itude. The smiling Mr Blandois,
opening his cloak to get his hand to a breast-pocket, paused to say,
with a laugh in his glittering eyes, which it occurred to Mr Flintwinch
were too near together:

'You are so like a friend of mine! Not so identically the same as I
supposed when I really did for the moment take you to be the same in the
dusk--for which I ought to apologise; permit me to do so; a readiness
to confess my errors is, I hope, a part of the frankness of my
character--still, however, uncommonly like.'

'Indeed?' said Jeremiah, perversely. 'But I have not received any letter
of advice from anywhere respecting anybody of the name of Blandois.'

'Just so,' said the stranger.

'JUST so,' said Jeremiah.

Mr Blandois, not at all put out by this omission on the part of the
correspondents of the house of Clennam and Co., took his pocket-book
from his breast-pocket, selected a letter from that receptacle, and
handed it to Mr Flintwinch. 'No doubt you are well acquainted with the
writing. Perhaps the letter speaks for itself, and requires no advice.
You are a far more competent judge of such affairs than I am. It is my
misfortune to be, not so much a man of business, as what the world calls
(arbitrarily) a gentleman.'

Mr Flintwinch took the letter, and read, under date of Paris, 'We have
to present to you, on behalf of a highly esteemed correspondent of our
Firm, M. Blandois, of this city,' &c. &c. 'Such facilities as he may
require and such attentions as may lie in your power,' &c. &c. 'Also
have to add that if you will honour M. Blandois' drafts at sight to the
extent of, say Fifty Pounds sterling (150),' &c. &c.

'Very good, sir,' said Mr Flintwinch. 'Take a chair. To the extent of
anything that our House can do--we are in a retired, old-fashioned,
steady way of business, sir--we shall be happy to render you our best
assistance. I observe, from the date of this, that we could not yet be
advised of it. Probably you came over with the delayed mail that brings
the advice.'

'That I came over with the delayed mail, sir,' returned Mr Blandois,
passing his white hand down his high-hooked nose, 'I know to the cost
of my head and stomach: the detestable and intolerable weather having
racked them both. You see me in the plight in which I came out of the
packet within this half-hour. I ought to have been here hours ago,
and then I should not have to apologise--permit me to apologise--for
presenting myself so unreaso