to the air。 The shadow thickening and thickening as he approached its
source； he thought of the secrets of the lonely church…vaults； where the
people who had hoarded and secreted in iron coffers were in their turn
similarly hoarded； not yet at rest from doing harm； and then of the
secrets of the river； as it rolled its turbid tide between two frowning
wildernesses of secrets； extending； thick and dense； for many miles； and
warding off the free air and the free country swept by winds and wings
of birds。
The shadow still darkening as he drew near the house； the melancholy
room which his father had once occupied； haunted by the appealing face
he had himself seen fade away with him when there was no other watcher
by the bed； arose before his mind。 Its close air was secret。 The gloom；
and must； and dust of the whole tenement； were secret。 At the heart of
it his mother presided； inflexible of face； indomitable of will； firmly
holding all the secrets of her own and his father's life； and austerely
opposing herself； front to front； to the great final secret of all life。
He had turned into the narrow and steep street from which the court of
enclosure wherein the house stood opened； when another footstep turned
into it behind him； and so close upon his own that he was jostled to the
wall。 As his mind was teeming with these thoughts； the encounter took
him altogether unprepared； so that the other passenger had had time to
say； boisterously； 'Pardon！ Not my fault！' and to pass on before the
instant had elapsed which was requisite to his recovery of the realities
about him。
When that moment had flashed away； he saw that the man striding on
before him was the man who had been so much in his mind during the last
few days。 It was no casual resemblance； helped out by the force of
the impression the man made upon him。 It was the man； the man he had
followed in pany with the girl； and whom he had overheard talking to
Miss Wade。
The street was a sharp descent and was crooked too； and the man （who
although not drunk had the air of being flushed with some strong drink）
went down it so fast that Clennam lost him as he looked at him。 With
no defined intention of following him； but with an impulse to keep the
figure in view a little longer； Clennam quickened his pace to pass the
twist in the street which hid him from his sight。 On turning it； he saw
the man no more。
Standing now； close to the gateway of his mother's house； he looked
down the street： but it was empty。 There was no projecting shadow large
enough to obscure the man； there was no turning near that he could have
taken； nor had there been any audible sound of the opening and closing
of a door。 Nevertheless； he concluded that the man must have had a key
in his hand； and must have opened one of the many house…doors and gone
in。
Ruminating on this strange chance and strange glimpse； he turned into
the court…yard。 As he looked； by mere habit； towards the feebly lighted
windows of his mother's room； his eyes encountered the figure he had
just lost； standing against the iron railings of the little waste
enclosure looking up at those windows and laughing to himself。 Some of
the many vagrant cats who were always prowling about there by night；
and who had taken fright at him； appeared to have stopped when he had
stopped； and were looking at him with eyes by no means unlike his own
from tops of walls and porches； and other safe points of pause。 He had
only halted for a moment to entertain himself thus； he immediately went
forward； throwing the end of his cloak off his shoulder as he went；
ascended the unevenly sunken steps； and knocked a sounding knock at the
door。
Clennam's surprise was not so absorbing but that he took his resolution
without any incertitude。 He went up to the door too； and ascended the
steps too。 His friend looked at him with a braggart air； and sang to
himself。
'Who passes by this road so late？
pagnon de la Majolaine；
Who passes by this road so late？
Always gay！'
After which he knocked again。
'You are impatient； sir；' said Arthur。
'I am； sir。 Death of my life； sir；' returned the stranger； 'it's my
character to be impatient！' The sound of Mistress Affery cautiously
chaining the door before she opened it； caused them both to look that
way。 Affery opened it a very little； with a flaring candle in her hands
and asked who was that； at that time of night； with that knock！ 'Why；
Arthur！' she added with astonishment； seeing him first。 'Not you sure？
Ah； Lord save us！ No；' she cried out； seeing the other。 'Him again！'
'It's true！ Him again； dear Mrs Flintwinch；' cried the stranger。 'Open
the door； and let me take my dear friend Jeremiah to my arms！ Open the
door； and let me hasten myself to embrace my Flintwinch！'
'He's not at home；' cried Affery。
'Fetch him！' cried the stranger。 'Fetch my Flintwinch！ Tell him that it
is his old Blandois； who es from arriving in England； tell him that
it is his little boy who is here； his cabbage； his well…beloved！ Open
the door； beautiful Mrs Flintwinch； and in the meantime let me to pass
upstairs； to present my pliments……homage of Blandois……to my lady！ My
lady lives always？ It is well。
Open then！'
To Arthur's increased surprise； Mistress Affery； stretching her eyes
wide at himself； as if in warning that this was not a gentleman for
him to interfere with； drew back the chain； and opened the door。 The
stranger； without ceremony； walked into the hall； leaving Arthur to
follow him。
'Despatch then！ Achieve then！ Bring my Flintwinch！ Announce me to my
lady！' cried the stranger； clanking about the stone floor。
'Pray tell me； Affery；' said Arthur aloud and sternly； as he surveyed
him from head to foot with indignation； 'who is this gentleman？'
'Pray tell me； Affery；' the stranger repeated in his turn； 'who……ha； ha；
ha！……who is this gentleman？'
The voice of Mrs Clennam opportunely called from her chamber above；
'Affery； let them both e up。 Arthur； e straight to me！'
'Arthur？' exclaimed Blandois； taking off his hat at arm's length；
and bringing his heels together from a great stride in making him a
flourishing bow。 'The son of my lady？ I am the all…devoted of the son of
my lady！'
Arthur looked at him again in no more flattering manner than before；
and； turning on his heel without acknowledgment； went up…stairs。 The
visitor followed him up…stairs。 Mistress Affery took the key from behind
the door； and deftly slipped out to fetch her lord。
A bystander； informed of the previous appearance of Monsieur Blandois
in that room； would have observed a difference in Mrs Clennam's present
reception of him。 Her face was not one to betray it； and her suppressed
manner； and her set voice； were equally under her control。 It wholly
consisted in her never taking her eyes off his face from the moment of
his entrance； and in her twice or thrice； when he was being noisy；
swaying herself a very little forward in the chair in which she sat
upright； with her hands immovable upon its elbows； as if she gave him
the assurance that he should be presently heard at any length he would。
Arthur did not fail to observe this； though the difference between the
present occasion and the former was not within his power of observation。
'Madame；' said Blandois； 'do me the honour to present me to Monsieur；
your son。 It appears to me； madame； that Monsieur； your son； is disposed
to plain of me。 He is not polite。'
'Sir；' said Arthur； striking in expeditiously； 'whoever you are； and
however you e to be here； if I were the master of this house I would
lose no time in placing you on the outside of it。'
'But you are not；' said his mother； without looking at him。
'Unfortunately for the gratification of your unreasonable temper； you
are not the master； Arthur。'
'I make no claim to be； mother。 If I object to this person's manner of
conducting himself here； and object to it so much； that if I had any
authority here I certainly would not suffer him to remain a minute； I
object on your account。'
'In the case of objection being necessary；' she returned； 'I could
object for myself。 And of course I should。'
The subject of their dispute； who had seated himself； laughed aloud； and
rapped his legs with his hand。
'You have no right；' said Mrs Clennam； always intent on Blandois；
however directly she addressed her son； 'to speak to the prejudice of
any gentleman （least of all a gentleman from another country）； because
he does not conform to your standard； or square his behaviour by your
rules。 It is possible that the gentleman may； on similar grounds； object
to you。'
'I hope so；' returned Arthur。
'The gentleman；' pursued Mrs Clennam； 'on a former occasion brought
a letter of remendation to us from highly esteemed and responsible
correspondents。 I am perfectly unacquainted with the gentleman's object
in ing here at present。 I am entirely ignorant of it； and cannot be
supposed likely to be able to form the remotest guess at its nature；'
her habitual frown became stronger； as she very slowly and weightily
emphasised those words； 'but； when the gentleman proceeds to explain
his object； as I shall beg him to have the goodness to do to myself and
Flintwinch； when Flintwinch returns； it will prove； no doubt； to be one
more or less in the usual way of our business； which it will be both our
business and our pleasure to advance。 It can be nothing else。'
'We shall see； madame！' said the man of business。
'We shall see；' she assented。 'The gentleman is acquainted with
Flintwinch； and when the gentleman was in London last； I remember
to have heard that he and Flintwinch had some entertainment or
good…fellowship together。 I am not in the way of knowing much that
passes outside this room； and the jingle of little worldly things beyond
it does not much interest me； but I remember to have heard that。'
'Right； madame。 It is true。' He laughed again； and whistled the burden
of the tune he had sung at the door。
'Therefore； Arthur；' said his mother； 'the gentleman es here as an
acquaintance； and no stranger； and it is much to be regretted that your
unreasonable temper should have found offence in him。 I regret it。 I say
so to the gentleman。 You will not say so； I know； therefore I say it for
myself and Flintwinch； since with us two the gentleman's business lies。'
The key of the door below was now heard in the lock； and the door was
heard to open and close。 In due sequence Mr Flintwinch appeared； on
whose entrance the visitor rose from his chair； laughing loud； and
folded him in a close embrace。
'How goes it； my cherished friend！' said he。 'How goes the world； my
Flintwinch？ Rose…coloured？ So much the better； so much the better！ Ah；
but you look charming！ Ah； but you look young and fresh as the flowers
of Spring！ Ah； good little boy！ Brave child； brave child！'
While heaping these pliments on Mr Flintwinch； he rolled him about
with a hand on each of his shoulders； until the staggerings of that
gentleman； who under the circumstances was dryer and more twisted than
ever； were like those of a teetotum nearly spent。
'I had a presentiment； last time； that we should be better and more
i