第145章

’Freelygranted，’saidClennam，wavinghishandwithoutraisinghissunkenhead。’Saynomore。Iamnotworthit。’

’Thisfurniture，sir，’saidYoungJohninavoiceofmildandsoftexplanation，’belongstome。Iaminthehabitoflettingitouttopartieswithoutfurniture，thathavetheroom。Itan’tmuch，butit’satyourservice。Free，Imean。Icouldnotthinkoflettingyouhaveitonanyotherterms。You’rewelcometoitfornothing。’

Arthurraisedhisheadagaintothankhim，andtosayhecouldnotacceptthefavour。Johnwasstillturninghiswrist，andstillcontendingwithhimselfinhisformerdividedmanner。

’Whatisthematterbetweenus？’saidArthur。

’Ideclinetonameit，sir，’returnedYoungJohn，suddenlyturningloudandsharp。’Nothing’sthematter。’

Arthurlookedathimagain，invain，foranexplanationofhisbehaviour。Afterawhile，Arthurturnedawayhisheadagain。

YoungJohnsaid，presentlyafterwards，withtheutmostmildness：

’Thelittleroundtable，sir，that’snighyourelbow，was——youknowwhose——Ineedn’tmentionhim——hediedagreatgentleman。Iboughtitofanindividualthathegaveitto，andthatlivedhereafterhim。Buttheindividualwasn’tanywaysequaltohim。Mostindividualswouldfindithardtocomeuptohislevel。’

Arthurdrewthelittletablenearer，restedhisarmuponit，andkeptitthere。

’Perhapsyoumaynotbeaware，sir，’saidYoungJohn，’thatI

intrudeduponhimwhenhewasoverhereinLondon。OnthewholehewasofopinionthatitWASanintrusion，thoughhewassogoodastoaskmetositdownandtoinquireafterfatherandallotheroldfriends。Leastwayshumblestacquaintances。Helooked，tome，agooddealchanged，andIsaidsowhenIcameback。IaskedhimifMissAmywaswell——’

’Andshewas？’

’Ishouldhavethoughtyouwouldhaveknownwithoutputtingthequestiontosuchasme，’returnedYoungJohn，afterappearingtotakealargeinvisiblepill。’Sinceyoudoputmethequestion，I

amsorryIcan’tanswerit。Butthetruthis，helookedupontheinquiryasaliberty，andsaid，“Whatwasthattome？“ItwasthenIbecamequiteawareIwasintruding：ofwhichIhadbeenfearfulbefore。However，hespokeveryhandsomeafterwards；veryhandsome。’

Theywerebothsilentforseveralminutes：exceptthatYoungJohnremarked，ataboutthemiddleofthepause，’Hebothspokeandactedveryhandsome。’

ItwasagainYoungJohnwhobrokethesilencebyinquiring：

’Ifit’snotaliberty，howlongmayitbeyourintentions，sir，togowithouteatinganddrinking？’

’Ihavenotfeltthewantofanythingyet，’returnedClennam。’I

havenoappetitejustnow。’

’Themorereasonwhyyoushouldtakesomesupport，sir，’urgedYoungJohn。’Ifyoufindyourselfgoingonsittinghereforhoursandhourspartakingofnorefreshmentbecauseyouhavenoappetite，whythenyoushouldandmustpartakeofrefreshmentwithoutanappetite。I’mgoingtohaveteainmyownapartment。Ifit’snotaliberty，pleasetocomeandtakeacup。OrIcanbringatrayhereintwominutes。’

FeelingthatYoungJohnwouldimposethattroubleonhimselfifherefused，andalsofeelinganxioustoshowthatheboreinmindboththeelderMrChivery’sentreaty，andtheyoungerMrChivery’sapology，ArthurroseandexpressedhiswillingnesstotakeacupofteainMrjohn’sapartment。YoungJohnlockedhisdoorforhimastheywentout，slidedthekeyintohispocketwithgreatdexterity，andledthewaytohisownresidence。

Itwasatthetopofthehousenearesttothegateway。ItwastheroomtowhichClennamhadhurriedonthedaywhentheenrichedfamilyhadlefttheprisonforever，andwherehehadliftedherinsensiblefromthefloor。Heforesawwheretheyweregoingassoonastheirfeettouchedthestaircase。Theroomwassofarchangedthatitwaspaperednow，andhadbeenrepainted，andwasfarmorecomfortablyfurnished；buthecouldrecallitjustashehadseenitinthatsingleglance，whenheraisedherfromthegroundandcarriedherdowntothecarriage。

YoungJohnlookedhardathim，bitinghisfingers。

’Iseeyourecollecttheroom，MrClennam？’

’Irecollectitwell，Heavenblessher!’

Obliviousofthetea，YoungJohncontinuedtobitehisfingersandtolookathisvisitor，aslongashisvisitorcontinuedtoglanceabouttheroom。Finally，hemadeastartattheteapot，gustilyrattledaquantityofteaintoitfromacanister，andsetoffforthecommonkitchentofillitwithhotwater。

TheroomwassoeloquenttoClennaminthechangedcircumstancesofhisreturntothemiserableMarshalsea；itspoketohimsomournfullyofher，andofhislossofher；thatitwouldhavegonehardwithhimtoresistit，eventhoughhehadnotbeenalone。

Alone，hedidnottry。Hehadhishandontheinsensiblewallastenderlyasifithadbeenherselfthathetouched，andpronouncedhernameinalowvoice。Hestoodatthewindow，lookingovertheprison-parapetwithitsgrimspikedborder，andbreathedabenedictionthroughthesummerhazetowardsthedistantlandwhereshewasrichandprosperous。

YoungJohnwassometimeabsent，and，whenhecameback，showedthathehadbeenoutsidebybringingwithhimfreshbutterinacabbageleaf，somethinslicesofboiledhaminanothercabbageleaf，an