按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
emphasised those words； 'but； when the gentleman proceeds to explain
his object； as I shall beg him to have the goodness to do to myself and
Flintwinch； when Flintwinch returns； it will prove； no doubt； to be one
more or less in the usual way of our business； which it will be both our
business and our pleasure to advance。 It can be nothing else。'
'We shall see； madame！' said the man of business。
'We shall see；' she assented。 'The gentleman is acquainted with
Flintwinch； and when the gentleman was in London last； I remember
to have heard that he and Flintwinch had some entertainment or
good…fellowship together。 I am not in the way of knowing much that
passes outside this room； and the jingle of little worldly things beyond
it does not much interest me； but I remember to have heard that。'
'Right； madame。 It is true。' He laughed again； and whistled the burden
of the tune he had sung at the door。
'Therefore； Arthur；' said his mother； 'the gentleman es here as an
acquaintance； and no stranger； and it is much to be regretted that your
unreasonable temper should have found offence in him。 I regret it。 I say
so to the gentleman。 You will not say so； I know； therefore I say it for
myself and Flintwinch； since with us two the gentleman's business lies。'
The key of the door below was now heard in the lock； and the door was
heard to open and close。 In due sequence Mr Flintwinch appeared； on
whose entrance the visitor rose from his chair； laughing loud； and
folded him in a close embrace。
'How goes it； my cherished friend！' said he。 'How goes the world； my
Flintwinch？ Rose…coloured？ So much the better； so much the better！ Ah；
but you look charming！ Ah； but you look young and fresh as the flowers
of Spring！ Ah； good little boy！ Brave child； brave child！'
While heaping these pliments on Mr Flintwinch； he rolled him about
with a hand on each of his shoulders； until the staggerings of that
gentleman； who under the circumstances was dryer and more twisted than
ever； were like those of a teetotum nearly spent。
'I had a presentiment； last time； that we should be better and more
intimately acquainted。 Is it ing on you； Flintwinch？ Is it yet ing
on？'
'Why； no； sir；' retorted Mr Flintwinch。 'Not unusually。 Hadn't you
better be seated？ You have been calling for some more of that port； sir；
I guess？'
'Ah； Little joker！ Little pig！' cried the visitor。 'Ha ha ha ha！' And
throwing Mr Flintwinch away； as a closing piece of raillery； he sat down
again。
The amazement； suspicion； resentment； and shame； with which Arthur
looked on at all this； struck him dumb。 Mr Flintwinch； who had spun
backward some two or three yards under the impetus last given to him；
brought himself up with a face pletely unchanged in its stolidity
except as it was affected by shortness of breath； and looked hard at
Arthur。 Not a whit less reticent and wooden was Mr Flintwinch outwardly；
than in the usual course of things： the only perceptible difference in
him being that the knot of cravat which was generally under his ear；
had worked round to the back of his head： where it formed an ornamental
appendage not unlike a bagwig； and gave him something of a courtly
appearance。 As Mrs Clennam never removed her eyes from Blandois （on whom
they had some effect； as a steady look has on a lower sort of dog）； so
Jeremiah never removed his from Arthur。 It was as if they had tacitly
agreed to take their different provinces。 Thus； in the ensuing silence；
Jeremiah stood scraping his chin and looking at Arthur as though he were
trying to screw his thoughts out of him with an instrument。
After a little； the visitor； as if he felt the silence irksome； rose；
and impatiently put himself with his back to the sacred fire which had
burned through so many years。 Thereupon Mrs Clennam said； moving one of
her hands for the first time； and moving it very slightly with an action
of dismissal：
'Please to leave us to our business； Arthur。' 'Mother； I do so with
reluctance。'
'Never mind with what；' she returned； 'or with what not。 Please to leave
us。 e back at any other time when you may consider it a duty to bury
half an hour wearily here。 Good night。'
She held up her muffled fingers that he might touch them with his；
according to their usual custom； and he stood over her wheeled chair to
touch her face with his lips。 He thought； then； that her cheek was
more strained than usual； and that it was colder。 As he followed the
direction of her eyes； in rising again； towards Mr Flintwinch's good
friend； Mr Blandois； Mr Blandois snapped his finger and thumb with one
loud contemptuous snap。
'I leave your……your business acquaintance in my mother's room； Mr
Flintwinch；' said Clennam； 'with a great deal of surprise and a great
deal of unwillingness。'
The person referred to snapped his finger and thumb again。
'Good night； mother。'
'Good night。'
'I had a friend once； my good rade Flintwinch；' said Blandois；
standing astride before the fire； and so evidently saying it to arrest
Clennam's retreating steps； that he lingered near the door； 'I had a
friend once； who had heard so much of the dark side of this city and
its ways； that he wouldn't have confided himself alone by night with two
people who had an interest in getting him under the ground……my faith！
not even in a respectable house like this……unless he was bodily too
strong for them。 Bah！ What a poltroon； my Flintwinch！ Eh？'
'A cur； sir。'
'Agreed！ A cur。 But he wouldn't have done it； my Flintwinch； unless he
had known them to have the will to silence him； without the power。 He
wouldn't have drunk from a glass of water under such circumstances……not
even in a respectable house like this； my Flintwinch……unless he had seen
one of them drink first； and swallow too！'
Disdaining to speak； and indeed not very well able； for he was
half…choking； Clennam only glanced at the visitor as he passed out。
The visitor saluted him with another parting snap； and his nose came
down over his moustache and his moustache went up under his nose； in an
ominous and ugly smile。
'For Heaven's sake； Affery；' whispered Clennam； as she opened the door
for him