第31章

ArthurClennammovedtoattracthisattention，andthegreyeyebrowsturnedtowardshim。

’Ibegyourpardon，’saidClennam，’Ifearyoudidnothearmeannounced？’

’No，sir，Ididnot。Didyouwishtoseeme，sir？’

’Iwishedtopaymyrespects。’

MrCasbyseemedafeather’sweightdisappointedbythelastwords，havingperhapspreparedhimselfforthevisitor’swishingtopaysomethingelse。’HaveIthepleasure，sir，’heproceeded——’takeachair，ifyouplease——haveIthepleasureofknowing——？Ah!

truly，yes，IthinkIhave!IbelieveIamnotmistakeninsupposingthatIamacquaintedwiththosefeatures？IthinkI

addressagentlemanofwhosereturntothiscountryIwasinformedbyMrFlintwinch？’

’Thatisyourpresentvisitor。’

’Really!MrClennam？’

’Noother，MrCasby。’

’MrClennam，Iamgladtoseeyou。Howhaveyoubeensincewemet？’

Withoutthinkingitworthwhiletoexplainthatinthecourseofsomequarterofacenturyhehadexperiencedoccasionalslightfluctuationsinhishealthandspirits，Clennamansweredgenerallythathehadneverbeenbetter，orsomethingequallytothepurpose；

andshookhandswiththepossessorof’thathead’asitsheditspatriarchallightuponhim。

’Weareolder，MrClennam，’saidChristopherCasby。

’Weare——notyounger，’saidClennam。Afterthiswiseremarkhefeltthathewasscarcelyshiningwithbrilliancy，andbecameawarethathewasnervous。

’Andyourrespectedfather，’saidMrCasby，’isnomore!Iwasgrievedtohearit，MrClennam，Iwasgrieved。’

Arthurrepliedintheusualwaythathefeltinfinitelyobligedtohim。

’Therewasatime，’saidMrCasby，’whenyourparentsandmyselfwerenotonfriendlyterms。Therewasalittlefamilymisunderstandingamongus。Yourrespectedmotherwasratherjealousofherson，maybe；whenIsayherson，Imeanyourworthyself，yourworthyself。’

Hissmoothfacehadabloomuponitlikeripewall-fruit。Whatwithhisbloomingface，andthathead，andhisblueeyes，heseemedtobedeliveringsentimentsofrarewisdomandvirtue。Inlikemanner，hisphysiognomicalexpressionseemedtoteemwithbenignity。Nobodycouldhavesaidwherethewisdomwas，orwherethevirtuewas，orwherethebenignitywas；buttheyallseemedtobesomewhereabouthim。

’Thosetimes，however，’pursuedMrCasby，’arepastandgone，pastandgone。Idomyselfthepleasureofmakingavisittoyourrespectedmotheroccasionally，andofadmiringthefortitudeandstrengthofmindwithwhichshebearshertrials，bearshertrials。’Whenhemadeoneoftheselittlerepetitions，sittingwithhishandscrossedbeforehim，hediditwithhisheadononeside，andagentlesmile，asifhehadsomethinginhisthoughtstoosweetlyprofoundtobeputintowords。Asifhedeniedhimselfthepleasureofutteringit，lestheshouldsoartoohigh；andhismeeknessthereforepreferredtobeunmeaning。

’Ihaveheardthatyouwerekindenoughononeofthoseoccasions，’

saidArthur，catchingattheopportunityasitdriftedpasthim，’tomentionLittleDorrittomymother。’

’Little——Dorrit？That’stheseamstresswhowasmentionedtomebyasmalltenantofmine？Yes，yes。Dorrit？That’sthename。Ah，yes，yes!YoucallherLittleDorrit？’

Noroadinthatdirection。Nothingcameofthecross-cut。Itlednofurther。

’MydaughterFlora，’saidMrCasby，’asyoumayhaveheardprobably，MrClennam，wasmarriedandestablishedinlife，severalyearsago。Shehadthemisfortunetoloseherhusbandwhenshehadbeenmarriedafewmonths。Sheresideswithmeagain。Shewillbegladtoseeyou，ifyouwillpermitmetoletherknowthatyouarehere。’

’Byallmeans，’returnedClennam。’Ishouldhavepreferredtherequest，ifyourkindnesshadnotanticipatedme。’

UponthisMrCasbyroseupinhi