for，lethimthinkwhathewould，theChiefButlerhadhiminhissuperciliouseye，evenwhenthateyewasontheplateandothertable-garniture；andheneverlethimoutofit。Tohinttohimthatthisconfinementinhiseyewasdisagreeable，ortoaskhimwhathemeant，wasanacttoodaringtoventureupon；hisseveritywithhisemployersandtheirvisitorsbeingterrific，andheneverpermittinghimselftobeapproachedwiththeslightestliberty。
MissingThetermofMrDorrit’svisitwaswithintwodaysofbeingout，andhewasabouttodressforanotherinspectionbytheChiefButlerwhosevictimswerealwaysdressedexpresslyforhim，whenoneoftheservantsofthehotelpresentedhimselfbearingacard。MrDorrit，takingit，read：
’MrsFinching。’
Theservantwaitedinspeechlessdeference。
’Man，man，’saidMrDorrit，turninguponhimwithgrievousindignation，’explainyourmotiveinbringingmethisridiculousname。Iamwhollyunacquaintedwithit。Finching，sir？’saidMrDorrit，perhapsavenginghimselfontheChiefButlerbySubstitute。
’ha!WhatdoyoumeanbyFinching？’
Theman，man，seemedtomeanFlinchingasmuchasanythingelse，forhebackedawayfromMrDorrit’ssevereregard，ashereplied，’Alady，sir。’
’Iknownosuchlady，sir，’saidMrDorrit。’Takethiscardaway。
IknownoFinchingofeithersex。’
’Askyourpardon，sir。Theladysaidshewasawareshemightbeunknownbyname。Butshebeggedmetosay，sir，thatshehadformerlythehonourofbeingacquaintedwithMissDorrit。Theladysaid，sir，theyoungestMissDorrit。’
MrDorritknittedhisbrowsandrejoined，afteramomentortwo，’InformMrsFinching，sir，’emphasisingthenameasiftheinnocentmanweresolelyresponsibleforit，’thatshecancomeup。’
Hehadreflected，inhismomentarypause，thatunlessshewereadmittedshemightleavesomemessage，ormightsaysomethingbelow，havingadisgracefulreferencetothatformerstateofexistence。Hencetheconcession，andhencetheappearanceofFlora，pilotedinbytheman，man。
’Ihavenotthepleasure，’saidMrDorrit，standingwiththecardinhishand，andwithanairwhichimportedthatitwouldscarcelyhavebeenafirst-classpleasureifhehadhadit，’ofknowingeitherthisname，oryourself，madam。Placeachair，sir。’Theresponsibleman，withastart，obeyed，andwentoutontiptoe。
Flora，puttingasideherveilwithabashfultremoruponher，proceededtointroduceherself。Atthesametimeasingularcombinationofperfumeswasdiffusedthroughtheroom，asifsomebrandyhadbeenputbymistakeinalavender-waterbottle，orasifsomelavender-waterhadbeenputbymistakeinabrandy-bottle。
’IbegMrDorrittoofferathousandapologiesandindeedtheywouldbefartoofewforsuchanintrusionwhichIknowmustappearextremelyboldinaladyandalonetoo，butIthoughtitbestuponthewholehoweverdifficultandevenapparentlyimproperthoughMrF。’sAuntwouldhavewillinglyaccompaniedmeandasacharacterofgreatforceandspiritwouldprobablyhavestruckonepossessedofsuchaknowledgeoflifeasnodoubtwithsomanychangesmusthavebeenacquired，forMrF。himselfsaidfrequentlythatalthoughwelleducatedintheneighbourhoodofBlackheathatashighaseightyguineaswhichisagooddealforparentsandtheplatekeptbacktooongoingawaybutthatismoreameannessthanitsvaluethathehadlearntmoreinhisfirstyearsasacommercialtravellerwithalargecommissiononthesaleofanarticlethatnobodywouldhearofmuchlessbuywhichprecededthewinetradealongtimethaninthewholesixyearsinthatacademyconductedbyacollegeBachelor，thoughwhyaBachelormorecleverthanamarriedmanIdonotseeandneverdidbutprayexcusemethatisnotthepoint。’
MrDorritstoodrootedtothecarpet，astatueofmystification。
’ImustopenlyadmitthatIhavenopretensions，’saidFlora，’buthavingknownthedearlittlethingwhichunderalteredcircumstancesappearsalibertybutisnotsointendedandGoodnessknowstherewasnofavourinhalf-a-crowna-daytosuchaneedleasherselfbutquitetheotherwayandastoanythingloweringinitfarfromitthelabourerisworthyofhishireandIamsureIonlywishhegotitoftenerandmoreanimalfoodandlessrheumatisminthebackandlegspoorsoul。’
’Madam，’saidMrDorrit，recoveringhisbreathbyagreateffort，astherelictofthelateMrFinchingstoppedtotakehers；
’madam，’saidMrDorrit，veryredintheface，’ifIunderstandyoutoreferto——ha——toanythingintheantecedentsof——hum——adaughterofmine，involving——hahum——dailycompensation，madam，Ibegtoobservethatthe——ha——fact，assumingit——ha——tobefact，neverwaswithinmyknowledge。Hum。Ishouldnothavepermittedit。Ha。
Never!Never!’
’Unnecessarytopursuethesubject，’returnedFlora，’andwouldnothavementioneditonanyaccountexceptassupposingitafavourableandonlyletterofintroductionbutastobeingfactnodoubtwhateverandyoumaysetyourmindatrestfortheverydressIhaveonnowcanproveitandsweetlymadethoughthereisnodenyingthatitwouldtellbetteronabetterfigureformyownismuchtoofatthoughhowtobringitdownIknownot，prayexcusemeIamrovingoffagain。’
MrDorritbackedtohischairinastonyway，andseatedhimself，asFloragavehimasofteninglookandplayedwithherparasol。
’Thedearlittlething，’saidFlora，’havinggoneoffperfectlylimpandwhiteandcoldinmyownhouseoratleastpapa’sforthoughnotafreeholdstillalongleaseatapeppercornonthemorningwhenArthur——foolishhabitofouryouthfuldaysandMrClennamfarmoreadaptedtoexistingcircumstancesparticularlyaddressingastrangerandthatstrangeragentlemaninanelevatedstation——communicatedthegladtidingsimpartedbyapersonofnameofPancksemboldensme。’
Atthementionofthesetwonames，MrDorritfrowned，stared，frownedagain，hesitatedwithhisfingersathislips，ashehadhesitatedlongago，andsaid，’Domethefavourto——ha——stateyourpleasure，madam。’
’MrDorrit，’saidFlora，’youareverykindingivingmepermissionandhighlynaturalitseemstomethatyoushouldbekindforthoughmorestatelyIperceivealikenessfilledoutofcoursebutalikenessstill，theobjectofmyintrudingismyownwithouttheslightestconsultationwithanyhumanbeingandmostdecidedlynotwithArthur——prayexcusemeDoyceandClennamIdon’tknowwhatI
amsayingMrClennamsolus——fortoputthatindividuallinkedbyagoldenchaintoapurpletimewhenallwasetherealoutofanyanxietywouldbeworthtometheransomofamonarchnotthatI
havetheleastideahowmuchthatwouldcometobutusingitasthetotalofallIhaveintheworldandmore。’
MrDorrit，withoutgreatlyregardingtheearnestnessoftheselatterwords，repeated，’Stateyourpleasure，madam。’
’It’snotlikelyIwellknow，’saidFlora，’butit’spossibleandbeingpossiblewhenIhadthegratificationofreadinginthepapersthatyouhadarrivedfromItalyandweregoingbackImadeupmymindtotryitforyoumightcomeacrosshimorhearsomethingofhimandifsowhatablessingandrelieftoall!’
’Allowmetoask，madam，’saidMrDorrit，withhisideasinwildconfusion，’towhom——ha——Towhom，’herepeateditwitharaisedvoiceinmeredesperation，’youatpresentallude？’
’TotheforeignerfromItalywhodisappearedintheCityasnodoubtyouhavereadinthepapersequallywithmyself，’saidFlora，’notreferringtoprivatesourcesbythenameofPancksfromwhichonegatherswhatdreadfullyill-naturedthingssomepeoplearewickedenoughtowhispermostlikelyjudgingothersbythemselvesandwhattheuneasinessandindignationofArthur——quiteunabletoovercomeitDoyceandClennam——cannotfailtobe。’
Ithappened，fortunatelyfortheelucidationofanyintelligibleresult，thatMrDorrithadheardorreadnothingaboutthematter。
ThiscausedMrsFinching，withmanyapologiesforbeingingreatpracticaldifficultiesastofindingthewaytoherpocketamongthestripesofherdressatlengthtoproduceapolicehandbill，settingforththataforeigngentlemanofthenameofBlandois，lastfromVenice，hadunaccountablydisappearedonsuchanightinsuchapartofthecityofLondon；thathewasknowntohaveenteredsuchahouse，atsuchanhour；thathewasstatedbytheinmatesofthathousetohaveleftit，aboutsomanyminutesbeforemidnight；andthathehadneverbeenbeheldsince。This，withexactparticularsoftimeandlocality，andwithagooddetaileddescriptionoftheforeigngentlemanwhohadsomysteriouslyvanished，MrDorritreadatlarge。
’Blandois!’saidMrDorrit。’Venice!Andthisdescription!I
knowthisgentleman。Hehasbeeninmyhouse。Heisintimatelyacquaintedwithagentlemanofgoodfamilybutinindifferentcircumstances，ofwhomIama——hum——patron。’
’Thenmyhumbleandpressingentreatyisthemore，’saidFlora，’thatintravellingbackyouwillhavethekindnesstolookforthisforeigngentlemanalongalltheroadsandupanddownalltheturningsandtomakeinquiriesforhimatallthehotelsandorange-treesandvineyardsandvolcanoesandplacesforhemustbesomewhereandwhydoesn’thecomeforwardandsayhe’sthereandclearallpartiesup？’
’Pray，madam，’saidMrDorrit，referringtothehandbillagain，’whoisClennamandCo。？Ha。Iseethenamementionedhere，inconnectionwiththeoccupationofthehousewhichMonsieurBlandoiswasseentoenter：whoisClennamandCo。？IsittheindividualofwhomIhadformerly——hum——some——ha——slighttransitoryknowledge，andtowhomIbelieveyouhavereferred？Isit——ha——thatperson？’
’It’saverydifferentpersonindeed，’repliedFlora，’withnolimbsandwheelsinsteadandthegrimmestofwomenthoughhismother。’
’ClennamandCo。a——hum——amother!’exclaimedMrDorrit。
’Andanoldmanbesides，’saidFlora。
MrDorritlookedasifhemustimmediatelybedrivenoutofhismindbythisaccount。NeitherwasitrenderedmorefavourabletosanitybyFlora’sdashingintoarapidanalysisofMrFlintwinch’scravat，anddescribinghim，withoutthelightestboundarylineofseparationbetweenhisidentityandMrsClennam’s，asarustyscrewingaiters。Whichcompoundofmanandwoman，nolimbs，wheels，rustyscrew，grimness，andgaiters，socompletelystupefiedMrDorrit，thathewasaspectacletobepitied。
’ButIwouldnotdetainyouonemomentlonger，’saidFlora，uponwhomhisconditionwroughtitseffect，thoughshewasquiteunconsciousofhavingproducedit，’ifyouwouldhavethegoodnesstogiveyourpromiseasagentlemanthatbothingoingbacktoItalyandinItalytooyouwouldlookforthisMrBlandoishighandlowandifyoufoundorheardofhimmakehimcomeforwardfortheclearingofallparties。’
BythattimeMrDorrithadsofarrecoveredfromhisbewilderment，astobeabletosay，inatolerablyconnectedmanner，thatheshouldconsiderthathisduty。Florawasdelightedwithhersuccess，androsetotakeherleave。