Still, Pet's happiness or unhappiness is quite a life or death question
with us; and we may be excused, I hope, for making much of it. At all
events, it might have been borne by Tattycoram. Now, don't you think
so?' 'I do indeed think so,' returned Clennam, in most emphatic recognition
of this very moderate expectation.
'No, sir,' said Mr Meagles, shaking his head ruefully. 'She couldn't
stand it. The chafing and firing of that girl, the wearing and tearing
of that girl within her own breast, has been such that I have
softly said to her again and again in passing her, "Five-and-twenty,
Tattycoram, five-and-twenty!" I heartily wish she could have gone
on counting five-and-twenty day and night, and then it wouldn't have
happened.'
Mr Meagles with a despondent countenance in which the goodness of his
heart was even more expressed than in his times of cheerfulness and
gaiety, stroked his face down from his forehead to his chin, and shook
his head again.
'I said to Mother (not that it was necessary, for she would have thought
it all for herself), we are practical people, my dear, and we know her
story; we see in this unhappy girl some reflection of what was raging in
her mother's heart before ever such a creature as this poor thing was
in the world; we'll gloss her temper over, Mother, we won't notice it at
present, my dear, we'll take advantage of some better disposition in her
another time. So we said nothing. But, do what we would, it seems as if
it was to be; she broke out violently one night.'
'How, and why?' 'If you ask me Why,' said Mr Meagles, a little disturbed by the
question, for he was far more intent on softening her case than the
family's, 'I can only refer you to what I have just repeated as having
been pretty near my words to Mother. As to How, we had said Good night
to Pet in her presence (very affectionately, I must allow), and she
had attended Pet up-stairs--you remember she was her maid. Perhaps Pet,
having been out of sorts, may have been a little more inconsiderate than
usual in requiring services of her: but I don't know that I have any
right to say so; she was always thoughtful and gentle.'
'The gentlest mistress in the world.'
'Thank you, Clennam,' said Mr Meagles, shaking him by the hand; 'you
have often seen them together. Well! We presently heard this unfortunate
Tattycoram loud and angry, and before we could ask what was the matter,
Pet came back in a tremble, saying she was frightened of her. Close
after her came Tattycoram in a flaming rage. "I hate you all three,"
says she, stamping her foot at us. "I am bursting with hate of the whole
house."'