e, I see no other course than to resign myself and make the best of
these people. I am infinitely obliged to you for what you have told
me.' As she shrugged her shoulders, Clennam stiffly bowed again. With an
uneasy flush upon his face, and hesitation in his manner, he then said
in a still lower tone than he had adopted yet:

'Mrs Gowan, I scarcely know how to acquit myself of what I feel to be a
duty, and yet I must ask you for your kind consideration in
attempting to discharge it. A misconception on your part, a very great
misconception if I may venture to call it so, seems to require setting
right. You have supposed Mr Meagles and his family to strain every
nerve, I think you said--'

'Every nerve,' repeated Mrs Gowan, looking at him in calm obstinacy,
with her green fan between her face and the fire.

'To secure Mr Henry Gowan?'

The lady placidly assented.

'Now that is so far,' said Arthur, 'from being the case, that I know
Mr Meagles to be unhappy in this matter; and to have interposed all
reasonable obstacles with the hope of putting an end to it.'

Mrs Gowan shut up her great green fan, tapped him on the arm with it,
and tapped her smiling lips. 'Why, of course,' said she. 'Just what I
mean.'

Arthur watched her face for some explanation of what she did mean.

'Are you really serious, Mr Clennam? Don't you see?'

Arthur did not see; and said so.

'Why, don't I know my son, and don't I know that this is exactly the way
to hold him?' said Mrs Gowan, contemptuously; 'and do not these Miggles
people know it, at least as well as I? Oh, shrewd people, Mr Clennam:
evidently people of business! I believe Miggles belonged to a Bank. It
ought to have been a very profitable Bank, if he had much to do with its
management. This is very well done, indeed.'

'I beg and entreat you, ma'am--' Arthur interposed.

'Oh, Mr Clennam, can you really be so credulous?'

It made such a painful impression upon him to hear her talking in this
haughty tone, and to see her patting her contemptuous lips with her
fan, that he said very earnestly, 'Believe me, ma'am, this is unjust, a
perfectly groundless suspicion.'

'Suspicion?' repeated Mrs Gowan. 'Not suspicion, Mr Clennam, Certainty.
It is very knowingly done indeed, and seems to have taken YOU in
completely.' She laughed; and again sat tapping her lips with her fan,
and tossing her head, as if she added, 'Don't tell me. I know such
people will do anything for the honour