Sayingsomethingapologeticallyashecrossedthehall，totheeffectthatatthattimeofnighttheywerenotinthehabitofreceivinganyone，andwerealwaysshutup，MrFlintwinchledthewayintohisownoffice，whichpresentedasufficientlybusiness-
likeappearance。Hereheputthelightonhisdesk，andsaidtothestranger，withhiswryesttwistuponhim，’Yourcommands。’
’MYnameisBlandois。’
’Blandois。Idon’tknowit，’saidJeremiah。
’Ithoughtitpossible，’resumedtheother，’thatyoumighthavebeenadvisedfromParis——’
’WehavehadnoadvicefromParisrespectinganybodyofthenameofBlandois，’saidJeremiah。
’No？’
’No。’
Jeremiahstoodinhisfavouriteattitude。ThesmilingMrBlandois，openinghiscloaktogethishandtoabreast-pocket，pausedtosay，withalaughinhisglitteringeyes，whichitoccurredtoMrFlintwinchweretooneartogether：
’Youaresolikeafriendofmine!NotsoidenticallythesameasIsupposedwhenIreallydidforthemomenttakeyoutobethesameinthedusk——forwhichIoughttoapologise；permitmetodoso；areadinesstoconfessmyerrorsis，Ihope，apartofthefranknessofmycharacter——still，however，uncommonlylike。’
’Indeed？’saidJeremiah，perversely。’ButIhavenotreceivedanyletterofadvicefromanywhererespectinganybodyofthenameofBlandois。’
’Justso，’saidthestranger。
’JUSTso，’saidJeremiah。
MrBlandois，notatallputoutbythisomissiononthepartofthecorrespondentsofthehouseofClennamandCo。，tookhispocket-
bookfromhisbreast-pocket，selectedaletterfromthatreceptacle，andhandedittoMrFlintwinch。’Nodoubtyouarewellacquaintedwiththewriting。Perhapstheletterspeaksforitself，andrequiresnoadvice。YouareafarmorecompetentjudgeofsuchaffairsthanIam。Itismymisfortunetobe，notsomuchamanofbusiness，aswhattheworldcallsarbitrarilyagentleman。’
MrFlintwinchtooktheletter，andread，underdateofParis，’Wehavetopresenttoyou，onbehalfofahighlyesteemedcorrespondentofourFirm，M。Blandois，ofthiscity，’&c。&c。
’Suchfacilitiesashemayrequireandsuchattentionsasmaylieinyourpower，’&c。&c。’AlsohavetoaddthatifyouwillhonourM。Blandois’draftsatsighttotheextentof，sayFiftyPoundssterlingl50，’&c。&c。
’Verygood，sir，’saidMrFlintwinch。’Takeachair。TotheextentofanythingthatourHousecando——weareinaretired，old-
fashioned，steadywayofbusiness，sir——weshallbehappytorenderyouourbestassistance。Iobserve，fromthedateofthis，thatwecouldnotyetbeadvisedofit。Probablyyoucameoverwiththedelayedmailthatbringstheadvice。’
’ThatIcameoverwiththedelayedmail，sir，’returnedMrBlandois，passinghiswhitehanddownhishigh-hookednose，’Iknowtothecostofmyheadandstomach：thedetestableandintolerableweatherhavingrackedthemboth。YouseemeintheplightinwhichIcameoutofthepacketwithinthishalf-hour。Ioughttohavebeenherehoursago，andthenIshouldnothavetoapologise——
permitmetoapologise——forpresentingmyselfsounreasonably，andfrightening——no，by-the-bye，yousaidnotfrightening；permitmetoapologiseagain——theesteemedlady，MrsClennam，inherinvalidchamberabovestairs。’
Swaggerandanairofauthorisedcondescensiondosomuch，thatMrFlintwinchhadalreadybeguntothinkthisahighlygentlemanlypersonage。Notthelessunyieldingwithhimonthataccount，hescrapedhischinandsaid，whatcouldhehavethehonourofdoingforMrBlandoisto-night，outofbusinesshours？
’Faith!’returnedthatgentleman，shrugginghiscloakedshoulders，’Imustchange，andeatanddrink，andbelodgedsomewhere。Havethekindnesstoadviseme，atotalstranger，where，andmoneyisamatterofperfectindifferenceuntilto-morrow。Thenearertheplace，thebetter。Nextdoor，ifthat’sall。’
MrFlintwinchwasslowlybeginning，’Foragentlemanofyourhabits，thereisnotinthisimmediateneighbourhoodanyhotel——’
whenMrBlandoistookhimup。
’Somuchformyhabits!mydearsir，’snappinghisfingers。’A
citizenoftheworldhasnohabits。ThatIam，inmypoorway，agentleman，byHeaven!Iwillnotdeny，butIhavenounaccommodatingprejudicedhabits。Acleanroom，ahotdishfordinner，andabottleofnotabsolutelypoisonouswine，areallI
wanttonight。ButIwantthatmuchwithoutthetroubleofgoingoneunnecessaryinchtogetit。’
’Thereis，’saidMrFlintwinch，withmorethanhisusualdeliberation，ashemet，foramoment，MrBlandois’shiningeyes，whichwererestless；’thereisacoffee-houseandtavernclosehere，which，sofar，Icanrecommend；butthere’snostyleaboutit。’
’Idispensewithstyle!’saidMrBlandois，wavinghishand。’Domethehonourtoshowmethehouse，andintroducemethereifIamnottootroublesome，andIshallbeinfinitelyobliged。’
MrFlintwinch，uponthis，lookeduphishat，andlightedMrBlandoisacrossthehallagain。Asheputthecandleonabracket，wherethedarkoldpanellingalmostservedasanextinguisherforit，hebethoughthimselfofgoinguptotelltheinvalidthathewouldnotbeabsentfiveminutes。
’Obligeme，’saidthevisitor，onhissayingso，’bypresentingmycardofvisit。DomethefavourtoaddthatIshallbehappytowaitonMrsClennam，tooffermypersonalcompliments，andtoapologiseforhavingoccasionedanyagitationinthistranquilcorner，ifitshouldsuitherconveniencetoendurethepresenceofastrangerforafewminutes，afterheshallhavechangedhiswetclothesandfortifiedhimselfwithsomethingtoeatanddrink。’
Jeremiahmadealldespatch，andsaid，onhisreturn，’She’llbegladtoseeyou，sir；but，beingconsciousthathersickroomhasnoattractions，wishesmetosaythatshewon’tholdyoutoyouroffer，incaseyoushouldthinkbetterofit。’
’Tothinkbetterofit，’returnedthegallantBlandois，’wouldbetoslightalady；toslightaladywouldbetobedeficientinchivalrytowardsthesex；andchivalrytowardsthesexisapartofmycharacter!’Thusexpressinghimself，hethrewthedraggledskirtofhiscloakoverhisshoulder，andaccompaniedMrFlintwinchtothetavern；takingupontheroadaporterwhowaswaitingwithhisportmanteauontheoutersideofthegateway。
Thehousewaskeptinahomelymanner，andthecondescensionofMrBlandoiswasinfinite。Itseemedtofilltoinconveniencethelittlebarinwhichthewidowlandladyandhertwodaughtersreceivedhim；itwasmuchtoobigforthenarrowwainscotedroomwithabagatelle-boardinit，thatwasfirstproposedforhisreception；itperfectlyswampedthelittleprivateholidaysitting-
roomofthefamily，whichwasfinallygivenuptohim。Here，indryclothesandscentedlinen，withsleekedhair，agreatringoneachforefingerandamassiveshowofwatch-chain，MrBlandoiswaitingforhisdinner，lollingonawindow-seatwithhiskneesdrawnup，lookedforallthedifferenceinthesettingofthejewelfearfullyandwonderfullylikeacertainMonsieurRigaudwhohadoncesowaitedforhisbreakfast，lyingonthestoneledgeoftheirongratingofacellinavillainousdungeonatMarseilles。
Hisgreedatdinner，too，wascloselyinkeepingwiththegreedofMonsieurRigaudatbreakfast。Hisavariciousmannerofcollectingalltheeatablesabouthim，anddevouringsomewithhiseyeswhiledevouringotherswithhisjaws，wasthesamemanner。Hisutterdisregardofotherpeople，asshowninhiswayoftossingthelittlewomanlytoysoffurnitureabout，flingingfavouritecushionsunderhisbootsforasofterrest，andcrushingdelicatecoveringswithhisbigbodyandhisgreatblackhead，hadthesamebruteselfishnessatthebottomofit。Thesoftlymovinghandsthatweresobusyamongthedisheshadtheoldwickedfacilityofthehandsthathadclungtothebars。Andwhenhecouldeatnomore，andsatsuckinghisdelicatefingersonebyoneandwipingthemonacloth，therewantednothingbutthesubstitutionofvine-leavestofinishthepicture。
Onthisman，withhismoustachegoingupandhisnosecomingdowninthatmostevilofsmiles，andwithhissurfaceeyeslookingasiftheybelongedtohisdyedhair，andhadhadtheirnaturalpowerofreflectinglightstoppedbysomesimilarprocess，Nature，alwaystrue，andneverworkinginvain，hadsetthemark，Beware!Itwasnotherfault，ifthewarningwerefruitless。Sheisnevertoblameinanysuchinstance。
MrBlandois，havingfinishedhisrepastandcleanedhisfingers，tookacigarfromhispocket，and，lyingonthewindow-seatagain，smokeditoutathisleisure，occasionallyapostrophisingthesmokeasitpartedfromhisthinlipsinathinstream：
’Blandois，youshallturnthetablesonsociety，mylittlechild。
Haha!Holyblue，youhavebegunwell，Blandois!Atapinch，anexcellentmasterinEnglishorFrench；amanforthebosomoffamilies!Youhaveaquickperception，youhavehumour，youhaveease，youhaveinsinuatingmanners，youhaveagoodappearance；ineffect，youareagentleman!Agentlemanyoushalllive，mysmallboy，andagentlemanyoushalldie。Youshallwin，howeverthegamegoes。Theyshallallconfessyourmerit，Blandois。Youshallsubduethesocietywhichhasgrievouslywrongedyou，toyourownhighspirit。Deathofmysoul!Youarehighspiritedbyrightandbynature，myBlandois!’
Tosuchsoothingmurmursdidthisgentlemansmokeouthiscigaranddrinkouthisbottleofwine。Bothbeingfinished，heshookhimselfintoasittingattitude；andwiththeconcludingseriousapostrophe，’Hold，then!Blandois，youingeniousone，haveallyourwitsaboutyou!’aroseandwentbacktothehouseofClennamandCo。
HewasreceivedatthedoorbyMistressAffery，who，underinstructionsfromherlord，hadlighteduptwocandlesinthehallandathirdonthestaircase，andwhoconductedhimtoMrsClennam’sroom。Teawaspreparedthere，andsuchlittlecompanyarrangementshadbeenmadeasusuallyattendedthereceptionofexpectedvisitors。Theywereslightonthegreatestoccasion，neverextendingbeyondtheproductionoftheChinatea-service，andthecoveringofthebedwithasoberandsaddrapery。Fortherest，therewasthebier-likesofawiththeblockuponit，andthefigureinthewidow’sdress，asifattiredforexecution；thefiretoppedbythemoundofdampedashes；thegratewithitssecondlittlemoundofashes；thekettleandthesmellofblackdye；allastheyhadbeenforfifteenyears。
MrFlintwinchpresentedthegentlemancommendedtotheconsiderationofClennamandCo。MrsClennam，whohadtheletterlyingbeforeher，bentherheadandrequestedhimtosit。Theylookedverycloselyatoneanother。Thatwasbutnaturalcuriosity。
’Ithankyou，sir，forthinkingofadisabledwomanlikeme。Fewwhocomehereonbusinesshaveanyremembrancetobestowononesoremovedfromobservation。Itwouldbeidletoexpectthattheyshouldhave。Outofsight，outofmind。WhileIamgratefulfortheexception，Idon’tcomplainoftherule。’
MrBlandois，inhismostgentlemanlymanner，wasafraidhehaddisturbedherbyunhappilypresentinghimselfatsuchanunconscionabletime。ForwhichhehadalreadyofferedhisbestapologiestoMr——hebeggedpardon——butbynamehadnotthedistinguishedhonour——
’MrFlintwinchhasbeenconnectedwiththeHousemanyyears。’
MrBlandoiswasMrFlintwinch’smostobedienthumbleservant。HeentreatedMrFlintwinchtoreceivetheassuranceofhisprofoundestconsideration。
’Myhusbandbeingdead，’saidMrsClennam，’andmysonpreferringanotherpursuit，ouroldHousehasnootherrepresentativeinthesedaysthanMrFlintwinch。’