’Mother，shallIdonothingtoassistyou？’
’Nothing。’
’Willyouentrustmewithnoconfidence，nocharge，noexplanation？
Willyoutakenocounselwithme？Willyounotletmecomenearyou？’
’Howcanyouaskme？Youseparatedyourselffrommyaffairs。Itwasnotmyact；itwasyours。Howcanyouconsistentlyaskmesuchaquestion？YouknowthatyouleftmetoFlintwinch，andthatheoccupiesyourplace。’
GlancingatJeremiah，Clennamsawinhisverygaitersthathisattentionwascloselydirectedtothem，thoughhestoodleaningagainstthewallscrapinghisjaw，andpretendedtolistentoFloraassheheldforthinamostdistractingmanneronachaosofsubjects，inwhichmackerel，andMrF。’sAuntinaswing，hadbecomeentangledwithcockchafersandthewinetrade。
’Aprisoner，inaFrenchgaol，onanaccusationofmurder，’
repeatedMrsClennam，steadilygoingoverwhathersonhadsaid。
’Thatisallyouknowofhimfromthefellow-prisoner？’
’Insubstance，all。’
’Andwasthefellow-prisonerhisaccompliceandamurderer，too？
But，ofcourse，hegivesabetteraccountofhimselfthanofhisfriend；itisneedlesstoask。Thiswillsupplytherestofthemherewithsomethingnewtotalkabout。Casby，Arthurtellsme——’
’Stay，mother!Stay，stay!’Heinterruptedherhastily，forithadnotenteredhisimaginationthatshewouldopenlyproclaimwhathehadtoldher。
’Whatnow？’shesaidwithdispleasure。’Whatmore？’
’Ibegyoutoexcuseme，MrCasby——andyou，too，MrsFinching——foroneothermomentwithmymother——’
Hehadlaidhishanduponherchair，orshewouldotherwisehavewheeleditroundwiththetouchofherfootupontheground。Theywerestillfacetoface。Shelookedathim，asheranoverthepossibilitiesofsomeresulthehadnotintended，andcouldnotforesee，beinginfluencedbyCavalletto’sdisclosurebecomingamatterofnotoriety，andhurriedlyarrivedattheconclusionthatithadbestnotbetalkedabout；thoughperhapshewasguidedbynomoredistinctreasonthanthathehadtakenitforgrantedthathismotherwouldreserveittoherselfandherpartner。
’Whatnow？’shesaidagain，impatiently。’Whatisit？’
’Ididnotmean，mother，thatyoushouldrepeatwhatIhavecommunicated。Ithinkyouhadbetternotrepeatit。’
’Doyoumakethataconditionwithme？’
’Well!Yes。’
’Observe，then!Itisyouwhomakethisasecret，’saidshe，holdingupherhand，’andnotI。Itisyou，Arthur，whobringheredoubtsandsuspicionsandentreatiesforexplanations，anditisyou，Arthur，whobringsecretshere。Whatisittome，doyouthink，wherethemanhasbeen，orwhathehasbeen？Whatcanitbetome？Thewholeworldmayknowit，iftheycaretoknowit；itisnothingtome。Now，letmego。’
Heyieldedtoherimperiousbutelatedlook，andturnedherchairbacktotheplacefromwhichhehadwheeledit。IndoingsohesawelationinthefaceofMrFlintwinch，whichmostassuredlywasnotinspiredbyFlora。thisturningofhisintelligenceandofhiswholeattemptanddesignagainsthimself，didevenmorethanhismother’sfixednessandfirmnesstoconvincehimthathiseffortswithherwereidle。NothingremainedbuttheappealtohisoldfriendAffery。
Buteventogettheverydoubtfulandpreliminarystageofmakingtheappeal，seemedoneoftheleastpromisingofhumanundertakings。Shewassocompletelyunderthethrallofthetwocleverones，wassosystematicallykeptinsightbyoneorotherofthem，andwassoafraidtogoaboutthehousebesides，thateveryopportunityofspeakingtoheraloneappearedtobeforestalled。
Overandabovethat，MistressAffery，bysomemeansitwasnotverydifficulttoguess，throughthesharpargumentsofherliegelord，hadacquiredsuchalivelyconvictionofthehazardofsayinganythingunderanycircumstances，thatshehadremainedallthistimeinacornerguardingherselffromapproachwiththatsymbolicalinstrumentofhers；sothat，whenawordortwohadbeenaddressedtoherbyFlora，orevenbythebottle-greenpatriarchhimself，shehadwardedoffconversationwiththetoasting-forklikeadumbwoman。
AfterseveralabortiveattemptstogetAfferytolookathimwhilesheclearedthetableandwashedthetea-service，ArthurthoughtofanexpedientwhichFloramightoriginate。Towhomhethereforewhispered，’Couldyousayyouwouldliketogothroughthehouse？’
Now，poorFlora，beingalwaysinfluctuatingexpectationofthetimewhenClennamwouldrenewhisboyhoodandbemadlyinlovewithheragain，receivedthewhisperwiththeutmostdelight；notonlyasrenderedpreciousbyitsmysteriouscharacter，butaspreparingthewayforatenderinterviewinwhichhewoulddeclarethestateofhisaffections。Sheimmediatelybegantoworkoutthehint。
’Ahdearmethepooroldroom，’saidFlora，glancinground，’looksjustaseverMrsClennamIamtouchedtoseeexceptforbeingsmokierwhichwastobeexpectedwithtimeandwhichwemustallexpectandreconcileourselvestobeingwhetherwelikeitornotasIamsureIhavehadtodomyselfifnotexactlysmokierdreadfullystouterwhichisthesameorworse，tothinkofthedayswhenpapausedtobringmeheretheleastofgirlsaperfectmassofchilblainstobestuckuponachairwithmyfeetontherailsandstareatArthur——prayexcuseme——MrClennam——theleastofboysinthefrightfullestoffrillsandjacketsereyetMrF。appearedamistyshadowonthehorizonpayingattentionslikethewell-knownspectreofsomeplaceinGermanybeginningwithaBisamorallessoninculcatingthatallthepathsinlifearesimilartothepathsdownintheNorthofEnglandwheretheygetthecoalsandmaketheironandthingsgravelledwithashes!’
Havingpaidthetributeofasightotheinstabilityofhumanexistence，Florahurriedonwithherpurpose。
’Notthatatanytime，’sheproceeded，’itsworstenemycouldhavesaiditwasacheerfulhouseforthatitwasnevermadetobebutalwayshighlyimpressive，fondmemoryrecallsanoccasioninyouthereyetthejudgmentwasmaturewhenArthur——confirmedhabit——MrClennam——tookmedownintoanunusedkitcheneminentformouldinessandproposedtosecretemethereforlifeandfeedmeonwhathecouldhidefromhismealswhenhewasnotathomefortheholidaysandondrybreadindisgracewhichatthathalcyonperiodtoofrequentlyoccurred，woulditbeinconvenientoraskingtoomuchtobegtobepermittedtorevivethosescenesandwalkthroughthehouse？’
MrsClennam，whorespondedwithaconstrainedgracetoMrsFinching’sgoodnatureinbeingthereatall，thoughhervisitbeforeArthur’sunexpectedarrivalwasundoubtedlyanactofpuregoodnatureandnoself-gratification，intimatedthatallthehousewasopentoher。FloraroseandlookedtoArthurforhisescort。
’Certainly，’saidhe，aloud；’andAfferywilllightus，Idaresay。’
Afferywasexcusingherselfwith’Don’tasknothingofme，Arthur!’
whenMrFlintwinchstoppedherwith’Whynot？Affery，what’sthematterwithyou，woman？Whynot，jade!’Thusexpostulatedwith，shecameunwillinglyoutofhercorner，resignedthetoasting-forkintooneofherhusband’shands，andtookthecandlestickheofferedfromtheother。
’Gobefore，youfool!’saidJeremiah。’Areyougoingup，ordown，MrsFinching？’
Floraanswered，’Down。’
’Thengobefore，anddown，youAffery，’saidJeremiah。’Anddoitproperly，orI’llcomerollingdownthebanisters，andtumblingoveryou!’
Afferyheadedtheexploringparty；Jeremiahclosedit。Hehadnointentionofleavingthem。Clennamlookingback，andseeinghimfollowingthreestairsbehind，inthecoolestandmostmethodicalmannerexclaimedinalowvoice，’Istherenogettingridofhim!’
Florareassuredhismindbyreplyingpromptly，’WhythoughnotexactlyproperArthurandathingIcouldn’tthinkofbeforeayoungermanorastrangerstillIdon’tmindhimifyousoparticularlywishitandprovidedyou’llhavethegoodnessnottotakemetootight。’
Wantingthehearttoexplainthatthiswasnotatallwhathemeant，ArthurextendedhissupportingarmroundFlora’sfigure。
’Ohmygoodnessme，’saidshe。’Youareveryobedientindeedreallyandit’sextremelyhonourableandgentlemanlyinyouIamsurebutstillatthesametimeifyouwouldliketobealittletighterthanthatIshouldn’tconsideritintruding。’
Inthispreposterousattitude，unspeakablyatvariancewithhisanxiousmind，Clennamdescendedtothebasementofthehouse；
findingthatwhereveritbecamedarkerthanelsewhere，Florabecameheavier，andthatwhenthehousewaslightestshewastoo。
Returningfromthedismalkitchenregions，whichwereasdrearyastheycouldbe，MistressAfferypassedwiththelightintohisfather’soldroom，andthenintotheolddining-room；alwayspassingonbeforelikeaphantomthatwasnottobeovertaken，andneitherturningnoransweringwhenhewhispered，’Affery!Iwanttospeaktoyou!’
Inthedining-room，asentimentaldesirecameoverFloratolookintothedragonclosetwhichhadsooftenswallowedArthurinthedaysofhisboyhood——notimprobablybecause，asaverydarkcloset，itwasalikelyplacetobeheavyin。Arthur，fastsubsidingintodespair，hadopenedit，whenaknockwasheardattheouterdoor。
MistressAffery，withasuppressedcry，threwherapronoverherhead。
’What？Youwantanotherdose!’saidMrFlintwinch。’Youshallhaveit，mywoman，youshallhaveagoodone!Oh!Youshallhaveasneezer，youshallhaveateaser!’
’Inthemeantimeisanybodygoingtothedoor？’saidArthur。
’Inthemeantime，Iamgoingtothedoor，sir，’returnedtheoldmansosavagely，astorenderitclearthatinachoiceofdifficultieshefelthemustgo，thoughhewouldhavepreferrednottogo。’Stayherethewhile，all!Affery，mywoman，moveaninch，orspeakawordinyourfoolishness，andI’lltrebleyourdose!’
Themomenthewasgone，ArthurreleasedMrsFinching：withsomedifficulty，byreasonofthatladymisunderstandinghisintentions，andmakingarrangementswithaviewtotighteninginsteadofslackening。
’Affery，speaktomenow!’
’Don’ttouchme，Arthur!’shecried，shrinkingfromhim。’Don’tcomenearme。He’llseeyou。Jeremiahwill。Don’t。’
’Hecan’tseeme，’returnedArthur，suitingtheactiontotheword，’ifIblowthecandleout。’
’He’llhearyou，’criedAffery。
’Hecan’thearme，’returnedArthur，suitingtheactiontothewordsagain，’ifIdrawyouintothisblackcloset，andspeakhere。
Whydoyouhideyourface？’
’BecauseIamafraidofseeingsomething。’
’Youcan’tbeafraidofseeinganythinginthisdarkness，Affery。’
’YesIam。Muchmorethanifitwaslight。’
’Whyareyouafraid？’