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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
illustrious personage could have plumbed with that heavy eye of his the
stream of his meditations。
The farewell banquet was of a gorgeous nature； and wound up his visit
in a most brilliant manner。 Fanny bined with the attractions of her
youth and beauty； a certain weight of self…sustainment as if she had
been married twenty years。 He felt that he could leave her with a
quiet mind to tread the paths of distinction； and wished……but without
abatement of patronage； and without prejudice to the retiring virtues of
his favourite child……that he had such another daughter。
'My dear；' he told her at parting； 'our family looks to you
to……ha……assert its dignity and……hum……maintain its importance。 I know you
will never disappoint it。'
'No； papa；' said Fanny； 'you may rely upon that； I think。 My best love
to dearest Amy； and I will write to her very soon。'
'Shall I convey any message to……ha……anybody else？' asked Mr Dorrit； in
an insinuating manner。
'Papa；' said Fanny； before whom Mrs General instantly loomed； 'no； I
thank you。 You are very kind； Pa； but I must beg to be excused。 There
is no other message to send； I thank you； dear papa； that it would be at
all agreeable to you to take。'
They parted in an outer drawing…room； where only Mr Sparkler waited
on his lady； and dutifully bided his time for shaking hands。 When Mr
Sparkler was admitted to this closing audience； Mr Merdle came creeping
in with not much more appearance of arms in his sleeves than if he
had been the twin brother of Miss Biffin； and insisted on escorting
Mr Dorrit down…stairs。 All Mr Dorrit's protestations being in vain；
he enjoyed the honour of being acpanied to the hall…door by this
distinguished man； who （as Mr Dorrit told him in shaking hands on the
step） had really overwhelmed him with attentions and services during
this memorable visit。 Thus they parted； Mr Dorrit entering his carriage
with a swelling breast； not at all sorry that his Courier； who had
e to take leave in the lower regions； should have an opportunity of
beholding the grandeur of his departure。
The aforesaid grandeur was yet full upon Mr Dorrit when he alighted at
his hotel。 Helped out by the Courier and some half…dozen of the hotel
servants； he was passing through the hall with a serene magnificence；
when lo！ a sight presented itself that struck him dumb and motionless。
John Chivery； in his best clothes； with his tall hat under his arm； his
ivory…handled cane genteelly embarrassing his deportment； and a bundle
of cigars in his hand！
'Now； young man；' said the porter。 'This is the gentleman。 This young
man has persisted in waiting； sir； saying you would be glad to see him。'
Mr Dorrit glared on the young man； choked； and said； in the mildest of
tones； 'Ah！ Young John！ It is Young John； I think； is it not？'
'Yes； sir；' returned Young John。
'I……ha……thought it was Young john！' said Mr Dorrit。 'The young man may
e up；' turning to the attendants； as he passed on： 'oh yes； he may
e up。 Let Young John follow。 I will speak to him above。'
Young John followed； smiling and much gratified。 Mr Dorrit's rooms were
reached。 Candles were lighted。 The attendants withdrew。
'Now； sir；' said Mr Dorrit； turning round upon him and seizing him by
the collar when they were safely alone。 'What do you mean by this？'
The amazement and horror depicted in the unfortunate john's face……for
he had rather expected to be embraced next……were of that powerfully
expressive nature that Mr Dorrit withdrew his hand and merely glared at
him。
'How dare you do this？' said Mr Dorrit。 'How do you presume to e
here？ How dare you insult me？'
'I insult you； sir？' cried Young John。 'Oh！'
'Yes； sir；' returned Mr Dorrit。 'Insult me。 Your ing here is an
affront； an impertinence； an audacity。 You are not wanted here。
Who sent you here？ What……ha……the Devil do you do here？'
'I thought； sir；' said Young John； with as pale and shocked a face as
ever had been turned to Mr Dorrit's in his life……even in his College
life： 'I thought； sir； you mightn't object to have the goodness to
accept a bundle……'
'Damn your bundle； sir！' cried Mr Dorrit； in irrepressible rage。
'I……hum……don't smoke。'
'I humbly beg your pardon； sir。 You used to。'
'Tell me that again；' cried Mr Dorrit； quite beside himself； 'and I'll
take the poker to you！'
John Chivery backed to the door。
'Stop； sir！' cried Mr Dorrit。 'Stop！ Sit down。 Confound you sit down！'
John Chivery dropped into the chair nearest the door； and Mr Dorrit
walked up and down the room； rapidly at first； then； more slowly。 Once；
he went to the window； and stood there with his forehead against the
glass。 All of a sudden； he turned and said：
'What else did you e for； Sir？'
'Nothing else in the world； sir。 Oh dear me！ Only to say； Sir； that I
hoped you was well； and only to ask if Miss Amy was Well？'
'What's that to you； sir？' retorted Mr Dorrit。
'It's nothing to me； sir； by rights。 I never thought of lessening the
distance betwixt us； I am sure。 I know it's a liberty； sir； but I never
thought you'd have taken it ill。 Upon my word and honour； sir；' said
Young John； with emotion； 'in my poor way； I am too proud to have e；
I assure you； if I had thought so。'
Mr Dorrit was ashamed。 He went back to the window； and leaned his
forehead against the glass for some time。 When he turned； he had his
handkerchief in his hand； and he had been wiping his eyes with it； and
he looked tired and ill。
'Young John； I am very sorry to have been hasty with you； but……ha……some
remembrances are not happy remembrances； and……hum……you shouldn't have
e。'
'I feel that now； sir；' returned John Chivery； 'but I didn't before； and
Heaven knows I meant no harm； sir。'
'No。 No；' said Mr Dorrit。 'I am……hum……sure of that。 Ha。 Give me your
hand； Young John； give me your hand。'
Young John gave it； but Mr Dorrit had driven his heart out of it； and
nothing could change his face now； from its white； shocked look。
'There！' said Mr Dorrit； slowly shaking hands with him。 'Sit down again；
Young John。'
'Thank you