Holy blue； you have begun well； Blandois！ At a pinch； an excellent
master in English or French； a man for the bosom of families！ You have
a quick perception； you have humour； you have ease； you have insinuating
manners； you have a good appearance； in effect； you are a gentleman！ A
gentleman you shall live； my small boy； and a gentleman you shall die。
You shall win； however the game goes。 They shall all confess your merit；
Blandois。 You shall subdue the society which has grievously wronged
you； to your own high spirit。 Death of my soul！ You are high spirited by
right and by nature； my Blandois！'
To such soothing murmurs did this gentleman smoke out his cigar and
drink out his bottle of wine。 Both being finished； he shook himself into
a sitting attitude； and with the concluding serious apostrophe； 'Hold；
then！ Blandois； you ingenious one； have all your wits about you！' arose
and went back to the house of Clennam and Co。
He was received at the door by Mistress Affery； who； under instructions
from her lord； had lighted up two candles in the hall and a third on the
staircase； and who conducted him to Mrs Clennam's room。 Tea was prepared
there； and such little pany arrangements had been made as usually
attended the reception of expected visitors。 They were slight on the
greatest occasion； never extending beyond the production of the China
tea…service； and the covering of the bed with a sober and sad drapery。
For the rest； there was the bier…like sofa with the block upon it； and
the figure in the widow's dress； as if attired for execution； the fire
topped by the mound of damped ashes； the grate with its second little
mound of ashes； the kettle and the smell of black dye； all as they had
been for fifteen years。
Mr Flintwinch presented the gentleman mended to the consideration of
Clennam and Co。 Mrs Clennam； who had the letter lying before her； bent
her head and requested him to sit。 They looked very closely at one
another。 That was but natural curiosity。 'I thank you； sir； for thinking
of a disabled woman like me。 Few who e here on business have any
remembrance to bestow on one so removed from observation。 It would be
idle to expect that they should have。 Out of sight； out of mind。 While I
am grateful for the exception； I don't plain of the rule。'
Mr Blandois； in his most gentlemanly manner； was afraid he had disturbed
her by unhappily presenting himself at such an unconscionable time。 For
which he had already offered his best apologies to Mr……he begged
pardon……but by name had not the distinguished honour……'Mr Flintwinch
has been connected with the House many years。'
Mr Blandois was Mr Flintwinch's most obedient humble servant。 He
entreated Mr Flintwinch to receive the assurance of his profoundest
consideration。
'My husband being dead；' said Mrs Clennam； 'and my son preferring
another pursuit； our old House has no other representative in these days
than Mr Flintwinch。'
'What do you call yourself？' was the surly demand of that gentleman。
'You have the head of two men。'
'My sex disqualifies me；' she proceeded with merely a slight turn of
her eyes in jeremiah's direction； 'from taking a responsible part in
the business； even if I had the ability； and therefore Mr Flintwinch
bines my interest with his own； and conducts it。 It is not what it
used to be； but some of our old friends （principally the writers of this
letter） have the kindness not to forget us； and we retain the power
of doing what they entrust to us as efficiently as we ever did。 This
however is not interesting to you。 You are English； sir？'
'Faith； madam； no； I am neither born nor bred in England。 In effect； I
am of no country；' said Mr Blandois； stretching out his leg and smiting
it： 'I descend from half…a…dozen countries。'
'You have been much about the world？'
'It is true。 By Heaven； madam； I have been here and there and
everywhere！'
'You have no ties； probably。 Are not married？'
'Madam；' said Mr Blandois； with an ugly fall of his eyebrows； 'I adore
your sex； but I am not married……never was。'
Mistress Affery； who stood at the table near him； pouring out the tea；
happened in her dreamy state to look at him as he said these words； and
to fancy that she caught an expression in his eyes which attracted her
own eyes so that she could not get them away。 The effect of this fancy
was to keep her staring at him with the tea…pot in her hand； not only to
her own great uneasiness； but manifestly to his； too； and； through them
both； to Mrs Clennam's and Mr Flintwinch's。 Thus a few ghostly moments
supervened； when they were all confusedly staring without knowing why。
'Affery；' her mistress was the first to say； 'what is the matter with
you？'
'I don't know；' said Mistress Affery； with her disengaged left hand
extended towards the visitor。 'It ain't me。 It's him！'
'What does this good woman mean？' cried Mr Blandois； turning white； hot；
and slowly rising with a look of such deadly wrath that it contrasted
surprisingly with the slight force of his words。 'How is it possible to
understand this good creature？'
'It's NOT possible；' said Mr Flintwinch； screwing himself rapidly
in that direction。 'She don't know what she means。 She's an idiot； a
wanderer in her mind。 She shall have a dose； she shall have such a dose！
Get along with you； my woman；' he added in her ear； 'get along with you；
while you know you're Affery； and before you're shaken to yeast。'
Mistress Affery； sensible of the danger in which her identity stood；
relinquished the tea…pot as her husband seized it； put her apron over
her head； and in a twinkling vanished。 The visitor gradually broke into
a smile； and sat down again。
'You'll excuse her； Mr Blandois；' said Jeremiah； pouring out the tea
himself； 'she's failing and breaking up； that's what she's about。 Do you
take sugar； sir？'
'Thank you； no tea for me。……Pardon my observing it； but that's a very
remarkable watch！'
The tea…table was drawn up near the sofa； with a small interval between
it and Mrs Clennam's own particular table。 Mr Blandois in his gallantry
had risen to hand that lady her tea （her dish of toast was already
there）； and it was in placing the cup conveniently within her reach that
the watch； lying before her as it always did； attracted his attention。
Mrs Clennam looked suddenly up at him。
'May I be permitted？ Thank you。 A fine old…fashioned watch；' he said；
taking it in his hand。 'Heavy for use； but massive and genuine。 I have
a partiality for everything genuine。 Such as I am； I am genuine myself。
Hah！ A gentleman's watch with two cases in the old fashion。 May I remove
it from the outer case？ Thank you。 Aye？ An old silk watch…lining； worked
with beads！ I have often seen these among old Dutch people and Belgians。
Quaint things！'
'They are old…fashioned； too；' said Mrs Clennam。 'Very。 But this is not
so old as the watch； I think？'
'I think not。'
'Extraordinary how they used to plicate these cyphers！' remarked Mr
Blandois； glancing up with his own smile again。 'Now is this D。 N。 F。？
It might be almost anything。'
'Those are the letters。'
Mr Flintwinch； who had been observantly pausing all this time with a