'But if we talk of not having changed,' said Flora, who, whatever
she said, never once came to a full stop, 'look at Papa, is not Papa
precisely what he was when you went away, isn't it cruel and unnatural
of Papa to be such a reproach to his own child, if we go on in this way
much longer people who don't know us will begin to suppose that I am
Papa's Mama!' That must be a long time hence, Arthur considered.
'Oh Mr Clennam you insincerest of creatures,' said Flora, 'I perceive
already you have not lost your old way of paying compliments, your old
way when you used to pretend to be so sentimentally struck you know--at
least I don't mean that, I--oh I don't know what I mean!' Here Flora
tittered confusedly, and gave him one of her old glances.
The Patriarch, as if he now began to perceive that his part in the piece
was to get off the stage as soon as might be, rose, and went to the door
by which Pancks had worked out, hailing that Tug by name. He received
an answer from some little Dock beyond, and was towed out of sight
directly.
'You mustn't think of going yet,' said Flora--Arthur had looked at his
hat, being in a ludicrous dismay, and not knowing what to do: 'you could
never be so unkind as to think of going, Arthur--I mean Mr Arthur--or I
suppose Mr Clennam would be far more proper--but I am sure I don't know
what I am saying--without a word about the dear old days gone for ever,
when I come to think of it I dare say it would be much better not to
speak of them and it's highly probable that you have some much more
agreeable engagement and pray let Me be the last person in the world
to interfere with it though there was a time, but I am running into
nonsense again.' Was it possible that Flora could have been such a chatterer in the
days she referred to?
Could there have been anything like her present
disjointed volubility in the fascinations that had captivated him?
'Indeed I have little doubt,' said Flora, running on with astonishing
speed, and pointing her conversation with nothing but commas, and very
few of them, 'that you are married to some Chinese lady, being in China
so long and being in business and naturally desirous to settle and
extend your connection nothing was more likely than that you should
propose to a Chinese lady and nothing was more natural I am sure than
that the Chinese lady should accept you and think herself very well off
too, I only hope she's not a Pagodian dissenter.'