Master Arthur repeated his recent refusal to pick at anything。
'Very well； then；' said the old man； 'make his bed。 Stir yourself。' His
neck was so twisted that the knotted ends of his white cravat usually
dangled under one ear； his natural acerbity and energy； always
contending with a second nature of habitual repression； gave his
features a swollen and suffused look； and altogether； he had a weird
appearance of having hanged himself at one time or other； and of having
gone about ever since； halter and all； exactly as some timely hand had
cut him down。
'You'll have bitter words together to…morrow； Arthur； you and your
mother；' said Jeremiah。 'Your having given up the business on your
father's death……which she suspects； though we have left it to you to
tell her……won't go off smoothly。'
'I have given up everything in life for the business； and the time came
for me to give up that。'
'Good！' cried Jeremiah； evidently meaning Bad。 'Very good！ only don't
expect me to stand between your mother and you； Arthur。 I stood between
your mother and your father； fending off this； and fending off that； and
getting crushed and pounded betwixt em； and I've done with such work。'
'You will never be asked to begin it again for me； Jeremiah。'
'Good。 I'm glad to hear it； because I should have had to decline it； if
I had been。 That's enough……as your mother says……and more than enough of
such matters on a Sabbath night。 Affery； woman； have you found what you
want yet？'
She had been collecting sheets and blankets from a press； and hastened
to gather them up； and to reply； 'Yes； Jeremiah。' Arthur Clennam helped
her by carrying the load himself； wished the old man good night； and
went up…stairs with her to the top of the house。
They mounted up and up； through the musty smell of an old close house；
little used； to a large garret bed…room。 Meagre and spare； like all the
other rooms； it was even uglier and grimmer than the rest； by being the
place of banishment for the worn…out furniture。 Its movables were ugly
old chairs with worn…out seats； and ugly old chairs without any seats；
a threadbare patternless carpet； a maimed table； a crippled wardrobe；
a lean set of fire…irons like the skeleton of a set deceased； a
washing…stand that looked as if it had stood for ages in a hail of
dirty soapsuds； and a bedstead with four bare atomies of posts； each
terminating in a spike； as if for the dismal acmodation of lodgers
who might prefer to impale themselves。 Arthur opened the long low
window； and looked out upon the old blasted and blackened forest of
chimneys； and the old red glare in the sky； which had seemed to him once
upon a time but a nightly reflection of the fiery environment that was
presented to his childish fancy in all directions； let it look where it
would。
He drew in his head again； sat down at the bedside； and looked on at
Affery Flintwinch making the bed。
'Affery； you were not married when I went away。'
She screwed her mouth into the form of saying 'No；' shook her head； and
proceeded to get a pillow into its case。
'How did it happen？'
'Why； Jeremiah； o' course；' said Affery； with an end of the pillow…case
between her teeth。
'Of course he proposed it； but how did it all e about？ I should have
thought that neither of you would have married； least of all should I
have thought of your marrying each other。'
'No more should I；' said Mrs Flintwinch； tying the pillow tightly in its
case。
'That's what I mean。 When did you begin to think otherwise？'
'Never begun to think otherwise at all；' said Mrs Flintwinch。
Seeing； as she patted the pillow into its place on the bolster； that he
was still looking at her as if waiting for the rest of her reply；
she gave it a great poke in the middle； and asked； 'How could I help
myself？'
'How could you help yourself from being married！'
'O' course；' said Mrs Flintwinch。 'It was no doing o' mine。 I'D never
thought of it。 I'd got something to do； without thinking； indeed！ She
kept me to it （as well as he） when she could go about； and she could go
about then。' 'Well？'
'Well？' echoed Mrs Flintwinch。 'That's what I said myself。 Well！ What's
the use of considering？ If them two clever ones have made up their minds
to it； what's left for me to do？ Nothing。'
'Was it my mother's project； then？'
'The Lord bless you； Arthur； and forgive me the wish！' cried Affery；
speaking always in a low tone。 'If they hadn't been both of a mind in
it； how could it ever have been？ Jeremiah never courted me； t'ant likely
that he would； after living in the house with me and ordering me
about for as many years as he'd done。 He said to me one day； he said；
〃Affery；〃 he said； 〃now I am going to tell you something。 What do you
think of the name of Flintwinch？〃 〃What do I think of it？〃 I says。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃because you're going to take it；〃 he said。 〃Take it？〃 I
says。 〃Jere…MI…ah？〃 Oh！ he's a clever one！'
Mrs Flintwinch went on to spread the upper sheet over the bed； and the
blanket over that； and the counterpane over that； as if she had quite
concluded her story。 'Well？' said Arthur again。
'Well？' echoed Mrs Flintwinch again。 'How could I help myself？ He said
to me； 〃Affery； you and me must be married； and I'll tell you why。 She's
failing in health； and she'll want pretty constant attendance up in
her room； and we shall have to be much with her； and there'll be nobody
about now but ourselves when we're away from her； and altogether it will
be more convenient。 She's of my opinion；〃 he said； 〃so if you'll put
your bon on next Monday morning at eight； we'll get it over。〃' Mrs
Flintwinch tucked up the bed。
'Well？'
'Well？' repeated Mrs Flintwinch； 'I think so！ I sits me down and says
it。 Well！……Jeremiah then says to me； 〃As to banns； next Sunday being the
third time of asking （for I've put 'em up a fortnight）； is my reason for
naming Monday。 She'll speak to you about it herself； and now she'll find
you prepared； Affery。〃 That same day she spoke to me； and she said； 〃So；
Affery； I understand that you and Jeremiah are going to be married。 I
am glad of it； and so are you； with reason。 It is a very good thing for
you； and very wele under the circumstances to me。 He is a sensible
man； and a trustworthy man； and a persevering man； and a pious man。〃
What could I say when it had e to that？ Why； if it had been……a
smothering instead of a wedding；' Mrs Flintwinch cast about in her mind
with great pains for this form of expression； 'I couldn't have said a
word upon it； against them two clever ones。'
'In good faith； I believe so。' 'And so you may； Arthur。'
'Affery； what girl was that in my mother's room just now？'
'Girl？' said Mrs Flintwinch in a rather sharp key。
'It was a girl； surely； whom I saw near you……almost hidden in the dark
corner？'
'Oh！ She？ Little Dorrit？ She's nothing； she's a whim of……hers。' It was a
peculiarity of Affery Flintwinch that she never spoke of Mrs Clennam
by name。 'But there's another sort of girls than that about。 Have you
forgot your old sweetheart？ Long and long ago； I'll be bound。'
'I suffered enough from my mother's separating us； to remember her。
I recollect her very well。'
'Have you got another？'
'No。'
'Here's news for you； then。 She's well to do now； and a widow。 And if
you like to have her； why you can。'
'And how do you know that； Affery？'
'Them two clever ones have been speaking about it。……There's Jeremiah on
the stairs！' She was gone in a moment。
Mrs Flintwinch had introduced into the web that his mind was busily
weaving； in that old workshop where the loom of his youth had stood； the
last thread wanting to the pattern。 The airy folly of a boy's love had
found its way even into that house； and he had been as wretched under
its hopelessness as if the house had been a castle of romance。 Little
more than a week ago at Marseilles； the face of the pretty girl from
whom he had parted with regret； had had an unusual interest for him； and
a tender hold upon him； because of some resemblance； real or imagined；
to this first face that had soared out of his gloomy life into the
bright glories of fancy。 He leaned upon the sill of the long low window；
and looking out upon the blackened forest of chimneys again； began to
dream； for it had been the uniform tendency of this man's life……so much
was wanting in it to think about； so much that might have been better
directed and happier to speculate upon……to make him a dreamer； after
all。
CHAPTER 4。 Mrs Flintwinch has a Dream
When Mrs Flintwinch dreamed； she usually dreamed； unlike the son of her
old mistress； with her eyes shut。 She had a curiously vivid dream that
night； and before she had left the son of her old mistress many hours。
In fact it was not at all like a dream； it was so very real in every
respect。 It happened in this wise。
The bed…chamber occupied by Mr and Mrs Flintwinch was within a few paces
of that to which Mrs Clennam had been so long confined。 It was not on
the same floor； for it was a room at the side of the house； which was
approached by a steep descent of a few odd steps； diverging from the
main staircase nearly opposite to Mrs Clennam's door。 It could scarcely
be said to be within call； the walls； doors； and panelling of the old
place were so cumbrous； but it was within easy reach； in any undress；
at any hour of the night； in any temperature。 At the head of the bed
and within a foot of Mrs Flintwinch's ear； was a bell； the line of which
hung ready to Mrs Clennam's hand。 Whenever this bell rang； up started
Affery； and was in the sick room before she was awake。
Having got her mistress into bed； lighted her lamp； and given her good
night； Mrs Flintwinch went to roost as usual； saving that her lord had
not yet appeared。 It was her lord himself who became……unlike the
last theme in the mind； according to the observation of most
philosophers……the subject of Mrs Flintwinch's dream。 It seemed to her
that she awoke after sleeping some hours； and found Jeremiah not yet
abed。 That she looked at the candle she had left burning； and； measuring
the time like King Alfred the Great； was confirmed by its wasted state
in her belief that she had been asleep for some considerable period。
That she arose thereupon； muffled herself up in a wrapper； put on
her shoes； and went out on the staircase； much surprised； to look for
Jeremiah。
The staircase was as wooden and solid as need be； and Affery went
straight down it without any of those deviations peculiar to dreams。
She did not skim over it； but walked down it； and guided herself by the
banisters on account of her candle having died out。 In one corner of
the hall； behind the house…door； there was a little waiting…room； like a
well…shaft； with a long narrow window in it as if it had been ripped up。
In this room； which was never used； a light was burning。
Mrs Flintwinch crossed the hall； feeling its pavement cold to her
stockingless feet； and peeped in between the rusty hinges on the door；
which stood a little open。 She expected to see Jeremiah fast asleep or
in a fit； but he was calmly seated in a chair； awake； and in his usual
health。 But what……hey？……Lord forgive us！……Mrs Flintwinch muttered some
ejacu