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of　my　head　and　stomach：　the　detestable　and　intolerable　weather　having
racked　them　both。　You　see　me　in　the　plight　in　which　I　came　out　of　the
packet　within　this　half…hour。　I　ought　to　have　been　here　hours　ago；
and　then　I　should　not　have　to　apologise……permit　me　to　apologise……for
presenting　myself　so　unreasonably；　and　frightening……no；　by…the…bye；　you
said　not　frightening；　permit　me　to　apologise　again……the　esteemed　lady；
Mrs　Clennam；　in　her　invalid　chamber　above　stairs。'

Swagger　and　an　air　of　authorised　condescension　do　so　much；　that
Mr　Flintwinch　had　already　begun　to　think　this　a　highly　gentlemanly
personage。　Not　the　less　unyielding　with　him　on　that　account；　he　scraped
his　chin　and　said；　what　could　he　have　the　honour　of　doing　for　Mr
Blandois　to…night；　out　of　business　hours？

'Faith！'　returned　that　gentleman；　shrugging　his　cloaked　shoulders；
'I　must　change；　and　eat　and　drink；　and　be　lodged　somewhere。　Have　the
kindness　to　advise　me；　a　total　stranger；　where；　and　money　is　a　matter　of
perfect　indifference　until　to…morrow。　The　nearer　the　place；　the　better。
Next　door；　if　that's　all。'

Mr　Flintwinch　was　slowly　beginning；　'For　a　gentleman　of　your　habits；
there　is　not　in　this　immediate　neighbourhood　any　hotel……'　when　Mr
Blandois　took　him　up。

'So　much　for　my　habits！　my　dear　sir；'　snapping　his　fingers。　'A　citizen
of　the　world　has　no　habits。　That　I　am；　in　my　poor　way；　a　gentleman；
by　Heaven！　I　will　not　deny；　but　I　have　no　unacmodating　prejudiced
habits。　A　clean　room；　a　hot　dish　for　dinner；　and　a　bottle　of　not
absolutely　poisonous　wine；　are　all　I　want　tonight。　But　I　want　that　much
without　the　trouble　of　going　one　unnecessary　inch　to　get　it。'

'There　is；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　with　more　than　his　usual　deliberation；
as　he　met；　for　a　moment；　Mr　Blandois'　shining　eyes；　which　were　restless；
'there　is　a　coffee…house　and　tavern　close　here；　which；　so　far；　I　can
remend；　but　there's　no　style　about　it。'

'I　dispense　with　style！'　said　Mr　Blandois；　waving　his　hand。　'Do　me　the
honour　to　show　me　the　house；　and　introduce　me　there　（if　I　am　not　too
troublesome）；　and　I　shall　be　infinitely　obliged。'　Mr　Flintwinch；　upon
this；　looked　up　his　hat；　and　lighted　Mr　Blandois　across　the　hall　again。
As　he　put　the　candle　on　a　bracket；　where　the　dark　old　panelling　almost
served　as　an　extinguisher　for　it；　he　bethought　himself　of　going　up　to
tell　the　invalid　that　he　would　not　be　absent　five　minutes。　'Oblige　me；'
said　the　visitor；　on　his　saying　so；　'by　presenting　my　card　of　visit。　Do
me　the　favour　to　add　that　I　shall　be　happy　to　wait　on　Mrs　Clennam；　to
offer　my　personal　pliments；　and　to　apologise　for　having　occasioned
any　agitation　in　this　tranquil　corner；　if　it　should　suit　her　convenience
to　endure　the　presence　of　a　stranger　for　a　few　minutes；　after　he　shall
have　changed　his　wet　clothes　and　fortified　himself　with　something　to　eat
and　drink。'

Jeremiah　made　all　despatch；　and　said；　on　his　return；　'She'll　be　glad
to　see　you；　sir；　but；　being　conscious　that　her　sick　room　has　no
attractions；　wishes　me　to　say　that　she　won't　hold　you　to　your　offer；　in
case　you　should　think　better　of　it。'

'To　think　better　of　it；'　returned　the　gallant　Blandois；　'would　be　to
slight　a　lady；　to　slight　a　lady　would　be　to　be　deficient　in　chivalry
towards　the　sex；　and　chivalry　towards　the　sex　is　a　part　of　my
character！'　Thus　expressing　himself；　he　threw　the　draggled　skirt　of　his
cloak　over　his　shoulder；　and　acpanied　Mr　Flintwinch　to　the　tavern；
taking　up　on　the　road　a　porter　who　was　waiting　with　his　portmanteau　on
the　outer　side　of　the　gateway。

The　house　was　kept　in　a　homely　manner；　and　the　condescension　of　Mr
Blandois　was　infinite。　It　seemed　to　fill　to　inconvenience　the　little　bar
in　which　the　widow　landlady　and　her　two　daughters　received　him；　it　was
much　too　big　for　the　narrow　wainscoted　room　with　a　bagatelle…board　in
it；　that　was　first　proposed　for　his　reception；　it　perfectly　swamped　the
little　private　holiday　sitting…room　of　the　family；　which　was　finally
given　up　to　him。　Here；　in　dry　clothes　and　scented　linen；　with　sleeked
hair；　a　great　ring　on　each　forefinger　and　a　massive　show　of　watch…chain；
Mr　Blandois　waiting　for　his　dinner；　lolling　on　a　window…seat　with　his
knees　drawn　up；　looked　（for　all　the　difference　in　the　setting　of　the
jewel）　fearfully　and　wonderfully　like　a　certain　Monsieur　Rigaud　who　had
once　so　waited　for　his　breakfast；　lying　on　the　stone　ledge　of　the　iron
grating　of　a　cell　in　a　villainous　dungeon　at　Marseilles。

His　greed　at　dinner；　too；　was　closely　in　keeping　with　the　greed　of
Monsieur　Rigaud　at　breakfast。　His　avaricious　manner　of　collecting　all
the　eatables　about　him；　and　devouring　some　with　his　eyes　while　devouring
others　with　his　jaws；　was　the　same　manner。　His　utter　disregard　of
other　people；　as　shown　in　his　way　of　tossing　the　little　womanly　toys
of　furniture　about；　flinging　favourite　cushions　under　his　boots　for　a
softer　rest；　and　crushing　delicate　coverings　with　his　big　body　and　his
great　black　head；　had　the　same　brute　selfishness　at　the　bottom　of　it。
The　softly　moving　hands　that　were　so　busy　among　the　dishes　had　the　old
wicked　facility　of　the　hands　that　had　clung　to　the　bars。　And　when　he
could　eat　no　more；　and　sat　sucking　his　delicate　fingers　one　by　one　and
wiping　them　on　a　cloth；　there　wanted　nothing　but　the　substitution　of
vine…leaves　to　finish　the　picture。

On　this　man；　with　his　moustache　going　up　and　his　nose　ing　down　in
that　most　evil　of　smiles；　and　with　his　surface　eyes　looking　as　if　they
belonged　to　his　dyed　hair；　and　had　had　their　natural　power　of　reflecting
light　stopped　by　some　similar　process；　Nature；　always　true；　and　never
working　in　vain；　had　set　the　mark；　Beware！　It　was　not　her　fault；　if　the
warning　were　fruitless。　She　is　never　to　blame　in　any　such　instance。

Mr　Blandois；　having　finished　his　repast　and　cleaned　his　fingers；　took
a　cigar　from　his　pocket；　and；　lying　on　the　window…seat　again；　smoked　it
out　at　his　leisure；　occasionally　apostrophising　the　smoke　as　it　parted
from　his　thin　lips　in　a　thin　stream：

'Blandois；　you　shall　turn　the　tables　on　society；　my　little　child。　Haha！
Holy　blue；　you　have　begun　well；　Blandois！　At　a　pinch；　an　excellent
master　in　English　or　French；　a　man　for　the　bosom　of　families！　You　have
a　quick　perception；　you　have　humour；　you　have　ease；　you　have　insinuating
manners；　you　have　a　good　appearance；　in　effect；　you　are　a　gentleman！　A
gentleman　you　shall　live；　my　small　boy；　and　a　gentleman　you　shall　die。
You　shall　win；　however　the　game　goes。　They　shall　all　confess　your　merit；
Blandois。　You　shall　subdue　the　society　which　has　grievously　wronged
you；　to　your　own　high　spirit。　Death　of　my　soul！　You　are　high　spirited　by
right　and　by　nature；　my　Blandois！'

To　such　soothing　murmurs　did　this　gentleman　smoke　out　his　cigar　and
drink　out　his　bottle　of　wine。　Both　being　finished；　he　shook　himself　into
a　sitting　attitude；　and　with　the　concluding　serious　apostrophe；　'Hold；
then！　Blandois；　you　ingenious　one；　have　all　your　wits　about　you！'　arose
and　went　back　to　the　house　of　Clennam　and　Co。

He　was　received　at　the　door　by　Mistress　Affery；　who；　under　instructions
from　her　lord；　had　lighted　up　two　candles　in　the　hall　and　a　third　on　the
staircase；　and　who　conducted　him　to　Mrs　Clennam's　room。　Tea　was　prepared
there；　and　such　little　pany　arrangements　had　been　made　as　usually
attended　the　reception　of　expected　visitors。　They　were　slight　on　the
greatest　occasion；　never　extending　beyond　the　production　of　the　China
tea…service；　and　the　covering　of　the　bed　with　a　sober　and　sad　drapery。
For　the　rest；　there　was　the　bier…like　sofa　with　the　block　upon　it；　and
the　figure　in　the　widow's　dress；　as　if　attired　for　execution；　the　fire
topped　by　the　mound　of　damped　ashes；　the　grate　with　its　second　little
mound　of　ashes；　the　kettle　and　the　smell　of　black　dye；　all　as　they　had
been　for　fifteen　years。

Mr　Flintwinch　presented　the　gentleman　mended　to　the　consideration　of
Clennam　and　Co。　Mrs　Clennam；　who　had　the　letter　lying　before　her；　bent
her　head　and　requested　him　to　sit。　They　looked　very　closely　at　one
another。　That　was　but　natural　curiosity。　'I　thank　you；　sir；　for　thinking
of　a　disabled　woman　like　me。　Few　who　e　here　on　business　have　any
remembrance　to　bestow　on