n, in the prime
of his life, would infuse new youth and strength into it, and make it
of great profit and power, it would be in advancing an old and faithful
servant. Jeremiah, the captain deserts the ship, but you and I will sink
or float with it.'

Jeremiah, whose eyes glistened as if they saw money, darted a sudden
look at the son, which seemed to say, 'I owe YOU no thanks for this; YOU
have done nothing towards it!' and then told the mother that he thanked
her, and that Affery thanked her, and that he would never desert her,
and that Affery would never desert her. Finally, he hauled up his watch
from its depths, and said, 'Eleven. Time for your oysters!' and with
that change of subject, which involved no change of expression or
manner, rang the bell.

But Mrs Clennam, resolved to treat herself with the greater rigour for
having been supposed to be unacquainted with reparation, refused to
eat her oysters when they were brought. They looked tempting; eight in
number, circularly set out on a white plate on a tray covered with a
white napkin, flanked by a slice of buttered French roll, and a little
compact glass of cool wine and water; but she resisted all persuasions,
and sent them down again--placing the act to her credit, no doubt, in
her Eternal Day-Book.

This refection of oysters was not presided over by Affery, but by the
girl who had appeared when the bell was rung; the same who had been in
the dimly-lighted room last night. Now that he had an opportunity of
observing her, Arthur found that her diminutive figure, small features,
and slight spare dress, gave her the appearance of being much younger
than she was. A woman, probably of not less than two-and-twenty, she
might have been passed in the street for little more than half that
age. Not that her face was very youthful, for in truth there was more
consideration and care in it than naturally belonged to her utmost
years; but she was so little and light, so noiseless and shy, and
appeared so conscious of being out of place among the three hard elders,
that she had all the manner and much of the appearance of a subdued
child.

In a hard way, and in an uncertain way that fluctuated between patronage
and putting down, the sprinkling from a watering-pot and hydraulic
pressure, Mrs Clennam showed an interest in this dependent. Even in the
moment of her entrance, upon the violent ringing of the bell, when the
mother shielded herself with that singular action fro