Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 23. Mistress Affery makes a Conditional Promise,

           Ifshecouldbebroughttobecomecommunicative,andtodowhatlayinhertobreakthespellofsecrecythatenshroudedthehouse,hemightshakeofftheparalysisofwhicheveryhourthatpassedoverhisheadmadehimmoreacutelysensible.Thiswastheresultofhisday’sanxiety,andthiswasthedecisionheputinpracticewhenthedayclosedin.

           Hisfirstdisappointment,onarrivingatthehouse,wastofindthedooropen,andMrFlintwinchsmokingapipeonthesteps.Ifcircumstanceshadbeencommonlyfavourable,MistressAfferywouldhaveopenedthedoortohisknock.Circumstancesbeinguncommonlyunfavourable,thedoorstoodopen,andMrFlintwinchwassmokinghispipeonthesteps.

           ‘Goodevening,’saidArthur.

           ‘Goodevening,’saidMrFlintwinch.

           ThesmokecamecrookedlyoutofMrFlintwinch’smouth,asifitcirculatedthroughthewholeofhiswryfigureandcamebackbyhiswrythroat,beforecomingforthtominglewiththesmokefromthecrookedchimneysandthemistsfromthecrookedriver.

           ‘Haveyouanynews?’saidArthur.

           ‘Wehavenonews,’saidJeremiah.

           ‘Imeanoftheforeignman,’Arthurexplained.

           ‘Imeanoftheforeignman,’saidJeremiah.

           Helookedsogrim,ashestoodaskew,withtheknotofhiscravatunderhisear,thatthethoughtpassedintoClennam’smind,andnotforthefirsttimebymany,couldFlintwinchforapurposeofhisownhavegotridofBlandois?Couldithavebeenhissecret,andhissafety,thatwereatissue?Hewassmallandbent,andperhapsnotactivelystrong;yethewasastoughasanoldyew-tree,andascrustyasanoldjackdaw.

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