第32章

don’tknowwhatImean!’HereFloratitteredconfusedly，andgavehimoneofheroldglances。

ThePatriarch，asifhenowbegantoperceivethathispartinthepiecewastogetoffthestageassoonasmightbe，rose，andwenttothedoorbywhichPanckshadworkedout，hailingthatTugbyname。HereceivedananswerfromsomelittleDockbeyond，andwastowedoutofsightdirectly。

’Youmustn’tthinkofgoingyet，’saidFlora——Arthurhadlookedathishat，beinginaludicrousdismay，andnotknowingwhattodo：

’youcouldneverbesounkindastothinkofgoing，Arthur——ImeanMrArthur——orIsupposeMrClennamwouldbefarmoreproper——butI

amsureIdon’tknowwhatIamsaying——withoutawordaboutthedearolddaysgoneforever，whenIcometothinkofitIdaresayitwouldbemuchbetternottospeakofthemandit’shighlyprobablethatyouhavesomemuchmoreagreeableengagementandprayletMebethelastpersonintheworldtointerferewithitthoughtherewasatime，butIamrunningintononsenseagain。’

WasitpossiblethatFloracouldhavebeensuchachattererinthedaysshereferredto？Couldtherehavebeenanythinglikeherpresentdisjointedvolubilityinthefascinationsthathadcaptivatedhim？

’IndeedIhavelittledoubt，’saidFlora，runningonwithastonishingspeed，andpointingherconversationwithnothingbutcommas，andveryfewofthem，’thatyouaremarriedtosomeChineselady，beinginChinasolongandbeinginbusinessandnaturallydesiroustosettleandextendyourconnectionnothingwasmorelikelythanthatyoushouldproposetoaChineseladyandnothingwasmorenaturalIamsurethanthattheChineseladyshouldacceptyouandthinkherselfverywellofftoo，Ionlyhopeshe’snotaPagodiandissenter。’

’Iamnot，’returnedArthur，smilinginspiteofhimself，’marriedtoanylady，Flora。’

’OhgoodgraciousmeIhopeyouneverkeptyourselfabachelorsolongonmyaccount!’titteredFlora；’butofcourseyouneverdidwhyshouldyou，praydon’tanswer，Idon’tknowwhereI’mrunningto，ohdotellmesomethingabouttheChineseladieswhethertheireyesarereallysolongandnarrowalwaysputtingmeinmindofmother-of-pearlfishatcardsanddotheyreallyweartailsdowntheirbackandplaitedtooorisitonlythemen，andwhentheypulltheirhairsoverytightofftheirforeheadsdon’ttheyhurtthemselves，andwhydotheysticklittlebellsallovertheirbridgesandtemplesandhatsandthingsordon’ttheyreallydoit？’Floragavehimanotherofheroldglances。Instantlyshewentonagain，asifhehadspokeninreplyforsometime。

’Thenit’salltrueandtheyreallydo!goodgraciousArthur!——

prayexcuseme——oldhabit——MrClennamfarmoreproper——whatacountrytoliveinforsolongatime，andwithsomanylanternsandumbrellastoohowverydarkandwettheclimateoughttobeandnodoubtactuallyis，andthesumsofmoneythatmustbemadebythosetwotradeswhereeverybodycarriesthemandhangsthemeverywhere，thelittleshoestooandthefeetscrewedbackininfancyisquitesurprising，whatatravelleryouare!’

Inhisridiculousdistress，Clennamreceivedanotheroftheoldglanceswithoutintheleastknowingwhattodowithit。

’Deardear，’saidFlora，’onlytothinkofthechangesathomeArthur——cannotovercomeit，andseemssonatural，MrClennamfarmoreproper——sinceyoubecamefamiliarwiththeChinesecustomsandlanguagewhichIampersuadedyouspeaklikeaNativeifnotbetterforyouwerealwaysquickandcleverthoughimmenselydifficultnodoubt，IamsuretheteachestsalonewouldkillmeifItried，suchchangesArthur——Iamdoingitagain，seemssonatural，mostimproper——asnoonecouldhavebelieved，whocouldhaveeverimaginedMrsFinchingwhenIcan’timagineitmyself!’

’Isthatyourmarriedname？’askedArthur，struck，inthemidstofallthis，byacertainwarmthofheartthatexpresseditselfinhertonewhenshereferred，howeve