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of my head and stomach： the detestable and intolerable weather having
racked them both。 You see me in the plight in which I came out of the
packet within this half…hour。 I ought to have been here hours ago；
and then I should not have to apologise……permit me to apologise……for
presenting myself so unreasonably； and frightening……no； by…the…bye； you
said not frightening； permit me to apologise again……the esteemed lady；
Mrs Clennam； in her invalid chamber above stairs。'
Swagger and an air of authorised condescension do so much； that
Mr Flintwinch had already begun to think this a highly gentlemanly
personage。 Not the less unyielding with him on that account； he scraped
his chin and said； what could he have the honour of doing for Mr
Blandois to…night； out of business hours？
'Faith！' returned that gentleman； shrugging his cloaked shoulders；
'I must change； and eat and drink； and be lodged somewhere。 Have the
kindness to advise me； a total stranger； where； and money is a matter of
perfect indifference until to…morrow。 The nearer the place； the better。
Next door； if that's all。'
Mr Flintwinch was slowly beginning； 'For a gentleman of your habits；
there is not in this immediate neighbourhood any hotel……' when Mr
Blandois took him up。
'So much for my habits！ my dear sir；' snapping his fingers。 'A citizen
of the world has no habits。 That I am； in my poor way； a gentleman；
by Heaven！ I will not deny； but I have no unacmodating prejudiced
habits。 A clean room； a hot dish for dinner； and a bottle of not
absolutely poisonous wine； are all I want tonight。 But I want that much
without the trouble of going one unnecessary inch to get it。'
'There is；' said Mr Flintwinch； with more than his usual deliberation；
as he met； for a moment； Mr Blandois' shining eyes； which were restless；
'there is a coffee…house and tavern close here； which； so far； I can
remend； but there's no style about it。'
'I dispense with style！' said Mr Blandois； waving his hand。 'Do me the
honour to show me the house； and introduce me there （if I am not too
troublesome）； and I shall be infinitely obliged。' Mr Flintwinch； upon
this； looked up his hat； and lighted Mr Blandois across the hall again。
As he put the candle on a bracket； where the dark old panelling almost
served as an extinguisher for it； he bethought himself of going up to
tell the invalid that he would not be absent five minutes。 'Oblige me；'
said the visitor； on his saying so； 'by presenting my card of visit。 Do
me the favour to add that I shall be happy to wait on Mrs Clennam； to
offer my personal pliments； and to apologise for having occasioned
any agitation in this tranquil corner； if it should suit her convenience
to endure the presence of a stranger for a few minutes； after he shall
have changed his wet clothes and fortified himself with something to eat
and drink。'
Jeremiah made all despatch； and said； on his return； 'She'll be glad
to see you； sir； but； being conscious that her sick room has no
attractions； wishes me to say that she won't hold you to your offer； in
case you should think better of it。'
'To think better of it；' returned the gallant Blandois； 'would be to
slight a lady； to slight a lady would be to be deficient in chivalry
towards the sex； and chivalry towards the sex is a part of my
character！' Thus expressing himself； he threw the draggled skirt of his
cloak over his shoulder； and acpanied Mr Flintwinch to the tavern；
taking up on the road a porter who was waiting with his portmanteau on
the outer side of the gateway。
The house was kept in a homely manner； and the condescension of Mr
Blandois was infinite。 It seemed to fill to inconvenience the little bar
in which the widow landlady and her two daughters received him； it was
much too big for the narrow wainscoted room with a bagatelle…board in
it； that was first proposed for his reception； it perfectly swamped the
little private holiday sitting…room of the family； which was finally
given up to him。 Here； in dry clothes and scented linen； with sleeked
hair； a great ring on each forefinger and a massive show of watch…chain；
Mr Blandois waiting for his dinner； lolling on a window…seat with his
knees drawn up； looked （for all the difference in the setting of the
jewel） fearfully and wonderfully like a certain Monsieur Rigaud who had
once so waited for his breakfast； lying on the stone ledge of the iron
grating of a cell in a villainous dungeon at Marseilles。
His greed at dinner； too； was closely in keeping with the greed of
Monsieur Rigaud at breakfast。 His avaricious manner of collecting all
the eatables about him； and devouring some with his eyes while devouring
others with his jaws； was the same manner。 His utter disregard of
other people； as shown in his way of tossing the little womanly toys
of furniture about； flinging favourite cushions under his boots for a
softer rest； and crushing delicate coverings with his big body and his
great black head； had the same brute selfishness at the bottom of it。
The softly moving hands that were so busy among the dishes had the old
wicked facility of the hands that had clung to the bars。 And when he
could eat no more； and sat sucking his delicate fingers one by one and
wiping them on a cloth； there wanted nothing but the substitution of
vine…leaves to finish the picture。
On this man； with his moustache going up and his nose ing down in
that most evil of smiles； and with his surface eyes looking as if they
belonged to his dyed hair； and had had their natural power of reflecting
light stopped by some similar process； Nature； always true； and never
working in vain； had set the mark； Beware！ It was not her fault； if the
warning were fruitless。 She is never to blame in any such instance。
Mr Blandois； having finished his repast and cleaned his fingers； took
a cigar from his pocket； and； lying on the window…seat again； smoked it
out at his leisure； occasionally apostrophising the smoke as it parted
from his thin lips in a thin stream：
'Blandois； you shall turn the tables on society； my little child。 Haha！
Holy blue； you have begun well； Blandois！ At a pinch； an excellent
master in English or French； a man for the bosom of families！ You have
a quick perception； you have humour； you have ease； you have insinuating
manners； you have a good appearance； in effect； you are a gentleman！ A
gentleman you shall live； my small boy； and a gentleman you shall die。
You shall win； however the game goes。 They shall all confess your merit；
Blandois。 You shall subdue the society which has grievously wronged
you； to your own high spirit。 Death of my soul！ You are high spirited by
right and by nature； my Blandois！'
To such soothing murmurs did this gentleman smoke out his cigar and
drink out his bottle of wine。 Both being finished； he shook himself into
a sitting attitude； and with the concluding serious apostrophe； 'Hold；
then！ Blandois； you ingenious one； have all your wits about you！' arose
and went back to the house of Clennam and Co。
He was received at the door by Mistress Affery； who； under instructions
from her lord； had lighted up two candles in the hall and a third on the
staircase； and who conducted him to Mrs Clennam's room。 Tea was prepared
there； and such little pany arrangements had been made as usually
attended the reception of expected visitors。 They were slight on the
greatest occasion； never extending beyond the production of the China
tea…service； and the covering of the bed with a sober and sad drapery。
For the rest； there was the bier…like sofa with the block upon it； and
the figure in the widow's dress； as if attired for execution； the fire
topped by the mound of damped ashes； the grate with its second little
mound of ashes； the kettle and the smell of black dye； all as they had
been for fifteen years。
Mr Flintwinch presented the gentleman mended to the consideration of
Clennam and Co。 Mrs Clennam； who had the letter lying before her； bent
her head and requested him to sit。 They looked very closely at one
another。 That was but natural curiosity。 'I thank you； sir； for thinking
of a disabled woman like me。 Few who e here on business have any
remembrance to bestow on one so removed from observation。 It would be
idle to expect that they should have。 Out of sight； out of mind。 While I
am grateful for the exception； I don't plain of the rule。'
Mr Blandois； in his most gentlemanly manner； was afraid he had disturbed
her by unhappily presenting himself at such an unconscionable time。 For
which he had already offered his best apologies to Mr……he begged
pardon……but by name had not the distinguished honour……'Mr Flintwinch
has been connected with the House many years。'
Mr Blandois was Mr Flintwinch's most obedient humble servant。 He
entreated Mr Flintwinch to receive the assurance of his profoundest
consideration。
'My husband being dead；' said Mrs Clennam； 'and my son preferring
another pursuit； our old House has no other representative in these days
than Mr Flintwinch。'
'What do you call yourself？' was the surly demand of that gentleman。
'You have the head of two men。'
'My sex disqualifies me；' she proceeded with merely a slight turn of
her eyes in jeremiah's direction； 'from taking a responsible part in
the business； even if I had the ability； and therefore Mr Flintwinch
bines my interest with his own； and conducts it。 It is not what it
used to be； but some of our old friends （principally the writers of this
letter） have the kindness not to forget us； and we retain the power
of doing what they entrust to us as efficiently as we ever did。 This
however is not interesting to you。 You are English； sir？'
'Faith； madam； no； I am neither born nor bred in England。 In effect； I
am of no country；' said Mr Blandois； stretching out his leg and smiting
it： 'I descend from half…a…dozen countries。'
'You have been much about the world？'
'It is true。 By Heaven； madam； I have been here and there and
everywhere！'
'You have no ties； probably。 Are not married？'
'Madam；' said Mr Blandois； with an ugly fall of his eyebrows； 'I adore
your sex； but I am not married……never was。'
Mistress Affery； who stood at the table near him； pouring out the tea；
happened in her dreamy state to look at him as he said these words； and
to fancy that she caught an expression in his eyes which attracted her
own eyes so that she could not get them away。 The effect of this fancy
was to keep her staring at him with the tea…pot in her hand； not only to
her own great uneasiness； but manifestly to his； too； and； through them
both； to Mrs Clennam's and Mr Flintwinch's。 Thus a few ghostly moments
supervened； when they were all confusedly staring without knowing why。
'Affery；' her mistress was the first to say； 'what is the matter with
you？'
'I don't know；' said Mistress Affery； with her disengaged left hand
extended towards the visitor。 'It ain't me。 It's him！'
'What does this good woman mean？' cried Mr Blandois； turning white； hot；
and slowly rising with a look of such deadly wrath that it contrasted
surprisingly with the slight force of his words。 'How is it possible to
understand this good creature？'
'It's NOT possible；' said Mr Flintwinch； screwing himself rapidly
in that direction。 'She don't know what she means。 She's an idiot； a
wanderer in her mind。 She shall have a dose； she shall have such a dose！
Get along with you； my woman；' he added in her ear； 'get along with you；
while you know you're Affery； and before you're shaken to yeast。'
Mistress Affery； sensible of the danger in which her identity stood；
relinquished the tea…pot as her husband seized it； put her apron over
her head； and in a twinkling vanished。 The visitor gradually broke into
a smile； and sat down again。
'You'll excuse her； Mr Blandois；' said Jeremiah； pouring out the tea
himself； 'she's failing and breaking up； that's what she's about。 Do you
take sugar； sir？'
'Thank you； no tea for me。……Pardon my observing it； but that's a very
remarkable watch！'
The tea…table was drawn up near the sofa； with a small interval between
it and Mrs Clennam's own particular table。 Mr Blandois in his gallantry
had risen to hand that lady her tea （her dish of toast was already
there）；