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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 come near me. He'll see you. Jeremiah will. Don't.
Mrs Clennam and Jeremiah had exchanged a look; and had then looked, and looked still, at Affery, who sat mending the stocking with great assiduity.
Then the sick woman was ready for bed. 'Good night, Arthur. Affery will see to your accommodation. Only touch me, for my hand is tender. He touched the worsted muffling of her hand that was nothing; if his mother had been sheathed in brass there would have been no new barrier between them and followed the old man and woman down-stairs.
Mrs Clennam stood still for an instant, at the height of her rapid haste, saying in stern amazement: 'Kept here? She has been dead a score of years or more. Ask Flintwinch ask HIM. They can both tell you that she died when Arthur went abroad. 'So much the worse, said Affery, with a shiver, 'for she haunts the house, then. Who else rustles about it, making signals by dropping dust so softly?
Mrs Clennam, her chin resting on her hand, followed him with attentive and darkly distrustful eyes; and Affery stood looking at her as if she were spell-bound. Slowly and thoughtfully, Mrs Clennam's eyes turned from the door by which Pancks had gone out, to Little Dorrit, rising from the carpet.
'Lord save us, here's a gipsy and a fortune-teller in it now! cried Mistress Affery. 'What next! She stood at the open door, staggering herself with this enigma, on a rainy, thundery evening.
'It's NOT possible, said Mr Flintwinch, screwing himself rapidly in that direction. 'She don't know what she means. She's an idiot, a wanderer in her mind. She shall have a dose, she shall have such a dose! Get along with you, my woman, he added in her ear, 'get along with you, while you know you're Affery, and before you're shaken to yeast.
His first disappointment, on arriving at the house, was to find the door open, and Mr Flintwinch smoking a pipe on the steps. If circumstances had been commonly favourable, Mistress Affery would have opened the door to his knock. Circumstances being uncommonly unfavourable, the door stood open, and Mr Flintwinch was smoking his pipe on the steps. 'Good evening, said Arthur.
To Arthur's increased surprise, Mistress Affery, stretching her eyes wide at himself, as if in warning that this was not a gentleman for him to interfere with, drew back the chain, and opened the door. The stranger, without ceremony, walked into the hall, leaving Arthur to follow him. 'Despatch then! Achieve then! Bring my Flintwinch!
He kept his eyes upon her, and kept advancing; and she, completely under his influence, kept retiring before him. Thus, she walking backward and he walking forward, they came into their own room. They were no sooner shut in there, than Mr Flintwinch took her by the throat, and shook her until she was black in the face. 'Why, Affery, woman Affery! said Mr Flintwinch.
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