Little Dorrit - Page 255/462

The dark mystery with which Flora now enshrouded herself might have

stopped other fingers than the nimble fingers that worked near her.

They worked on without pause, and the busy head bent over them watching

the stitches. 'Ask me not,' said Flora, 'if I love him still or if he still loves me

or what the end is to be or when, we are surrounded by watchful eyes and

it may be that we are destined to pine asunder it may be never more to

be reunited not a word not a breath not a look to betray us all must

be secret as the tomb wonder not therefore that even if I should seem

comparatively cold to Arthur or Arthur should seem comparatively cold to

me we have fatal reasons it is enough if we understand them hush!'

All of which Flora said with so much headlong vehemence as if she really

believed it. There is not much doubt that when she worked herself into

full mermaid condition, she did actually believe whatever she said in

it. 'Hush!' repeated Flora, 'I have now told you all, confidence is

established between us hush, for Arthur's sake I will always be a friend

to you my dear girl and in Arthur's name you may always rely upon me.'

The nimble fingers laid aside the work, and the little figure rose and

kissed her hand. 'You are very cold,' said Flora, changing to her own

natural kind-hearted manner, and gaining greatly by the change. 'Don't

work to-day. I am sure you are not well I am sure you are not strong.'

'It is only that I feel a little overcome by your kindness, and by Mr

Clennam's kindness in confiding me to one he has known and loved so

long.' 'Well really my dear,' said Flora, who had a decided tendency to be

always honest when she gave herself time to think about it, 'it's as

well to leave that alone now, for I couldn't undertake to say after all,

but it doesn't signify lie down a little!'

'I have always been strong enough to do what I want to do, and I shall

be quite well directly,' returned Little Dorrit, with a faint smile.

'You have overpowered me with gratitude, that's all. If I keep near the

window for a moment I shall be quite myself.' Flora opened a window, sat her in a chair by it, and considerately

retired to her former place. It was a windy day, and the air stirring

on Little Dorrit's face soon brightened it. In a very few minutes she

returned to her basket of work, and her nimble fingers were as nimble as

ever. Quietly pursuing her task, she asked Flora if Mr Clennam had told her

where she lived? When Flora replied in the negative, Little Dorrit said

that she understood why he had been so delicate, but that she felt sure

he would approve of her confiding her secret to Flora, and that

she would therefore do so now with Flora's permission. Receiving an

encouraging answer, she condensed the narrative of her life into a few

scanty words about herself and a glowing eulogy upon her father; and

Flora took it all in with a natural tenderness that quite understood it,

and in which there was no incoherence.