stream。Atanyhourlaterthansunset，andnotleastatthathourwhenmostofthepeoplewhohaveanythingtoeatathomearegoinghometoeatit，andwhenmostofthosewhohavenothinghavehardlyyetslunkouttobegorsteal，itwasadesertedplaceandlookedonadesertedscene。
SuchwasthehourwhenClennamstoppedatthecorner，observingthegirlandthestrangemanastheywentdownthestreet。Theman’sfootstepsweresonoisyontheechoingstonesthathewasunwillingtoaddthesoundofhisown。Butwhentheyhadpassedtheturningandwereinthedarknessofthedarkcornerleadingtotheterrace，hemadeafterthemwithsuchindifferentappearanceofbeingacasualpassengeronhisway，ashecouldassume。
Whenheroundedthedarkcorner，theywerewalkingalongtheterracetowardsafigurewhichwascomingtowardsthem。Ifhehadseenitbyitself，undersuchconditionsofgas-lamp，mist，anddistance，hemightnothaveknownitatfirstsight，butwiththefigureofthegirltoprompthim，heatoncerecognisedMissWade。
Hestoppedatthecorner，seemingtolookbackexpectantlyupthestreetasifhehadmadeanappointmentwithsomeonetomeethimthere；buthekeptacarefuleyeonthethree。Whentheycametogether，themantookoffhishat，andmadeMissWadeabow。Thegirlappearedtosayafewwordsasthoughshepresentedhim，oraccountedforhisbeinglate，orearly，orwhatnot；andthenfellapaceorsobehind，byherself。MissWadeandthemanthenbegantowalkupanddown；themanhavingtheappearanceofbeingextremelycourteousandcomplimentaryinmanner；MissWadehavingtheappearanceofbeingextremelyhaughty。
Whentheycamedowntothecornerandturned，shewassaying，’IfIpinchmyselfforit，sir，thatismybusiness。Confineyourselftoyours，andaskmenoquestion。’
’ByHeaven，ma’am!’hereplied，makingheranotherbow。’Itwasmyprofoundrespectforthestrengthofyourcharacter，andmyadmirationofyourbeauty。’
’Iwantneithertheonenortheotherfromanyone，’saidshe，’andcertainlynotfromyouofallcreatures。Goonwithyourreport。’
’AmIpardoned？’heasked，withanairofhalfabashedgallantry。
’Youarepaid，’shesaid，’andthatisallyouwant。’
Whetherthegirlhungbehindbecauseshewasnottohearthebusiness，orasalreadyknowingenoughaboutit，Clennamcouldnotdetermine。Theyturnedandsheturned。Shelookedawayattheriver，asshewalkedwithherhandsfoldedbeforeher；andthatwasallhecouldmakeofherwithoutshowinghisface。Therehappened，bygoodfortune，tobealoungerreallywaitingforsomeone；andhesometimeslookedovertherailingatthewater，andsometimescametothedarkcornerandlookedupthestreet，renderingArthurlessconspicuous。
WhenMissWadeandthemancamebackagain，shewassaying，’Youmustwaituntilto-morrow。’
’Athousandpardons？’hereturned。’Myfaith!Thenit’snotconvenientto-night？’
’No。ItellyouImustgetitbeforeIcangiveittoyou。’
Shestoppedintheroadway，asiftoputanendtotheconference。
Heofcoursestoppedtoo。Andthegirlstopped。
’It’salittleinconvenient，’saidtheman。’Alittle。But，HolyBlue!that’snothinginsuchaservice。Iamwithoutmoneyto-
night，bychance。Ihaveagoodbankerinthiscity，butIwouldnotwishtodrawuponthehouseuntilthetimewhenIshalldrawforaroundsum。’
’Harriet，’saidMissWade，’arrangewithhim——thisgentlemanhere——
forsendinghimsomemoneyto-morrow。’Shesaiditwithaslurofthewordgentlemanwhichwasmorecontemptuousthananyemphasis，andwalkedslowlyon。
Themanbenthisheadagain，andthegirlspoketohimastheybothfollowedher。ClennamventuredtolookatthegirlastheyMovedaway。Hecouldnotethatherrichblackeyeswerefasteneduponthemanwithascrutinisingexpression，andthatshekeptatalittledistancefromhim，astheywalkedsidebysidetothefurtherendoftheterrace。
Aloudandalteredclankuponthepavementwarnedhim，beforehecoulddiscernwhatwaspassingthere，thatthemanwascomingbackalone。Clennamloungedintotheroad，towardstherailing；andthemanpassedataquickswing，withtheendofhiscloakthrownoverhisshoulder，singingascrapofaFrenchsong。
Thewholevistahadnooneinitnowbuthimself。Theloungerhadloungedoutofview，andMissWadeandTattycoramweregone。Morethaneverbentonseeingwhatbecameofthem，andonhavingsomeinformationtogivehisgoodfriend，MrMeagles，hewentoutatthefurtherendoftheterrace，lookingcautiouslyabouthim。Herightlyjudgedthat，atfirstatallevents，theywouldgoinacontrarydirectionfromtheirlatecompanion。Hesoonsawtheminaneighbouringbye-street，whichwasnotathoroughfare，evidentlyallowingtimeforthemantogetwelloutoftheirway。Theywalkedleisurelyarm-in-armdownonesideofthestreet，andreturnedontheoppositeside。Whentheycamebacktothestreet-
corner，theychangedtheirpaceforthepaceofpeoplewithanobjectandadistancebeforethem，andwalkedsteadilyaway。
Clennam，nolesssteadily，kepttheminsight。
TheycrossedtheStrand，andpassedthroughCoventGardenunderthewindowsofhisoldlodgingwheredearLittleDorrithadcomethatnight，andslantedawaynorth-east，untiltheypassedthegreatbuildingwhenceTattycoramderivedhername，andturnedintotheGray’sInnRoad。Clennamwasquiteathomehere，inrightofFlora，nottomentionthePatriarchandPancks，andkepttheminviewwithease。Hewasbeginningtowonderwheretheymightbegoingnext，whenthatwonderwaslostinthegreaterwonderwithwhichhesawthemturnintothePatriarchalstreet。ThatwonderwasinitsturnswalloweduponthegreaterwonderwithwhichhesawthemstopatthePatriarchaldoor。Alowdoubleknockatthebrightbrassknocker，agleamoflightintotheroadfromtheopeneddoor，abriefpauseforinquiryandanswerandthedoorwasshut，andtheywerehoused。
Afterlookingatthesurroundingobjectsforassurancethathewasnotinanodddream，andafterpacingalittlewhilebeforethehouse，Arthurknockedatthedoor。Itwasopenedbytheusualmaid-servant，andsheshowedhimupatonce，withherusualalacrity，toFlora’ssitting-room。
TherewasnoonewithFlorabutMrF。’sAunt，whichrespectablegentlewoman，baskinginabalmyatmosphereofteaandtoast，wasensconcedinaneasy-chairbythefireside，withalittletableatherelbow，andacleanwhitehandkerchiefspreadoverherlaponwhichtwopiecesoftoastatthatmomentawaitedconsumption。
Bendingoverasteamingvesseloftea，andlookingthroughthesteam，andbreathingforththesteam，likeamalignantChineseenchantressengagedintheperformanceofunholyrites，MrF。’sAuntputdownhergreatteacupandexclaimed，’Drathim，ifhean’tcomebackagain!’
ItwouldseemfromtheforegoingexclamationthatthisuncompromisingrelativeofthelamentedMrF。，measuringtimebytheacutenessofhersensationsandnotbytheclock，supposedClennamtohavelatelygoneaway；whereasatleastaquarterofayearhadelapsedsincehehadhadthetemeritytopresenthimselfbeforeher。
’MygoodnessArthur!’criedFlora，risingtogivehimacordialreception，’DoyceandClennamwhatastartandasurpriseforthoughnotfarfromthemachineryandfoundrybusinessandsurelymightbetakensometimesifatnoothertimeaboutmid-daywhenaglassofsherryandahumblesandwichofwhatevercoldmeatinthelardermightnotcomeamissnortastetheworseforbeingfriendlyforyouknowyoubuyitsomewhereandwhereverboughtaprofitmustbemadeortheywouldneverkeeptheplaceitstandstoreasonwithoutamotivestillneverseenandlearntnownottobeexpected，forasMrF。himselfsaidifseeingisbelievingnotseeingisbelievingtooandwhenyoudon’tseeyoumayfullybelieveyou’renotrememberednotthatIexpectyouArthurDoyceandClennamtoremembermewhyshouldIforthedaysaregonebutbringanotherteacupheredirectlyandtellherfreshtoastandpraysitnearthefire。’
Arthurwasinthegreatestanxietytoexplaintheobjectofhisvisit；butwasputoffforthemoment，inspiteofhimself，bywhatheunderstoodofthereproachfulpurportofthesewords，andbythegenuinepleasureshetestifiedinseeinghim。
’Andnowpraytellmesomethingallyouknow，’saidFlora，drawingherchairneartohis，’aboutthegooddearquietlittlethingandallthechangesofherfortunescarriagepeoplenownodoubtandhorseswithoutnumbermostromantic，acoatofarmsofcourseandwildbeastsontheirhindlegsshowingitasifitwasacopytheyhaddonewithmouthsfromeartoeargoodgracious，andhassheherhealthwhichisthefirstconsiderationafterallforwhatiswealthwithoutitMrF。himselfsooftensayingwhenhistwingescamethatsixpenceadayandfindyourselfandnogoutsomuchpreferable，notthathecouldhavelivedonanythinglikeitbeingthelastmanorthatthepreviouslittlethingthoughfartoofamiliaranexpressionnowhadanytendencyofthatsortmuchtooslightandsmallbutlookedsofragileblessher？’
MrF。’sAunt，whohadeatenapieceoftoastdowntothecrust，heresolemnlyhandedthecrusttoFlora，whoateitforherasamatterofbusiness。MrF。’sAuntthenmoistenedhertenfingersinslowsuccessionatherlips，andwipedtheminexactlythesameorderonthewhitehandkerchief；thentooktheotherpieceoftoast，andfelltoworkuponit。Whilepursuingthisroutine，shelookedatClennamwithanexpressionofsuchintenseseveritythathefeltobligedtolookatherinreturn，againsthispersonalinclinations。
’SheisinItaly，withallherfamily，Flora，’hesaid，whenthedreadedladywasoccupiedagain。
’InItalyisshereally？’saidFlora，’withthegrapesgrowingeverywhereandlavanecklacesandbraceletstoothatlandofpoetrywithburningmountainspicturesquebeyondbeliefthoughiftheorgan-boyscomeawayfromtheneighbourhoodnottobescorchednobodycanwonderbeingsoyoungandbringingtheirwhitemicewiththemmosthumane，andisshereallyinthatfavouredlandwithnothingbutblueaboutheranddyinggladiatorsandBelvederesthoughMrF。himselfdidnotbelieveforhisobjectionwheninspiritswasthattheimagescouldnotbetruetherebeingnomediumbetweenexpensivequantitiesoflinenbadlygotupandallincreasesandnonewhatever，whichcertainlydoesnotseemprobablethoughperhapsinconsequenceoftheextremesofrichandpoorwhichmayaccountforit。’
Arthurtriedtoedgeawordin，butFlorahurriedonagain。
’VenicePreservedtoo，’saidshe，’IthinkyouhavebeenthereisitwellorillpreservedforpeoplediffersoandMaccaroniiftheyreallyeatitliketheconjurorswhynotcutitshorter，youareacquaintedArthur——dearDoyceandClennamatleastnotdearandmostassuredlynotDoyceforIhavenotthepleasurebutprayexcuseme——acquaintedIbelievewithMantuawhathasitgottodowithMantua-makingforIneverhavebeenabletoconceive？’
’Ibelievethereisnoconnection，Flora，betweenthetwo，’Arthurwasbeginning，whenshecaughthimupagain。
’Uponyourwordnoisn’tthereIneverdidbutthat’slikemeIrunawaywithanideaandhavingnonetospareIkeepit，alastherewasatimedearArthurthatistosaydecidedlynotdearnorArthurneitherbutyouunderstandmewhenonebrightideagildedthewhat’s-his-namehorizonofetceterabutitisdarklycloudednowandallisover。’
Arthur’sincreasingwishtospeakofsomethingverydifferentwasbythistimesoplainlywrittenonhisface，thatFlorastoppedinatenderlook，andaskedhimwhatitwas？
’Ihavethegreatestdesire，Flora，tospeaktosomeonewhoisnowinthishouse——withMrCasbynodoubt。SomeonewhomIsawcomein，andwho，inamisguidedanddeplorableway，hasdesertedthehouseofafriendofmine。’
’Papaseessomanyandsuchoddpeople，’saidFlora，rising，’thatIshouldn’tventuretogodownforanyonebutyouArthurbutforyouIwouldwillinglygodowninadiving-bellmuchmoreadining-
roomandwillcomebackdirectlyifyou’llmindandatthesametimenotmindMrF。’sAuntwhileI’mgone。’
Withthosewordsandapartingglance，Florabustledout，leavingClennamunderdreadfulapprehensionofthisterriblecharge。