When Mrs Flintwinch dreamed, she usually dreamed, unlike the son of her

old mistress, with her eyes shut. She had a curiously vivid dream that

night, and before she had left the son of her old mistress many hours.

In fact it was not at all like a dream; it was so very real in every

respect. It happened in this wise.

The bed-chamber occupied by Mr and Mrs Flintwinch was within a few paces

of that to which Mrs Clennam had been so long confined. It was not on

the same floor, for it was a room at the side of the house, which was

approached by a steep descent of a few odd steps, diverging from the

main staircase nearly opposite to Mrs Clennam's door. It could scarcely

be said to be within call, the walls, doors, and panelling of the old

place were so cumbrous; but it was within easy reach, in any undress,

at any hour of the night, in any temperature. At the head of the bed

and within a foot of Mrs Flintwinch's ear, was a bell, the line of which

hung ready to Mrs Clennam's hand. Whenever this bell rang, up started

Affery, and was in the sick room before she was awake.

Having got her mistress into bed, lighted her lamp, and given her good

night, Mrs Flintwinch went to roost as usual, saving that her lord had

not yet appeared. It was her lord himself who became--unlike the

last theme in the mind, according to the observation of most

philosophers--the subject of Mrs Flintwinch's dream. It seemed to her

that she awoke after sleeping some hours, and found Jeremiah not yet

abed. That she looked at the candle she had left burning, and, measuring

the time like King Alfred the Great, was confirmed by its wasted state

in her belief that she had been asleep for some considerable period.

That she arose thereupon, muffled herself up in a wrapper, put on

her shoes, and went out on the staircase, much surprised, to look for

Jeremiah. The staircase was as wooden and solid as need be, and Affery went

straight down it without any of those deviations peculiar to dreams.

She did not skim over it, but walked down it, and guided herself by the

banisters on account of her candle having died out. In one corner of

the hall, behind the house-door, there was a little waiting-room, like a

well-shaft, with a long narrow window in it as if it had been ripped up.

In this room, which was never used, a light was burning.

Mrs Flintwinch crossed the hall, feeling its pavement cold to her

stockingless feet, and peeped in between the rusty hinges on the door,

which stood a little open. She expected to see Jeremiah fast asleep or

in a fit, but he was calmly seated in a chair, awake, and in his usual

health. But what--hey?--Lord forgive us!--Mrs Flintwinch muttered some

ejaculation to this effect, and turned giddy.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024