nd say he's there and clear all parties up?'
'Pray, madam,' said Mr Dorrit, referring to the handbill again, 'who is
Clennam and Co.? Ha. I see the name mentioned here, in connection with
the occupation of the house which Monsieur Blandois was seen to
enter: who is Clennam and Co.? Is it the individual of whom I had
formerly--hum--some--ha--slight transitory knowledge, and to whom I
believe you have referred? Is it--ha--that person?'
'It's a very different person indeed,' replied Flora, 'with no limbs and
wheels instead and the grimmest of women though his mother.'
'Clennam and Co. a--hum--a mother!' exclaimed Mr Dorrit.
'And an old man besides,' said Flora.
Mr Dorrit looked as if he must immediately be driven out of his mind
by this account. Neither was it rendered more favourable to sanity by
Flora's dashing into a rapid analysis of Mr Flintwinch's cravat, and
describing him, without the lightest boundary line of separation between
his identity and Mrs Clennam's, as a rusty screw in gaiters. Which
compound of man and woman, no limbs, wheels, rusty screw, grimness, and
gaiters, so completely stupefied Mr Dorrit, that he was a spectacle to
be pitied. 'But I would not detain you one moment longer,' said Flora,
upon whom his condition wrought its effect, though she was quite
unconscious of having produced it, 'if you would have the goodness to
give your promise as a gentleman that both in going back to Italy and
in Italy too you would look for this Mr Blandois high and low and if
you found or heard of him make him come forward for the clearing of
all parties.' By that time Mr Dorrit had so far recovered from his
bewilderment, as to be able to say, in a tolerably connected manner,
that he should consider that his duty. Flora was delighted with her
success, and rose to take her leave.
'With a million thanks,' said she, 'and my address upon my card in case
of anything to be communicated personally, I will not send my love to
the dear little thing for it might not be acceptable, and indeed there
is no dear little thing left in the transformation so why do it but
both myself and Mr F.'s Aunt ever wish her well and lay no claim to any
favour on our side you may be sure of that but quite the other way for
what she undertook to do she did and that is more than a great many of
us do, not to say anything of her doing it as Well as it could be
done and I myself am one of them for I have said ever since I began to
recover
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