your portrait。' 'D'ye hear that； Mother？' cried Mr Meagles to his wife；
who had followed her daughter。 'It's always the same； Clennam； nobody
can decide。 The child to your left is Pet。'
The picture happened to be near a looking…glass。 As Arthur looked at
it again； he saw； by the reflection of the mirror； Tattycoram stop in
passing outside the door； listen to what was going on； and pass away
with an angry and contemptuous frown upon her face； that changed its
beauty into ugliness。
'But e！' said Mr Meagles。 'You have had a long walk； and will be glad
to get your boots off。 As to Daniel here； I suppose he'd never think of
taking his boots off； unless we showed him a boot…jack。'
'Why not？' asked Daniel； with a significant smile at Clennam。
'Oh！ You have so many things to think about；' returned Mr Meagles；
clapping him on the shoulder； as if his weakness must not be left to
itself on any account。 'Figures； and wheels； and cogs； and levers； and
screws； and cylinders； and a thousand things。'
'In my calling；' said Daniel； amused； 'the greater usually includes the
less。 But never mind； never mind！ Whatever pleases you； pleases me。'
Clennam could not help speculating； as he seated himself in his room
by the fire； whether there might be in the breast of this honest；
affectionate； and cordial Mr Meagles； any microscopic portion of
the mustard…seed that had sprung up into the great tree of the
Circumlocution Office。 His curious sense of a general superiority to
Daniel Doyce； which seemed to be founded； not so much on anything
in Doyce's personal character as on the mere fact of his being an
originator and a man out of the beaten track of other men； suggested the
idea。 It might have occupied him until he went down to dinner an hour
afterwards； if he had not had another question to consider； which
had been in his mind so long ago as before he was in quarantine at
Marseilles； and which had now returned to it； and was very urgent with
it。 No less a question than this： Whether he should allow himself to
fall in love with Pet？
He was twice her age。 （He changed the leg he had crossed over the other；
and tried the calculation again； but could not bring out the total at
less。） He was twice her age。 Well！ He was young in appearance； young
in health and strength； young in heart。 A man was certainly not old
at forty； and many men were not in circumstances to marry； or did not
marry； until they had attained that time of life。 On the other hand； the
question was； not what he thought of the point； but what she thought of
it。
He believed that Mr Meagles was disposed to entertain a ripe regard for
him； and he knew that he had a sincere regard for Mr Meagles and his
good wife。 He could foresee that to relinquish this beautiful only
child； of whom they were so fond； to any husband； would be a trial
of their love which perhaps they never yet had had the fortitude to
contemplate。 But the more beautiful and winning and charming she； the
nearer they must always be to the necessity of approaching it。 And why
not in his favour； as well as in another's？
When he had got so far； it came again into his head that the question
was； not what they thought of it； but what she thought of it。
Arthur Clennam was a retiring man； with a sense of many deficiencies；
and he so exalted the merits of the beautiful Minnie in his mind； and
depressed his own； that when he pinned himself to this point； his hopes
began to fail him。 He came to the final resolution； as he made himself
ready for dinner； that he would not allow himself to fall in love with
Pet。
There were only five； at a round table； and it was very pleasant indeed。
They had so many places and people to recall； and they were all so easy
and cheerful together （Daniel Doyce either sitting out like an amused
spectator at cards； or ing in with some shrewd little experiences of
his own； when it happened to be to the purpose）； that they might have
been together twenty times； and not have known so much of one another。
'And Miss Wade；' said Mr Meagles； after they had recalled a number of
fellow…travellers。 'Has anybody seen Miss Wade？'
'I have；' said Tattycoram。
She had brought a little mantle which her young mistress had sent for；
and was bending over her； putting it on； when she lifted up her dark
eyes and made this unexpected answer。
'Tatty！' her young mistress exclaimed。 'You seen Miss Wade？……where？'
'Here； miss；' said Tattycoram。
'How？'
An impatient glance from Tattycoram seemed； as Clennam saw it； to answer
'With my eyes！' But her only answer in words was： 'I met her near the
church。'
'What was she doing there I wonder！' said Mr Meagles。 'Not going to it；
I should think。'
'She had written to me first；' said Tattycoram。
'Oh； Tatty！' murmured her mistress； 'take your hands away。 I feel as if
some one else was touching me！'
She said it in a quick involuntary way； but half playfully； and not more
petulantly or disagreeably than a favourite child might have done； who
laughed next moment。 Tattycoram set her full red lips together； and
crossed her arms upon her bosom。 'Did you wish to know； sir；' she said；
looking at Mr Meagles； 'what Miss Wade wrote to me about？'
'Well； Tattycoram；' returned Mr Meagles； 'since you ask the question；
and we are all friends here； perhaps you may as well mention it； if you
are so inclined。'
'She knew； when we were travelling； where you lived；' said Tattycoram；
'and she had seen me not quite……not quite……'
'Not quite in a good temper； Tattycoram？' suggested Mr Meagles；
shaking his head at the dark eyes with a quiet caution。 'Take a little
time……count five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
She pressed her lips together again； and took a long deep breath。
'So she wrote to me to say that if I ever felt myself hurt；' she looked
down at her young mistress； 'or found myself worried；' she looked down
at her again； 'I might go to her； and be considerately treated。 I was
to think of it； and could speak to her by the church。 So I went there to
thank her。'
'Tatty；' said her young mistress； putting her hand up over her shoulder
that the other might take it； 'Miss Wade almost frightened me when we
parted； and I scarcely like to think of her just now as having been so
near me without my knowing it。 Tatty dear！'
Tatty stood for a moment； immovable。
'Hey？' cried Mr Meagles。 'Count another five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
She might have counted a dozen； when she bent and put her lips to the
caressing hand。 It patted her cheek； as it touched the owner's beautiful
curls； and Tattycoram went away。
'Now there；' said Mr Meagles softly； as he gave a turn to the
dumb…waiter on his right hand to twirl the sugar towards himself。
'There's a girl who might be lost and ruined； if she wasn't among
practical people。 Mother and I know； solely from being practical； that
there are times when that girl's whole nature seems to roughen itself
against seeing us so bound up in Pet。 No father and mother were bound
up in her； poor soul。 I don't like to think of the way in which that
unfortunate child； with all that passion and protest in her； feels when
she hears the Fifth mandment on a Sunday。 I am always inclined to
call out； Church； Count five…and…twenty； Tattycoram。'
Besides his dumb…waiter； Mr Meagles had two other not dumb waiters in
the persons of two parlour…maids with rosy faces and bright eyes； who
were a highly ornamental part of the table decoration。 'And why not； you
see？' said Mr Meagles on this head。 'As I always say to Mother； why
not have something pretty to look at； if you have anything at all？' A
certain Mrs Tickit； who was Cook and Housekeeper when the family were
at home； and Housekeeper only when the family were away； pleted the
establishment。 Mr Meagles regretted that the nature of the duties in
which she was engaged； rendered Mrs Tickit unpresentable at present；
but hoped to introduce her to the new visitor to…morrow。 She was an
important part of the Cottage； he said； and all his friends knew her。
That was her picture up in the corner。 When they went away； she always
put on the silk…gown and the jet…black row of curls represented in that
portrait （her hair was reddish…grey in the kitchen）； established herself
in the breakfast…room； put her spectacles between two particular leaves
of Doctor Buchan's Domestic Medicine； and sat looking over the blind all
day until they came back again。 It was supposed that no persuasion could
be invented which would induce Mrs Tickit to abandon her post at the
blind； however long their absence； or to dispense with the attendance
of Dr Buchan； the lucubrations of which learned practitioner； Mr Meagles
implicitly believed she had never yet consulted to the extent of one
word in her life。
In the evening they played an old…fashioned rubber； and Pet sat looking
over her father's hand； or singing to herself by fits and starts at the
piano。 She was a spoilt child； but how could she be otherwise？ Who could
be much with so pliable and beautiful a creature； and not yield to her
endearing influence？ Who could pass an evening in the house； and not
love her for the grace and charm of her very presence in the room？ This
was Clennam's reflection； notwithstanding the final conclusion at which
he had arrived up…stairs。
In making it； he revoked。 'Why； what are you thinking of； my good sir？'
asked the astonished Mr Meagles； who was his partner。
'I beg your pardon。 Nothing；' returned Clennam。
'Think of something； next time； that's a dear fellow；' said Mr Meagles。
Pet laughingly believed he had been thinking of Miss Wade。
'Why of Miss Wade； Pet？' asked her father。
'Why； indeed！' said Arthur Clennam。
Pet coloured a little； and went to the piano again。
As they broke up for the night； Arthur overheard Doyce ask his host if
he could give him half an hour's conversation before breakfast in the
morning？ The host replying willingly； Arthur lingered behind a moment；
having his own word to add to that topic。
'Mr Meagles；' he said； on their being left alone； 'do you remember when
you advised me to go straight to London？'
'Perfectly well。' 'And when you gave me some other good advice which I
needed at that time？'
'I won't say what it was worth；' answered Mr Meagles： 'but of course I
remember our being very pleasant and confidential together。'
'I have acted on your advice； and having disembarrassed myself of an
occupation that was painful to me for many reasons； wish to devote
myself and what means I have； to another pursuit。'
'Right！ You can't do it too soon；' said Mr Meagles。
'Now； as I came down to…day； I found that your friend； Mr Doyce； is
looking for a partner in his business……not a partner in his mechanical
knowledge； but in the ways and means of turning the business arising
from it to the best account。'
'Just so；' said Mr Meagles； with his hands in his pockets； and with
the old business expression of face that had belonged to the scales and
scoop。
'Mr Doyce mentioned incidentally； in the course of our conversation；
that he was going to take your valuable advice on the subject of finding
such a partner。 If you should think our views and opportunities at all
likely to coincid