Clennam’seyeshadstrayedtoanaturalpictureonthewall，oftwoprettylittlegirlswiththeirarmsentwined。’Yes，Clennam，’saidMrMeagles，inalowervoice。’Theretheybothare。Itwastakensomeseventeenyearsago。AsIoftensaytoMother，theywerebabiesthen。’
　　’Theirnames？’saidArthur。
　　’Ah，tobesure!YouhaveneverheardanynamebutPet。Pet’snameisMinnie；hersister’sLillie。’
　　’Shouldyouhaveknown，MrClennam，thatoneofthemwasmeantforme？’askedPetherself，nowstandinginthedoorway。
　　’Imighthavethoughtthatbothofthemweremeantforyou，botharestillsolikeyou。Indeed，’saidClennam，glancingfromthefairoriginaltothepictureandback，’Icannotevennowsaywhichisnotyourportrait。’
　　’D’yehearthat，Mother？’criedMrMeaglestohiswife，whohadfollowedherdaughter。’It’salwaysthesame，Clennam；nobodycandecide。ThechildtoyourleftisPet。’
　　Thepicturehappenedtobenearalooking-glass。AsArthurlookedatitagain，hesaw，bythereflectionofthemirror，Tattycoramstopinpassingoutsidethedoor，listentowhatwasgoingon，andpassawaywithanangryandcontemptuousfrownuponherface，thatchangeditsbeautyintougliness。
　　’Butcome!’saidMrMeagles。’Youhavehadalongwalk，andwillbegladtogetyourbootsoff。AstoDanielhere，Isupposehe’dneverthinkoftakinghisbootsoff，unlessweshowedhimaboot-
　　jack。’
　　’Whynot？’askedDaniel，withasignificantsmileatClennam。
　　’Oh!Youhavesomanythingstothinkabout，’returnedMrMeagles，clappinghimontheshoulder，asifhisweaknessmustnotbelefttoitselfonanyaccount。’Figures，andwheels，andcogs，andlevers，andscrews，andcylinders，andathousandthings。’
　　’Inmycalling，’saidDaniel，amused，’thegreaterusuallyincludestheless。Butnevermind，nevermind!Whateverpleasesyou，pleasesme。’
　　Clennamcouldnothelpspeculating，asheseatedhimselfinhisroombythefire，whethertheremightbeinthebreastofthishonest，affectionate，andcordialMrMeagles，anymicroscopicportionofthemustard-seedthathadsprungupintothegreattreeoftheCircumlocutionOffice。HiscurioussenseofageneralsuperioritytoDanielDoyce，whichseemedtobefounded，notsomuchonanythinginDoyce’spersonalcharacterasonthemerefactofhisbeinganoriginatorandamanoutofthebeatentrackofothermen，suggestedtheidea。Itmighthaveoccupiedhimuntilhewentdowntodinneranhourafterwards，ifhehadnothadanotherquestiontoconsider，whichhadbeeninhismindsolongagoasbeforehewasinquarantineatMarseilles，andwhichhadnowreturnedtoit，andwasveryurgentwithit。Nolessaquestionthanthis：WhetherheshouldallowhimselftofallinlovewithPet？
　　Hewastwiceherage。Hechangedtheleghehadcrossedovertheother，andtriedthecalculationagain，butcouldnotbringoutthetotalatless。Hewastwiceherage。Well!Hewasyounginappearance，younginhealthandstrength，younginheart。Amanwascertainlynotoldatforty；andmanymenwerenotincircumstancestomarry，ordidnotmarry，untiltheyhadattainedthattimeoflife。Ontheotherhand，thequestionwas，notwhathethoughtofthepoint，butwhatshethoughtofit。
　　HebelievedthatMrMeagleswasdisposedtoentertainariperegardforhim，andheknewthathehadasincereregardforMrMeaglesandhisgoodwife。Hecouldforeseethattorelinquishthisbeautifulonlychild，ofwhomtheyweresofond，toanyhusband，wouldbeatrialoftheirlovewhichperhapstheyneveryethadhadthefortitudetocontemplate。Butthemorebeautifulandwinningandcharmingshe，thenearertheymustalwaysbetothenecessityofapproachingit。Andwhynotinhisfavour，aswellasinanother’s？
　　Whenhehadgotsofar，itcameagainintohisheadthatthequestionwas，notwhattheythoughtofit，butwhatshethoughtofit。
　　ArthurClennamwasaretiringman，withasenseofmanydeficiencies；andhesoexaltedthemeritsofthebeautifulMinnieinhismind，anddepressedhisown，thatwhenhepinnedhimselftothispoint，hishopesbegantofailhim。Hecametothefinalresolution，ashemadehimselfreadyfordinner，thathewouldnotallowhimselftofallinlovewithPet。
　　Therewereonlyfive，ataroundtable，anditwasverypleasantindeed。Theyhadsomanyplacesandpeopletorecall，andtheywereallsoeasyandcheerfultogetherDanielDoyceeithersittingoutlikeanamusedspectatoratcards，orcominginwithsomeshrewdlittleexperiencesofhisown，whenithappenedtobetothepurpose，thattheymighthavebeentogethertwentytimes，andnothaveknownsomuchofoneanother。
　　’AndMissWade，’saidMrMeagles，aftertheyhadrecalledanumberoffellow-travellers。’HasanybodyseenMissWade？’
　　’Ihave，’saidTattycoram。
　　Shehadbroughtalittlemantlewhichheryoungmistresshadsentfor，andwasbendingoverher，puttingiton，whensheliftedupherdarkeyesandmadethisunexpectedanswer。
　　’Tatty!’heryoungmistressexclaimed。’YouseenMissWade？——
　　where？’
　　’Here，miss，’saidTattycoram。
　　’How？’
　　AnimpatientglancefromTattycoramseemed，asClennamsawit，toanswer’Withmyeyes!’Butheronlyanswerinwordswas：’Imethernearthechurch。’
　　’WhatwasshedoingthereIwonder!’saidMrMeagles。’Notgoingtoit，Ishouldthink。’
　　’Shehadwrittentomefirst，’saidTattycoram。
　　’Oh，Tatty!’murmuredhermistress，’takeyourhandsaway。Ifeelasifsomeoneelsewastouchingme!’
　　Shesaiditinaquickinvoluntaryway，buthalfplayfully，andnotmorepetulantlyordisagreeablythanafavouritechildmighthavedone，wholaughednextmoment。Tattycoramsetherfullredlipstogether，andcrossedherarmsuponherbosom。
　　’Didyouwishtoknow，sir，’shesaid，lookingatMrMeagles，’whatMissWadewrotetomeabout？’
　　’Well，Tattycoram，’returnedMrMeagles，’sinceyouaskthequestion，andweareallfriendshere，perhapsyoumayaswellmentionit，ifyouaresoinclined。’
　　’Sheknew，whenweweretravelling，whereyoulived，’saidTattycoram，’andshehadseenmenotquite——notquite——’
　　’Notquiteinagoodtemper，Tattycoram？’suggestedMrMeagles，shakinghisheadatthedarkeyeswithaquietcaution。’Takealittletime——countfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
　　Shepressedherlipstogetheragain，andtookalongdeepbreath。
　　’SoshewrotetometosaythatifIeverfeltmyselfhurt，’shelookeddownatheryoungmistress，’orfoundmyselfworried，’shelookeddownatheragain，’Imightgotoher，andbeconsideratelytreated。Iwastothinkofit，andcouldspeaktoherbythechurch。SoIwenttheretothankher。’
　　’Tatty，’saidheryoungmistress，puttingherhandupoverhershoulderthattheothermighttakeit，’MissWadealmostfrightenedmewhenweparted，andIscarcelyliketothinkofherjustnowashavingbeensonearmewithoutmyknowingit。Tattydear!’
　　Tattystoodforamoment，immovable。
　　’Hey？’criedMrMeagles。’Countanotherfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
　　Shemighthavecountedadozen，whenshebentandputherlipstothecaressinghand。Itpattedhercheek，asittouchedtheowner’sbeautifulcurls，andTattycoramwentaway。
　　’Nowthere，’saidMrMeaglessoftly，ashegaveaturntothedumb-
　　waiteronhisrighthandtotwirlthesugartowardshimself。
　　’There’sagirlwhomightbelostandruined，ifshewasn’tamongpracticalpeople。MotherandIknow，solelyfrombeingpractical，thattherearetimeswhenthatgirl’swholenatureseemstoroughenitselfagainstseeingussoboundupinPet。Nofatherandmotherwereboundupinher，poorsoul。Idon’tliketothinkofthewayinwhichthatunfortunatechild，withallthatpassionandprotestinher，feelswhenshehearstheFifthCommandmentonaSunday。I
　　amalwaysinclinedtocallout，Church，Countfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
　　Besideshisdumb-waiter，MrMeagleshadtwoothernotdumbwaitersinthepersonsoftwoparlour-maidswithrosyfacesandbrighteyes，whowereahighlyornamentalpartofthetabledecoration。
　　’Andwhynot，yousee？’saidMrMeaglesonthishead。’AsIalwayssaytoMother，whynothavesomethingprettytolookat，ifyouhaveanythingatall？’
　　AcertainMrsTickit，whowasCookandHousekeeperwhenthefamilywereathome，andHousekeeperonlywhenthefamilywereaway，completedtheestablishment。MrMeaglesregrettedthatthenatureofthedutiesinwhichshewasengaged，renderedMrsTickitunpresentableatpresent，buthopedtointroducehertothenewvisitorto-morrow。ShewasanimportantpartoftheCottage，hesaid，andallhisfriendsknewher。Thatwasherpictureupinthecorner。Whentheywentaway，shealwaysputonthesilk-gownandthejet-blackrowofcurlsrepresentedinthatportraitherhairwasreddish-greyinthekitchen，establishedherselfinthebreakfast-room，putherspectaclesbetweentwoparticularleavesofDoctorBuchan’sDomesticMedicine，andsatlookingovertheblindalldayuntiltheycamebackagain。ItwassupposedthatnopersuasioncouldbeinventedwhichwouldinduceMrsTickittoabandonherpostattheblind，howeverlongtheirabsence，ortodispensewiththeattendanceofDrBuchan；thelucubrationsofwhichlearnedpractitioner，MrMeaglesimplicitlybelievedshehadneveryetconsultedtotheextentofonewordinherlife。
　　Intheeveningtheyplayedanold-fashionedrubber；andPetsatlookingoverherfather’shand，orsingingtoherselfbyfitsandstartsatthepiano。Shewasaspoiltchild；buthowcouldshebeotherwise？Whocouldbemuchwithsopliableandbeautifulacreature，andnotyieldtoherendearinginfluence？Whocouldpassaneveninginthehouse，andnotloveherforthegraceandcharmofherverypresenceintheroom？ThiswasClennam’sreflection，notwithstandingthefinalconclusionatwhichhehadarrivedup-
　　stairs。
　　Inmakingit，herevoked。’Why，whatareyouthinkingof，mygoodsir？’askedtheastonishedMrMeagles，whowashispartner。
　　’Ibegyourpardon。Nothing，’returnedClennam。
　　’Thinkofsomething，nexttime；that’sadearfellow，’saidMrMeagles。
　　PetlaughinglybelievedhehadbeenthinkingofMissWade。
　　’WhyofMissWade，Pet？’askedherfather。
　　’Why，indeed!’saidArthurClennam。
　　Petcolouredalittle，andwenttothepianoagain。
　　Astheybrokeupforthenight，ArthuroverheardDoyceaskhishostifhecouldgivehimhalfanhour’sconversationbeforebreakfastinthemorning？Thehostreplyingwillingly，Arthurlingeredbehindamoment，havinghisownwordtoaddtothattopic。
　　’MrMeagles，’hesaid，ontheirbeingleftalone，’doyourememberwhenyouadvisedmetogostraighttoLondon？’