第70章

MrsFlintwinchgoesonDreamingThehouseinthecitypreserveditsheavydulnessthroughallthesetransactions，andtheinvalidwithinitturnedthesameunvaryingroundoflife。Morning，noon，andnight，morning，noon，andnight，eachrecurringwithitsaccompanyingmonotony，alwaysthesamereluctantreturnofthesamesequencesofmachinery，likeadraggingpieceofclockwork。

Thewheeledchairhaditsassociatedremembrancesandreveries，onemaysuppose，aseveryplacethatismadethestationofahumanbeinghas。Picturesofdemolishedstreetsandalteredhouses，astheyformerlywerewhentheoccupantofthechairwasfamiliarwiththem，imagesofpeopleastheytoousedtobe，withlittleornoallowancemadeforthelapseoftimesincetheywereseen；ofthese，theremusthavebeenmanyinthelongroutineofgloomydays。Tostoptheclockofbusyexistenceatthehourwhenwewerepersonallysequesteredfromit，tosupposemankindstrickenmotionlesswhenwewerebroughttoastand-still，tobeunabletomeasurethechangesbeyondourviewbyanylargerstandardthantheshrunkenoneofourownuniformandcontractedexistence，istheinfirmityofmanyinvalids，andthementalunhealthinessofalmostallrecluses。

Whatscenesandactorsthesternwomanmostreviewed，asshesatfromseasontoseasoninheronedarkroom，noneknewbutherself。

MrFlintwinch，withhiswrypresencebroughttobearuponherdailylikesomeeccentricmechanicalforce，wouldperhapshavescreweditoutofher，iftherehadbeenlessresistanceinher；butshewastoostrongforhim。SofarasMistressAfferywasconcerned，toregardherliege-lordandherdisabledmistresswithafaceofblankwonder，togoaboutthehouseafterdarkwithherapronoverherhead，alwaystolistenforthestrangenoisesandsometimestohearthem，andnevertoemergefromherghostly，dreamy，sleep-

wakingstate，wasoccupationenoughforher。

Therewasafairstrokeofbusinessdoing，asMistressAfferymadeout，forherhusbandhadabundantoccupationinhislittleoffice，andsawmorepeoplethanhadbeenusedtocomethereforsomeyears。Thismighteasilybe，thehousehavingbeenlongdeserted；

buthedidreceiveletters，andcomers，andkeepbooks，andcorrespond。Moreover，hewentabouttoothercounting-houses，andtowharves，anddocks，andtotheCustomHouse，’andtoGarraway’sCoffeeHouse，andtheJerusalemCoffeeHouse，andon’Change；sothathewasmuchinandout。Hebegan，too，sometimesofanevening，whenMrsClennamexpressednoparticularwishforhissociety，toresorttoatavernintheneighbourhoodtolookattheshippingnewsandclosingpricesintheeveningpaper，andeventoexchangeSmallsocialitieswithmercantileSeaCaptainswhofrequentedthatestablishment。Atsomeperiodofeveryday，heandMrsClennamheldacouncilonmattersofbusiness；anditappearedtoAffery，whowasalwaysgropingabout，listeningandwatching，thatthetwocleveronesweremakingmoney。

ThestateofmindintowhichMrFlintwinch’sdazedladyhadfallen，hadnowbeguntobesoexpressedinallherlooksandactionsthatshewasheldinverylowaccountbythetwocleverones，asaperson，neverofstrongintellect，whowasbecomingfoolish。

Perhapsbecauseherappearancewasnotofacommercialcast，orperhapsbecauseitoccurredtohimthathishavingtakenhertowifemightexposehisjudgmenttodoubtinthemindsofcustomers，MrFlintwinchlaidhiscommandsuponherthatsheshouldholdherpeaceonthesubjectofherconjugalrelations，andshouldnolongercallhimJeremiahoutofthedomestictrio。Herfrequentforgetfulnessofthisadmoniti