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day；' and then added； 'Affery； it is nine o'clock。'
Upon this； the old woman cleared the little table； went out of the room；
and quickly returned with a tray on which was a dish of little rusks and
a small precise pat of butter； cool； symmetrical； white； and plump。 The
old man who had been standing by the door in one attitude during the
whole interview； looking at the mother up…stairs as he had looked at the
son down…stairs； went out at the same time； and； after a longer absence；
returned with another tray on which was the greater part of a bottle
of port wine （which； to judge by his panting； he had brought from the
cellar）； a lemon； a sugar…basin； and a spice box。 With these materials
and the aid of the kettle； he filled a tumbler with a hot and
odorous mixture； measured out and pounded with as much nicety as a
physician's prescription。 Into this mixture Mrs Clennam dipped certain
of the rusks； and ate them； while the old woman buttered certain other
of the rusks； which were to be eaten alone。 When the invalid had eaten
all the rusks and drunk all the mixture； the two trays were removed；
and the books and the candle； watch； handkerchief； and spectacles were
replaced upon the table。 She then put on the spectacles and read certain
passages aloud from a book……sternly； fiercely； wrathfully……praying that
her enemies （she made them by her tone and manner expressly hers） might
be put to the edge of the sword； consumed by fire； smitten by plagues
and leprosy； that their bones might be ground to dust； and that they
might be utterly exterminated。 As she read on； years seemed to fall
away from her son like the imaginings of a dream； and all the old dark
horrors of his usual preparation for the sleep of an innocent child to
overshadow him。
She shut the book and remained for a little time with her face shaded by
her hand。 So did the old man； otherwise still unchanged in attitude； so；
probably； did the old woman in her dimmer part of the room。 Then the
sick woman was ready for bed。
'Good night； Arthur。 Affery will see to your acmodation。 Only touch
me； for my hand is tender。' He touched the worsted muffling of her
hand……that was nothing； if his mother had been sheathed in brass there
would have been no new barrier between them……and followed the old man
and woman down…stairs。
The latter asked him； when they were alone together among the heavy
shadows of the dining…room； would he have some supper？
'No； Affery； no supper。'
'You shall if you like；' said Affery。 'There's her tomorrow's partridge
in the larder……her first this year； say the word and I'll cook it。'
No； he had not long dined； and could eat nothing。
'Have something to drink； then；' said Affery； 'you shall have some of
her bottle of port； if you like。 I'll tell Jeremiah that you ordered me
to bring it you。'
No； nor would he have that； either。
'It's no reason； Arthur；' said the old woman； bending over him to
whisper； 'that because I am afeared of my life of 'em； you should be。
You've got half the property； haven't you？'
'Yes； yes。'
'Well then； don't you be cowed。 You're clever； Arthur； an't you？' He
nodded； as she seemed to expect an answer in the affirmative。 'Then
stand up against them！ She's awful clever； and none but a clever one
durst say a word to her。 HE'S a clever one……oh； he's a clever one！……and
he gives it her when he has a mind to't； he does！'
'Your husband does？'
'Does？ It makes me shake from head to foot； to hear him give it her。 My
husband； Jeremiah Flintother。 What can he
be but a clever one to do that！'
His shuffling footstep ing towards them caused her to retreat to the
other end of the room。 Though a tall； hard…favoured； sinewy old woman；
who in her youth might have enlisted in the Foot Guards without much
fear of discovery； she collapsed before the little keen…eyed crab…like
old man。
'Now； Affery；' said he； 'now； woman； what are you doing？ Can't you find
Master Arthur something or another to pick at？'
Master Arthur repeated his recent refusal to pick at anything。
'Very well； then；' said the old man； 'make his bed。 Stir yourself。' His
neck was so twisted that the knotted ends of his white cravat usually
dangled under one ear； his natural acerbity and energy； always
contending with a second nature of habitual repression； gave his
features a swollen and suffused look； and altogether； he had a weird
appearance of having hanged himself at one time or other； and of having
gone about ever since； halter and all； exactly as some timely hand had
cut him down。
'You'll have bitter words together to…morrow； Arthur； you and your
mother；' said Jeremiah。 'Your having given up the business on your
father's death……which she suspects； though we have left it to you to
tell her……won't go off smoothly。'
'I have given up everything in life for the business； and the time came
for me to give up that。'
'Good！' cried Jeremiah； evidently meaning Bad。 'Very good！ only don't
expect me to stand between your mother and you； Arthur。 I stood between
your mother and your father； fending off this； and fending off that； and
getting crushed and pounded betwixt em； and I've done with such work。'
'You will never be asked to begin it again for me； Jeremiah。'
'Good。 I'm glad to hear it； because I should have had to decline it； if
I had been。 That's enough……as your mother says……and more than enough of
such matters on a Sabbath night。 Affery； woman； have you found what you
want yet？'
She had been collecting sheets and blankets from a press； and hastened
to gather them up； and to reply； 'Yes； Jeremiah。' Arthur Clennam helped
her by carrying the load himself； wished the old man good night； and
went up…stairs with her to the top of the house。
They mounted up and up； through the musty smell of an old close house；
little used； to a large garret bed…room。 Meagre and spare； like all the
other rooms； it was even uglier and grimmer than the rest； by being the
place of banishment for the worn…out furniture。 Its movables were ugly
old chairs with worn…out seats； and ugly old chairs without any seats；
a threadbare patternless carpet； a maimed table； a crippled wardrobe；
a lean set of fire…irons like the skeleton of a set deceased； a
washing…stand that looked as if it had stood for ages in a hail of
dirty soapsuds； and a bedstead with four bare atomies of posts； each
terminating in a spike； as if for the dismal acmodation of lodgers
who might prefer to impale themselves。 Arthur opened the long low
window； and looked out upon the old blasted and blackened forest of
chimneys； and the old red glare in the sky； which had seemed to him once
upon a time but a nightly reflection of the fiery environment that was
presented to his childish fancy in all directions； let it look where it
would。
He drew in his head again； sat down at the bedside； and looked on at
Affery Flintwinch making the bed。
'Affery； you were not married when I went away。'
She screwed her mouth into the form of saying 'No；' shook her head； and
proceeded to get a pillow into its case。
'How did it happen？'
'Why； Jeremiah； o' course；' said Affery； with an end of the pillow…case
between her teeth。
'Of course he proposed it； but how did it all e about？ I should have
thought that neither of you would have married； least of all should I
have thought of your marrying each other。'
'No more should I；' said Mrs Flintwinch； tying the pillow tightly in its
case。
'That's what I mean。 When did you begin to think otherwise？'
'Never begun to think otherwise at all；' said Mrs Flintwinch。
Seeing； as she patted the pillow into its place on the bolster； that he
was still looking at her as if waiting for the rest of her reply；
she gave it a great poke in the middle； and asked； 'How could I help
myself？'
'How could you help yourself from being married！'
'O' course；' said Mrs Flintwinch。 'It was no doing o' mine。 I'D never
thought of it。 I'd got something to do； without thinking； indeed！ She
kept me to it （as well as he） when she could go about； and she could go
about then。' 'Well？'
'Well？' echoed Mrs Flintwinch。 'That's what I said myself。 Well！ What's
the use of considering？ If them two clever ones have made up their minds
to it； what's left for me to do？ Nothing。'
'Was it my mother's project； then？'
'The Lord bless you； Arthur； and forgive me the wish！' cried Affery；
speaking always in a low tone。 'If they hadn't been both of a mind in
it； how could it ever have been？ Jeremiah never courted me； t'ant likely
that he would； after living in the house with me and ordering me
about for as many years as he'd done。 He said to me one day； he said；
〃Affery；〃 he said； 〃now I am going to tell you something。 What do you
think of the name of Flintwinch？〃 〃What do I think of it？〃 I says。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃because you're going to take it；〃 he said。 〃Take it？〃 I
says。 〃Jere…MI…ah？〃 Oh！ he's a clever one！'
Mrs Flintwinch went on to spread the upper sheet over the bed； and the
blanket over that； and the counterpane over that； as if she had quite
concluded her story。 'Well？' said Arthur again。
'Well？' echoed Mrs Flintwinch again。 'How could I help myself？ He said
to me； 〃Affery； you and me must be married； and I'll tell you why。 She's
failing in health； and she'll want pretty constant attendance up in
her room； and we shall have to be much with her； and there'll be nobody
about now but ourselves when we're away from her； and altogether it will
be more convenient。 She's of my opinion；〃 he said； 〃so if you'll put
your bon on next Monday morning at eight； we'll get it over。〃' Mrs
Flintwinch tucked up the bed。
'Well？'
'Well？' repeated Mrs Flintwinch； 'I think so！ I sits me down and says
it。 Well！……Jeremiah then says to me； 〃As to banns； next Sunday being the
third time of asking （for I've put 'em up a fortnight）； is my reason for
naming Monday。 She'll speak to you about it herself； and now she'll find
you prepared； Affery。〃 That same day she spoke to me； and she said； 〃So；
Affery； I understand that you and Jeremiah are going to be married。 I
am glad of it； and so are you； with reason。 It is a very good thing for
you； and very wele under the circumstances to me。 He is a sensible
man； and a trustworthy man； and a persevering man； and a pious man。〃
What could I say when it had e to that？ Why； if it had been……a
smothering instead of a wedding；' Mrs Flintwinch cast about in her mind
with great pains for this form of expression； 'I couldn't have said a
word upon it； against them two clever ones。'
'In good faith； I believe so。' 'And so you may； Arthur。'
'Affery； what girl was that in my mother's room just now？'
'Girl？' said Mrs Flintwinch in a rather sharp key。
'It was a girl； surely； whom I saw near you……almost hidden in the dark
corner？'
'Oh！ She？ Little Dorrit？ She's nothing； she's a whim of……hers。' It was a
peculiarity of Affery Flintwinch that she never spoke of Mrs Clennam
by name。 'But there's another sort of girls than that about。 Have you
forgot your old sweetheart？ Long and long ago； I'll be bound。'
'I suffered enough from my mother's separating us； to remember her。
I recollect her very well。'
'Have you got another？'
'No。'
'Here's news for you； then。 She's well to do now； and a widow。 And if
you like to have her； why you can。'
'And how do you know that； Affery？'
'Them two clever ones have been speaking about it。……There's Jeremiah on
the stairs！' She was gone in a moment。
Mrs Flintwinch had introduced into the web that his mind was busily
weaving； in that old workshop where the loom of his youth had stood； the
last thread wanting to the pattern。 The airy folly of a boy's love had
found its way even into that house； and he had been as wretched under
its hopelessness as if the house had been a castle of romance。 Little
more than a week ago at Marseilles； the face of the pretty girl from
whom he had parted with regret； had had an unusual interest for him； and
a tender hold upon him； because of some resemblance； real or imagined；
to this first face that had soared out of his gloomy life into the
bright glories of fancy。 He leaned upon the sill of the long low window；
and looking out upon the blackened forest of chimneys again