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1 LITTLE...DORRIT.
“Let him meet it if hejcan l’,’f‘ And, with a rigid more ‘
.ment of her stony reticule (uni-appendage of ‘great size,
,and,of- a. -fossil appearance), indicated that Clennarn was
vthennfortunate person at iwhom the ‘challenge was
hurled...-; 13"’ WWI-I,
. “‘One last remark,” resumed Flora,‘ “ I was going to
say I-wish to make one last explanation I-wish‘ to offer,
,..,I
, rMr.’F’s‘Aunt!and In self would not have intruded on
‘business hours Mr. F aving been in business and though
-the winertrade‘ still business is equallysbusiness call it
;what you will and business habits are ‘just the same as
.witness Mr. F himself who had his slippers always-on
the’ mat at ten‘minutes before six inthe afternoon and
his boots insidethe fender at ‘ten minutes before eight
infthe morning to the moment in all weathers light‘ or
dark‘-would not therefore have intruded without a mo-
-tive which being kindly meant it‘ may be hoped will be
kindly taken Arthur, Mr. -Clennam far more proper,
‘even'rDoyce and Clennam probably more business-like.”
T‘ Pray say nothing in, the way of apology,” Arthur en-
treated. “ You are always welcome.” J . , -
g 12'.‘ Very polite of you to say so Arthur-cannot remem-
ber Mn. Clennam until--the word‘ is’out, ‘such is‘ the
habit of times for ever lied,‘ and so true it is that oft in
‘the stilly night ere slumber’s “chain has bound people,-
-fond memory brings the light of other days around peo-
‘pie-very polite but more polite ‘than true I am afraid,
for to go into‘ the machinery business without-so much
- as sending saline orla card to papa.-I don’t say me though
there was a time but that is past and stem reality has
now my gracious never’ mind’-does’ notlook like it you
rmust confess.”'- V”: i w iv . ' u ‘ ’
- Even-.Flom’s commas seemed-to have tied on this occa-
sion ; she was so much‘ more disjointed and voluble than
ixrtlie preceding interview. : , . ’
“ Though indeed,” she hurried on,‘ “nothing. else is
to-vbevexpectedgandlwhy should it be expected, and if
it’s not to be expected why shouldit be, and I am ‘far
- from-blaming you orvan rone; VVl1en‘your mama and‘my
papa worrlcd.us,to deat andisevered the golden bowl-
mean bond but I dare say you knowwhat I inean and
if ‘you don’t you don’t losemuch and care just as little I
will venture to add-when they severed the golden bond
that bound us and threw. us into fits of crying on the sofa
'nearly choked at? least myself everything was changed
‘and, injgiving rmy hand ‘to Mr. F I know I did so with v
rmy eyes open but he was so very unsettled and in such .
low spirits that he had distractedly alluded to the river
if not oil of ‘something from v the chen1ist’s and I did it
for the best.” ‘-
“ My good Flora, we settled that ‘before. It was‘ all
quite right.” I -
i“It'svperfectly,‘clcar you-' think so,” ‘returned'Flora,
“ for you take it very coolly, if I hadn't known it to be
-China I should have guessed myself I the Polar regions,
dear Mr, Clennam ,you,ar'e,rigl1t however and I cannot
blame you but as to Doyce and Clenn-am papa’s property
being about heretwe heard it from Pancks andbut for
him-we never should have heard one word about it I am ‘
satisfied.” , ‘
" No, no, don’t say that." ' I
“ What nonsense not to say it Arthur-Doyce and
Clennam-easier and less trying=to me than Mr.'Clen-
. na’m-when'I know it and you know it too and can’t deny
' “But I do deny it, Flora. I should soon have made
you a friendly visit.” '
-:“ Ah 1’-’ said Flora, tossing her head. “I dare say l”,
and she gave him'nnother of the old looks. “ However
when Pancks told us I made up‘ my mind that Mr. F’s
’Aunt and I would come and call because when papa-
-which was before that-happened to mention hernarne
to me and to say that ‘you wereinterested in her I said
at themoment Good 'g1-acious why not have her here .
then when there’s anythingto do instead of putting it
out,”.! I . ' D :., i ,
"VVhen you ‘say Hcr,”' observed Clennam, by this
a time pretty wellbewildered,’ “do you mean Mr. <F’s-"-.
"My‘goodness,-'Arthur4-Doyce and Clennam really
easier to me with old remernbrances-who ever heard of
gr.-F’s Aunt doing needlework and going out bytho
y 1 n ‘ '
‘mystery of it.
791
“Going
Dorrit? ” V - V
, ,“VVhy yes of course,” returned Flora; “and of all
the strangest names I ever heard the strangest; like a
place down in the country with a turnpike,vor a favour-
ite pony or a puppy or a bird or something from a seed-
shop to be put in a garden or a flower-pot and come up
speckled.” - ‘ . . - .
“ Then, Flora,” said Arthur, -with a sudden interest in
out by the dayl Do you speak of Little
the conversation, “ Mr. Casby was so kind as to mention '
Little Dorrit to you, was he? VVhat did he say? ”' y . .
V “Oh you know what papa is,” rejoined Flora, “and
how aggravatiugly he sits looking beautiful and turning
his thumbs over and over one another till he makesone
giddy if one keeps one’s eyes upon him, he saidgvhen
we were talking of you--I don’t know who began the
‘subject Arthur (Doyce and Clennam) but I am sure it
wasn’t me, at least I hope not but you real] y must ex-
cuse my confessing more on that point.” --
“Certainly,” said Arthur, “ by all means. i
“ You are very ready,” pouted Flora, coming to a sud-
den stop in acaptivating bashfulness, “that I must ud-
mit, “papa said you had spoken of her in an earnest way
and Isaidiwhatl have told you and that’s all.”’ -
‘‘That’s all?” said Arthur, a little disappointed. . p
' ‘,‘ Except that when Pancks told us of your having
embarked in this business and with difficulty persuaded
72
'us that itwas really you I said to Mr. yF’s Aunt then7wo
would come and ask you if it wouldrbe agreeable to all
partiestliat, she should be engaged at our house when
required for I know she often goes to your mama’s and
I know that your mama has a. very touchy temper Ar-
thur-Doyce and Clennam-or I never might have mar-
ried Mr. F, and might have been at this hour but I am
running into u-nsense.” .
“ It was very kind of you, Flora, to think of this.”-
- Poor Flora rejoined with a. plain sincerity which be-
came her better than her youngest glances, that she-was
glad he thoughtyso. She said it with so much heart,
that Clennamwould have given a great‘ deal to buy his
old character of her on the spot, and throwit and the
mermaid-away for ever. ,. V . -
‘-‘I think, Flora,” he said, “ that the employment you
can give Little Dorrit, and the kindness you can show
berg]: . V K ’ , V ‘ p
“ Yes and I will,” said Flora, quickly.; -
“ I am sure of it-will be a great -assistance and sup-
port,-to her. I do not feel that Ihave the-right to tell
you what Ivknow of her, for I acquired the knowledge
confidentially; and under circumstances that bind me to
silence. -, But I have an interest in the little creature,
and a respect for her that I cannot express to you. ..Her
life has been one of such trial and devotion, and such
quiet goodness. as you can scarcely imagine. . I>can
hardly think of her, far less speak of her without feel-
ing'moved. .Let that feeling represent what I could
tell you, and commit her to your friendliness with my
thanks.” 5 > "
Oncemore hopnt out his hand frankly to poor Flora ;
once more poor Flora couldn't accept it frankly, found it
worthnothing openly, must makeltho old intrigue and
As much to her own enioyment as to his
dismay, she covered it with a corner of her shawl. as she
took it. ‘ Then looking towards the glassfront of the
counting-house, and seeing two figures ap roaching, she
cried with infinite relish, “Papal Hus 1. Arthur, for
'Mercy’s sake I’? and tottered backrto her chair.with an
amazing imitationiof being in danger of swooping, in the
dread surprise and maidenly flutter of her spmts. ,’
‘ ,The' Patriarch meanwhile‘ came inanely. beaming
towards the counting-house, in -the ‘wake -of Pancks.
Pancks opened the door for him, towed hinrin, and re-
tired tohis own moorings in a corner. - , ' .. V g
“ I heard: from Flora,” said the Patriarch, with his bo-
nevolent smile, ,“ that she was coming to call, coming to
call. ‘And being out, I-thought ‘I'd-come also, thought
I'd come also." I .: - 7 -v '.
The benign wisdom he infused‘ 1nto.thIs declaration
(not of itself profound). by 111911115 0,‘ 1115 blue eyes: his
shining head, and his long white hair, was most impres-
sive. It seemed worth putting down among the noblest
sentiments enunciated by the best ‘of men. Also, when