n unused kitchen eminent for mouldiness and proposed to
secrete me there for life and feed me on what he could hide from his
meals when he was not at home for the holidays and on dry bread in
disgrace which at that halcyon period too frequently occurred, would
it be inconvenient or asking too much to beg to be permitted to revive
those scenes and walk through the house?'

Mrs Clennam, who responded with a constrained grace to Mrs Finching's
good nature in being there at all, though her visit (before Arthur's
unexpected arrival) was undoubtedly an act of pure good nature and no
self-gratification, intimated that all the house was open to her. Flora
rose and looked to Arthur for his escort. 'Certainly,' said he, aloud;
'and Affery will light us, I dare say.'

Affery was excusing herself with 'Don't ask nothing of me, Arthur!' when
Mr Flintwinch stopped her with 'Why not? Affery, what's the matter with
you, woman? Why not, jade!' Thus expostulated with, she came unwillingly
out of her corner, resigned the toasting-fork into one of her husband's
hands, and took the candlestick he offered from the other.

'Go before, you fool!' said Jeremiah. 'Are you going up, or down, Mrs
Finching?'

Flora answered, 'Down.'

'Then go before, and down, you Affery,' said Jeremiah. 'And do it
properly, or I'll come rolling down the banisters, and tumbling over
you!'

Affery headed the exploring party; Jeremiah closed it. He had no
intention of leaving them. Clennam looking back, and seeing him
following three stairs behind, in the coolest and most methodical
manner exclaimed in a low voice, 'Is there no getting rid of him!' Flora
reassured his mind by replying promptly, 'Why though not exactly
proper Arthur and a thing I couldn't think of before a younger man or
a stranger still I don't mind him if you so particularly wish it and
provided you'll have the goodness not to take me too tight.'

Wanting the heart to explain that this was not at all what he meant,
Arthur extended his supporting arm round Flora's figure. 'Oh my goodness
me,' said she. 'You are very obedient indeed really and it's extremely
honourable and gentlemanly in you I am sure but still at the same time
if you would like to be a little tighter than that I shouldn't consider
it intruding.'

In this preposterous attitude, unspeakably at variance with his anxious
mind, Clennam descended to the basement of the house; finding that
wherever it became darker than elsewhere,