第108章

ThefirstvariationwhichmanifesteditselfinMrF。’sAunt’sdemeanourwhenshehadfinishedherpieceoftoast，wasaloudandprolongedsniff。Findingitimpossibletoavoidconstruingthisdemonstrationintoadefianceofhimself，itsgloomysignificancebeingunmistakable，Clennamlookedplaintivelyattheexcellentthoughprejudicedladyfromwhomitemanated，inthehopethatshemightbedisarmedbyameeksubmission。

’Noneofyoureyesatme，’saidMrF。’sAunt，shiveringwithhostility。’Takethat。’

’That’wasthecrustofthepieceoftoast。Clennamacceptedtheboonwithalookofgratitude，andhelditinhishandunderthepressureofalittleembarrassment，whichwasnotrelievedwhenMrF。’sAunt，elevatinghervoiceintoacryofconsiderablepower，exclaimed，’Hehasaproudstomach，thischap!He’stooproudachaptoeatit!’and，comingoutofherchair，shookhervenerablefistsoveryclosetohisnoseastoticklethesurface。ButforthetimelyreturnofFlora，tofindhiminthisdifficultsituation，furtherconsequencesmighthaveensued。Flora，withouttheleastdiscomposureorsurprise，butcongratulatingtheoldladyinanapprovingmanneronbeing’verylivelyto-night’，handedherbacktoherchair。

’Hehasaproudstomach，thischap，’saidMrF。’srelation，onbeingreseated。’Givehimamealofchaff!’

’Oh!Idon’tthinkhewouldlikethat，aunt，’returnedFlora。

’Givehimamealofchaff，Itellyou，’saidMrF。’sAunt，glaringroundFloraonherenemy。’It’stheonlythingforaproudstomach。Lethimeatupeverymorsel。Drathim，givehimamealofchaff!’

Underageneralpretenceofhelpinghimtothisrefreshment，Floragothimoutonthestaircase；MrF。’sAunteventhenconstantlyreiterating，withinexpressiblebitterness，thathewas’achap，’

andhada’proudstomach，’andoverandoveragaininsistingonthatequineprovisionbeingmadeforhimwhichshehadalreadysostronglyprescribed。

’Suchaninconvenientstaircaseandsomanycorner-stairsArthur，’

whisperedFlora，’wouldyouobjecttoputtingyourarmroundmeundermypelerine？’

Withasenseofgoingdown-stairsinahighly-ridiculousmanner，Clennamdescendedintherequiredattitude，andonlyreleasedhisfairburdenatthedining-roomdoor；indeed，eventhereshewasratherdifficulttobegotridof，remaininginhisembracetomurmur，’Arthur，formercy’ssake，don’tbreatheittopapa!’

SheaccompaniedArthurintotheroom，wherethePatriarchsatalone，withhislistshoesonthefender，twirlinghisthumbsasifhehadneverleftoff。TheyouthfulPatriarch，agedten，lookedoutofhispicture-frameabovehimwithnocalmerairthanhe。

Bothsmoothheadswerealikebeaming，blundering，andbumpy。

’MrClennam，Iamgladtoseeyou。Ihopeyouarewell，sir，I

hopeyouarewell。Pleasetositdown，pleasetositdown。’

’Ihadhoped，sir，’saidClennam，doingso，andlookingroundwithafaceofblankdisappointment，’nottofindyoualone。’

’Ah，indeed？’saidthePatriarch，sweetly。’Ah，indeed？’

’Itoldyousoyouknowpapa，’criedFlora。

’Ah，tobesure!’returnedthePatriarch。’Yes，justso。Ah，tobesure!’

’Pray，sir，’demandedClennam，anxiously，’isMissWadegone？’

’Miss——？Oh，youcallherWade，’returnedMrCasby。’Highlyproper。’

Arthurquicklyreturned，’Whatdoyoucallher？’

’Wade，’saidMrCasby。’Oh，alwaysWade