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“Well reallv my dear,” said Flora, who had a decided r
‘ ' there, but she laidher work in her-"la for amoment,
tendency to be always honest when shorgave herself
time to think about it, “ It's as well to leave that alone
now, for I couldn’t undertake to say after all,’ but it
docsn’t signify lie down a little i "' W ‘
“ I have always been tstron enough to do what Iwant
to do, and I shall be quite we 1 directly,” ‘retumed‘Little
Dorrit, with a faint smile.‘ “ You have overpowered me
with gratitude, that’s- all. If I keep near,the- window
for a moment, I shall be quite myself.” I V " ‘
Flora opened a window, sat her in a chair by it; and
considerately retired to her former place. It was a
windy da , and the air stirring on Little 1)orrit’s face
' soon brig tened it.‘ v In a very few minutes she returned
to her basket of work, and her nimble lingers werevas
‘nimble as ever. A -
Quietly pursuing her task,‘ she-asked Flora if Mr.
Clennam had told her where she lived? - ‘Vixen Flora
replied in the negative, Little Dorrit said that she under. l recting the impression was gone. -
stood why he had been so delicate, but that she felt sure
he would approve of her confiding her secret to Flora,
and that she would therefore do so now with Flora’s per-
mission." I Receiving -an encouraging-answer, she con-
‘ densed the narrative of her life into a few scanty words
about herself, and a glowing eulogy upon her father;
and Flora took it all in with.a natural tenderness that
once. 1 ' ‘ ' . .
.VVhen dinner-time’ came, Flora drew the arm ofwher
new charge through hers, and led her down-‘stairs, and
presented her to the Patriarch and Mr. Pancks, who were
already in the dining-room waiting to begin; (Mr. F's
Aunt was, for the time, laid up in ordinary in her cham-
ber.) By these gentlemen she was received according to
their characters ; the Patriarch appearing to do her some
inestimable service in saying thathe was glad to see
-quite understood it, and in which there was no incoher-
lherf glad to see her; and Mr. Pancks blowing off his
favourite sound as a salute. > r
'-‘In that newlpresenceishe would have been bashful
enough under any circumstances, and particularly under
Flora’s insisting on her drinking a. lass of wine and
eatinggof the best that was there; at her constraint
was greatly increased by Mr. Pancks. The demeanour
of "that gentleman at first suggested to her mind that he
‘might be artaker of likenesses, so intently did he look
at her, and soifrequcutly did he lance‘ at the little note-
book by his side. Observing t at he made no sketch,
however, and that he talked about business only, she be-
gan to have suspicions that he represented some creditor
‘of her<father’s, the balance due to whom was noted in that
pocketvolume. Regarded from this point of view Mr.
Pancks’s puflings expressed injury and impatience, and
each of his louder snorts became a demand for payment.
' - But, here again she was undeceived by anomalous and
incongruous conduct on the part of Mr. Pancks himself.
She had left the table'>half'an hour, and was at’ work
alone; Flora had “ gone to lie down” in the next room,
concurrently with which retirement a ‘smell of seine-
thing to drink had broken out in the house.‘ The ‘Patri-
arch was fast asleep, with his philanthropic mouth open,
1
under a yellow pocket-handkerchief in t e dining-room.
At this quiet time, ’Mr.‘ Pancks softly’ appearcdrbefore
her, urbanely nodding. ' i - ‘ ‘ ' - > r‘ <
“ Find it a little dull;-Miss Dorrit Y" inquired Pancks,
in a low voice. ‘ I v s
‘=“No,>thank you, sir,” saidrLittle Dorrit; -‘ r ' ‘
l “ Busy, I see,” observed Mr; Pancks,-stealing into the
roomibyinches.‘ : ‘.‘ lVhat are those now, Miss Dorrit?”
,“ Handkerchiefs.” ' ‘ r
I “Are they, though i” said V Pancks. ‘ “ I shouldn't
have thought it.” Not in the least looking at. them, but
looking at Little Dorrit"! " Perhaps‘ you wonder who'I
am. Shall I tell you? I am a fortune-teller.” ‘ -
"Little Dorrit'now began to think he was mad. '
“ I belong body and soul to my proprietor,” ' said
Pancks ; “you sawiny proprietor having his dinner be-
low. ‘But I do a little in-the other way, sometimes;
privately, very privately, Miss Dorrit.” - '
Little Dorrit looked at himdoubtfully, and not without
alarm. “‘ I wish you’d show-i me the palm of’ your
hand,”. said>Pancks.' “ I ‘should like to have a look at it.
Don't let me be troublesome.” > >- ' -’ -. r '
CHARLES -DICKENS’ -IWORKS.
He was so far troublesome that he was not at all wanted
and held out her left hand with a thimb e on it.‘
- “Years of toil, eh?” said Pancks, softly,‘ touching it
with his blunt forefinger." “ But what clseare we made
for? Nothing. Hallo i" looking into the lines.” “ What's
this with bars? It's a College! '1 And‘what’s'this with
a rrey gown and a black velvet cap '2' It's a father! And
wliat’s this with a elarionet?” It's an uncle I] And
what's this in'dancing-shoes?“ It's a sister 1' ' And)vliat’s
this straggling about in an‘ idle sort of a way ? It's a
brother i And what's this thinking forfcm 9.1 ‘B ' Why,
this isyou, Miss Dorrit l” ‘ “ ‘ .1‘ “ ..
Her eyes met his as she looked up’ wonderingly into
his face, and she thought that’ although ‘his were sharp
e es, he was a brighter "and gentler-looking man than
s me had supposed at dinner. His eyes were on her hand
again directly, and her opportunity of confirming or ‘cor-
“Now the deuce is in‘ it,” muttered Pancks; tracing
out a line in her hand with his clumsy fin er,’ “if this
isn’t me in'the corner here! ‘ VVhat do ‘want here?
lVhnt's behind me?" ’ A ‘ ‘ "' ' ‘
lie carried his‘finger slowly down -to the wrist, and
round the wrist, and affected to look at the back of the
hand for what was behind him. 1' ‘ " - ' ' ‘ g’
9. “ Is it any harm?” asked Little Dorrit, smiling. "‘
“ “ Deuce a bit i ” said Pancks. "" lVhat‘do you thi
it’swo1'tl1‘!” ' V ’ ' , ‘ "X " ,
" I ought to ask you that. . I am not the fortune-teller."
“ True,” said Pancks. “ lVhat’s it worth? "You shall
live to see, Miss Dorrit.” V ‘l ' ’ ‘ ' " "1
i K
" Releasing the hand by slow degrees, he drewrall "his .
fingers though his prongsof hair,‘so tgiat they sstolod lap
in their most portentous manner; an repeate s ow y
“ Remember what I sa , Miss Dorrit. You shall live td
SCe‘,.. - . ..,
She could not help showingrthat she was much sur-
irist-.d,"if it were‘ onl ' b his knowin so- much about
, . , 3’ . 3' 8' , p
101'. "- ‘ ' " -v ' 1 H
“Ahl That's it I” said Pancks,‘ pointing at her.
“Miss Dorrit, not that, ever i” l ‘ ' ' .
More surprised than before, and a littlelmore frightgned
she looked to him for an explanation of Us last war s.,
' “ Not that.” said Pancks, making, with great serio'1us-
ness, an imitation of a surprised’ look ‘and’ manner t rat
a cared to be unintentionall rotesque.‘ “Do1r’t do
PP . 5’ 8
that." Never on seeing me, no matter where. jlfam no-
body.‘ Don’t“take on to mind me. "Don’t'mention ‘me.
Take no notice. VVill you agree Miss Dorrit ?" ' ‘ "
- '.‘tI lif1ti‘(Ily&(I(11O“f wl‘16; to? gay,” returned ‘Little. Dorrit,
quieas oun e . “ 1y "
N “ Because] am a forpune-teller. Pancks tgleigi sy. I
haven't told you somuc 10f your fortune yet, ss orrit.
as to tell you'wl1at.’s behind me on' that -little’ hand. I
I
Dorrit?” . ‘
“Agreed that I-am-‘to--”= " " " " ' '
"" To take‘ no notice of me away‘ from ‘herc,"unless’.I
takeon first. Not to mind "me when I come ‘nudge. ‘It's
very easy.‘ I am no 1'oss,'I am ‘not: handsome, I 'am 5not
good company, I am only my proprietor’s grubber. [You
need do no more than think, ‘ Ah l Pancksithe glpsy at
his fortune-telling-he'll tell the ‘rest of my fortune one
day--I shall live to know it." Is it a reed,-Miss Dorrit?”
2“-Ye-cs,” falter-ed Little Dorrit, w tom he greatly'con-
fused, ,“ I suppose so, while you do no harm.” 1.: ' L‘ ' .‘
' “Good 1”‘ Mr. Pancks’glanced'at' the wall of the ad-
joining room, and stooped forward.’ ‘,‘Honcst‘creaturc,
woman of capital points,’but heediess and a. loose talker.
Miss Dorrit." lVith that ho rubbed his hands‘ as if the
interview had been very, satisfactory to him, pantcd away
to the door, and-urbanely nodded himself out again.
If Little Dorrit were beyond measure perplexed by this
curious conduct on the part of her new acquaintance, and
have toidyou you shalllivo to see. ' Is it'ag‘reed,‘liIiss -
x
by findingherself involved in’ this ‘singular treaty, her
' ierpiexitywas not diminished by ensuing circumstances
esides that Mr. Pancks took everyopportunity afforded
him in Mr. Casby’s house of significantly glancing at her
and snorting at'her--which-was not much, after what he
had done already-he began to pervade her daily life. She
saw him in the street, constantly.’ When showent to '
at . ...?.,. ,.-,...- .;;-...., .