第110章

’Therefore，Arthur，’saidhismother，’thegentlemancomeshereasanacquaintance，andnostranger；anditismuchtoberegrettedthatyourunreasonabletempershouldhavefoundoffenceinhim。I

regretit。Isaysotothegentleman。Youwillnotsayso，I

know；thereforeIsayitformyselfandFlintwinch，sincewithustwothegentleman’sbusinesslies。’

Thekeyofthedoorbelowwasnowheardinthelock，andthedoorwasheardtoopenandclose。InduesequenceMrFlintwinchappeared；onwhoseentrancethevisitorrosefromhischair，laughingloud，andfoldedhiminacloseembrace。

’Howgoesit，mycherishedfriend!’saidhe。’Howgoestheworld，myFlintwinch？Rose-coloured？Somuchthebetter，somuchthebetter!Ah，butyoulookcharming!Ah，butyoulookyoungandfreshastheflowersofSpring!Ah，goodlittleboy!Bravechild，bravechild!’

WhileheapingthesecomplimentsonMrFlintwinch，herolledhimaboutwithahandoneachofhisshoulders，untilthestaggeringsofthatgentleman，whounderthecircumstanceswasdryerandmoretwistedthanever，werelikethoseofateetotumnearlyspent。

’Ihadapresentiment，lasttime，thatweshouldbebetterandmoreintimatelyacquainted。Isitcomingonyou，Flintwinch？Isityetcomingon？’

’Why，no，sir，’retortedMrFlintwinch。’Notunusually。Hadn’tyoubetterbeseated？Youhavebeencallingforsomemoreofthatport，sir，Iguess？’

’Ah，Littlejoker!Littlepig!’criedthevisitor。’Hahahaha!’

AndthrowingMrFlintwinchaway，asaclosingpieceofraillery，hesatdownagain。

Theamazement，suspicion，resentment，andshame，withwhichArthurlookedonatallthis，struckhimdumb。MrFlintwinch，whohadspunbackwardsometwoorthreeyardsundertheimpetuslastgiventohim，broughthimselfupwithafacecompletelyunchangedinitsstolidityexceptasitwasaffectedbyshortnessofbreath，andlookedhardatArthur。NotawhitlessreticentandwoodenwasMrFlintwinchoutwardly，thanintheusualcourseofthings：theonlyperceptibledifferenceinhimbeingthattheknotofcravatwhichwasgenerallyunderhisear，hadworkedroundtothebackofhishead：whereitformedanornamentalappendagenotunlikeabagwig，andgavehimsomethingofacourtlyappearance。

AsMrsClennamneverremovedhereyesfromBlandois(onwhomtheyhadsomeeffect，asasteadylookhasonalowersortofdog)，soJeremiahneverremovedhisfromArthur。Itwasasiftheyhadtacitlyagreedtotaketheirdifferentprovinces。Thus，intheensuingsilence，JeremiahstoodscrapinghischinandlookingatArthurasthoughheweretryingtoscrewhisthoughtsoutofhimwithaninstrument。

Afteralittle，thevisitor，asifhefeltthesilenceirksome，rose，andimpatientlyputhimselfwithhisbacktothesacredfirewhichhadburnedthroughsomanyyears。ThereuponMrsClennamsaid，movingoneofherhandsforthefirsttime，andmovingitveryslightlywithanactionofdismissal：

’Pleasetoleaveustoourbusiness，Arthur。’

’Mother，Idosowithreluctance。’

’Nevermindwithwhat，’shereturned，’orwithwhatnot。Pleasetoleaveus。Comebackatanyothertimewhenyoumayconsideritadutytoburyhalfanhourwearilyhere。Goodnight。’

Shehelduphermuffledfingersthathemighttouchthemwithhis，accordingtotheirusualcustom，andhestoodoverherwheeledchairtotouchherfacewithhislips。Hethought，then，thathercheekwasmorestrainedthanusual，andthatitwascolder。Ashefollowedthedirectionofhereyes，inrisingagain，towardsMrFlintwinch’sgoodfriend，MrBlandois，MrBlandoissnappedhisfingerandthumbwithoneloudcontemptuoussnap。

’Ileaveyour——yourbusinessacquaintanceinmymother’sroom，MrFlintwinch，’saidClennam，’withagreatdealofsurpriseandagreatdealofunwillingness。’

Thepersonreferr