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said Jeremiah； and he said it with a twist； as if his words had e out
of him in his own wry shape。
'Flintwinch；' said his mistress and partner； flashing into a sudden
energy that made Affery start； 'why do you goad me？ Look round this
room。 If it is any pensation for my long confinement within these
narrow limits……not that I plain of being afflicted； you know I never
plain of that……if it is any pensation to me for long confinement
to this room； that while I am shut up from all pleasant change I am also
shut up from the knowledge of some things that I may prefer to avoid
knowing； why should you； of all men； grudge me that belief？'
'I don't grudge it to you；' returned Jeremiah。
'Then say no more。 Say no more。 Let Little Dorrit keep her secret from
me； and do you keep it from me also。 Let her e and go； unobserved and
unquestioned。 Let me suffer； and let me have what alleviation belongs to
my condition。 Is it so much； that you torment me like an evil spirit？'
'I asked you a question。 That's all。'
'I have answered it。 So； say no more。 Say no more。' Here the sound of
the wheeled chair was heard upon the floor； and Affery's bell rang with
a hasty jerk。
More afraid of her husband at the moment than of the mysterious sound in
the kitchen； Affery crept away as lightly and as quickly as she could；
descended the kitchen stairs almost as rapidly as she had ascended them；
resumed her seat before the fire； tucked up her skirt again； and finally
threw her apron over her head。 Then the bell rang once more； and then
once more； and then kept on ringing； in despite of which importunate
summons； Affery still sat behind her apron； recovering her breath。
At last Mr Flintwinch came shuffling down the staircase into the
hall； muttering and calling 'Affery woman！' all the way。 Affery still
remaining behind her apron； he came stumbling down the kitchen stairs；
candle in hand； sidled up to her； twitched her apron off； and roused
her。
'Oh Jeremiah！' cried Affery； waking。 'What a start you gave me！'
'What have you been doing； iah。 'You've been rung
for fifty times。'
'Oh Jeremiah；' said Mistress Affery； 'I have been a…dreaming！'
Reminded of her former achievement in that way； Mr Flintwinch held the
candle to her head； as if he had some idea of lighting her up for the
illumination of the kitchen。
'Don't you know it's her tea…time？' he demanded with a vicious grin； and
giving one of the legs of Mistress Affery's chair a kick。
'Jeremiah？ Tea…time？ I don't know what's e to me。 But I got such a
dreadful turn； Jeremiah； before I went……off a…dreaming； that I think it
must be that。'
'Yoogh！ Sleepy…Head！' said Mr Flintwinch； 'what are you talking about？'
'Such a strange noise； Jeremiah； and such a curious movement。 In the
kitchen here……just here。'
Jeremiah held up his light and looked at the blackened ceiling； held
down his light and looked at the damp stone floor； turned round with his
light and looked about at the spotted and blotched walls。
'Rats； cats； water； drains；' said Jeremiah。
Mistress Affery negatived each with a shake of her head。 'No； Jeremiah；
I have felt it before。 I have felt it up…stairs； and once on the
staircase as I was going from her room to ours in the night……a rustle
and a sort of trembling touch behind me。'
'Affery； my woman；' said Mr Flintwinch grimly； after advancing his nose
to that lady's lips as a test for the detection of spirituous liquors；
'if you don't get tea pretty quick； old woman； you'll bee sensible
of a rustle and a touch that'll send you flying to the other end of the
kitchen。'
This prediction stimulated Mrs Flintwinch to bestir herself； and to
hasten up…stairs to Mrs Clennam's chamber。 But； for all that； she now
began to entertain a settled conviction that there was something wrong
in the gloomy house。 Henceforth； she was never at peace in it after
daylight departed； and never went up or down stairs in the dark without
having her apron over her head； lest she should see something。
What with these ghostly apprehensions and her singular dreams； Mrs
Flintwinch fell that evening into a haunted state of mind； from which
it may be long before this present narrative descries any trace of her
recovery。 In the vagueness and indistinctness of all her new experiences
and perceptions； as everything about her was mysterious to herself she
began to be mysterious to others： and became as difficult to be made out
to anybody's satisfaction as she found the house and everything in it
difficult to make out to her own。
She had not yet finished preparing Mrs Clennam's tea； when the soft
knock came to the door which always announced Little Dorrit。 Mistress
Affery looked on at Little Dorrit taking off her homely bon in the
hall； and at Mr Flintwinch scraping his jaws and contemplating her in
silence； as expecting some wonderful consequence to ensue which would
frighten her out of her five wits or blow them all three to pieces。
After tea there came another knock at the door； announcing Arthur。
Mistress Affery went down to let him in； and he said on entering；
'Affery； I am glad it's you。 I want to ask you a question。' Affery
immediately replied； 'For goodness sake don't ask me nothing； Arthur！ I
am frightened out of one half of my life； and dreamed out of the
other。 Don't ask me nothing！ I don't know which is which； or what is
what！'……and immediately started away from him； and came near him no
more。
Mistress Affery having no taste for reading； and no sufficient light for
needlework in the subdued room； supposing her to have the inclination；
now sat every night in the dimness from which she had momentarily
emerged on the evening of Arthur Clennam's return； occupied with crowds
of wild speculations and suspicions respecting her mistress and her
husband and the noises in the house。 When the ferocious devotional
exercises were engaged in； these speculations would distract Mistress
Affery's eyes towards the door； as if she expected some dark form to
appear at those propitious moments； and make the party one too many。
Otherwise； Affery never said or did anything to attract the attention of
the two clever ones towards her in any marked degree； except on certain
occasions； generally at about the quiet hour towards bed…time； when she
would suddenly dart out of her dim corner； and whisper with a face of
terror to Mr Flintwinch； reading the paper near Mrs Clennam's little
table： 'There； jeremiah！ Now！ What's that noise？'
Then the noise； if there were any； would have ceased； and Mr Flintwinch
would snarl； turning upon her as if she had cut him down that moment
against his will； 'Affery； old woman； you shall have a dose； old woman；
such a dose！ You have been dreaming again！'
CHAPTER 16。 Nobody's Weakness
The time being e for the reneeagles
family； Clennam； pursuant to contract made between himself and Mr
Meagles within the precincts of Bleeding Heart Yard； turned his face
on a certain Saturday towards Twickenham； where Mr Meagles had a
cottage…residence of his own。 The weather being fine and dry； and any
English road abounding in interest for him who had been so long away；
he sent his valise on by the coach； and set out to walk。 A walk was in
itself a new enjoyment to him； and one that had rarely diversified his
life afar off。
He went by Fulham and Putney； for the pleasure of strolling over the
heath。 It was bright and shining there； and when he found himself so far
on his road to Twickenham； he found himself a long way on his road to
a number of airier and less substantial destinations。 They had risen
before him fast； in the healthful exercise and the pleasant road。 It is
not easy to walk alone in the country without musing upon something。 And
he had plenty of unsettled subjects to meditate upon； though he had been
walking to the Land's End。
First； there was the subject seldom absent from his mind； the question；
what he was to do henceforth in life； to what occupation he should
devote himself； and in what direction he had best seek it。 He was far
from rich； and every day of indecision and inaction made his inheritance
a source of greater anxiety to him。 As often as he began to