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highly impressive； fond memory recalls an occasion in youth ere yet the
judgment was mature when Arthur……confirmed habit……Mr Clennam……took
me down into an unused kitchen eminent for mouldiness and proposed to
secrete me there for life and feed me on what he could hide from his
meals when he was not at home for the holidays and on dry bread in
disgrace which at that halcyon period too frequently occurred； would
it be inconvenient or asking too much to beg to be permitted to revive
those scenes and walk through the house？'
Mrs Clennam； who responded with a constrained grace to Mrs Finching's
good nature in being there at all； though her visit （before Arthur's
unexpected arrival） was undoubtedly an act of pure good nature and no
self…gratification； intimated that all the house was open to her。 Flora
rose and looked to Arthur for his escort。 'Certainly；' said he； aloud；
'and Affery will light us； I dare say。'
Affery was excusing herself with 'Don't ask nothing of me； Arthur！' when
Mr Flintwinch stopped her with 'Why not？ Affery； what's the matter with
you； woman？ Why not； jade！' Thus expostulated with； she came unwillingly
out of her corner； resigned the toasting…fork into one of her husband's
hands； and took the candlestick he offered from the other。
'Go before； you fool！' said Jeremiah。 'Are you going up； or down； Mrs
Finching？'
Flora answered； 'Down。'
'Then go before； and down； you Affery；' said Jeremiah。 'And do it
properly； or I'll e rolling down the banisters； and tumbling over
you！'
Affery headed the exploring party； Jeremiah closed it。 He had no
intention of leaving them。 Clennam looking back； and seeing him
following three stairs behind； in the coolest and most methodical
manner exclaimed in a low voice； 'Is there no getting rid of him！' Flora
reassured his mind by replying promptly； 'Why though not exactly
proper Arthur and a thing I couldn't think of before a younger man or
a stranger still I don't mind him if you so particularly wish it and
provided you'll have the goodness not to take me too tight。'
Wanting the heart to explain that this was not at all what he meant；
Arthur extended his supporting arm round Flora's figure。 'Oh my goodness
me；' said she。 'You are very obedient indeed really and it's extremely
honourable and gentlemanly in you I am sure but still at the same time
if you would like to be a little tighter than that I shouldn't consider
it intruding。'
In this preposterous attitude； unspeakably at variance with his anxious
mind； Clennam descended to the basement of the house； finding that
wherever it became darker than elsewhere； Flora became heavier； and
that when the house was lightest she was too。 Returning from the dismal
kitchen regions； which were as dreary as they could be； Mistress Affery
passed with the light into his father's old room； and then into the old
dining…room； always passing on before like a phantom that was not to be
overtaken； and neither turning nor answering when he whispered； 'Affery！
I want to speak to you！'
In the dining…room； a sentimental desire came over Flora to look into
the dragon closet which had so often swallowed Arthur in the days of his
boyhood……not improbably because； as a very dark closet； it was a likely
place to be heavy in。 Arthur； fast subsiding into despair； had opened
it； when a knock was heard at the outer door。
Mistress Affery； with a suppressed cry； threw her apron over her head。
'What？ You want another dose！' said Mr Flintwinch。 'You shall have it；
my woman； you shall have a good one！ Oh！ You shall have a sneezer； you
shall have a teaser！'
'In the meantime is anybody going to the door？' said Arthur。
'In the meantime； I am going to the door； sir；' returned the old man so
savagely； as to render it clear that in a choice of difficulties he felt
he must go； though he would have preferred not to go。 'Stay here the
while； all！ Affery； my woman； move an inch； or speak a word in your
foolishness； and I'll treble your dose！'
The moment he was gone； Arthur released Mrs Finching： with some
difficulty； by reason of that lady misunderstanding his intentions； and
making arrangements with a view to tightening instead of slackening。
'Affery； speak to me now！'
'Don't touch me； Arthur！' she cried； shrinking from him。 'Don't e
near me。 He'll see you。 Jeremiah will。 Don't。'
'He can't see me；' returned Arthur； suiting the action to the word； 'if
I blow the candle out。'
'He'll hear you；' cried Affery。
'He can't hear me；' returned Arthur； suiting the action to the words
again； 'if I draw you into this black closet； and speak here。
Why do you hide your face？'
'Because I am afraid of seeing something。'
'You can't be afraid of seeing anything in this darkness； Affery。'
'Yes I am。 Much more than if it was light。'
'Why are you afraid？'
'Because the house is full of mysteries and secrets； because it's full
of whisperings and counsellings； because it's full of noises。 There
never was such a house for noises。 I shall die of 'em； if Jeremiah don't
strangle me first。 As I expect he will。'
'I have never heard any noises here； worth speaking of。'
'Ah！ But you would； though； if you lived in the house； and was obliged
to go about it as I am；' said Affery； 'and you'd feel that they was so
well worth speaking of； that you'd feel you was nigh bursting through
not being allowed to speak of 'em。 Here's Jeremiah！ You'll get me
killed。'
'My good Affery； I solemnly declare to you that I can see the light of
the open door on the pavement of the hall； and so could you if you would
uncover your face and look。'
'I durstn't do it；' said Affery； 'I durstn't never； Arthur。 I'm always
blind…folded when Jeremiah an't a looking； and sometimes even when he
is。'
'He cannot shut the door without my seeing him；' said Arthur。 'You are
as safe with me as if he was fifty miles away。'
（'I wish he was！' cried Affery。）
'Affery； I want to know what is amiss here； I want some light thrown
on the secrets of this house。' 'I tell you； Arthur；' she interrupted；
'noises is the secrets； rustlings and stealings about； tremblings；
treads overhead and treads underneath。'
'But those are not all the secrets。'
'I don't know；' said Affery。 'Don't ask me no more。 Your old sweetheart
an't far off； and she's a blabber。'
His old sweetheart； being in fact so near at hand that she was then
reclining against him in a flutter； a very substantial angle of
forty…five degrees； here interposed to assure Mistress Affery with
greater earnestness than directness of asseveration； that what she heard
should go no further； but should be kept inviolate； 'if on no other
account on Arthur's……sensible of intruding in being too familiar Doyce
and Clennam's。'
'I make an imploring appeal to you； Affery； to you； one of the few
agreeable early remembrances I have； for my mother's sake； for your
husband's sake； for my own； for all our sakes。 I am sure you can tell me
something connected with the ing here of this man； if you will。'
'Why； then I'll tell you； Arthur；' returned Affery……'Jeremiah's ing！'
'No； indeed he is not。 The door is open； and he is standing outside；
talking。'
'I'll tell you then；' said Affery； after listening； 'that the first time
he ever e he heard the noises his own self。 〃What's that？〃 he said to
me。 〃I don't know what it is；〃 I says to him； catching hold of him；
〃but I have heard it over and over again。〃 While I says it； he stands a
looking at me； all of a shake； he do。'
'Has he been here often？'
'Only that night； and the last night。'
'What did you see of him on the last night； after I was gone？'
'Them two clever ones had him all alone to themselves。 Jeremiah e
a dancing at me sideways； after I had let you out （he always es a
dancing at me sideways when he's going to hurt me）； and he said to me；
〃Now； Affery；〃 he said； 〃I am a ing behind you； my woman； and a going
to run you up。〃 So he took and squeezed the back of my neck in his hand；
till it made me open MY mouth； and then he pushed me before him to bed；
squeezing all the way。 That's what he calls running me up； he do。 Oh；
he's a wicked one！'
'And did you hear or see no more； Affery？'
'Don't I tell you I was sent to bed； Arthur！ Here he is！'
'I assure you he is still at the door。 Those whisperings and
counsellings； Affery； that you have spoken of。 What are they？'
'How should I know？ Don't ask me nothing about 'em； Arthur。 Get away！'
'But my dear Affery； unless I can gain some insight into these hidden
things； in spite of your husband and in spite of my mother； ruin will
e of it。'
'Don't ask me nothing；' repeated Affery。 'I have been in a dream for
ever so long。 Go away； go away！'
'You said that before；' returned Arthur。 'You used the same expression
that night； at the door； when I asked you what was going on here。 What
do you mean by being in a dream？'
'I an't a going to tell you。 Get away！ I shouldn't tell you； if you was
by yourself； much less with your old sweetheart here。'
It was equally vain for Arthur to entreat； and for Flora to protest。
Affery； who had been trembling and struggling the whole time； turned a
deaf ear to all adjuration； and was b