Clennam’seyeshadstrayedtoanaturalpictureonthewall，oftwoprettylittlegirlswiththeirarmsentwined。’Yes，Clennam，’saidMrMeagles，inalowervoice。’Theretheybothare。Itwastakensomeseventeenyearsago。AsIoftensaytoMother，theywerebabiesthen。’
’Theirnames？’saidArthur。
’Ah，tobesure!YouhaveneverheardanynamebutPet。Pet’snameisMinnie；hersister’sLillie。’
’Shouldyouhaveknown，MrClennam，thatoneofthemwasmeantforme？’askedPetherself，nowstandinginthedoorway。
’Imighthavethoughtthatbothofthemweremeantforyou，botharestillsolikeyou。Indeed，’saidClennam，glancingfromthefairoriginaltothepictureandback，’Icannotevennowsaywhichisnotyourportrait。’
’D’yehearthat，Mother？’criedMrMeaglestohiswife，whohadfollowedherdaughter。’It’salwaysthesame，Clennam；nobodycandecide。ThechildtoyourleftisPet。’
Thepicturehappenedtobenearalooking-glass。AsArthurlookedatitagain，hesaw，bythereflectionofthemirror，Tattycoramstopinpassingoutsidethedoor，listentowhatwasgoingon，andpassawaywithanangryandcontemptuousfrownuponherface，thatchangeditsbeautyintougliness。
’Butcome!’saidMrMeagles。’Youhavehadalongwalk，andwillbegladtogetyourbootsoff。AstoDanielhere，Isupposehe’dneverthinkoftakinghisbootsoff，unlessweshowedhimaboot-
jack。’
’Whynot？’askedDaniel，withasignificantsmileatClennam。
’Oh!Youhavesomanythingstothinkabout，’returnedMrMeagles，clappinghimontheshoulder，asifhisweaknessmustnotbelefttoitselfonanyaccount。’Figures，andwheels，andcogs，andlevers，andscrews，andcylinders，andathousandthings。’
’Inmycalling，’saidDaniel，amused，’thegreaterusuallyincludestheless。Butnevermind，nevermind!Whateverpleasesyou，pleasesme。’
Clennamcouldnothelpspeculating，asheseatedhimselfinhisroombythefire，whethertheremightbeinthebreastofthishonest，affectionate，andcordialMrMeagles，anymicroscopicportionofthemustard-seedthathadsprungupintothegreattreeoftheCircumlocutionOffice。HiscurioussenseofageneralsuperioritytoDanielDoyce，whichseemedtobefounded，notsomuchonanythinginDoyce’spersonalcharacterasonthemerefactofhisbeinganoriginatorandamanoutofthebeatentrackofothermen，suggestedtheidea。Itmighthaveoccupiedhimuntilhewentdowntodinneranhourafterwards，ifhehadnothadanotherquestiontoconsider，whichhadbeeninhismindsolongagoasbeforehewasinquarantineatMarseilles，andwhichhadnowreturnedtoit，andwasveryurgentwithit。Nolessaquestionthanthis：WhetherheshouldallowhimselftofallinlovewithPet？
Hewastwiceherage。Hechangedtheleghehadcrossedovertheother，andtriedthecalculationagain，butcouldnotbringoutthetotalatless。Hewastwiceherage。Well!Hewasyounginappearance，younginhealthandstrength，younginheart。Amanwascertainlynotoldatforty；andmanymenwerenotincircumstancestomarry，ordidnotmarry，untiltheyhadattainedthattimeoflife。Ontheotherhand，thequestionwas，notwhathethoughtofthepoint，butwhatshethoughtofit。
HebelievedthatMrMeagleswasdisposedtoentertainariperegardforhim，andheknewthathehadasincereregardforMrMeaglesandhisgoodwife。Hecouldforeseethattorelinquishthisbeautifulonlychild，ofwhomtheyweresofond，toanyhusband，wouldbeatrialoftheirlovewhichperhapstheyneveryethadhadthefortitudetocontemplate。Butthemorebeautifulandwinningandcharmingshe，thenearertheymustalwaysbetothenecessityofapproachingit。Andwhynotinhisfavour，aswellasinanother’s？
Whenhehadgotsofar，itcameagainintohisheadthatthequestionwas，notwhattheythoughtofit，butwhatshethoughtofit。
ArthurClennamwasaretiringman，withasenseofmanydeficiencies；andhesoexaltedthemeritsofthebeautifulMinnieinhismind，anddepressedhisown，thatwhenhepinnedhimselftothispoint，hishopesbegantofailhim。Hecametothefinalresolution，ashemadehimselfreadyfordinner，thathewouldnotallowhimselftofallinlovewithPet。
Therewereonlyfive，ataroundtable，anditwasverypleasantindeed。Theyhadsomanyplacesandpeopletorecall，andtheywereallsoeasyandcheerfultogetherDanielDoyceeithersittingoutlikeanamusedspectatoratcards，orcominginwithsomeshrewdlittleexperiencesofhisown，whenithappenedtobetothepurpose，thattheymighthavebeentogethertwentytimes，andnothaveknownsomuchofoneanother。
’AndMissWade，’saidMrMeagles，aftertheyhadrecalledanumberoffellow-travellers。’HasanybodyseenMissWade？’
’Ihave，’saidTattycoram。
Shehadbroughtalittlemantlewhichheryoungmistresshadsentfor，andwasbendingoverher，puttingiton，whensheliftedupherdarkeyesandmadethisunexpectedanswer。
’Tatty!’heryoungmistressexclaimed。’YouseenMissWade？——
where？’
’Here，miss，’saidTattycoram。
’How？’
AnimpatientglancefromTattycoramseemed，asClennamsawit，toanswer’Withmyeyes!’Butheronlyanswerinwordswas：’Imethernearthechurch。’
’WhatwasshedoingthereIwonder!’saidMrMeagles。’Notgoingtoit，Ishouldthink。’
’Shehadwrittentomefirst，’saidTattycoram。
’Oh，Tatty!’murmuredhermistress，’takeyourhandsaway。Ifeelasifsomeoneelsewastouchingme!’
Shesaiditinaquickinvoluntaryway，buthalfplayfully，andnotmorepetulantlyordisagreeablythanafavouritechildmighthavedone，wholaughednextmoment。Tattycoramsetherfullredlipstogether，andcrossedherarmsuponherbosom。
’Didyouwishtoknow，sir，’shesaid，lookingatMrMeagles，’whatMissWadewrotetomeabout？’
’Well，Tattycoram，’returnedMrMeagles，’sinceyouaskthequestion，andweareallfriendshere，perhapsyoumayaswellmentionit，ifyouaresoinclined。’
’Sheknew，whenweweretravelling，whereyoulived，’saidTattycoram，’andshehadseenmenotquite——notquite——’
’Notquiteinagoodtemper，Tattycoram？’suggestedMrMeagles，shakinghisheadatthedarkeyeswithaquietcaution。’Takealittletime——countfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
Shepressedherlipstogetheragain，andtookalongdeepbreath。
’SoshewrotetometosaythatifIeverfeltmyselfhurt，’shelookeddownatheryoungmistress，’orfoundmyselfworried，’shelookeddownatheragain，’Imightgotoher，andbeconsideratelytreated。Iwastothinkofit，andcouldspeaktoherbythechurch。SoIwenttheretothankher。’
’Tatty，’saidheryoungmistress，puttingherhandupoverhershoulderthattheothermighttakeit，’MissWadealmostfrightenedmewhenweparted，andIscarcelyliketothinkofherjustnowashavingbeensonearmewithoutmyknowingit。Tattydear!’
Tattystoodforamoment，immovable。
’Hey？’criedMrMeagles。’Countanotherfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
Shemighthavecountedadozen，whenshebentandputherlipstothecaressinghand。Itpattedhercheek，asittouchedtheowner’sbeautifulcurls，andTattycoramwentaway。
’Nowthere，’saidMrMeaglessoftly，ashegaveaturntothedumb-
waiteronhisrighthandtotwirlthesugartowardshimself。
’There’sagirlwhomightbelostandruined，ifshewasn’tamongpracticalpeople。MotherandIknow，solelyfrombeingpractical，thattherearetimeswhenthatgirl’swholenatureseemstoroughenitselfagainstseeingussoboundupinPet。Nofatherandmotherwereboundupinher，poorsoul。Idon’tliketothinkofthewayinwhichthatunfortunatechild，withallthatpassionandprotestinher，feelswhenshehearstheFifthCommandmentonaSunday。I
amalwaysinclinedtocallout，Church，Countfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
Besideshisdumb-waiter，MrMeagleshadtwoothernotdumbwaitersinthepersonsoftwoparlour-maidswithrosyfacesandbrighteyes，whowereahighlyornamentalpartofthetabledecoration。
’Andwhynot，yousee？’saidMrMeaglesonthishead。’AsIalwayssaytoMother，whynothavesomethingprettytolookat，ifyouhaveanythingatall？’
AcertainMrsTickit，whowasCookandHousekeeperwhenthefamilywereathome，andHousekeeperonlywhenthefamilywereaway，completedtheestablishment。MrMeaglesregrettedthatthenatureofthedutiesinwhichshewasengaged，renderedMrsTickitunpresentableatpresent，buthopedtointroducehertothenewvisitorto-morrow。ShewasanimportantpartoftheCottage，hesaid，andallhisfriendsknewher。Thatwasherpictureupinthecorner。Whentheywentaway，shealwaysputonthesilk-gownandthejet-blackrowofcurlsrepresentedinthatportraitherhairwasreddish-greyinthekitchen，establishedherselfinthebreakfast-room，putherspectaclesbetweentwoparticularleavesofDoctorBuchan’sDomesticMedicine，andsatlookingovertheblindalldayuntiltheycamebackagain。ItwassupposedthatnopersuasioncouldbeinventedwhichwouldinduceMrsTickittoabandonherpostattheblind，howeverlongtheirabsence，ortodispensewiththeattendanceofDrBuchan；thelucubrationsofwhichlearnedpractitioner，MrMeaglesimplicitlybelievedshehadneveryetconsultedtotheextentofonewordinherlife。
Intheeveningtheyplayedanold-fashionedrubber；andPetsatlookingoverherfather’shand，orsingingtoherselfbyfitsandstartsatthepiano。Shewasaspoiltchild；buthowcouldshebeotherwise？Whocouldbemuchwithsopliableandbeautifulacreature，andnotyieldtoherendearinginfluence？Whocouldpassaneveninginthehouse，andnotloveherforthegraceandcharmofherverypresenceintheroom？ThiswasClennam’sreflection，notwithstandingthefinalconclusionatwhichhehadarrivedup-
stairs。
Inmakingit，herevoked。’Why，whatareyouthinkingof，mygoodsir？’askedtheastonishedMrMeagles，whowashispartner。
’Ibegyourpardon。Nothing，’returnedClennam。
’Thinkofsomething，nexttime；that’sadearfellow，’saidMrMeagles。
PetlaughinglybelievedhehadbeenthinkingofMissWade。
’WhyofMissWade，Pet？’askedherfather。
’Why，indeed!’saidArthurClennam。
Petcolouredalittle，andwenttothepianoagain。
Astheybrokeupforthenight，ArthuroverheardDoyceaskhishostifhecouldgivehimhalfanhour’sconversationbeforebreakfastinthemorning？Thehostreplyingwillingly，Arthurlingeredbehindamoment，havinghisownwordtoaddtothattopic。
’MrMeagles，’hesaid，ontheirbeingleftalone，’doyourememberwhenyouadvisedmetogostraighttoLondon？’