health。 But what……hey？……Lord forgive us！……Mrs Flintwinch muttered some
ejaculation to this effect； and turned giddy。
For； Mr Flintwinch awake； was watching Mr Flintwinch asleep。 He sat on
one side of the small table； looking keenly at himself on the other side
with his chin sunk on his breast； snoring。 The waking Flintwinch had his
full front face presented to his wife； the sleeping Flintwinch was
in profile。 The waking Flintwinch was the old original； the sleeping
Flintwinch was the double； just as she might have distinguished between
a tangible object and its reflection in a glass； Affery made out this
difference with her head going round and round。
If she had had any doubt which was her own Jeremiah； it would have been
resolved by his impatience。 He looked about him for an offensive weapon；
caught up the snuffers； and； before applying them to the cabbage…headed
candle； lunged at the sleeper as though he would have run him through
the body。
'Who's that？ What's the matter？' cried the sleeper； starting。
Mr Flintwinch made a movement with the snuffers； as if he would have
enforced silence on his panion by putting them down his throat； the
panion； ing to himself； said； rubbing his eyes； 'I forgot where I
was。'
'You have been asleep；' snarled Jeremiah； referring to his watch； 'two
hours。 You said you would be rested enough if you had a short nap。'
'I have had a short nap；' said Double。
'Half…past two o'clock in the morning；' muttered Jeremiah。 'Where's your
hat？ Where's your coat？ Where's the box？'
'All here；' said Double； tying up his throat with sleepy carefulness in
a shawl。 'Stop a minute。 Now give me the sleeve……not that sleeve； the
other one。 Ha！ I'm not as young as I was。' Mr Flintwinch had pulled
him into his coat with vehement energy。 'You promised me a second glass
after I was rested。'
'Drink it！' returned Jeremiah； 'and……choke yourself； I was going
to say……but go； I mean。'At the same time he produced the identical
port…wine bottle； and filled a wine…glass。
'Her port…wine； I believe？' said Double； tasting it as if he were in the
Docks； with hours to spare。 'Her health。'
He took a sip。
'Your health！'
He took another sip。
'His health！'
He took another sip。
'And all friends round St Paul's。' He emptied and put down the
wine…glass half…way through this ancient civic toast； and took up the
box。 It was an iron box some two feet square； which he carried under his
arms pretty easily。 Jeremiah watched his manner of adjusting it； with
jealous eyes； tried it with his hands； to be sure that he had a firm
hold of it； bade him for his life be careful what he was about； and then
stole out on tiptoe to open the door for him。 Affery； anticipating
the last movement； was on the staircase。 The sequence of things was
so ordinary and natural； that； standing there； she could hear the door
open； feel the night air； and see the stars outside。
But now came the most remarkable part of the dream。 She felt so afraid
of her husband； that being on the staircase； she had not the power to
retreat to her room （which she might easily have done before he had
fastened the door）； but stood there staring。 Consequently when he came
up the staircase to bed； candle in hand； he came full upon her。 He
looked astonished； but said not a word。 He kept his eyes upon her； and
kept advancing； and she； pletely under his influence； kept retiring
before him。 Thus； she walking backward and he walking forward； they
came into their own room。 They were no sooner shut in there； than Mr
Flintwinch took her by the throat； and shook her until she was black in
the face。
'Why； Affery； woman……Affery！' said Mr Flintwinch。 'What have you been
dreaming of？ Wake up； wake up！ What's the matter？'
'The……the matter； Jeremiah？' gasped Mrs Flintwinch； rolling her eyes。
'Why； Affery； woman……Affery！ You have been getting out of bed in your
sleep； my dear！ I e up； after having fallen asleep myself； below； and
find you in your wrapper here； with the nightmare。 Affery； woman；' said
Mr Flintwinch； with a friendly grin on his expressive countenance； 'if
you ever have a dream of this sort again； it'll be a sign of your being
in want of physic。 And I'll give you such a dose； old woman……such a
dose！'
Mrs Flintwinch thanked him and crept into bed。
CHAPTER 5。 Family Affairs
As the city clocks struck nine on Monday morning； Mrs Clennam was
wheeled by Jeremiah Flintwinch of the cut…down aspect to her tall
cabi。 When she had unlocked and opened it； and had settled herself
at its desk； Jeremiah withdrew……as it might be； to hang himself more
effectually……and her son appeared。
'Are you any better this morning； mother？'
She shook her head； with the same austere air of luxuriousness that she
had shown over…night when speaking of the weather。
'I shall never be better any more。 It is well for me； Arthur； that I
know it and can bear it。'
Sitting with her hands laid separately upon the desk； and the tall
cabi towering before her； she looked as if she were performing on a
dumb church organ。 Her son thought so （it was an old thought with him）；
while he took his seat beside it。
She opened a drawer or two； looked over some business papers； and put
them back again。 Her severe face had no thread of relaxation in it； by
which any explorer could have been guided to the gloomy labyrinth of her
thoughts。
'Shall I speak of our affairs； mother？ Are you inclined to enter upon
business？'
'Am I inclined； Arthur？ Rather； are you？ Your father has been dead a
year and more。 I have been at your disposal； and waiting your pleasure；
ever since。'
'There was much to arrange before I could leave； and when I did leave； I
travelled a little for rest and relief。'
She turned her face towards him； as not having heard or understood his
last words。 'For rest and relief。'
She glanced round the sombre room； and appeared from the motion of her
lips to repeat the words to herself； as calling it to witness how little
of either it afforded her。
'Besides； mother； you being sole executrix； and having the direction and
management of the estate； there remained little business； or I might say
none； that I could transact； until you had had time to arrange matters
to your satisfaction。'
'The accounts are made out；' she returned。 'I have them here。 The
vouchers have all been examined and passed。 You can inspect them when
you like； Arthur； now； if you please。'
'It is quite enough； mother； to know that the business is pleted。
Shall I proceed then？'
'Why not？' she said； in her frozen way。
'Mother； our House has done less and less for some years past； and our
dealings have been progressively on the decline。 We have never shown
much confidence； or invited much； we have attached no people to us； the
track we have kept is not the track of the time； and we have been
left far behind。 I need not dwell on this to you； mother。 You know it
necessarily。'
'I know what you mean；' she answered； in a qualified tone。 'Even this
old house in which we speak；' pursued her son； 'is an instance of what I
say。 In my father's earlier time； and in his uncle's time before him；
it was a place of business……really a place of business； and business
resort。 Now； it is a mere anomaly and incongruity here； out of date and
out of purpose。 All our consignments have long been made to Rovinghams'
the mission…merchants； and although； as a check upon them； and in
the stewardship of my father's resources； your judgment and watchfulness
have been actively exerted； still those qualities would have influenced
my father's fortunes equally； if you had lived in any private dwelling：
would they not？'
'Do you consider；' she returned； without answering his question； 'that
a house serves no purpose； Arthur； in sheltering your infirm and
afflicted……justly infirm and righteously afflicted……mother？'
'I was speaking only of business purposes。'
'With what object？'
'I am ing to it。'
'I foresee；' she returned； fixing her eyes upon him； 'what it is。
But the Lord forbid that I should repine under any visitation。 In my
sinfulness I merit bitter disappointment； and I accept it。'
'Mother； I grieve to hear you speak like this； though I have had my
apprehensions that you would……'
'You knew I would。 You knew ME；' she interrupted。
Her son paused for a moment。 He had struck fire out of her； and was
surprised。
'Well！' she said； relapsing into stone。 'Go on。 Let me hear。'
'You have anticipated； mother； that I decide for my part； to abandon
the business。 I have done with it。 I will not take upon myself to advise
you； you will continue it； I see。 If I had any influence with you； I
would simply use it to soften your judgment of me in causing you this
disappointment： to represent to you that I have lived the half of a long
term of life； and have never before set my own will against yours。 I
cannot say that I have been able to conform myself； in heart and spirit；
to your rules； I cannot say that I believe my forty years have been
profitable or pleasant to myself； or any one； but I have habitually
submitted； and I only ask you to remember it。'
Woe to the suppliant； if such a one there were or ever had been； who had
any concession to look for in the inexorable face at the cabi。 Woe to
the defaulter whose appeal lay to the tribunal where those severe eyes
presided。 Great need had the rigid woman of her mystical religion；
veiled in gloom and darkness； with lightnings of cursing； vengeance； and
destruction； flashing through the sable clouds。 Forgive us our debts as
we forgive our debtors； was a prayer too poor in spirit for her。 Smite
Thou my debtors； Lord； wither them； crush them； do Thou as I would do；
and Thou shalt have my worship： this was the impious tower of stone she
built up to scale Heaven。
'Have you finished； Arthur； or have you anything more to say to me？
I think there can be nothing else。 You have been short； but full of
matter！'
'Mother； I have yet something more to say。 It has been upon my mind；
night and day； this long time。 It is far more difficult to say than what
I have said。 That concerned myself； this concerns us all。'
'Us all！ Who are us all？'
'Yourself； myself； my dead father。'
She took her hands from the desk； folded them in her lap； and sat
looking towards the fire； with the imperability of an old Egyptian
sculpture。
'You knew my father infinitely better than I ever knew him； and his
reserve with me yielded to you。 You were much the stronger； mother； and
directed him。 As a child； I knew it as well as I know it now。 I knew
that your ascendancy over him was the cause of his going to China to
take care of the business there； while you took care of it here （though
I do not even now know whether these were really terms of separation
that you agreed upon）； and that it was your will that I should remain
with you until I was twenty； and then go to him as I did。 You will not
be offended by my recalling this； after twenty years？'
'I am waiting to hear why you recall it。'
He lowered his voice； and said； with manifest reluctance； and against
his will：
'I want to ask you； mother； whether it ever occurred to you to
suspect……'
At the w