第109章

TheDreamsofMrsFlintwinchthickenTheshadywaiting-roomsoftheCircumlocutionOffice，wherehepassedagooddealoftimeincompanywithvarioustroublesomeConvictswhowereundersentencetobebrokenaliveonthatwheel，hadaffordedArthurClennamampleleisure，inthreeorfoursuccessivedays，toexhaustthesubjectofhislateglimpseofMissWadeandTattycoram。Hehadbeenabletomakenomoreofitandnolessofit，andinthisunsatisfactoryconditionhewasfaintoleaveit。

Duringthisspacehehadnotbeentohismother’sdismaloldhouse。

Oneofhiscustomaryeveningsforrepairingthithernowcominground，helefthisdwellingandhispartneratnearlynineo’clock，andslowlywalkedinthedirectionofthatgrimhomeofhisyouth。

Italwaysaffectedhisimaginationaswrathful，mysterious，andsad；andhisimaginationwassufficientlyimpressibletoseethewholeneighbourhoodundersometingeofitsdarkshadow。Ashewentalong，uponadrearynight，thedimstreetsbywhichhewent，seemedalldepositoriesofoppressivesecrets。Thedesertedcounting-houses，withtheirsecretsofbooksandpaperslockedupinchestsandsafes；thebanking-houses，withtheirsecretsofstrongroomsandwells，thekeysofwhichwereinaveryfewsecretpocketsandaveryfewsecretbreasts；thesecretsofallthedispersedgrindersinthevastmill，amongwhomthereweredoubtlessplunderers，forgers，andtrust-betrayersofmanysorts，whomthelightofanydaythatdawnedmightreveal；hecouldhavefanciedthatthesethings，inhiding，impartedaheavinesstotheair。Theshadowthickeningandthickeningasheapproacheditssource，hethoughtofthesecretsofthelonelychurch-vaults，wherethepeoplewhohadhoardedandsecretedinironcofferswereintheirturnsimilarlyhoarded，notyetatrestfromdoingharm；

andthenofthesecretsoftheriver，asitrolleditsturbidtidebetweentwofrowningwildernessesofsecrets，extending，thickanddense，formanymiles，andwardingoffthefreeairandthefreecountrysweptbywindsandwingsofbirds。

Theshadowstilldarkeningashedrewnearthehouse，themelancholyroomwhichhisfatherhadonceoccupied，hauntedbytheappealingfacehehadhimselfseenfadeawaywithhimwhentherewasnootherwatcherbythebed，arosebeforehismind。Itscloseairwassecret。Thegloom，andmust，anddustofthewholetenement，weresecret。Attheheartofithismotherpresided，inflexibleofface，indomitableofwill，firmlyholdingallthesecretsofherownandhisfather’slife，andausterelyopposingherself，fronttofront，tothegreatfinalsecretofalllife。

Hehadturnedintothenarrowandsteepstreetfromwhichthecourtofenclosurewhereinthehousestoodopened，whenanotherfootstepturnedintoitbehindhim，andsocloseuponhisownthathewasjostledtothewall。Ashismindwasteemingwiththesethoughts，theencountertookhimaltogetherunprepared，sothattheotherpassengerhadhadtimetosay，boisterously，’Pardon!Notmyfault!’andtopassonbeforetheinstanthadelapsedwhichwasrequisitetohisrecoveryoftherealitiesabouthim。

Whenthatmomenthadflashedaway，hesawthatthemanstridingonbeforehimwasthemanwhohadbeensomuchinhismindduringthelastfewdays。Itwasnocasualresemblance，helpedoutbytheforceoftheimpressionthemanmadeuponhim。Itwastheman；themanhehadfollowedincompanywiththegirl，andwhomhehadoverheardtalkingtoMissWade。

Thestreetwasasharpdescentandwascrookedtoo，andtheman(whoalthoughnotdrunkhadtheairofbeingflushedwithsomestrongdrink)wentdownitsofastthatClennamlosthimashelookedathim。Withnodefinedintentionoffollowinghim，butwithanimpulsetokeepthefigureinviewalittlelonger，Clennamquic