lightly； on Mr Dorrit's mind。 It was the Chief Butler。 That stupendous
character looked at him； in the course of his official looking at the
dinners； in a manner that Mr Dorrit considered questionable。 He looked
at him； as he passed through the hall and up the staircase； going to
dinner； with a glazed fixedness that Mr Dorrit did not like。 Seated
at table in the act of drinking； Mr Dorrit still saw him through his
wine…glass； regarding him with a cold and ghostly eye。 It misgave him
that the Chief Butler must have known a Collegian； and must have seen
him in the College……perhaps had been presented to him。 He looked as
closely at the Chief Butler as such a man could be looked at； and yet
he did not recall that he had ever seen him elsewhere。 Ultimately he was
inclined to think that there was no reverence in the man； no sentiment
in the great creature。 But he was not relieved by that； for； let him
think what he would； the Chief Butler had him in his supercilious eye；
even when that eye was on the plate and other table…garniture； and he
never let him out of it。 To hint to him that this confinement in his eye
was disagreeable； or to ask him what he meant； was an act too daring to
venture upon； his severity with his employers and their visitors being
terrific； and he never permitting himself to be approached with the
slightest liberty。
CHAPTER 17。 Missing
The term of Mr Dorrit's visit was within two days of being out； and he
was about to dress for another inspection by the Chief Butler （whose
victims were always dressed expressly for him）； when one of the servants
of the hotel presented himself bearing a card。 Mr Dorrit； taking it；
read：
'Mrs Finching。'
The servant waited in speechless deference。
'Man； man；' said Mr Dorrit； turning upon him with grievous indignation；
'explain your motive in bringing me this ridiculous name。 I am wholly
unacquainted with it。 Finching； sir？' said Mr Dorrit； perhaps avenging
himself on the Chief Butler by Substitute。
'Ha！ What do you mean by Finching？'
The man； man； seemed to mean Flinching as much as anything else； for
he backed away from Mr Dorrit's severe regard； as he replied； 'A lady；
sir。'
'I know no such lady； sir；' said Mr Dorrit。 'Take this card away。 I know
no Finching of either sex。'
'Ask your pardon； sir。 The lady said she was aware she might be unknown
by name。 But she begged me to say； sir； that she had formerly the honour
of being acquainted with Miss Dorrit。 The lady said； sir； the youngest
Miss Dorrit。'
Mr Dorrit knitted his brows and rejoined； after a moment or two； 'Inform
Mrs Finching； sir；' emphasising the name as if the innocent man were
solely responsible for it； 'that she can e up。'
He had reflected； in his momentary pause； that unless she were admitted
she might leave some message； or might say something below； having
a disgraceful reference to that former state of existence。 Hence the
concession； and hence the appearance of Flora； piloted in by the man；
man。
'I have not the pleasure；' said Mr Dorrit； standing with the card in his
hand； and with an air which imported that it would scarcely have been a
first…class pleasure if he had had it； 'of knowing either this name； or
yourself； madam。 Place a chair； sir。' The responsible man； with a start；
obeyed； and went out on tiptoe。 Flora； putting aside her veil with a
bashful tremor upon her； proceeded to introduce herself。 At the same
time a singular bination of perfumes was diffused through the room；
as if some brandy had been put by mistake in a lavender…water bottle； or
as if some lavender…water had been put by mistake in a brandy…bottle。
'I beg Mr Dorrit to offer a thousand apologies and indeed they would
be far too few for such an intrusion which I know must appear extremely
bold in a lady and alone too； but I thought it best upon the whole
however difficult and even apparently improper though Mr F。's Aunt would
have willingly acpanied me and as a character of great force and
spirit would probably have struck one possessed of such a knowledge of
life as no doubt with so many changes must have been acquired； for Mr F。
himself said frequently that although well educated in the neighbourhood
of Blackheath at as high as eighty guineas which is a good deal for
parents and the plate kept back too on going away but that is more a
meanness than its value that he had learnt more in his first years as a
mercial traveller with a large mission on the sale of an article
that nobody would hear of much less buy which preceded the wine trade
a long time than in the whole six years in that academy conducted by a
college Bachelor； though why a Bachelor more clever than a married man I
do not see and never did but pray excuse me that is not the point。'
Mr Dorrit stood rooted to the carpet； a statue of mystification。
'I must openly admit that I have no pretensions；' said Flora； 'but
having known the dear little thing which under altered circumstances
appears a liberty but is not so intended and Goodness knows there was no
favour in half…a…crown a…day to such a needle as herself but quite the
other way and as to anything lowering in it far from it the labourer is
worthy of his hire and I am sure I only wish he got it oftener and more
animal food and less rheumatism in the back and legs poor soul。'
'Madam；' said Mr Dorrit； recovering his breath by a great effort； as the
relict of the late Mr Finching stopped to take hers； 'madam；' said Mr
Dorrit； very red in the face； 'if I understand you to refer to……ha……to
anything in the antecedents of……hum……a daughter of mine； involving……ha
hum……daily pensation； madam； I beg to observe that the……ha……fact；
assuming it……ha……to be fact； never was within my knowledge。 Hum。 I
should not have permitted it。 Ha。 Never！ Never！'
'Unnecessary to pursue the subject；' returned Flora； 'and would not have
mentioned it on any account except as supposing it a favourable and only
letter of introduction but as to being fact no doubt whatever and you
may set your mind at rest for the very dress I have on now can prove it
and sweetly made though there is no denying that it would tell better on
a better figure for my own is much too fat though how to bring it down I
know not； pray excuse me I am roving off again。' Mr Dorrit backed to his
chair in a stony way； and seated himself； as Flora gave him a softening
look and played with her parasol。
'The dear little thing；' said Flora； 'having gone off perfectly limp
and white and cold in my own house or at least papa's for though not
a freehold still a long lease at a peppercorn on the morning when
Arthur……foolish habit of our youthful days and Mr Clennam far more
adapted to existing circumstances particularly addressing a stranger and
that stranger a gentleman in an elevated station……municated the glad
tidings imparted by a person of name of Pancks emboldens me。'
At the mention of these two names； Mr Dorrit frowned； stared； frowned
again； hesitated with his fingers at his lips； as he had hesitated long
ago； and said； 'Do me the favour to……ha……state your pleasure； madam。'
'Mr Dorrit；' said Flora； 'you are very kind in giving me permission and
highly natural it seems to me that you should be kind for though more
stately I perceive a likeness filled out of course but a likeness still；
the object of my intruding is my own without the slightest consultation
with any human being and most decidedly not with Arthur……pray excuse me
Doyce and Clennam I don't know what I am saying Mr Clennam solus……for to
put that individual linked by a golden chain to a purple time when all
was ethereal out of any anxiety would be worth to me the ransom of a
monarch not that I have the least idea how much that would e to but
using it as the total of all I have in the world and more。'
Mr Dorrit； without greatly regarding the earnestness of these latter
words； repeated； 'State your pleasure； madam。'
'It's not likely I well know；' said Flora； 'but it's possible and being
possible when I had the gratification of reading in the papers that you
had arrived from Italy and were going back I made up my mind to try it
for you might e across him or hear something of him and if so what a
blessing and relief to all！'
'Allow me to ask； madam；' said Mr Dorrit； with his ideas in wild
confusion； 'to whom……ha……To whom；' he repeated it with a raised voice in
mere desperation； 'you at present allude？'
'To the foreigner from Italy who disappeared in the City as no doubt you
have read in the papers equally with myself；' said Flora； 'not referring
to private sources by the name of Pancks from which one gathers what
dreadfully ill…natured things some people are wicked enough to whisper
most likely judging others by themselves and what the uneasiness
and indignation of Arthur……quite unable to overe it Doyce and
Clennam……cannot fail to be。'
It happened； fortunately for the elucidation of any intelligible result；
that Mr Dorrit had heard or read nothing about the matter。 This
caused Mrs Finching； with many apologies for being in great practical
difficulties as to finding the way to her pocket among the stripes of
her dress at length to produce a police handbill； setting forth that
a foreign gentleman of the name of Blandois； last from Venice； had
unaccountably disappeared on such a night in such a part of the city of
London； that he was known to have entered such a house； at such an hour；
that he was stated by the inmates of that house to have left it； about
so many minutes before midnight； and that he had never been beheld
since。 This； with exact particulars of time and locality； and with
a good detailed description of the foreign gentleman who had so
mysteriously vanished； Mr Dorrit read at large。
'Blandois！' said Mr Dorrit。 'Venice！ And this description！ I know this
gentleman。 He has been in my house。 He is intimately acquainted with a
gentleman of good family （but in indifferent circumstances）； of whom I
am a……hum……patron。'
'Then my humble and pressing entreaty is the more；' said Flora； 'that
in travelling back you will have the kindness to look for this foreign
gentleman along all the roads and up and down all the turnings and to
make inquiries for him at all the hotels and orange…trees and vineyards
and volcanoes and places for he must be somewhere and why doesn't he
e forward and say he's there and clear all parties up？'
'Pray； madam；' said Mr Dorrit； referring to the handbill again； 'who is
Clennam and Co。？ Ha。 I see the name mentioned here； in connection with
the occupation of the house which Monsieur Blandois was seen to
enter： who is Clennam and Co。？ Is it the individual of whom I had
formerly……hum……some……ha……slight transitory knowledge； and to whom I
believe you have referred？ Is it……ha……that person？'
'It's a very different person indeed；' replied Flora； 'with no limbs and
wheels instead and the grimmest of women though his mother。'
'Clennam and Co。 a……hum……a mother！' exclaimed Mr Dorrit。
'And an old man besides；' said Flora。
Mr Dorrit looked as if he must immediately be driven out of his mind
by this account。 Neither was it rendered more favourable to sanity by
Flora's dashing into a rapid analysis of Mr Fl