with mouths from ear to ear good
gracious, and has she her health which is the first consideration after
all for what is wealth without it Mr F. himself so often saying when his
twinges came that sixpence a day and find yourself and no gout so much
preferable, not that he could have lived on anything like it being the
last man or that the previous little thing though far too familiar an
expression now had any tendency of that sort much too slight and small
but looked so fragile bless her?'

Mr F.'s Aunt, who had eaten a piece of toast down to the crust, here
solemnly handed the crust to Flora, who ate it for her as a matter of
business. Mr F.'s Aunt then moistened her ten fingers in slow succession
at her lips, and wiped them in exactly the same order on the white
handkerchief; then took the other piece of toast, and fell to work
upon it. While pursuing this routine, she looked at Clennam with an
expression of such intense severity that he felt obliged to look at her
in return, against his personal inclinations.

'She is in Italy, with all her family, Flora,' he said, when the dreaded
lady was occupied again.

'In Italy is she really?' said Flora, 'with the grapes growing
everywhere and lava necklaces and bracelets too that land of poetry with
burning mountains picturesque beyond belief though if the organ-boys
come away from the neighbourhood not to be scorched nobody can wonder
being so young and bringing their white mice with them most humane, and
is she really in that favoured land with nothing but blue about her and
dying gladiators and Belvederes though Mr F. himself did not believe
for his objection when in spirits was that the images could not be true
there being no medium between expensive quantities of linen badly got
up and all in creases and none whatever, which certainly does not seem
probable though perhaps in consequence of the extremes of rich and poor
which may account for it.'

Arthur tried to edge a word in, but Flora hurried on again.

'Venice Preserved too,' said she, 'I think you have been there is it
well or ill preserved for people differ so and Maccaroni if they really
eat it like the conjurors why not cut it shorter, you are acquainted
Arthur--dear Doyce and Clennam at least not dear and most assuredly
not Doyce for I have not the pleasure but pray excuse me--acquainted I
believe with Mantua what has it got to do with Mantua-making for I never
have been able to conceive?'

'I believe the