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'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 plumbed with that heavy eye of his the
stream of his meditations。
The farewell banquet was of a gorgeous nature； and wound up his visit
in a most brilliant manner。 Fanny bined with the attractions of her
youth and beauty； a certain weight of self…sustainment as if she had
been married twenty years。 He felt that he could leave her with a
quiet mind to tread the paths of distinction； and wished……but without
abatement of patronage； and without prejudice to the retiring virtues of
his favourite child……that he had such another daughter。
'My dear；' he told her at parting； 'our family looks to you
to……ha……assert its dignity and……hum……maintain its importance。 I know you
will never disappoint it。'
'No； papa；' said Fanny； 'you may rely upon that； I think。 My best love
to dearest Amy； and I will write to her very soon。'
'Shall I convey any message to……ha……anybody else？' asked Mr Dorrit； in
an insinuating manner。
'Papa；' said Fanny； before whom Mrs General instantly loomed； 'no； I
thank you。 You are very kind； Pa； but I must beg to be excused。 There
is no other message to send； I thank you； dear papa； that it would be at
all agreeable to you to take。'
They parted in an outer drawing…room； where only Mr Sparkler waited
on his lady； and dutifully bided his time for shaking hands。 When Mr
Sparkler was admitted to this closing audience； Mr Merdle came creeping
in with not much more appearance of arms in his sleeves than if he
had been the twin brother of Miss Biffin； and insisted on escorting
Mr Dorrit down…stairs。 All Mr Dorrit's protestations being in vain；
he enjoyed the honour of being acpanied to the hall…door by this
distinguished man； who （as Mr Dorrit told him in shaking hands on the
step） had really overwhelmed him with attentions and services during
this memorable visit。 Thus they parted； Mr Dorrit entering his carriage
with a swelling breast； not at all sorry that his Courier； who had
e to take leave in the lower regions； should have an opportun