’Idonot。’
MrFlintwinch，havingexpelledalongsignificantbreathsaid，withhisformeremphasis，’ForIhaveaccidentally——mind!——foundout。’
’Wherevershelives，’saidMrsClennam，speakinginoneunmodulatedhardvoice，andseparatingherwordsasdistinctlyasifshewerereadingthemofffromseparatebitsofmetalthatshetookuponebyone，’shehasmadeasecretofit，andsheshallalwayskeephersecretfromme。’
’Afterall，perhapsyouwouldrathernothaveknownthefact，anyhow？’saidJeremiah；andhesaiditwithatwist，asifhiswordshadcomeoutofhiminhisownwryshape。
’Flintwinch，’saidhismistressandpartner，flashingintoasuddenenergythatmadeAfferystart，’whydoyougoadme？Lookroundthisroom。Ifitisanycompensationformylongconfinementwithinthesenarrowlimits——notthatIcomplainofbeingafflicted；
youknowInevercomplainofthat——ifitisanycompensationtomeforlongconfinementtothisroom，thatwhileIamshutupfromallpleasantchangeIamalsoshutupfromtheknowledgeofsomethingsthatImayprefertoavoidknowing，whyshouldyou，ofallmen，grudgemethatbelief？’
’Idon’tgrudgeittoyou，’returnedJeremiah。
’Thensaynomore。Saynomore。LetLittleDorritkeephersecretfromme，anddoyoukeepitfrommealso。Lethercomeandgo，unobservedandunquestioned。Letmesuffer，andletmehavewhatalleviationbelongstomycondition。Isitsomuch，thatyoutormentmelikeanevilspirit？’
’Iaskedyouaquestion。That’sall。’
’Ihaveansweredit。So，saynomore。Saynomore。’Herethesoundofthewheeledchairwashearduponthefloor，andAffery’sbellrangwithahastyjerk。
Moreafraidofherhusbandatthemomentthanofthemysterioussoundinthekitchen，Afferycreptawayaslightlyandasquicklyasshecould，descendedthekitchenstairsalmostasrapidlyasshehadascendedthem，resumedherseatbeforethefire，tuckedupherskirtagain，andfinallythrewherapronoverherhead。Thenthebellrangoncemore，andthenoncemore，andthenkeptonringing；
indespiteofwhichimportunatesummons，Afferystillsatbehindherapron，recoveringherbreath。
AtlastMrFlintwinchcameshufflingdownthestaircaseintothehall，mutteringandcalling’Afferywoman!’alltheway。Afferystillremainingbehindherapron，hecamestumblingdownthekitchenstairs，candleinhand，sidleduptoher，twitchedherapronoff，androusedher。
’OhJeremiah!’criedAffery，waking。’Whatastartyougaveme!’
’Whathaveyoubeendoing，woman？’inquiredJeremiah。’You’vebeenrungforfiftytimes。’
’OhJeremiah，’saidMistressAffery，’Ihavebeena-dreaming!’
Remindedofherformerachievementinthatway，MrFlintwinchheldthecandletoherhead，asifhehadsomeideaoflightingherupfortheilluminationofthekitchen。
’Don’tyouknowit’shertea-time？’hedemandedwithaviciousgrin，andgivingoneofthelegsofMistressAffery’schairakick。
’Jeremiah？Tea-time？Idon’tknowwhat’scometome。ButIgotsuchadreadfulturn，Jeremiah，beforeIwent——offa-dreaming，thatIthinkitmustbethat。’
’Yoogh!Sleepy-Head!’saidMrFlintwinch，’whatareyoutalkingabout？’
’Suchastrangenoise，Jeremiah，andsuchacuriousmovement。Inthekitchenhere——justhere。’
Jeremiahhelduphislightandlookedattheblackenedceiling，helddownhislightandlookedatthedampstonefloor，turnedroundwithhislightandlookedaboutatthespottedandblotchedwalls。
’Rats，cats，water，drains，’saidJeremiah。
MistressAfferynegativedeachwithashakeofherhead。’No，Jeremiah；Ihavefeltitbefore。Ihavefeltitup-stairs，andonceonthestaircaseasIwasgoingfromherroomtooursinthenight——arustleandasortoftremblingtouchbehindme。’
’Affery，mywoman，’saidMrFlintwinchgrimly，afteradvancinghisnosetothatlady’slipsasatestforthedetectionofspirituousliquors，’ifyoudon’tgetteaprettyquick，oldwoman，you’llbecomesensibleofarustleandatouchthat’llsendyouflyingtotheotherendofthekitchen。’
ThispredictionstimulatedMrsFlintwinchtobestirherself，andtohastenup-stairstoMrsClennam’schamber。But，forallthat，shenowbegantoentertainasettledconvictionthattherewassomethingwronginthegloomyhouse。Henceforth，shewasneveratpeaceinitafterdaylightdeparted；andneverwentupordownstairsinthedarkwithouthavingherapronoverherhead，lestsheshouldseesomething。
Whatwiththeseghostlyapprehensionsandhersingulardreams，MrsFlintwinchfellthateveningintoahauntedstateofmind，fromwhichitmaybelongbeforethispresentnarrativedescriesanytraceofherrecovery。Inthevaguenessandindistinctnessofallhernewexperiencesandperceptions，aseverythingaboutherwasmysterioustoherselfshebegantobemysterioustoothers：andbecameasdifficulttobemadeouttoanybody’ssatisfactionasshefoundthehouseandeverythinginitdifficulttomakeouttoherown。
ShehadnotyetfinishedpreparingMrsClennam’stea，whenthesoftknockcametothedoorwhichalwaysannouncedLittleDorrit。
MistressAfferylookedonatLittleDorrittakingoffherhomelybonnetinthehall，andatMrFlintwinchscrapinghisjawsandcontemplatingherinsilence，asexpectingsomewonderfulconsequencetoensuewhichwouldfrightenheroutofherfivewitsorblowthemallthreetopieces。
Afterteatherecameanotherknockatthedoor，announcingArthur。
MistressAfferywentdowntolethimin，andhesaidonentering，’Affery，Iamgladit’syou。Iwanttoaskyouaquestion。’
Afferyimmediatelyreplied，’Forgoodnesssakedon’taskmenothing，Arthur!Iamfrightenedoutofonehalfofmylife，anddreamedoutoftheother。Don’taskmenothing!Idon’tknowwhichiswhich，orwhatiswhat!’——andimmediatelystartedawayfromhim，andcamenearhimnomore。
MistressAfferyhavingnotasteforreading，andnosufficientlightforneedleworkinthesubduedroom，supposinghertohavetheinclination，nowsateverynightinthedimnessfromwhichshehadmomentarilyemergedontheeveningofArthurClennam’sreturn，occupiedwithcrowdsofwildspeculationsandsuspicionsrespectinghermistressandherhusbandandthenoisesinthehouse。Whentheferociousdevotionalexerciseswereengagedin，thesespeculationswoulddistractMistressAffery’seyestowardsthedoor，asifsheexpectedsomedarkformtoappearatthosepropitiousmoments，andmakethepartyonetoomany。
Otherwise，Afferyneversaidordidanythingtoattracttheattentionofthetwocleveronestowardsherinanymarkeddegree，exceptoncertainoccasions，generallyataboutthequiethourtowardsbed-time，whenshewouldsuddenlydartoutofherdimcorner，andwhisperwithafaceofterrortoMrFlintwinch，readingthepapernearMrsClennam’slittletable：’There，jeremiah!Now!
What’sthatnoise？’
Thenthenoise，iftherewereany，wouldhaveceased，andMrFlintwinchwouldsnarl，turninguponherasifshehadcuthimdownthatmomentagainsthiswill，’Affery，oldwoman，youshallhaveadose，oldwoman，suchadose!Youhavebeendreamingagain!’
Nobody’sWeaknessThetimebeingcomefortherenewalofhisacquaintancewiththeMeaglesfamily，Clennam，pursuanttocontractmadebetweenhimselfandMrMeagleswithintheprecinctsofBleedingHeartYard，turnedhisfaceonacertainSaturdaytowardsTwickenham，whereMrMeagleshadacottage-residenceofhisown。Theweatherbeingfineanddry，andanyEnglishroadaboundingininterestforhimwhohadbeensolongaway，hesenthisvaliseonbythecoach，andsetouttowalk。Awalkwasinitselfanewenjoymenttohim，andonethathadrarelydiversifiedhislifeafaroff。
HewentbyFulhamandPutney，forthepleasureofstrollingovertheheath。Itwasbrightandshiningthere；andwhenhefoundhimselfsofaronhisroadtoTwickenham，hefoundhimselfalongwayonhisroadtoanumberofairierandlesssubstantialdestinations。Theyhadrisenbeforehimfast，inthehealthfulexerciseandthepleasantroad。Itisnoteasytowalkaloneinthecountrywithoutmusinguponsomething。Andhehadplentyofunsettledsubjectstomeditateupon，thoughhehadbeenwalkingtotheLand’sEnd。
First，therewasthesubjectseldomabsentfromhismind，thequestion，whathewastodohenceforthinlife；towhatoccupationheshoulddevotehimself，andinwhatdirectionhehadbestseekit。Hewasfarfromrich，andeverydayofindecisionandinactionmadehisinheritanceasourceofgreateranxietytohim。Asoftenashebegantoconsiderhowtoincreasethisinheritance，ortolayitby，sooftenhismisgivingthattherewassomeonewithanunsatisfiedclaimuponhisjustice，returned；andthatalonewasasubjecttooutlastthelongestwalk。Again，therewasthesubjectofhisrelationswithhismother，whichwerenowuponanequableandpeacefulbutneverconfidentialfooting，andwhomhesawseveraltimesaweek。LittleDorritwasaleadingandaconstantsubject：forthecircumstancesofhislife，unitedtothoseofherownstory，presentedthelittlecreaturetohimastheonlypersonbetweenwhomandhimselfthereweretiesofinnocentrelianceononehand，andaffectionateprotectionontheother；tiesofcompassion，respect，unselfishinterest，gratitude，andpity。
Thinkingofher，andofthepossibilityofherfather’sreleasefromprisonbytheunbarringhandofdeath——theonlychangeofcircumstancehecouldforeseethatmightenablehimtobesuchafriendtoherashewishedtobe，byalteringherwholemanneroflife，smoothingherroughroad，andgivingherahome——heregardedher，inthatperspective，ashisadopteddaughter，hispoorchildoftheMarshalseahushedtorest。Iftherewerealastsubjectinhisthoughts，anditlaytowardsTwickenham，itsformwassoindefinitethatitwaslittlemorethanthepervadingatmosphereinwhichtheseothersubjectsfloatedbeforehim。
Hehadcrossedtheheathandwasleavingitbehindwhenhegaineduponafigurewhichhadbeeninadvanceofhimforsometime，andwhich，ashegaineduponit，hethoughtheknew。Hederivedthisimpressionfromsomethingintheturnofthehead，andinthefigure’sactionofconsideration，asitwentonatasufficientlysturdywalk。Butwhentheman——foritwasaman’sfigure——pushedhishatupatthebackofhishead，andstoppedtoconsidersomeobjectbeforehim，heknewittobeDanielDoyce。
’Howdoyoudo，MrDoyce？’saidClennam，overtakinghim。’Iamgladtoseeyouagain，andinahealthierplacethantheCircumlocutionOffice。’
’Ha!MrMeagles’sfriend!’exclaimedthatpubliccriminal，comingoutofsomementalcombinationshehadbeenmaking，andofferinghishand。’Iamgladtoseeyou，sir。WillyouexcusemeifI
forgetyourname？’
’Readily。It’snotacelebratedname。It’snotBarnacle。’
’No，no，’saidDaniel，laughing。’AndnowIknowwhatitis。It’sClennam。Howdoyoudo，MrClennam？’
’Ihavesomehope，’saidArthur，astheywalkedontogether，’thatwemaybegoingtothesameplace，MrDoyce。’
’MeaningTwickenham？’returnedDaniel。’Iamgladtohearit。’