第58章

’OhnonsensemydearchildIcanneverhearofthat，’saidFlora，turningontheurninthemostrecklessmanner，andmakingherselfwinkbysplashinghotwaterintohereyesasshebentdowntolookintotheteapot。’YouarecominghereonthefootingofafriendandcompanionyouknowifyouwillletmetakethatlibertyandI

shouldbeashamedofmyselfindeedifyoucouldcomehereuponanyother，besideswhichArthurClennamspokeinsuchterms——youaretiredmydear。’

’No，ma’am。’

’YouturnsopaleyouhavewalkedtoofarbeforebreakfastandI

daresayliveagreatwayoffandoughttohavehadaride，’saidFlora，’deardearisthereanythingthatwoulddoyougood？’

’IndeedIamquitewell，ma’am。Ithankyouagainandagain，butIamquitewell。’

’ThentakeyourteaatonceIbeg，’saidFlora，’andthiswingoffowlandbitofham，don’tmindmeorwaitforme，becauseIalwayscarryinthistraymyselftoMrF。’sAuntwhobreakfastsinbedandacharmingoldladytooandveryclever，PortraitofMrF。behindthedoorandverylikethoughtoomuchforeheadandastoapillarwithamarblepavementandbalustradesandamountain，Ineversawhimnearitnornotlikelyinthewinetrade，excellentmanbutnotatallinthatway。’

LittleDorritglancedattheportrait，veryimperfectlyfollowingthereferencestothatworkofart。

’MrF。wassodevotedtomethathenevercouldbearmeoutofhissight，’saidFlora，’thoughofcourseIamunabletosayhowlongthatmighthavelastedifhehadn’tbeencutshortwhileIwasanewbroom，worthymanbutnotpoeticalmanlyprosebutnotromance。’

LittleDorritglancedattheportraitagain。Theartisthadgivenitaheadthatwouldhavebeen，inanintellectualpointofview，top-heavyforShakespeare。

’Romance，however，’Florawenton，busilyarrangingMrF。’sAunt’stoast，’asIopenlysaidtoMrF。whenheproposedtomeandyouwillbesurprisedtohearthatheproposedseventimesonceinahackney-coachonceinaboatonceinapewonceonadonkeyatTunbridgeWellsandtherestonhisknees，RomancewasfledwiththeearlydaysofArthurClennam，ourparentstoreusasunderwebecamemarbleandsternrealityusurpedthethrone，MrF。saidverymuchtohiscreditthathewasperfectlyawareofitandevenpreferredthatstateofthingsaccordinglythewordwasspokenthefiatwentforthandsuchislifeyouseemydearandyetwedonotbreakbutbend，praymakeagoodbreakfastwhileIgoinwiththetray。’

Shedisappeared，leavingLittleDorrittoponderoverthemeaningofherscatteredwords。Shesooncamebackagain；andatlastbegantotakeherownbreakfast，talkingallthewhile。

’Yousee，mydear，’saidFlora，measuringoutaspoonfulortwoofsomebrownliquidthatsmeltlikebrandy，andputtingitintohertea，’IamobligedtobecarefultofollowthedirectionsofmymedicalmanthoughtheflavourisanythingbutagreeablebeingapoorcreatureanditmaybehaveneverrecoveredtheshockreceivedinyouthfromtoomuchgivingwaytocryinginthenextroomwhenseparatedfromArthur，haveyouknownhimlong？’

AssoonasLittleDorritcomprehendedthatshehadbeenaskedthisquestion——forwhichtimewasnecessary，thegallopingpaceofhernewpatronesshavingleftherfarbehind——sheansweredthatshehadknownMrClennameversincehisreturn。

’Tobesureyoucouldn’thaveknownhimbeforeunlessyouhadbeeninChinaorhadcorrespondedneitherofwhichislikely，’returnedFlora，’fortravelling-peopleusuallygetmoreorlessmahoganyandyouarenotatallsoandastocorrespondingwhatabout？that’sverytrueunlesstea，soitwasathismother’swasitreallythatyouknewhimfirst，highlysensibleandfirmbutdreadfullysevere——oughttobethemotherofthemanintheironmask。“

’MrsClennamhasbeenkindtome，’saidLittleDorrit。

’Really？IamsureIamgladtohearitbecauseasArthur’smotherit’snaturallypleasanttomyfeelingstohaveabetteropinionofherthanIhadbefore，thoughwhatshethinksofmewhenIrunonasIamcertaintodoandshesitsgloweringatmelikeFateinago-cart——shockingcomparisonreally——invalidandnotherfault——I

neverknoworcanimagine。’