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though Mr Pancks sought to impress on any one who might happen to think
about it； that he was working on from out of hearing。 Mr Pancks and
he shook hands； and the former brought his employer a letter or two to
sign。 Mr Pancks in shaking hands merely scratched his eyebrow with his
left forefinger and snorted once； but Clennam； who understood him better
now than of old； prehended that he had almost done for the evening
and wished to say a word to him outside。 Therefore； when he had taken
his leave of Mr Casby； and （which was a more difficult process） of
Flora； he sauntered in the neighbourhood on Mr Pancks's line of road。
He had waited but a short time when Mr Pancks appeared。 Mr Pancks
shaking hands again with another expressive snort； and taking off his
hat to put his hair up； Arthur thought he received his cue to speak to
him as one who knew pretty well what had just now passed。 Therefore he
said； without any preface：
'I suppose they were really gone； Pancks？'
'Yes；' replied Pancks。 'They were really gone。'
'Does he know where to find that lady？'
'Can't say。 I should think so。'
Mr Pancks did not？ No； Mr Pancks did not。 Did Mr Pancks know anything
about her？ 'I expect；' rejoined that worthy； 'I know as much about
her as she knows about herself。 She is somebody's child……anybody's；
nobody's。
Put her in a room in London here with any six people old enough to be
her parents； and her parents may be there for anything she knows。 They
may be in any house she sees； they may be in any churchyard she passes；
she may run against 'em in any street； she may make chance acquaintance
of 'em at any time； and never know it。
She knows nothing about 'em。 She knows nothing about any relative
whatever。 Never did。 Never will。' 'Mr Casby could enlighten her；
perhaps？'
'May be；' said Pancks。 'I expect so； but don't know。 He has long had
money （not overmuch as I make out） in trust to dole out to her when
she can't do without it。 Sometimes she's proud and won't touch it for
a length of time； sometimes she's so poor that she must have it。 She
writhes under her life。 A woman more angry； passionate； reckless；
and revengeful never lived。 She came for money to…night。 Said she had
peculiar occasion for it。'
'I think；' observed Clennam musing； 'I by chance know what occasion……I
mean into whose pocket the money is to go。'
'Indeed？' said Pancks。 'If it's a pact； I remend that party to be
exact in it。 I wouldn't trust myself to that woman； young and handsome
as she is； if I had wronged her； no； not for twice my proprietor's
money！ Unless；' Pancks added as a saving clause； 'I had a lingering
illness on me； and wanted to get it over。'
Arthur； hurriedly reviewing his own observation of her； found it to
tally pretty nearly with Mr Pancks's view。
'The wonder is to me；' pursued Pancks； 'that she has never done for my
proprietor； as the only person connected with her story she can lay
hold of。 Mentioning that； I may tell you； between ourselves； that I am
sometimes tempted to do for him myself。'
Arthur started and said； 'Dear me； Pancks； don't say that！'
'Understand me；' said Pancks； extending five cropped coaly finger…nails
on Arthur's arm； 'I don't mean； cut his throat。 But by all that's
precious； if he goes too far； I'll cut his hair！'
Having exhibited himself in the new light of enunciating this tremendous
threat； Mr Pancks； with a countenance of grave import； snorted several
times and steamed away。
CHAPTER 10。 The Dreams of Mrs Flintwinch thicken
The shady waiting…rooms of the Circumlocution Office； where he passed a
good deal of time in pany with various troublesome Convicts who were
under sentence to be broken alive on that wheel； had afforded Arthur
Clennam ample leisure； in three or four successive days； to exhaust the
subject of his late glimpse of Miss Wade and Tattycoram。 He had been
able to make no more of it and no less of it； and in this unsatisfactory
condition he was fain to leave it。
During this space he had not been to his mother's dismal old house。
One of his customary evenings for repairing thither now ing round；
he left his dwelling and his partner at nearly nine o'clock； and slowly
walked in the direction of that grim home of his youth。
It always affected his imagination as wrathful； mysterious； and sad；
and his imagination was sufficiently impressible to see the whole
neighbourhood under some tinge of its dark shadow。 As he went along；
upon a dreary night； the dim streets by which he went； seemed all
depositories of oppressive secrets。 The deserted counting…houses； with
their secrets of books and papers locked up in chests and safes； the
banking…houses； with their secrets of strong rooms and wells； the
keys of which were in a very few secret pockets and a very few secret
breasts； the secrets of all the dispersed grinders in the vast mill；
among whom there were doubtless plunderers； forgers； and trust…betrayers
of many sorts； whom the light of any day that dawned might reveal； he
could have fancied that these things； in hiding； imparted a heaviness
to the air。 The shadow thickening and thickening as he approached its
source； he thought of the secrets of the lonely church…vaults； where the
people who had hoarded and secreted in iron coffers were in their turn
similarly hoarded； not yet at rest from doing harm； and then of the
secrets of the river； as it rolled its turbid tide between two frowning
wildernesses of secrets； extending； thick and dense； for many miles； and
warding off the free air and the free country swept by winds and wings
of birds。
The shadow still darkening as he drew near the house； the melancholy
room which his father had once occupied； haunted by the appealing face
he had himself seen fade away with him when there was no other watcher
by the bed； arose before his mind。 Its close air was secret。 The gloom；
and must； and dust of the whole tenement； were secret。 At the heart of
it his mother presided； inflexible of face； indomitable of will； firmly
holding all the secrets of her own and his father's life； and austerely
opposing herself； front to front； to the great final secret of all life。
He had turned into the narrow and steep street from which the court of
enclosure wherein the house stood opened； when another footstep turned
into it behind him； and so close upon his own that he was jostled to the
wall。 As his mind was teeming with these thoughts； the encounter took
him altogether unprepared； so that the other passenger had had time to
say； boisterously； 'Pardon！ Not my fault！' and to pass on before the
instant had elapsed which was requisite to his recovery of the realities
about him。
When that moment had flashed away； he saw that the man striding on
before him was the man who had been so much in his mind during the last
few days。 It was no casual resemblance； helped out by the force of
the impression the man made upon him。 It was the man； the man he had
followed in pany with the girl； and whom he had overheard talking to
Miss Wade。
The street was a sharp descent and was crooked too； and the man （who
although not drunk had the air of being flushed with some strong drink）
went down it so fast that Clennam lost him as he looked at him。 With
no defined intention of following him； but with an impulse to keep the
figure in view a little longer； Clennam quickened his pace to pass the
twist in the street which hid him from his sight。 On turning it； he saw
the man no more。
Standing now； close to the gateway of his mother's house； he looked
down the street： but it was empty。 There was no projecting shadow large
enough to obscure the man； there was no turning near that he could have
taken； nor had there been any audible sound of the opening and closing
of a door。 Nevertheless； he concluded that the man must have had a key
in his hand； and must have opened one of the many house…doors and gone
in。
Ruminating on this strange chance and strange glimpse； he turned into
the court…yard。 As he looked； by mere habit； towards the feebly lighted
windows of his mother's room； his eyes encountered the figure he had
just lost； standing against the iron railings of the li