’Oh!Youknow!’shereturned。’ThisflameofHenry’s。Thisunfortunatefancy。There!IfitisapointofhonourthatI
　　shouldoriginatethename——MissMickles——Miggles。’
　　’MissMeagles，’saidClennam，’isverybeautiful。’
　　’Menaresooftenmistakenonthosepoints，’returnedMrsGowan，shakingherhead，’thatIcandidlyconfesstoyouIfeelanythingbutsureofit，evennow；thoughitissomethingtohaveHenrycorroboratedwithsomuchgravityandemphasis。HepickedthepeopleupatRome，Ithink？’
　　Thephrasewouldhavegivennobodymortaloffence。Clennamreplied，’Excuseme，IdoubtifIunderstandyourexpression。’
　　’Pickedthepeopleup，’saidMrsGowan，tappingthesticksofherclosedfanalargegreenone，whichsheusedasahand-screenonherlittletable。’Cameuponthem。Foundthemout。StumbledUP
　　againstthem。’
　　’Thepeople？’
　　’Yes。TheMigglespeople。’
　　’Ireallycannotsay，’saidClennam，’wheremyfriendMrMeaglesfirstpresentedMrHenryGowantohisdaughter。’
　　’IamprettysurehepickedherupatRome；butnevermindwhere——
　　somewhere。Nowthisisentirelybetweenourselves，issheveryplebeian？’
　　’Really，ma’am，’returnedClennam，’Iamsoundoubtedlyplebeianmyself，thatIdonotfeelqualifiedtojudge。’
　　’Veryneat!’saidMrsGowan，coollyunfurlingherscreen。’Veryhappy!FromwhichIinferthatyousecretlythinkhermannerequaltoherlooks？’
　　Clennam，afteramoment’sstiffness，bowed。
　　’That’scomforting，andIhopeyoumayberight。DidHenrytellmeyouhadtravelledwiththem？’
　　’ItravelledwithmyfriendMrMeagles，andhiswifeanddaughter，duringsomemonths。’Nobody’sheartmighthavebeenwrungbytheremembrance。
　　’Reallycomforting，becauseyoumusthavehadalargeexperienceofthem。Yousee，MrClennam，thisthinghasbeengoingonforalongtime，andIfindnoimprovementinit。Thereforetohavetheopportunityofspeakingtoonesowellinformedaboutitasyourself，isanimmenserelieftome。Quiteaboon。Quiteablessing，Iamsure。’
　　’Pardonme，’returnedClennam，’butIamnotinMrHenryGowan’sconfidence。Iamfarfrombeingsowellinformedasyousupposemetobe。Yourmistakemakesmypositionaverydelicateone。NowordonthistopichaseverpassedbetweenMrHenryGowanandmyself。’
　　MrsGowanglancedattheotherendoftheroom，wherehersonwasplayingecarteonasofa，withtheoldladywhowasforachargeofcavalry。
　　’Notinhisconfidence？No，’saidMrsGowan。’Nowordhaspassedbetweenyou？No。ThatIcanimagine。Butthereareunexpressedconfidences，MrClennam；andasyouhavebeentogetherintimatelyamongthesepeople，Icannotdoubtthataconfidenceofthatsortexistsinthepresentcase。PerhapsyouhaveheardthatIhavesufferedthekeenestdistressofmindfromHenry’shavingtakentoapursuitwhich——well!’shrugginghershoulders，’averyrespectablepursuit，Idaresay，andsomeartistsare，asartists，quitesuperiorpersons；still，weneveryetinourfamilyhavegonebeyondanAmateur，anditisapardonableweaknesstofeelalittle——’
　　AsMrsGowanbrokeofftoheaveasigh，Clennam，howeverresolutetobemagnanimous，couldnotkeepdownthethoughtthattherewasmightylittledangerofthefamily’severgoingbeyondanAmateur，evenasitwas。
　　’Henry，’themotherresumed，’isself-willedandresolute；andasthesepeoplenaturallystraineverynervetocatchhim，Icanentertainverylittlehope，MrClennam，thatthethingwillbebrokenoff。Iapprehendthegirl’sfortunewillbeverysmall；
　　Henrymighthavedonemuchbetter；thereisscarcelyanythingtocompensatefortheconnection：still，heactsforhimself；andifIfindnoimprovementwithinashorttime，Iseenoothercoursethantoresignmyselfandmakethebestofthesepeople。Iaminfinitelyobligedtoyouforwhatyouhavetoldme。’
　　Assheshruggedhershoulders，Clennamstifflybowedagain。Withanuneasyflushuponhisface，andhesitationinhismanner，hethensaidinastilllowertonethanhehadadoptedyet：
　　’MrsGowan，IscarcelyknowhowtoacquitmyselfofwhatIfeeltobeaduty，andyetImustaskyouforyourkindconsiderationinattemptingtodischargeit。Amisconceptiononyourpart，averygreatmisconceptionifImayventuretocallitso，seemstorequiresettingright。YouhavesupposedMrMeaglesandhisfamilytostraineverynerve，Ithinkyousaid——’
　　’Everynerve，’repeatedMrsGowan，lookingathimincalmobstinacy，withhergreenfanbetweenherfaceandthefire。
　　’TosecureMrHenryGowan？’
　　Theladyplacidlyassented。
　　’Nowthatissofar，’saidArthur，’frombeingthecase，thatI
　　knowMrMeaglestobeunhappyinthismatter；andtohaveinterposedallreasonableobstacleswiththehopeofputtinganendtoit。’
　　MrsGowanshutuphergreatgreenfan，tappedhimonthearmwithit，andtappedhersmilinglips。’Why，ofcourse，’saidshe。
　　’JustwhatImean。’
　　Arthurwatchedherfaceforsomeexplanationofwhatshedidmean。
　　’Areyoureallyserious，MrClennam？Don’tyousee？’
　　Arthurdidnotsee；andsaidso。
　　’Why，don’tIknowmyson，anddon’tIknowthatthisisexactlythewaytoholdhim？’saidMrsGowan，contemptuously；’anddonottheseMigglespeopleknowit，atleastaswellasI？Oh，shrewdpeople，MrClennam：evidentlypeopleofbusiness!IbelieveMigglesbelongedtoaBank。ItoughttohavebeenaveryprofitableBank，ifhehadmuchtodowithitsmanagement。Thisisverywelldone，indeed。’
　　’Ibegandentreatyou，ma’am——’Arthurinterposed。
　　’Oh，MrClennam，canyoureallybesocredulous？’
　　Itmadesuchapainfulimpressionuponhimtohearhertalkinginthishaughtytone，andtoseeherpattinghercontemptuouslipswithherfan，thathesaidveryearnestly，’Believeme，ma’am，thisisunjust，aperfectlygroundlesssuspicion。’
　　’Suspicion？’repeatedMrsGowan。’Notsuspicion，MrClennam，Certainty。Itisveryknowinglydoneindeed，andseemstohavetakenYOUincompletely。’Shelaughed；andagainsattappingherlipswithherfan，andtossingherhead，asifsheadded，’Don’ttellme。Iknowsuchpeoplewilldoanythingforthehonourofsuchanalliance。’
　　Atthisopportunemoment，thecardswerethrownup，andMrHenryGowancameacrosstheroomsaying，’Mother，ifyoucanspareMrClennamforthistime，wehavealongwaytogo，andit’sgettinglate。’MrClennamthereuponrose，ashehadnochoicebuttodo；
　　andMrsGowanshowedhim，tothelast，thesamelookandthesametappedcontemptuouslips。
　　’Youhavehadaportentouslylongaudienceofmymother，’saidGowan，asthedoorcloseduponthem。’Iferventlyhopeshehasnotboredyou？’
　　’Notatall，’saidClennam。
　　Theyhadalittleopenphaetonforthejourney，andweresooninitontheroadhome。Gowan，driving，lightedacigar；Clennamdeclinedone。Dowhathewould，hefellintosuchamoodofabstractionthatGowansaidagain，’Iamverymuchafraidmymotherhasboredyou？’Towhichherousedhimselftoanswer，’Notatall!’andsoonrelapsedagain。
　　Inthatstateofmindwhichrenderednobodyuneasy，histhoughtfulnesswouldhaveturnedprincipallyonthemanathisside。Hewouldhavethoughtofthemorningwhenhefirstsawhimrootingoutthestoneswithhisheel，andwouldhaveaskedhimself，’Doeshejerkmeoutofthepathinthesamecareless，cruelway？’
　　Hewouldhavethought，hadthisintroductiontohismotherbeenbroughtaboutbyhimbecauseheknewwhatshewouldsay，andthathecouldthusplacehispositionbeforearivalandloftilywarnhimoff，withouthimselfreposingawordofconfidenceinhim？Hewouldhavethought，eveniftherewerenosuchdesignasthat，hadhebroughthimtheretoplaywithhisrepressedemotions，andtormenthim？Thecurrentofthesemeditationswouldhavebeenstayedsometimesbyarushofshame，bearingaremonstrancetohimselffromhisownopennature，representingthattosheltersuchsuspicions，evenforthepassingmoment，wasnottoholdthehigh，unenviouscoursehehadresolvedtokeep。Atthosetimes，thestrivingwithinhimwouldhavebeenhardest；andlookingupandcatchingGowan’seyes，hewouldhavestartedasifhehaddonehimaninjury。
　　Then，lookingatthedarkroadanditsuncertainobjects，hewouldhavegraduallytrailedoffagainintothinking，’Wherearewedriving，heandI，Iwonder，onthedarkerroadoflife？Howwillitbewithus，andwithher，intheobscuredistance？’Thinkingofher，hewouldhavebeentroubledanewwithareproachfulmisgivingthatitwasnotevenloyaltohertodislikehim，andthatinbeingsoeasilyprejudicedagainsthimhewaslessdeservingofherthanatfirst。
　　’Youareevidentlyoutofspirits，’saidGowan；’Iamverymuchafraidmymothermusthaveboredyoudreadfully。’
　　’Believeme，notatall，’saidClennam。’It’snothing——nothing!’