bordered on either hand by a deep cold black ravine。 She thought that
as she sat thus； musing upon the question whether life was not for some
people a rather dull invention； she was frightened by a sudden noise
behind her。 She thought that she had been similarly frightened once last
week； and that the noise was of a mysterious kind……a sound of rustling
and of three or four quick beats like a rapid step； while a shock or
tremble was municated to her heart； as if the step had shaken the
floor； or even as if she had been touched by some awful hand。 She
thought that this revived within her certain old fears of hers that
the house was haunted； and that she flew up the kitchen stairs without
knowing how she got up； to be nearer pany。
Mistress Affery thought that on reaching the hall； she saw the door of
her liege lord's office standing open； and the room empty。 That she went
to the ripped…up window in the little room by the street door to connect
her palpitating heart； through the glass； with living things beyond
and outside the haunted house。 That she then saw； on the wall over the
gateway； the shadows of the two clever ones in conversation above。 That
she then went upstairs with her shoes in her hand； partly to be near
the clever ones as a match for most ghosts； and partly to hear what they
were talking about。
'None of your nonsense with me；' said Mr Flintwinch。 'I won't take it
from you。'
Mrs Flintwinch dreamed that she stood behind the door； which was just
ajar； and most distinctly heard her husband say these bold words。
'Flintwinch；' returned Mrs Clennam； in her usual strong low voice；
'there is a demon of anger in you。 Guard against it。'
'I don't care whether there's one or a dozen；' said Mr Flintwinch；
forcibly suggesting in his tone that the higher number was nearer the
mark。 'If there was fifty； they should all say； None of your nonsense
with me； I won't take it from you……I'd make 'em say it； whether they
liked it or not。'
'What have I done； you wrathful man？' her strong voice asked。
'Done？' said Mr Flintwinch。 'Dropped down upon me。'
'If you mean； remonstrated with you……'
'Don't put words into my mouth that I don't mean；' said Jeremiah；
sticking to his figurative expression with tenacious and imperable
obstinacy： 'I mean dropped down upon me。'
'I remonstrated with you；' she began again； 'because……'
'I won't have it！' cried Jeremiah。 'You dropped down upon me。'
'I dropped down upon you； then； you ill…conditioned man；' （Jeremiah
chuckled at having forced her to adopt his phrase；） 'for having been
needlessly significant to Arthur that morning。 I have a right to
plain of it as almost a breach of confidence。 You did not mean it……'
'I won't have it！' interposed the contradictory Jeremiah； flinging back
the concession。 'I did mean it。'
'I suppose I must leave you to speak in soliloquy if you choose；' she
replied； after a pause that seemed an angry one。 'It is useless my
addressing myself to a rash and headstrong old man who has a set purpose
not to hear me。'
'Now； I won't take that from you either；' said Jeremiah。 'I have no such
purpose。 I have told you I did mean it。 Do you wish to know why I meant
it； you rash and headstrong old woman？'
'After all； you only restore me my own words；' she said； struggling with
her indignation。 'Yes。'
'This is why； then。 Because you hadn't cleared his father to him； and
you ought to have done it。 Because； before you went into any tantrum
about yourself； who are……'
'Hold there； Flintwinch！' she cried out in a changed voice： 'you may go
a word too far。'
The old man seemed to think so。 There was another pause； and he had
altered his position in the room； when he spoke again more mildly：
'I was going to tell you why it was。 Because； before you took your own
part； I thought you ought to have taken the part of Arthur's father。
Arthur's father！ I had no particular love for Arthur's father。 I served
Arthur's father's uncle； in this house； when Arthur's father was not
much above me……was poorer as far as his pocket went……and when his uncle
might as soon have left me his heir as have left him。 He starved in the
parlour； and I starved in the kitchen； that was the principal difference
in our positions； there was not much more than a flight of breakneck
stairs between us。 I never took to him in those times； I don't know that
I ever took to him greatly at any time。 He was an undecided； irresolute
chap； who had everything but his orphan life scared out of him when he
was young。 And when he brought you home here； the wife his uncle
had named for him； I didn't need to look at you twice （you were a
good…looking woman at that time） to know who'd be master。 You have stood
of your own strength ever since。 Stand of your own strength now。 Don't
lean against the dead。'
'I do not……as you call it……lean against the dead。'
'But you had a mind to do it； if I had submitted；' growled Jeremiah；
'and that's why you drop down upon me。 You can't forget that I didn't
submit。 I suppose you are astonished that I should consider it worth my
while to have justice done to Arthur's father？
Hey？ It doesn't matter whether you answer or not； because I know you
are； and you know you are。 e； then； I'll tell you how it is。 I may
be a bit of an oddity in point of temper； but this is my temper……I can't
let anybody have entirely their own way。 You are a determined woman； and
a clever woman； and when you see your purpose before you； nothing will
turn you from it。 Who knows that better than I do？'
'Nothing will turn me from it； Flintwinch； when I have justified it to
myself。 Add that。'
'Justified it to yourself？ I said you were the most determined woman on
the face of the earth （or I meant to say so）； and if you are determined
to justify any object you entertain； of course you'll do it。'
'Man！ I justify myself by the authority of these Books；' she cried； with
stern emphasis； and appearing from the sound that followed to strike the
dead…weight of her arm upon the table。
'Never mind that；' returned Jeremiah calmly； 'we won't enter into that
question at present。 However that may be； you carry out your purposes；
and you make everything go down before them。 Now； I won't go down before
them。 I have been faithful to you； and useful to you； and I am attached
to you。 But I can't consent； and I won't consent； and I never did
consent； and I never will consent to be lost in you。 Swallow up
everybody else； and wele。 The peculiarity of my temper is； ma'am；
that I won't be swallowed up alive。'
Perhaps this had Originally been the mainspring of the understanding
between them。 Descrying thus much of force of character in Mr
Flintwinch； perhaps Mrs Clennam had deemed alliance with him worth her
while。
'Enough and more than enough of the subject；' said she gloomily。
'Unless you drop down upon me again；' returned the persistent
Flintwinch； 'and then you must expect to hear of it again。'
Mistress Affery dreamed that the figure of her lord here began walking
up and down the room； as if to cool his spleen； and that she ran away；
but that； as he did not issue forth when she had stood listening and
trembl