Little Dorrit Vol.1 f.036 recto

the candle , watch, handkerchief, and spectacles were replaced upon ??? the table. She then put on her the spectacles and read certain chapter passages aloud from the a ?????? book ??ld st??? as the u?d?u??? as ??????, ???? ???????? ????? —
sternly, ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ????? fiercely, wrathfully — ??den??i?????ph d??
d???? of the old ????? ???? ???? falling from her ??? c?ke??? ???? of
??? praying that her enemies (she made them by her tone and manner expressly hers) might be put to the edge of the sword, consumed by fire, smitten by plagues and leprosy,
that their bones might be ground to dead dust, and that they might be ??o? utterly ???????? [h?k??] exterminated. As
she read on, years seemed to fall away from her son like the imaginings ??????? ????? ????? of a dream, and all the old ?
dark horrors of his usual ???? ????? preparation for the sleep of an innocent child ????????? to overshadow? him again.

????? shut the book ???? ????? ????? She shut the book and remained for a
little time with her face shaded by her hand. So did the old man, ????e otherwise still ???????
unchanged in ???? attitude; so, probably, did the old woman in h?? ?????? her dimmer part of the room. Then
the sick woman was ready for bed.

“Good night, Arthur. ????? Affery will see to your ????????????????? accommodation. ?????? ????? ?????? of ???????? Only touch me, for my
hand is tender.” ?? ??????? He touched the worsted muffling of her hand—?????? ??????? ??????? ????
?????? ??? ??? ????? it ???????that was nothing; if his mother had been sheathed in brass there would have been no new barrier between them—and followed the old
man and di??????le woman down-stairs ?he?ake sh?d me d????? - d??.

The latter asked him, when they were alone together ?????????? among the heavy shadows of the dining-room, would he have some supper?

“No, ????? Affery, ??
????? ???? ??a ?????????? no supper.”

“You shall if you like,” said ????? Affery. “There’s ??f??? her tomorrow’s partridge in the larder—
???? ????? her first this year; say the word and I’ll ????? cook it.”

No ?, ???? ?? ? ??? ???????????he had not long dined, and could [eat] nothing.

“Have something to drink, then,”; you came here ??? ?? ???? if you like said
??? ????????? Affery; “you shall have some of her bottle of port, if you like. I’ll tell ?????? Jeremiah ???????? that ????? you ???? you
????? ??? ???? ??? ?????ordered me to bring it you.”

No; nor ???? ??? ????would he have that, either.

“It’s no reason, Arthur,” said ?????the old woman, in a ???? ????? bending over ?? him to whisper, “no t????? g????? ???? ????that because
I am afeared of my life of “em, you should be. You’ve got half the ?????? and half ??? ???? property, haven’t you?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Well then, d??? you? ????? ??? said the old woman” Yiy ????don’t you be cowed ???????????. You’re clever, Arthur, an’t you?”

????????? ??said????? I ??nt ????? yo?? if you ????
?????? ???????? ?? if you like? He nodded ????t p???? and ?????????? He nodded, as she seemed to expect an answer in the affirmative.

“Then stand up against them! She’s ?????????awful clever, ?and none but a clever one ????
??????? ???? ????? durst say a word to her. He’s a clever one—oh, he’s a clever one!—and he gives it her when he
has a mind ???. ??????? ?? ? ?????? to’t, he does!”

“Your husband does?”

“??? ???? when does Does? It makes me shake from head to foot, to hear him give it her. ??????? My husband, Jeremiah H????????Flintwinch My husband Mathew ?as????? ? Did ?, ??????her
????? ??? ???can ???? ??conquer ???? even your mother. ??????
?????? ????? she ????? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? LetWhat can he be but a clever one to do that!”

His ???? shuffling footstep coming towards them ???? ????? caused her to retreat
to the other end of the room. Though ????? ??? was a tall, ???? ????hard-favoured, sinewy old woman, who ???? ???? ????in her youth might
have enlisted in the Foot Guards without much ????? ?? fear of discovery, she collapsed before the little keen-eyed crab-like old man.

“Now, ???? ???Affery,” said he, “now, ?????woman, what are you doing? ? ???? you ????? ???? ??????? ??? Can’t you find Master
Arthur something or another to pick at?”

Master Arthur repeated his ??? ?????recent refusal to ???? ???? ???? ??????