andborestraightdownforthePatriarch，whohappenedtobethendriving，inaninanemanner，throughastagnantaccountofBleedingHeartYard。Pancksinstantlymadefasttohimandhauledhimout。
’BleedingHeartYard？’saidPancks，withapuffandasnort。’It’satroublesomeproperty。Don’tpayyoubadly，butrentsareveryhardtogetthere。Youhavemoretroublewiththatoneplacethanwithalltheplacesbelongingtoyou。’
justasthebigshipintowgetsthecredit，withmostspectators，ofbeingthepowerfulobject，sothePatriarchusuallyseemedtohavesaidhimselfwhateverPanckssaidforhim。
’Indeed？’returnedClennam，uponwhomthisimpressionwassoefficientlymadebyameregleamofthepolishedheadthathespoketheshipinsteadoftheTug。’Thepeoplearesopoorthere？’
’Youcan’tsay，youknow，’snortedPancks，takingoneofhisdirtyhandsoutofhisrustyiron-greypocketstobitehisnails，ifhecouldfindany，andturninghisbeadsofeyesuponhisemployer，’whetherthey’repoorornot。Theysaytheyare，buttheyallsaythat。Whenamansayshe’srich，you’regenerallysureheisn’t。