第63章

Nobody’sStateofMindIfArthurClennamhadnotarrivedatthatwisedecisionfirmlytorestrainhimselffromlovingPet，hewouldhavelivedoninastateofmuchperplexity，involvingdifficultstruggleswithhisownheart。Nottheleastofthesewouldhavebeenacontention，alwayswagingwithinit，betweenatendencytodislikeMrHenryGowan，ifnottoregardhimwithpositiverepugnance，andawhisperthattheinclinationwasunworthy。Agenerousnatureisnotpronetostrongaversions，andisslowtoadmitthemevendispassionately；butwhenitfindsill-willgaininguponit，andcandiscernbetween-whilesthatitsoriginisnotdispassionate，suchanaturebecomesdistressed。

ThereforeMrHenryGowanwouldhavecloudedClennam’smind，andwouldhavebeenfaroftenerpresenttoitthanmoreagreeablepersonsandsubjectsbutforthegreatprudenceofhisdecisionaforesaid。Asitwas，MrGowanseemedtransferredtoDanielDoyce’smind；atallevents，itsohappenedthatitusuallyfelltoMrDoyce’sturn，ratherthantoClennam’s，tospeakofhiminthefriendlyconversationstheyheldtogether。Thesewereoffrequentoccurrencenow；asthetwopartnerssharedaportionofaroomyhouseinoneofthegraveold-fashionedCitystreets，lyingnotfarfromtheBankofEngland，byLondonWall。

MrDoycehadbeentoTwickenhamtopasstheday。Clennamhadexcusedhimself。MrDoycewasjustcomehome。HeputinhisheadatthedoorofClennam’ssitting-roomtosayGoodnight。

’Comein，comein!’saidClennam。

’Isawyouwerereading，’returnedDoyce，asheentered，’andthoughtyoumightnotcaretobedisturbed。’

Butforthenotableresolutionhehadmade，Clennamreallymightnothaveknownwhathehadbeenreading；reallymightnothavehadhiseyesuponthebookforanhourpast，thoughitlayopenbeforehim。Heshutitup，ratherquickly。

’Aretheywell？’heasked。

’Yes，’saidDoyce；’theyarewell。Theyareallwell。’

Danielhadanoldworkmanlikehabitofcarryinghispocket-

handkerchiefinhishat。Hetookitoutandwipedhisforeheadwithit，slowlyrepeating，’Theyareallwell。MissMinnielookingparticularlywell，Ithought。’

’Anycompanyatthecottage？’

’No，nocompany。’

’Andhowdidyougeton，youfour？’askedClennamgaily。

’Therewerefiveofus，’returnedhispartner。’TherewasWhat’s-

his-name。Hewasthere。’

’Whoishe？’saidClennam。

’MrHenryGowan。’

’Ah，tobesure!’criedClennamwithunusualvivacity，’Yes!——I

forgothim。’

’AsImentioned，youmayremember，’saidDanielDoyce，’heisalwaysthereonSunday。’

’Yes，yes，’returnedClennam；’Iremembernow。’

DanielDoyce，stillwipinghisforehead，ploddinglyrepeated。

’Yes。Hewasthere，hewasthere。Ohyes，hewasthere。Andhisdog。Hewastheretoo。’

’MissMeaglesisquiteattachedto——the——dog，’observedClennam。

’Quiteso，’assentedhispartner。’MoreattachedtothedogthanIamtotheman。’

’YoumeanMr——？’

’ImeanMrGowan，mostdecidedly，’saidDanielDoyce。

Therewasagapintheconversation，whichClennamdevotedtowindinguphiswatch。

’Perhapsyouarealittlehastyinyourjudgment，’hesaid。’Ourjudgments——Iamsupposingageneralcase——’

’Ofcourse，’saidDoyce。

’Aresoliabletobeinfluencedbymanyconsiderations，which，almostwithoutourknowingit，areunfair，thatitisnecessarytokeepaguarduponthem。Forinstance，Mr——’

’Gowan，’quietlysaidDoyce，uponwhomtheutteranceofthenamealmostalwaysdevolved。