maybe，byanaccident。Sympathy，sympathy!’
’Itellyoubeforehand，MrBlandois，thatyou’llfinditverydingyandverybare，’saidJeremiah，takingupthecandle。’It’snotworthyourlookingat。’ButMrBlandois，smitinghiminafriendlymannerontheback，onlylaughed；sothesaidBlandoiskissedhishandagaintoMrsClennam，andtheywentoutoftheroomtogether。
’Youdon’tcaretogoup-stairs？’saidJeremiah，onthelanding。
’Onthecontrary，MrFlintwinch；ifnottiresometoyou，Ishallberavished!’
MrFlintwinch，therefore，wormedhimselfupthestaircase，andMrBlandoisfollowedclose。Theyascendedtothegreatgarretbed-
roomwhichArthurhadoccupiedonthenightofhisreturn。’There，MrBlandois!’saidJeremiah，showingit，’Ihopeyoumaythinkthatworthcomingsohightosee。IconfessIdon’t。’
MrBlandoisbeingenraptured，theywalkedthroughothergarretsandpassages，andcamedownthestaircaseagain。BythistimeMrFlintwinchhadremarkedthatheneverfoundthevisitorlookingatanyroom，afterthrowingonequickglancearound，butalwaysfoundthevisitorlookingathim，MrFlintwinch。Withthisdiscoveryinhisthoughts，heturnedaboutonthestaircaseforanotherexperiment。Hemethiseyesdirectly；andontheinstantoftheirfixingoneanother，thevisitor，withthatuglyplayofnoseandmoustache，laughedashehaddoneateverysimilarmomentsincetheyleftMrsClennam’schamberadiabolicallysilentlaugh。
Asamuchshortermanthanthevisitor，MrFlintwinchwasatthephysicaldisadvantageofbeingthusdisagreeablyleeredatfromaheight；andashewentfirstdownthestaircase，andwasusuallyasteportwolowerthantheother，thisdisadvantagewasatthetimeincreased。HepostponedlookingatMrBlandoisagainuntilthisaccidentalinequalitywasremovedbytheirhavingenteredthelateMrClennam’sroom。But，thentwistinghimselfsuddenlyrounduponhim，hefoundhislookunchanged。
’Amostadmirableoldhouse，’smiledMrBlandois。’Somysterious。
Doyouneverhearanyhauntednoiseshere？’
’Noises，’returnedMrFlintwinch。’No。’
’Norseeanydevils？’
’Not，’saidMrFlintwinch，grimlyscrewinghimselfathisquestioner，’notanythatintroducethemselvesunderthatnameandinthatcapacity。’
’Haha!Aportraithere，Isee。’
StilllookingatMrFlintwinch，asifheweretheportrait。
’It’saportrait，sir，asyouobserve。’
’MayIaskthesubject，MrFlintwinch？’
’MrClennam，deceased。Herhusband。’
’Formerowneroftheremarkablewatch，perhaps？’saidthevisitor。
MrFlintwinch，whohadcasthiseyestowardstheportrait，twistedhimselfaboutagain，andagainfoundhimselfthesubjectofthesamelookandsmile。’Yes，MrBlandois，’herepliedtartly。’Itwashis，andhisuncle’sbeforehim，andLordknowswhobeforehim；
andthat’sallIcantellyouofitspedigree。’
’That’sastronglymarkedcharacter，MrFlintwinch，ourfriendup-
stairs。’
’Yes，sir，’saidJeremiah，twistinghimselfatthevisitoragain，ashedidduringthewholeofthisdialogue，likesomescrew-
machinethatfellshortofitsgrip；fortheotherneverchanged，andhealwaysfeltobligedtoretreatalittle。’Sheisaremarkablewoman。Greatfortitude——greatstrengthofmind。’
’Theymusthavebeenveryhappy，’saidBlandois。
’Who？’demandedMrFlintwinch，withanotherscrewathim。
MrBlandoisshookhisrightforefingertowardsthesickroom，andhisleftforefingertowardstheportrait，andthen，puttinghisarmsakimboandstridinghislegswideapart，stoodsmilingdownatMrFlintwinchwiththeadvancingnoseandtheretreatingmoustache。
’Ashappyasmostothermarriedpeople，Isuppose，’returnedMrFlintwinch。’Ican’tsay。Idon’tknow。Therearesecretsinallfamilies。’
’Secrets!’criedMrBlandois，quickly。’Sayitagain，myson。’
’Isay，’repliedMrFlintwinch，uponwhomhehadswelledhimselfsosuddenlythatMrFlintwinchfoundhisfacealmostbrushedbythedilatedchest。’Isaytherearesecretsinallfamilies。’
’Sothereare，’criedtheother，clappinghimonbothshoulders，androllinghimbackwardsandforwards。’Haha!youareright。Sothereare!Secrets!HolyBlue!Therearethedevil’sownsecretsinsomefamilies，MrFlintwinch!’Withthat，afterclappingMrFlintwinchonbothshouldersseveraltimes，asifinafriendlyandhumorouswayhewererallyinghimonajokehehadmade，hethrewuphisarms，threwbackhishead，hookedhishandstogetherbehindit，andburstintoaroaroflaughter。ItwasinvainforMrFlintwinchtotryanotherscrewathim。Hehadhislaughout。
’But，favourmewiththecandleamoment，’hesaid，whenhehaddone。’Letushavealookatthehusbandoftheremarkablelady。
Hah!’holdingupthelightatarm’slength。’Adecidedexpressionoffaceheretoo，thoughnotofthesamecharacter。Looksasifheweresaying，whatisit——DoNotForget——doeshenot，MrFlintwinch？
ByHeaven，sir，hedoes!’
Ashereturnedthecandle，helookedathimoncemore；andthen，leisurelystrollingoutwithhimintothehall，declaredittobeacharmingoldhouseindeed，andonewhichhadsogreatlypleasedhimthathewouldnothavemissedinspectingitforahundredpounds。
ThroughoutthesesingularfreedomsonthepartofMrBlandois，whichinvolvedageneralalterationinhisdemeanour，makingitmuchcoarserandrougher，muchmoreviolentandaudaciousthanbefore，MrFlintwinch，whoseleathernfacewasnotliabletomanychanges，preserveditsimmobilityintact。Beyondnowappearingperhaps，tohavebeenlefthangingatrifletoolongbeforethatfriendlyoperationofcuttingdown，heoutwardlymaintainedanequablecomposure。Theyhadbroughttheirsurveytoacloseinthelittleroomatthesideofthehall，andhestoodthere，eyeingMrBlandois。
’Iamgladyouaresowellsatisfied，sir，’washiscalmremark。
’Ididn’texpectit。Youseemtobequiteingoodspirits。’
’Inadmirablespirits，’returnedBlandois。’Wordofhonour!nevermorerefreshedinspirits。Doyoueverhavepresentiments，MrFlintwinch？’
’IamnotsurethatIknowwhatyoumeanbytheterm，sir，’repliedthatgentleman。
’Say，inthiscase，MrFlintwinch，undefinedanticipationsofpleasuretocome。’
’Ican’tsayI’msensibleofsuchasensationatpresent，’returnedMrFlintwinchwiththeutmostgravity。’IfIshouldfinditcomingon，I’llmentionit。’
’NowI，’saidBlandois，’I，myson，haveapresentimentto-nightthatweshallbewellacquainted。Doyoufinditcomingon？’
’N-no，’returnedMrFlintwinch，deliberatelyinquiringofhimself。
’Ican’tsayIdo。’
’Ihaveastrongpresentimentthatweshallbecomeintimatelyacquainted——Youhavenofeelingofthatsortyet？’
’Notyet，’saidMrFlintwinch。
MrBlandois，takinghimbybothshouldersagain，rolledhimaboutalittleinhisformermerryway，thendrewhisarmthroughhisown，andinvitedhimtocomeoffanddrinkabottleofwinelikeadeardeepolddogashewas。
Withoutamoment’sindecision，MrFlintwinchacceptedtheinvitation，andtheywentouttothequarterswherethetravellerwaslodged，throughaheavyrainwhichhadrattledonthewindows，roofs，andpavements，eversincenightfall。Thethunderandlightninghadlongagopassedover，buttherainwasfurious。OntheirarrivalatMrBlandois’room，abottleofportwinewasorderedbythatgallantgentleman；whocrushingeveryprettythinghecouldcollect，inthesoftdispositionofhisdaintyfigure
coiledhimselfuponthewindow-seat，whileMrFlintwinchtookachairoppositetohim，withthetablebetweenthem。MrBlandoisproposedhavingthelargestglassesinthehouse，towhichMrFlintwinchassented。Thebumpersfilled，MrBlandois，witharoysteringgaiety，clinkedthetopofhisglassagainstthebottomofMrFlintwinch’s，andthebottomofhisglassagainstthetopofMrFlintwinch’s，anddranktotheintimateacquaintanceheforesaw。
MrFlintwinchgravelypledgedhim，anddrankallthewinehecouldget，andsaidnothing。AsoftenasMrBlandoisclinkedglasseswhichwasateveryreplenishment，MrFlintwinchstolidlydidhispartoftheclinking，andwouldhavestolidlydonehiscompanion’spartofthewineaswellashisown：being，exceptinthearticleofpalate，amerecask。
Inshort，MrBlandoisfoundthattopourportwineintothereticentFlintwinchwas，nottoopenhimbuttoshuthimup。
Moreover，hehadtheappearanceofaperfectabilitytogoonallnight；or，ifoccasionwere，allnextdayandallnextnight；
whereasMrBlandoissoongrewindistinctlyconsciousofswaggeringtoofiercelyandboastfully。Hethereforeterminatedtheentertainmentattheendofthethirdbottle。
’Youwilldrawuponusto-morrow，sir，’saidMrFlintwinch，withabusiness-likefaceatparting。
’MyCabbage，’returnedtheother，takinghimbythecollarwithbothhands，’I’lldrawuponyou；havenofear。Adieu，myFlintwinch。Receiveatparting；’herehegavehimasouthernembrace，andkissedhimsoundlyonbothcheeks；’thewordofagentleman!ByathousandThunders，youshallseemeagain!’
Hedidnotpresenthimselfnextday，thoughtheletterofadvicecamedulytohand。Inquiringafterhimatnight，MrFlintwinchfound，withsurprise，thathehadpaidhisbillandgonebacktotheContinentbywayofCalais。Nevertheless，JeremiahscrapedoutofhiscogitatingfacealivelyconvictionthatMrBlandoiswouldkeephiswordonthisoccasion，andwouldbeseenagain。
SpiritAnybodymaypass，anyday，inthethrongedthoroughfaresofthemetropolis，somemeagre，wrinkled，yellowoldmanwhomightbesupposedtohavedroppedfromthestars，iftherewereanystarintheHeavensdullenoughtobesuspectedofcastingoffsofeebleaspark，creepingalongwithascaredair，asthoughbewilderedandalittlefrightenedbythenoiseandbustle。Thisoldmanisalwaysalittleoldman。Ifhewereeverabigoldman，hehasshrunkintoalittleoldman；ifhewerealwaysalittleoldman，hehasdwindledintoalessoldman。Hiscoatisacolour，andcut，thatneverwasthemodeanywhere，atanyperiod。Clearly，itwasnotmadeforhim，orforanyindividualmortal。SomewholesalecontractormeasuredFateforfivethousandcoatsofsuchquality，andFatehaslentthisoldcoattothisoldman，asoneofalongunfinishedlineofmanyoldmen。Ithasalwayslargedullmetalbuttons，similartonootherbuttons。Thisoldmanwearsahat，athumbedandnaplessandyetanobduratehat，whichhasneveradapteditselftotheshapeofhispoorhead。Hiscoarseshirtandhiscoarseneckclothhavenomoreindividualitythanhiscoatandhat；theyhavethesamecharacterofnotbeinghis——ofnotbeinganybody’s。Yetthisoldmanwearstheseclotheswithacertainunaccustomedairofbeingdressedandelaboratedforthepublicways；asthoughhepassedthegreaterpartofhistimeinanightcapandgown。Andso，likethecountrymouseinthesecondyearofafamine，cometoseethetownmouse，andtimidlythreadinghiswaytothetown-mouse’slodgingthroughacityofcats，thisoldmanpassesinthestreets。