I want to speak to you！'
In the dining…room； a sentimental desire came over Flora to look into
the dragon closet which had so often swallowed Arthur in the days of his
boyhood……not improbably because； as a very dark closet； it was a likely
place to be heavy in。 Arthur； fast subsiding into despair； had opened
it； when a knock was heard at the outer door。
Mistress Affery； with a suppressed cry； threw her apron over her head。
'What？ You want another dose！' said Mr Flintwinch。 'You shall have it；
my woman； you shall have a good one！ Oh！ You shall have a sneezer； you
shall have a teaser！'
'In the meantime is anybody going to the door？' said Arthur。
'In the meantime； I am going to the door； sir；' returned the old man so
savagely； as to render it clear that in a choice of difficulties he felt
he must go； though he would have preferred not to go。 'Stay here the
while； all！ Affery； my woman； move an inch； or speak a word in your
foolishness； and I'll treble your dose！'
The moment he was gone； Arthur released Mrs Finching： with some
difficulty； by reason of that lady misunderstanding his intentions； and
making arrangements with a view to tightening instead of slackening。
'Affery； speak to me now！'
'Don't touch me； Arthur！' she cried； shrinking from him。 'Don't e
near me。 He'll see you。 Jeremiah will。 Don't。'
'He can't see me；' returned Arthur； suiting the action to the word； 'if
I blow the candle out。'
'He'll hear you；' cried Affery。
'He can't hear me；' returned Arthur； suiting the action to the words
again； 'if I draw you into this black closet； and speak here。
Why do you hide your face？'
'Because I am afraid of seeing something。'
'You can't be afraid of seeing anything in this darkness； Affery。'
'Yes I am。 Much more than if it was light。'
'Why are you afraid？'
'Because the house is full of mysteries and secrets； because it's full
of whisperings and counsellings； because it's full of noises。 There
never was such a house for noises。 I shall die of 'em； if Jeremiah don't
strangle me first。 As I expect he will。'
'I have never heard any noises here； worth speaking of。'
'Ah！ But you would； though； if you lived in the house； and was obliged
to go about it as I am；' said Affery； 'and you'd feel that they was so
well worth speaking of； that you'd feel you was nigh bursting through
not being allowed to speak of 'em。 Here's Jeremiah！ You'll get me
killed。'
'My good Affery； I solemnly declare to you that I can see the light of
the open door on the pavement of the hall； and so could you if you would
uncover your face and look。'
'I durstn't do it；' said Affery； 'I durstn't never； Arthur。 I'm always
blind…folded when Jeremiah an't a looking； and sometimes even when he
is。'
'He cannot shut the door without my seeing him；' said Arthur。 'You are
as safe with me as if he was fifty miles away。'
（'I wish he was！' cried Affery。）
'Affery； I want to know what is amiss here； I want some light thrown
on the secrets of this house。' 'I tell you； Arthur；' she interrupted；
'noises is the secrets； rustlings and stealings about； tremblings；
treads overhead and treads underneath。'
'But those are not all the secrets。'
'I don't know；' said Affery。 'Don't ask me no more。 Your old sweetheart
an't far off； and she's a blabber。'
His old sweetheart； being in fact so near at hand that she was then
reclining against him in a flutter； a very substantial angle of
forty…five degrees； here interposed to assure Mistress Affery with
greater earnestness than directness of asseveration； that what she heard
should go no further； but should be kept inviolate； 'if on no other
account on Arthur's……sensible of intruding in being too familiar Doyce
and Clennam's。'
'I make an imploring appeal to you； Affery； to you； one of the few
agreeable early remembrances I have； for my mother's sake； for your
husband's sake； for my own； for all our sakes。 I am sure you can tell me
something connected with the ing here of this man； if you will。'
'Why； then I'll tell you； Arthur；' returned Affery……'Jeremiah's ing！'
'No； indeed he is not。 The door is open； and he is standing outside；
talking。'
'I'll tell you then；' said Affery； after listening； 'that the first time
he ever e he heard the noises his own self。 〃What's that？〃 he said to
me。 〃I don't know what it is；〃 I says to him； catching hold of him；
〃but I have heard it over and over again。〃 While I says it； he stands a
looking at me； all of a shake； he do。'
'Has he been here often？'
'Only that night； and the last night。'
'What did you see of him on the last night； after I was gone？'
'Them two clever ones had him all alone to themselves。 Jeremiah e
a dancing at me sideways； after I had let you out （he always es a
dancing at me sideways when he's going to hurt me）； and he said to me；
〃Now； Affery；〃 he said； 〃I am a ing behind you； my woman； and a going
to run you up。〃 So he took and squeezed the back of my neck in his hand；
till it made me open MY mouth； and then he pushed me before him to bed；
squeezing all the way。 That's what he calls running me up； he do。 Oh；
he's a wicked one！'
'And did you hear or see no more； Affery？'
'Don't I tell you I was sent to bed； Arthur！ Here he is！'
'I assure you he is still at the door。 Those whisperings and
counsellings； Affery； that you have spoken of。 What are they？'
'How should I know？ Don't ask me nothing about 'em； Arthur。 Get away！'
'But my dear Affery； unless I can gain some insight into these hidden
things； in spite of your husband and in spite of my mother； ruin will
e of it。'
'Don't ask me nothing；' repeated Affery。 'I have been in a dream for
ever so long。 Go away； go away！'
'You said that before；' returned Arthur。 'You used the same expression
that night； at the door； when I asked you what was going on here。 What
do you mean by being in a dream？'
'I an't a going to tell you。 Get away！ I shouldn't tell you； if you was
by yourself； much less with your old sweetheart here。'
It was equally vain for Arthur to entreat； and for Flora to protest。
Affery； who had been trembling and struggling the whole time； turned a
deaf ear to all adjuration； and was bent on forcing herself out of the
closet。
'I'd sooner scream to Jeremiah than say another word！ I'll call out to
him； Arthur； if you don't give over speaking to me。 Now here's the very
last word I'll say afore I call to him……If ever you begin to get the
better of them two clever ones your own self （you ought to it； as I told
you when you first e home； for you haven't been a living here long
years； to be made afeared of your life as I have）； then do you get the
better of 'em afore my face； and then do you say to me； Affery tell your
dreams！ Maybe； then I'll tell 'em！'
The shutting of the door stopped Arthur from replying。 They glided into
the places where Jeremiah had left them； and Clennam； stepping forward
as that old gentleman returned； informed him that he had accidentally
extinguished the candle。 Mr Flintwinch looked on as he re…lighted it at
the lamp in the hall； and preserved a profound taciturnity respecting
the person who had been holding him in conversation。 Perhaps his
irascibility demanded pensation for some tediousness that the visitor
had expended on him； however that was； he took such umbrage at seeing
his wife with her apron over her head； that he charged at her； and
taking her veiled nose between his thumb and finger； appeared to throw
the whole screw…power of his person into the wring he gave it。
Flora； now permanently heavy； did not release Arthur from the survey of
the house； until it had extended even to his old garret bedchamber。 His
thoughts were otherwise occupied than with the tour of inspection； yet
he took particular notice at the time； as he afterwards had occasion to
remember； of the airlessness and closeness of the house； that they left
the track of their footsteps in the dust on the upper floors； and that
there was a resistance to the opening of one room door； which occasioned
Affery to cry out that somebody was hiding inside； and to continue to
believe so； though somebody was sought and not discovered。 When they at
last returned to his mother's room； they found her shading her face
with her muffled hand； and talking in a low voice to the Patriarch as he
stood before the fire； whose blue eyes； polished head； and silken locks；
turning towards them as they came in； imparted an inestimable value and
inexhaustible love of his species to his remark：
'So you have been seeing the premises； seeing the
premises……premises……seeing the premises！'
it was not in itself a jewel of benevolence or wisdom； yet he made it an
exemplar of both that one would have liked to have a copy of。
CHAPTER 24。 The Evening of a Long Day
That illustrious man and great national ornament； Mr Merdle； continued
his shining course。 It began to be widely understood that one who had
done society the admirable service of making so much money out of it；
could not be suffered to remain a moner。 A barocy was spoken of
with confidence； a peerage our had it
that Mr Merdle had set his golden face against a barocy； that he had
plainly intimated to Lord Decimus that a barocy was not enough
for him； that he had said； 'No……a Peerage； or plain Merdle。' This was
reported to have plunged Lord Decimus as nigh to his noble chin in a
slough of doubts as so lofty a person could be sunk。 For the Barnacles；
as a group of themselves in creation； had an idea that such distinctions
belonged to them； and that when a soldier； sailor； or lawyer became
ennobled； they let him in； as it were； by an act of condescension； at
the family door； and immediately shut it again。 Not only （said Rumour）
had the troubled Decimus his own hereditary part in this impression； but
he also knew of several Barnacle claims already on the file； which came
into collision with that of the master spirit。
Right or wrong； Rumour was very busy； and Lord Decimus； while he was； or
was supposed to be； in stately excogitation of the difficulty； lent her
some countenance by taking； on several public occasions； one of those
elephantine trots of his through a jungle of overgrown sentences； waving
Mr Merdle about on his trunk as Gigantic Enterprise； The Wealth of
England； Elasticity； Credit； Capital； Prosperity； and all manner of
blessings。
So quietly did the mowing of the old scythe go on； that fully three
months had passed unnoticed since the two English brothers had been laid
in one tomb in the strangers' cemetery at Rome。 Mr and Mrs Sparkler were
established in their own house： a little mansion； rather of the Tite
Barnacle class； quite a triumph of inconvenience； with a perpetual smell
in it of the day before yesterday's soup and coach…horses； but extremely
dear； as being exactly in the centre of the habitable globe。 In this
enviable abode （and envied it really was by many people）； Mrs Sparkler
had intended to proceed at once to the demolition of the Bosom； when
active hostilities had been suspended by the arrival of the Courier with
his tidings of death。 Mrs Sparkler； who was not unfeeling； had received
them with a violent burst of grief； which had lasted twelve hours；