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'There； there； there！' said he。 'That is quite understood； Mrs Clennam；
and you have spoken piously and well。 Mr Blandois； I suspect； is not
of a pious cast。' 'On the contrary； sir！' that gentleman protested；
snapping his fingers。 'Your pardon！ It's a part of my character。 I am
sensitive； ardent； conscientious； and imaginative。 A sensitive； ardent；
conscientious； and imaginative man； Mr Flintwinch； must be that； or
nothing！'
There was an inkling of suspicion in Mr Flintwinch's face that he might
be nothing； as he swaggered out of his chair （it was characteristic of
this man； as it is of all men similarly marked； that whatever he did；
he overdid； though it were sometimes by only a hairsbreadth）； and
approached to take his leave of Mrs Clennam。
'With what will appear to you the egotism of a sick old woman； sir；' she
then said； 'though really through your accidental allusion； I have
been led away into the subject of myself and my infirmities。 Being so
considerate as to visit me； I hope you will be likewise so considerate
as to overlook that。 Don't pliment me； if you please。' For he was
evidently going to do it。 'Mr Flintwinch will be happy to render you any
service； and I hope your stay in this city may prove agreeable。'
Mr Blandois thanked her； and kissed his hand several times。 'This is an
old room；' he remarked； with a sudden sprightliness of manner； looking
round when he got near the door； 'I have been so interested that I have
not observed it。 But it's a genuine old room。'
'It is a genuine old house；' said Mrs Clennam； with her frozen smile。 'A
place of no pretensions； but a piece of antiquity。'
'Faith！' cried the visitor。 'If Mr Flintwinch would do me the favour to
take me through the rooms on my way out； he could hardly oblige me more。
An old house is a weakness with me。 I have many weaknesses； but none
greater。 I love and study the picturesque in all its varieties。 I have
been called picturesque myself。 It is no merit to be picturesque……I
have greater merits； perhaps……but I may be； by an accident。 Sympathy；
sympathy！'
'I tell you beforehand； Mr Blandois； that you'll find it very dingy and
very bare；' said Jeremiah； taking up the candle。 'It's not worth your
looking at。'But Mr Blandois； smiting him in a friendly manner on the
back； only laughed； so the said Blandois kissed his hand again to Mrs
Clennam； and they went out of the room together。
'You don't care to go up…stairs？' said Jeremiah； on the landing。 'On the
contrary； Mr Flintwinch； if not tiresome to you； I shall be ravished！'
Mr Flintwinch； therefore； wormed himself up the staircase； and Mr
Blandois followed close。 They ascended to the great garret bed…room
which Arthur had occupied on the night of his return。 'There； Mr
Blandois！' said Jeremiah； showing it； 'I hope you may think that worth
ing so high to see。 I confess I don't。'
Mr Blandois being enraptured； they walked through other garrets and
passages； and came down the staircase again。 By this time Mr Flintwinch
had remarked that he never found the visitor looking at any room； after
throwing one quick glance around； but always found the visitor looking
at him； Mr Flintwinch。 With this discovery in his thoughts； he turned
about on the staircase for another experiment。 He met his eyes directly；
and on the instant of their fixing one another； the visitor； with
that ugly play of nose and moustache； laughed （as he had done at every
similar moment since they left Mrs Clennam's chamber） a diabolically
silent laugh。
As a much shorter man than the visitor； Mr Flintwinch was at the
physical disadvantage of being thus disagreeably leered at from a
height； and as he went first down the staircase； and was usually a
step or two lower than the other； this disadvantage was at the time
increased。 He postponed looking at Mr Blandois again until this
accidental inequality was removed by their having entered the late Mr
Clennam's room。 But； then twisting himself suddenly round upon him； he
found his look unchanged。
'A most admirable old house；' smiled Mr Blandois。 'So mysterious。 Do you
never hear any haunted noises here？'
'Noises；' returned Mr Flintwinch。 'No。'
'Nor see any devils？'
'Not；' said Mr Flintwinch； grimly screwing himself at his questioner；
'not any that introduce themselves under that name and in that
capacity。'
'Haha！ A portrait here； I see。'
（Still looking at Mr Flintwinch； as if he were the portrait。）
'It's a portrait； sir； as you observe。'
'May I ask the subject； Mr Flintwinch？'
'Mr Clennam； deceased。 Her husband。' 'Former owner of the remarkable
watch； perhaps？' said the visitor。
Mr Flintwinch； who had cast his eyes towards the portrait； twisted
himself about again； and again found himself the subject of the same
look and smile。 'Yes； Mr Blandois；' he replied tartly。 'It was his； and
his uncle's before him； and Lord knows who before him； and that's all I
can tell you of its pedigree。'
'That's a strongly marked character； Mr Flintwinch； our friend
up…stairs。'
'Yes； sir；' said Jeremiah； twisting himself at the visitor again； as he
did during the whole of this dialogue； like some screw…machine that
fell short of its grip； for the other never changed； and he always
felt obliged to retreat a little。 'She is a remarkable woman。 Great
fortitude……great strength of mind。'
'They must have been very happy；' said Blandois。
'Who？' demanded Mr Flintwinch； with another screw at him。
Mr Blandois shook his right forefinger towards the sick room； and his
left forefinger towards the portrait； and then； putting his arms akimbo
and striding his legs wide apart； stood smiling down at Mr Flintwinch
with the advancing nose and the retreating moustache。
'As happy as most other married people； I suppose；' returned Mr
Flintwinch。 'I can't say。 I don't know。 There are secrets in all
families。'
'Secrets！' cried Mr Blandois； quickly。 'Say it again； my son。'
'I say；' replied Mr Flintwinch； upon whom he had swelled himself so
suddenly that Mr Flintwinch found his face almost brushed by the dilated
chest。 'I say there are secrets in all families。'
'So there are；' cried the other； clapping him on both shoulders； and
rolling him backwards and forwards。 'Haha！ you are right。 So there are！
Secrets！ Holy Blue！ There are the devil's own secrets in some families；
Mr Flintwinch！' With that； after clapping Mr Flintwinch on both
shoulders several times； as if in a friendly and humorous way he were
rallying him on a joke he had made； he threw up his arms； threw back
his head； hooked his hands together behind it； and burst into a roar of
laughter。 It was in vain for Mr Flintwinch to try another screw at him。
He had his laugh out。
'But； favour me with the candle a moment；' he said； when he had done。
'Let us have a look at the husband of the remarkable lady。 Hah！' holding
up the light at arm's length。 'A decided expression of face here too；
though not of the same character。 Looks as if he were saying； what is
it……Do Not Forget……does he not； Mr Flintwinch？
By Heaven； sir； he does！'
As he returned the candle； he looked at him once more； and then；
leisurely strolling out with him into the hall； declared it to be a
charming old house indeed； and one which had so greatly pleased him that
he would not have missed inspecting it for a hundred pounds。 Throughout
these singular freedoms on the part of Mr Blandois； which involved a
general alteration in his demeanour； making it much coarser and rougher；
much more violent and audacious than before； Mr Flintwinch； whose
leathern face was not liable to many changes； preserved its immobility
intact。 Beyond now appearing perhaps； to have been left hanging a trifle
too long before that friendly operation of cutting down； he outwardly
maintained an equable posure。 They had brought their survey to a
close in the little room at the side of the hall； and he stood there；
eyeing Mr Blandois。
'I am glad you are so well satisfied； sir；' was his calm remark。 'I
didn't expect it。 You seem to be quite in good spirits。'
'In admirable spirits；' returned Blandois。 'Word of honour！ never more
refreshed in spirits。 Do you ever have presentiments； Mr Flintwinch？'
'I am not sure that I know what you mean by the term； sir；' replied that
gentleman。
'Say； in this case； Mr Flintwinch； undefined anticipations of pleasure
to e。'
'I can't say I'm sensible of such a sensation at present；' returned Mr
Flintwinch with the utmost gravity。 'If I should find it ing on； I'll
mention it。'
'Now I；' said Blandois； 'I； my son； have a presentiment to…night that we
shall be well acquainted。 Do you find it ing on？'
'N…no；' returned Mr Flintwinch； deliberately inquiring of himself。 'I
can't say I do。'
'I have a strong presentiment that we shall bee intimately
acquainted。……You have no feeling of that sort yet？'
'Not yet；' said Mr Flintwinch。
Mr Blandois； taking him by both shoulders again； rolled him about a
little in his former merry way； then drew his arm through his own； and
invited him to e off and drink a bottle of wine like a dear deep old
dog as he was。
Without a moment's indecision； Mr Flintwinch accepted the invitation；
and they went