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fellow…travellers。 'Has anybody seen Miss Wade？'
'I have；' said Tattycoram。
She had brought a little mantle which her young mistress had sent for；
and was bending over her； putting it on； when she lifted up her dark
eyes and made this unexpected answer。
'Tatty！' her young mistress exclaimed。 'You seen Miss Wade？……where？'
'Here； miss；' said Tattycoram。
'How？'
An impatient glance from Tattycoram seemed； as Clennam saw it； to answer
'With my eyes！' But her only answer in words was： 'I met her near the
church。'
'What was she doing there I wonder！' said Mr Meagles。 'Not going to it；
I should think。'
'She had written to me first；' said Tattycoram。
'Oh； Tatty！' murmured her mistress； 'take your hands away。 I feel as if
some one else was touching me！'
She said it in a quick involuntary way； but half playfully； and not more
petulantly or disagreeably than a favourite child might have done； who
laughed next moment。 Tattycoram set her full red lips together； and
crossed her arms upon her bosom。 'Did you wish to know； sir；' she said；
looking at Mr Meagles； 'what Miss Wade wrote to me about？'
'Well； Tattycoram；' returned Mr Meagles； 'since you ask the question；
and we are all friends here； perhaps you may as well mention it； if you
are so inclined。'
'She knew； when we were travelling； where you lived；' said Tattycoram；
'and she had seen me not quite……not quite……'
'Not quite in a good temper； Tattycoram？' suggested Mr Meagles；
shaking his head at the dark eyes with a quiet caution。 'Take a little
time……count five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
She pressed her lips together again； and took a long deep breath。
'So she wrote to me to say that if I ever felt myself hurt；' she looked
down at her young mistress； 'or found myself worried；' she looked down
at her again； 'I might go to her； and be considerately treated。 I was
to think of it； and could speak to her by the church。 So I went there to
thank her。'
'Tatty；' said her young mistress； putting her hand up over her shoulder
that the other might take it； 'Miss Wade almost frightened me when we
parted； and I scarcely like to think of her just now as having been so
near me without my knowing it。 Tatty dear！'
Tatty stood for a moment； immovable。
'Hey？' cried Mr Meagles。 'Count another five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
She might have counted a dozen； when she bent and put her lips to the
caressing hand。 It patted her cheek； as it touched the owner's beautiful
curls； and Tattycoram went away。
'Now there；' said Mr Meagles softly； as he gave a turn to the
dumb…waiter on his right hand to twirl the sugar towards himself。
'There's a girl who might be lost and ruined； if she wasn't among
practical people。 Mother and I know； solely from being practical； that
there are times when that girl's whole nature seems to roughen itself
against seeing us so bound up in Pet。 No father and mother were bound
up in her； poor soul。 I don't like to think of the way in which that
unfortunate child； with all that passion and protest in her； feels when
she hears the Fifth mandment on a Sunday。 I am always inclined to
call out； Church； Count five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
Besides his dumb…waiter； Mr Meagles had two other not dumb waiters in
the persons of two parlour…maids with rosy faces and bright eyes； who
were a highly ornamental part of the table decoration。 'And why not； you
see？' said Mr Meagles on this head。 'As I always say to Mother； why
not have something pretty to look at； if you have anything at all？' A
certain Mrs Tickit； who was Cook and Housekeeper when the family were
at home； and Housekeeper only when the family were away； pleted the
establishment。 Mr Meagles regretted that the nature of the duties in
which she was engaged； rendered Mrs Tickit unpresentable at present；
but hoped to introduce her to the new visitor to…morrow。 She was an
important part of the Cottage； he said； and all his friends knew her。
That was her picture up in the corner。 When they went away； she always
put on the silk…gown and the jet…black row of curls represented in that
portrait （her hair was reddish…grey in the kitchen）； established herself
in the breakfast…room； put her spectacles between two particular leaves
of Doctor Buchan's Domestic Medicine； and sat looking over the blind all
day until they came back again。 It was supposed that no persuasion could
be invented which would induce Mrs Tickit to abandon her post at the
blind； however long their absence； or to dispense with the attendance
of Dr Buchan； the lucubrations of which learned practitioner； Mr Meagles
implicitly believed she had never yet consulted to the extent of one
word in her life。
In the evening they played an old…fashioned rubber； and Pet sat looking
over her father's hand； or singing to herself by fits and starts at the
piano。 She was a spoilt child； but how could she be otherwise？ Who could
be much with so pliable and beautiful a creature； and not yield to her
endearing influence？ Who could pass an evening in the house； and not
love her for the grace and charm of her very presence in the room？ This
was Clennam's reflection； notwithstanding the final conclusion at which
he had arrived up…stairs。
In making it； he revoked。 'Why； what are you thinking of； my good sir？'
asked the astonished Mr Meagles； who was his partner。
'I beg your pardon。 Nothing；' returned Clennam。
'Think of something； next time； that's a dear fellow；' said Mr Meagles。
Pet laughingly believed he had been thinking of Miss Wade。
'Why of Miss Wade； Pet？' asked her father。
'Why； indeed！' said Arthur Clennam。
Pet coloured a little； and went to the piano again。
As they broke up for the night； Arthur overheard Doyce ask his host if
he could give him half an hour's conversation before breakfast in the
morning？ The host replying willingly； Arthur lingered behind a moment；
having his own word to add to that topic。
'Mr Meagles；' he said； on their being left alone； 'do you remember when
you advised me to go straight to London？'
'Perfectly well。' 'And when you gave me some other good advice which I
needed at that time？'
'I won't say what it was worth；' answered Mr Meagles： 'but of course I
remember our being very pleasant and confidential together。'
'I have acted on your advice； and having disembarrassed myself of an
occupation that was painful to me for many reasons； wish to devote
myself and what means I have； to another pursuit。'
'Right！ You can't do it too soon；' said Mr Meagles。
'Now； as I came down to…day； I found that your friend； Mr Doyce； is
looking for a partner in his business……not a partner in his mechanical
knowledge； but in the ways and means of turning the business arising
from it to the best account。'
'Just so；' said Mr Meagles； with his hands in his pockets； and with
the old business expression of face that had belonged to the scales and
scoop。
'Mr Doyce mentioned incidentally； in the course of our conversation；
that he was going to take your valuable advice on the subject of finding
such a partner。 If you should think our views and opportunities at all
likely to coincide； perhaps you will let him know my available position。
I speak； of course； in ignorance of the details； and they may be
unsuitable on both sides。'
'No doubt； no doubt；' said Mr Meagles； with the caution belonging to the
scales and scoop。
'But they will be a question of figures and accounts……'
'Just so； just so；' said Mr Meagles； with arithmetical solidity
belonging to the scales and scoop。
'……And I shall be glad to enter into the subject； provided Mr Doyce
responds； and you think well of it。 If you will at present； therefore；
allow me to place it in your hands； you will much oblige me。'
'Clennam； I accept the trust with readiness；' said Mr Meagles。 'And
without anticipating any of the points which you； as a man of business；
have of course reserved； I am free to say to you that I think something
may e of this。 Of one thing you may be perfectly certain。 Daniel is
an honest man。'
'I am so sure of it that I have promptly made up my mind to speak to
you。' 'You must guide him； you know； you must steer him； you must direct
him； he is one of a crotchety sort；' said Mr Meagles； evidently meaning
nothing more than that he did new things and went new ways； 'but he is
as honest as the sun； and so good night！' Clennam went back to his room；
sat down again before his fire； and made up his mind that he was glad
he had resolved not to fall in love with Pet。 She was so beautiful；
so amiable； so apt to receive any true impression given to her gentle
nature and her innocent heart； and make the man who should be so happy
as to municate it； the most fortunate and enviable of all men； that
he was very glad indeed he had e to that conclusion。
But； as this might have been a reason for ing to the opposite
conclusion； he followed out the theme again a little way in his mind； to
justify himself； perhaps。
'Suppose that a man；' so his thoughts ran； 'who had been of age some
twenty years or so； who was a diffident man； from the circumstances of
his youth； who was rather a grave man； from the tenor of his life； who
knew himself to be deficient in many little engaging qualities which
he admired in others； from having been long in a distant region； with
nothing softening near him； who had no kind sisters to present to her；
who had no congenial home to make her known in； who was a stranger in
the land； who had not a fortune to pensate； in any measure； for
these defects； who had nothing in his favour but his honest love and his
general wish to do right……suppose such a man were to e to this house；
and were to yield to the captivation of this charming girl； and were to
persuade himself that he could hope to win her； what a weakness it would
be！'
He softly opened his window； and looked out upon the serene river。 Year
after year so much allowance for the drifting of the ferry…boat； so
many miles an hour the flowing of the stream； here the rushes； there the
lilies； nothing uncertain or unquiet。
Why should he be vexed or sore at heart？ It was not his weakness that he
had imagined。 It was nobody's； nobody's within his knowledge； why should
it trouble him？ And yet it did trouble him。 And he thought……who has not
thought for a moment； sometimes？……that it might be better to flow away
monotonously； like the river； and to pound for its insensibility to
happiness with its insensibility to pain。
CHAPTER 17。 Nobody's Rival
Before breakfast in the morning； Arthur walked out to look about him。
As the morning was fine and he had an hour on his hands； he crossed the
river by the ferry； and strolled along a footpath through some meadows。
When he came back to the towing…path； he found the ferry…boat on the
opposite side； and a gentleman hailing it and waiting to be taken over。
This gentleman looked barely thirty。 He was well dressed； of a sprightly
and gay appearance； a well…knit figure； and a rich dark plexion。 As
Arthur came over the stile and down to the water's edge； the lounger
glanced at him for a moment； and then resumed his occupation of idly
tossing stones into the water with his foot。 There was something in his
way of spurning them out of their places with his heel； and getting them
into the required position； that Clennam thought had an air of cruelty
in it。 Most of us have more or less frequently derived a similar
impression from a man's manner of doing some very little thing： plucking
a flower； clearing away an obstacle； or even destroying an insentient
object。
The gentleman's thoughts were preoccupied； as his face showed； and he
took no notice of a fine Newfoundland dog； who watched him attentively；
and watched every stone too； in its turn； eager to spring into the
river on receiving his master's sign。 The ferry…boat came over； however；
without his receiving any sign； and when it grounded his master took him
by the collar and walked him into it。
'Not this morning；' he said to the dog。 'You won't do for ladies'
pany； dripping wet。 Lie down。'
Clennam followed the man and the dog into the boat； and took his seat。
The dog did as he was ordered。 The man remained standing； with his hands
in his pocket