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She had not yet finished preparing Mrs Clennam's tea, when the soft

knock came to the door which always announced Little Dorrit Mistress

Affery looked on at Little Dorrit taking off her ho his jaws and conte sohten her out of her five wits or blow them all three to pieces

After tea there ca Arthur

Mistress Affery went down to let hilad it's you I want to ask you a question' Affery

i, Arthur! I

ahtened out of one half of ! I don't knohich is which, or what is

what!'--and immediately started away fro no taste for reading, and no sufficient light for

needlework in the subdued rooht in the di of Arthur Clennam's return, occupied with crowds

of wild speculations and suspicions respecting her mistress and her

husband and the noises in the house When the ferocious devotional

exercises were engaged in, these speculations would distract Mistress

Affery's eyes towards the door, as if she expected some dark form to

appear at those propitious moments, and make the party one tooto attract the attention of

the two clever ones towards her in any enerally at about the quiet hour towards bed-time, when she

would suddenly dart out of her dim corner, and whisper with a face of

terror to Mr Flintwinch, reading the paper near Mrs Clennam's little

table: 'There, jeremiah! Now! What's that noise?'

Then the noise, if there were any, would have ceased, and Mr Flintwinch

would snarl, turning upon her as if she had cut hiainst his will, 'Affery, old woman, you shall have a dose, old woain!'