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I have been able to do for you； you are the most sincerely grateful of
men。'
'I swear it！' cried the other。
'I know it。 If you could find this man； or discover what has bee of
him； or gain any later intelligence whatever of him； you would render
me a service above any other service I could receive in the world； and
would make me （with far greater reason） as grateful to you as you are to
me。' 'I know not where to look；' cried the little man； kissing Arthur's
hand in a transport。 'I know not where to begin。 I know not where to go。
But； courage！ Enough！ It matters not！ I go； in this instant of time！'
'Not a word to any one but me； Cavalletto。'
'Al…tro！' cried Cavalletto。 And was gone with great speed。
CHAPTER 23。 Mistress Affery makes a Conditional Promise；
respecting her Dreams
Left alone； with the expressive looks and gestures of Mr Baptist；
otherwise Giovanni Baptista Cavalletto； vividly before him； Clennam
entered on a weary day。 It was in vain that he tried to control his
attention by directing it to any business occupation or train of
thought； it rode at anchor by the haunting topic； and would hold to no
other idea。 As though a criminal should be chained in a stationary boat
on a deep clear river； condemned； whatever countless leagues of water
flowed past him； always to see the body of the fellow…creature he had
drowned lying at the bottom； immovable； and unchangeable； except as
the eddies made it broad or long； now expanding； now contracting
its terrible lineaments； so Arthur； below the shifting current of
transparent thoughts and fancies which were gone and succeeded by others
as soon as e； saw； steady and dark； and not to be stirred from its
place； the one subject that he endeavoured with all his might to rid
himself of； and that he could not fly from。 The assurance he now
had； that Blandois； whatever his right name； was one of the worst of
characters； greatly augmented the burden of his anxieties。 Though the
disappearance should be accounted for to…morrow； the fact that
his mother had been in munication with such a man； would remain
unalterable。 That the munication had been of a secret kind； and that
she had been submissive to him and afraid of him； he hoped might be
known to no one beyond himself； yet； knowing it； how could he separate
it from his old vague fears； and how believe that there was nothing evil
in such relations？ Her resolution not to enter on the question with him；
and his knowledge of her indomitable character； enhanced his sense of
helplessness。 It was like the oppression of a dream to believe that
shame and exposure were impending over her and his father's memory； and
to be shut out； as by a brazen wall； from the possibility of ing to
their aid。 The purpose he had brought home to his native country； and
had ever since kept in view； was； with her greatest determination；
defeated by his mother herself； at the time of all others when he feared
that it pressed most。 His advice； energy； activity； money； credit；
all his resources whatsoever； were all made useless。 If she had been
possessed of the old fabled influence； and had turned those who looked
upon her into stone； she could not have rendered him more pletely
powerless （so it seemed to him in his distress of mind） than she did；
when she turned her unyielding face to his in her gloomy room。
But the light of that day's discovery； shining on these considerations；
roused him to take a more decided course of action。
Confident in the rectitude of his purpose； and impelled by a sense of
overhanging danger closing in around； he resolved； if his mother would
still admit of no approach； to make a desperate appeal to Affery。 If she
could be brought to bee municative； and to do what lay in her to
break the spell of secrecy that enshrouded the house； he might shake
off the paralysis of which every hour that passed over his head made
him more acutely sensible。 This was the result of his day's anxiety； and
this was the decision he put in practice when the day closed in。
His first disappointment； on arriving at the house； was to find the door
open； and Mr Flintwinch smoking a pipe on the steps。 If circumstances
had been monly favourable； Mistress Affery would have opened the
door to his knock。 Circumstances being unmonly unfavourable； the door
stood open； and Mr Flintwinch was smoking his pipe on the steps。
'Good evening；' said Arthur。
'Good evening；' said Mr Flintwinch。
The smoke came crookedly out of Mr Flintwinch's mouth； as if it
circulated through the whole of his wry figure and came back by his wry
throat； before ing forth to mingle with the smoke from the crooked
chimneys and the mists from the crooked river。
'Have you any news？' said Arthur。
'We have no news；' said Jeremiah。
'I mean of the foreign man；' Arthur explained。
_'I_ mean of the foreign man；' said Jeremiah。
He looked so grim； as he stood askew； with the knot of his cravat under
his ear； that the thought passed into Clennam's mind； and not for the
first time by many； could Flintwinch for a purpose of his own have got
rid of Blandois？ Could it have been his secret； and his safety； that
were at issue？ He was small and bent； and perhaps not actively strong；
yet he was as tough as an old yew…tree； and as crusty as an old jackdaw。
Such a man； ing behind a much younger and more vigorous man； and
having the will to put an end to him and no relenting； might do it
pretty surely in that solitary place at a late hour。
While； in the morbid condition of his thoughts； these thoughts drifted
over the main one that was always in Clennam's mind； Mr Flintwinch；
regarding the opposite house over the gateway with his neck twisted and
one eye shut up； stood smoking with a vicious expression upon him； more
as if he were trying to bite off the stem of his pipe； than as if he
were enjoying it。 Yet he was enjoying it in his own way。
'You'll be able to take my likeness； the next time you call； Arthur；
I should think；' said Mr Flintwinch； drily； as he stooped to knock the
ashes out。
Rather conscious and confused； Arthur asked his pardon； if he had stared
at him unpolitely。 'But my mind runs so much upon this matter；' he said；
'that I lose myself。'
'Hah！ Yet I don't see；' returned Mr Flintwinch； quite at his leisure；
'why it should trouble YOU； Arthur。'
'No？'
'No；' said Mr Flintwinch； very shortly and decidedly： much as if he were
of the canine race； and snapped at Arthur's hand。
'Is it nothing to see those placards about？ Is it nothing to me to
see my mother's name and residence hawked up and down in such an
association？'
'I don't see；' returned Mr Flintwinch； scraping his horny cheek； 'that
it need signify much to you。 But I'll tell you what I do see； Arthur；'
glancing up at the windows； 'I see the light of fire and candle in your
mother's room！'
'And what has that to do with it？'
'Why； sir； I read by it；' said Mr Flintwinch； screwing himself at him；
'that if it's advisable （as the proverb says it is） to let sleeping dogs
lie； it's just as advisable； perhaps； to let missing dogs lie。 Let 'em
be。 They generally turn up soon enough。'
Mr Flintwinch turned short round when he had made this remark； and went
into the dark hall。 Clennam stood there； following him with his eyes；
as he dipped for a light in the phosphorus…box in the little room at the
side； got one after three or four dips； and lighted the dim lamp against
the wall。 All the while； Clennam was pursuing the probabilities……rather
as if they were being shown to him by an invisible hand than as if he
himself were conjuring them up……of Mr Flintwinch's ways and means of
doing that darker deed； and removing its traces by any of the black
avenues of shadow that lay around them。
'Now； sir；' said the testy Jeremiah； 'will it be agreeable to walk
up…stairs？'
'My mother is alone； I suppose？'
'Not alone；' said Mr Flintwinch。 'Mr Casby and his daughter are with
her。 They came in while I was smoking； and I stayed behind to have my
smoke out。'
This was the second disappointment。 Arthur made no remark upon it； and
repaired to his mother's room； where Mr Casby and Flora had been
taking tea； anchovy paste； and hot buttered toast。 The relics of those
delicacies were not yet removed； either from the table or from the
scorched countenance of Affery； who； with the kitchen toasting…fork
still in her hand； looked like a sort of allegorical personage； except
that she had a considerable advantage over the general run of such
personages in point of significant emblematical purpose。
Flora had spread her bon and shawl upon the bed； with a care
indicative of an intention to stay some time。 Mr Casby； too； was beaming
near the hob； with his benevolent knobs shining as if the warm butter of
the toast were exuding through the patriarchal skull； and with his face
as ruddy as if the colouring matter of the anchovy paste were mantling
in the patriarchal visage。 Seeing this； as he exchanged the
usual salutations； Clennam decided to speak to his mother without
postponement。
It had long been customary； as she never changed her room； for those who
had anything to say to her apart； to wheel her to her desk；