第137章

’Mother，shallIdonothingtoassistyou？’

’Nothing。’

’Willyouentrustmewithnoconfidence，nocharge，noexplanation？

Willyoutakenocounselwithme？Willyounotletmecomenearyou？’

’Howcanyouaskme？Youseparatedyourselffrommyaffairs。Itwasnotmyact；itwasyours。Howcanyouconsistentlyaskmesuchaquestion？YouknowthatyouleftmetoFlintwinch，andthatheoccupiesyourplace。’

GlancingatJeremiah，Clennamsawinhisverygaitersthathisattentionwascloselydirectedtothem，thoughhestoodleaningagainstthewallscrapinghisjaw，andpretendedtolistentoFloraassheheldforthinamostdistractingmanneronachaosofsubjects，inwhichmackerel，andMrF。’sAuntinaswing，hadbecomeentangledwithcockchafersandthewinetrade。

’Aprisoner，inaFrenchgaol，onanaccusationofmurder，’

repeatedMrsClennam，steadilygoingoverwhathersonhadsaid。

’Thatisallyouknowofhimfromthefellow-prisoner？’

’Insubstance，all。’

’Andwasthefellow-prisonerhisaccompliceandamurderer，too？

But，ofcourse，hegivesabetteraccountofhimselfthanofhisfriend；itisneedlesstoask。Thiswillsupplytherestofthemherewithsomethingnewtotalkabout。Casby，Arthurtellsme——’

’Stay，mother!Stay，stay!’Heinterruptedherhastily，forithadnotenteredhisimaginationthatshewouldopenlyproclaimwhathehadtoldher。

’Whatnow？’shesaidwithdispleasure。’Whatmore？’

’Ibegyoutoexcuseme，MrCasby——andyou，too，MrsFinching——foroneothermomentwithmymother——’

Hehadlaidhishanduponherchair，orshewouldotherwisehavewheeleditroundwiththetouchofherfootupontheground。Theywerestillfacetoface。Shelookedathim，asheranoverthepossibilitiesofsomeresulthehadnotintended，andcouldnotforesee，beinginfluencedbyCavalletto’sdisclosurebecomingamatterofnotoriety，andhurriedlyarrivedattheconclusionthatithadbestnotbetalkedabout；thoughperhapshewasguidedbynomoredistinctreasonthanthathehadtakenitforgrantedthathismotherwouldreserveittoherselfandherpartner。

’Whatnow？’shesaidagain，impatiently。’Whatisit？’

’Ididnotmean，mother，thatyoushouldrepeatwhatIhavecommunicated。Ithinkyouhadbetternotrepeatit。’

’Doyoumakethataconditionwithme？’

’Well!Yes。’

’Observe，then!Itisyouwhomakethisasecret，’saidshe，holdingupherhand，’andnotI。Itisyou，Arthur，whobringheredoubtsandsuspicionsandentreatiesforexplanations，anditisyou，Arthur，whobringsecretshere。Whatisittome，doyouthink，wherethemanhasbeen，orwhathehasbeen？Whatcanitbetome？Thewholeworldmayknowit，iftheycaretoknowit；itisnothingtome。Now，letmego。’

Heyieldedtoherimperiousbutelatedlook，andturnedherchairbacktotheplacefromwhichhehadwheeledit。IndoingsohesawelationinthefaceofMrFlintwinch，whichmostassuredlywasnotinspiredbyFlora。thisturningofhisintelligenceandofhiswholeattemptanddesignagainsthimself，didevenmorethanhismother’sfixednessandfirmnesstoconvincehimthathiseffortswithherwereidle。NothingremainedbuttheappealtohisoldfriendAffery。

Buteventogettheverydoubtfulandpreliminarystageofmakingtheappeal，seemedoneoftheleastpromisingofhumanundertakings。Shewassocompletelyunderthethrallofthetwocleverones，wassosystematicallykeptinsightbyoneorotherofthem，andwassoafraidtogoaboutthehousebesides，thateveryopportunityofspeakingtoheraloneappearedtobefore