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'Never heard of it。' Mrs Clennam said it； and Mr Flintwinch echoed it。
'Wishing to……ha……make the narrative coherent and consecutive to him；'
said Mr Dorrit； 'may I ask……say； three questions？'
'Thirty； if you choose。'
'Have you known Monsieur Blandois long？'
'Not a twelvemonth。 Mr Flintwinch here； will refer to the books and tell
you when； and by whom at Paris he was introduced to us。 If that；'
Mrs Clennam added； 'should be any satisfaction to you。 It is poor
satisfaction to us。'
'Have you seen him often？'
'No。 Twice。 Once before； and……' 'That once；' suggested Mr Flintwinch。
'And that once。'
'Pray； madam；' said Mr Dorrit； with a growing fancy upon him as he
recovered his importance； that he was in some superior way in the
mission of the Peace； 'pray； madam； may I inquire； for the greater
satisfaction of the gentleman whom I have the honour to……ha……retain； or
protect or let me say to……hum……know……to know……Was Monsieur Blandois here
on business on the night indicated in this present sheet？'
'On what he called business；' returned Mrs Clennam。
'Is……ha……excuse me……is its nature to be municated？'
'No。'
It was evidently impracticable to pass the barrier of that reply。
'The question has been asked before；' said Mrs Clennam； 'and the answer
has been； No。 We don't choose to publish our transactions； however
unimportant； to all the town。 We say； No。'
'I mean； he took away no money with him； for example；' said Mr Dorrit。
'He took away none of ours； sir； and got none here。'
'I suppose；' observed Mr Dorrit； glancing from Mrs Clennam to Mr
Flintwinch； and from Mr Flintwinch to Mrs Clennam； 'you have no way of
accounting to yourself for this mystery？'
'Why do you suppose so？' rejoined Mrs Clennam。
Disconcerted by the cold and hard inquiry； Mr Dorrit was unable to
assign any reason for his supposing so。
'I account for it； sir；' she pursued after an awkward silence on Mr
Dorrit's part； 'by having no doubt that he is travelling somewhere； or
hiding somewhere。'
'Do you know……ha……why he should hide anywhere？'
'No。'
It was exactly the same No as before； and put another barrier up。 'You
asked me if I accounted for the disappearance to myself；' Mrs Clennam
sternly reminded him； 'not if I accounted for it to you。 I do not
pretend to account for it to you； sir。 I understand it to be no more my
business to do that； than it is yours to require that。'
Mr Dorrit answered with an apologetic bend of his head。 As he stepped
back； preparatory to saying he had no more to ask； he could not but
observe how gloomily and fixedly she sat with her eyes fastened on
the ground； and a certain air upon her of resolute waiting； also；
how exactly the self…same expression was reflected in Mr Flintwinch；
standing at a little distance from her chair； with his eyes also on the
ground； and his right hand softly rubbing his chin。
At that moment； Mistress Affery （of course； the woman with the apron）
dropped the candlestick she held； and cried out； 'There！ O good Lord！
there it is again。 Hark； Jeremiah！ Now！'
If there were any sound at all； it was so slight that she must have
fallen into a confirmed habit of listening for sounds； but Mr Dorrit
believed he did hear a something； like the falling of dry leaves。 The
woman's terror； for a very short space； seemed to touch the three； and
they all listened。
Mr Flintwinch was the first to stir。 'Affery； my woman；' said he；
sidling at her with his fists clenched； and his elbows quivering with
impatience to shake her； 'you are at your old tricks。 You'll be walking
in your sleep next； my woman； and playing the whole round of your
distempered antics。 You must have some physic。 When I have shown this
gentleman out； I'll make you up such a fortable dose； my woman； such
a fortable dose！'
It did not appear altogether fortable in expectation to Mistress
Affery； but Jeremiah； without further reference to his healing medicine；
took another candle from Mrs Clennam's table； and said； 'Now； sir； shall
I light you down？'
Mr Dorrit professed himself obliged； and went down。 Mr Flintwinch shut
him out； and chained him out； without a moment's loss of time。
He was again passed by the two men； one going out and the other ing
in； got into the vehicle he had left waiting； and was driven away。
Before he had gone far； the driver stopped to let him know that he
had given his name； number； and address to the two men； on their joint
requisition； and also the address at which he had taken Mr Dorrit up；
the hour at which he had been called from his stand and the way by which
he had e。 This did not make the night's adventure run any less hotly
in Mr Dorrit's mind； either when he sat down by his fire again； or
when he went to bed。 All night he haunted the dismal house； saw the two
people resolutely waiting； heard the woman with her apron over her face
cry out about the noise； and found the body of the missing Blandois； now
buried in the cellar； and now bricked up in a wall。
CHAPTER 18。 A Castle in the Air
Manifold are the cares of wealth and state。 Mr Dorrit's satisfaction in
remembering that it had not been necessary for him to announce himself
to Clennam and Co。； or to make an allusion to his having had any
knowledge of the intrusive person of that name； had been damped
over…night； while it was still fresh； by a debate that arose within him
whether or no he should take the Marshalsea in his way back； and look
at the old gate。 He had decided not to do so； and had astonished the
coachman by being very fierce with him for proposing to go over London
Bridge and recross the river by Waterloo Bridge……a course which would
have taken him almost within sight of his old quarters。 Still； for all
that； the question had raised a conflict in his breast； and； for some
odd reason or no reason； he was vaguely dissatisfied。 Even at the Merdle
dinner…table next day； he was so out of sorts about it that he
continued at intervals to turn it over and over； in a manner frightfully
inconsistent with the good society surrounding him。 It made him hot to
think what the Chief Butler's opinion of him would have been； if that
il