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of the dry old man； for she whisked her apron away as he approached； and
disclosed a pale affrighted face。 'Open the door； you fool；' said the
old man； 'and let the gentleman in。'
Mr Dorrit； not without a glance over his shoulder towards his driver and
the cabriolet； walked into the dim hall。 'Now； sir；' said Mr Flintwinch；
'you can ask anything here you think proper； there are no secrets here；
sir。'
Before a reply could be made； a strong stern voice； though a woman's；
called from above； 'Who is it？'
'Who is it？' returned Jeremiah。 'More inquiries。 A gentleman from
Italy。'
'Bring him up here！'
Mr Flintwinch muttered； as if he deemed that unnecessary； but； turning
to Mr Dorrit； said； 'Mrs Clennam。 She will do as she likes。 I'll show
you the way。' He then preceded Mr Dorrit up the blackened staircase；
that gentleman； not unnaturally looking behind him on the road； saw the
woman following； with her apron thrown over her head again in her former
ghastly manner。
Mrs Clennam had her books open on her little table。 'Oh！' said she
abruptly； as she eyed her visitor with a steady look。 'You are from
Italy； sir； are you。 Well？' Mr Dorrit was at a loss for any more
distinct rejoinder at the moment than 'Ha……well？'
'Where is this missing man？ Have you e to give us information where
he is？ I hope you have？'
'So far from it； I……hum……have e to seek information。' 'Unfortunately
for us； there is none to be got here。 Flintwinch； show the gentleman the
handbill。 Give him several to take away。 Hold the light for him to read
it。'
Mr Flintwinch did as he was directed； and Mr Dorrit read it through；
as if he had not previously seen it； glad enough of the opportunity of
collecting his presence of mind； which the air of the house and of the
people in it had a little disturbed。 While his eyes were on the paper；
he felt that the eyes of Mr Flintwinch and of Mrs Clennam were on him。
He found； when he looked up； that this sensation was not a fanciful one。
'Now you know as much；' said Mrs Clennam； 'as we know； sir。 Is Mr
Blandois a friend of yours？'
'No……a……hum……an acquaintance；' answered Mr Dorrit。
'You have no mission from him； perhaps？'
'I？ Ha。 Certainly not。'
The searching look turned gradually to the floor； after taking Mr
Flintwinch's face in its way。 Mr Dorrit； disfited by finding that
he was the questioned instead of the questioner； applied himself to the
reversal of that unexpected order of things。
'I am……ha……a gentleman of property； at present residing in Italy with my
family； my servants； and……hum……my rather large establishment。 Being in
London for a short time on affairs connected with……ha……my estate；
and hearing of this strange disappearance； I wished to make myself
acquainted with the circumstances at first…hand； because there is……ha
hum……an English gentleman in Italy whom I shall no doubt see on my
return； who has been in habits of close and daily intimacy with Monsieur
Blandois。 Mr Henry Gowan。 You may know the name。'
'Never heard of it。' Mrs Clennam said it； and Mr Flintwinch echoed it。
'Wishing to……ha……make the narrative coherent and consecutive to him；'
said Mr Dorrit； 'may I ask……say； three questions？'
'Thirty； if you choose。'
'Have you known Monsieur Blandois long？'
'Not a twelvemonth。 Mr Flintwinch here； will refer to the books and tell
you when； and by whom at Paris he was introduced to us。 If that；'
Mrs Clennam added； 'should be any satisfaction to you。 It is poor
satisfaction to us。'
'Have you seen him often？'
'No。 Twice。 Once before； and……' 'That once；' suggested Mr Flintwinch。
'And that once。'
'Pray； madam；' said Mr Dorrit； with a growing fancy upon him as he
recovered his importance； that he was in some superior way in the
mission of the Peace； 'pray； madam； may I inquire； for the greater
satisfaction of the gentleman whom I have the honour to……ha……retain； or
protect or let me say to……hum……know……to know……Was Monsieur Blandois here
on business on the night indicated in this present sheet？'
'On what he called business；' returned Mrs Clennam。
'Is……ha……excuse me……is its nature to be municated？'
'No。'
It was evidently impracticable to pass the barrier of that reply。
'The question has been asked before；' said Mrs Clennam； 'and the answer
has been； No。 We don't choose to publish our transactions； however
unimportant； to all the town。 We say； No。'
'I mean； he took away no money with him； for example；' said Mr Dorrit。
'He took away none of ours； sir； and got none here。'
'I suppose；' observed Mr Dorrit； glancing from Mrs Clennam to Mr
Flintwinch； and from Mr Flintwinch to Mrs Clennam； 'you have no way of
accounting to yourself for this mystery？'
'Why do you suppose so？' rejoined Mrs Clennam。
Disconcerted by the cold and hard inquiry； Mr Dorrit was unable to
assign any reason for his supposing so。
'I account for it； sir；' she pursued after an awkward silence on Mr
Dorrit's part； 'by having no doubt that he is travelling somewhere； or
hiding somewhere。'
'Do you know……ha……why he should hide anywhere？'
'No。'
It was exactly the same No as before； and put another barrier up。 'You
asked me if I accounted for the disappearance to myself；' Mrs Clennam
sternly reminded him； 'not if I accounted for it to you。 I do not
pretend to account for it to you； sir。 I understand it to be no more my
business to do that； than it is yours to require that。'
Mr Dorrit answered with an apologetic bend of his head。 As he stepped
back； preparatory to saying he had no more to ask； he could not but
observe how gloomily and fixedly she sat with her eyes fastened on
the ground； and a certain air upon her of resolute waiting； also；
how exactly the self…same expression was reflected in Mr Flintwinch；
standing at a little distance from her chair； with his eyes also on the
ground； and his right hand softly rubbing his chin。
At that moment； Mistress Affery （of course； the woman with the apron）
dropped the candlestick she held； and cried out； 'There！ O good Lord！
there it is again。 Hark； Jeremiah！ Now！'
If there were any sound at all； it was so slight that she must have
fallen into a confirmed habit of listening for sounds； but Mr Dorrit
believed he did hear a something； like the falling of dry leaves。 The
woman's terror； for a very short space； seemed to touch the three； and
they all listened。
Mr Flintwinch was the first to stir。 'Affery； my woman；' said he；
sidling at her with his fists clenched； and his elbows quivering with
impatience to shake her； 'you are at your old tricks。 You'll be walking
in your sleep next； my woman； and playing the whole round of your
distempered antics。 You must have some physic。 When I have shown this
gentleman out； I'll make you up such a fortable dose； my woman； such
a fortable dose！'
It did not appear altogether fortable in expectation to Mistress
Affery； but Jeremiah； without further reference to his healing medicine；
took another candle from Mrs Clennam's table； and said； 'Now； sir； shall
I light you down？'
Mr Dorrit professed himself obliged； and went down。 Mr Flintwinch shut
him out； and chained him out； without a moment's loss of time。
He was again passed by the two men； one going out and the other ing
in； got into the vehicle he had left waiting； and was driven away。
Before he had gone far； the driver stopped to let him know that he
had given his name； number； and address to the two men； on their joint
requisition； and also the address at which he had taken Mr Dorrit up；
the hour at which he had been called from his stand and the way by which
he had e。 This did not make the night's adventure run any less hotly
in Mr Dorrit's mind； either when he sat down by his fire again； or
when he went to bed。 All night he haunted the dismal house； saw the two
people resolutely waiting； heard the woman with her apron over her face
cry out about the noise； and found the body of the missing Blandois； now
buried in the cellar； and now bricked up in a wall。
CHAPTER 18。 A Castle in the Air
Manifold are the cares of wealth and state。 Mr Dorrit's satisfaction in
remembering that it had not been necessary for him to announce himself
to Clennam and Co。； or to make an allusion to his having had any
knowledge of the intrusive person of that name； had been damped
over…night； while it was still fresh； by a debate that arose within him
whether or no he should take the Marshalsea in his way back； and look
at the old gate。 He had decided not to do so； and had astonished the
coachman by being very fierce with him for proposing to go over London
Bridge and recross the river by Waterloo Bridge……a course which would
have taken him almost within sight of his old quarters。 Still； for all
that； the question had raised a conflict in his breast； and； for some
odd reason or no reason； he was vaguely dissatisfied。 Even at the Merdle
dinner…table next day； he was so out of sorts about it that he
continued at intervals to turn it over and over； in a manner frightfully
inconsistent with the good society surrounding him。 It made him hot to
think what the Chief Butler's opinion of him would have been； if that
illustrious personage could have plu