第41章

Clennam’seyeshadstrayedtoanaturalpictureonthewall，oftwoprettylittlegirlswiththeirarmsentwined。’Yes，Clennam，’saidMrMeagles，inalowervoice。’Theretheybothare。Itwastakensomeseventeenyearsago。AsIoftensaytoMother，theywerebabiesthen。’

’Theirnames？’saidArthur。

’Ah，tobesure!YouhaveneverheardanynamebutPet。Pet’snameisMinnie；hersister’sLillie。’

’Shouldyouhaveknown，MrClennam，thatoneofthemwasmeantforme？’askedPetherself，nowstandinginthedoorway。

’Imighthavethoughtthatbothofthemweremeantforyou，botharestillsolikeyou。Indeed，’saidClennam，glancingfromthefairoriginaltothepictureandback，’Icannotevennowsaywhichisnotyourportrait。’

’D’yehearthat，Mother？’criedMrMeaglestohiswife，whohadfollowedherdaughter。’It’salwaysthesame，Clennam；nobodycandecide。ThechildtoyourleftisPet。’

Thepicturehappenedtobenearalooking-glass。AsArthurlookedatitagain，hesaw，bythereflectionofthemirror，Tattycoramstopinpassingoutsidethedoor，listentowhatwasgoingon，andpassawaywithanangryandcontemptuousfrownuponherface，thatchangeditsbeautyintougliness。

’Butcome!’saidMrMeagles。’Youhavehadalongwalk，andwillbegladtogetyourbootsoff。AstoDanielhere，Isupposehe’dneverthinkoftakinghisbootsoff，unlessweshowedhimaboot-

jack。’

’Whynot？’askedDaniel，withasignificantsmileatClennam。

’Oh!Youhavesomanythingstothinkabout，’returnedMrMeagles，clappinghimontheshoulder，asifhisweaknessmustnotbelefttoitselfonanyaccount。’Figures，andwheels，andcogs，andlevers，andscrews，andcylinders，andathousandthings。’

’Inmycalling，’saidDaniel，amused，’thegreaterusuallyincludestheless。Butnevermind，nevermind!Whateverpleasesyou，pleasesme。’

Clennamcouldnothelpspeculating，asheseatedhimselfinhisroombythefire，whethertheremightbeinthebreastofthishonest，affectionate，andcordialMrMeagles，anymicroscopicportionofthemustard-seedthathadsprungupintothegreattreeoftheCircumlocutionOffice。HiscurioussenseofageneralsuperioritytoDanielDoyce，whichseemedtobefounded，notsomuchonanythinginDoyce’spersonalcharacterasonthemerefactofhisbeinganoriginatorandamanoutofthebeatentrackofothermen，suggestedtheidea。Itmighthaveoccupiedhimuntilhewentdowntodinneranhourafterwards，ifhehadnothadanotherquestiontoconsider，whichhadbeeninhismindsolongagoasbeforehewasinquarantineatMarseilles，andwhichhadnowreturnedtoit，andwasveryurgentwithit。Nolessaquestionthanthis：WhetherheshouldallowhimselftofallinlovewithPet？

Hewastwiceherage。(Hechangedtheleghehadcrossedovertheother，andtriedthecalculationagain，butcouldnotbringoutthetotalatless。)Hewastwiceherage。Well!Hewasyounginappearance，younginhealthandstrength，younginheart。Amanwascertainlynotoldatforty；andmanymenwerenotincircumstancestomarry，ordidnotmarry，untiltheyhadattainedthattimeoflife。Ontheotherhand，thequestionwas，notwhathethoughtofthepoint，butwhatshethoughtofit。

HebelievedthatMrMeagleswasdisposedtoentertainariperegardforhim，andheknewthathehadasincereregardforMrMeaglesandhisgoodwife。Hecouldforeseethattorelinquishthisbeautifulonlychild，ofwhomtheyweresofond，toanyhusband，wouldbeatrialoftheirlovewhichperhapstheyneveryethadhadthefortitu