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so much fonder of you； my love； than of the Chancellor。 Though I
do attend court regularly。 By the bye； my dear； mentioning pocket…
handkerchiefs—” Miss Flite here looked at Charley； who had been
to meet her at the place where the coach stopped。 Charley glanced
at me； and looked unwilling to pursue the suggestion。
“Ve…ry right！” said Miss Flite； “ve…ry correct。 Truly！ Highly
indiscreet of me to mention it； but my dear Miss Fitz…Jarndyce； I
am afraid I am at times （between ourselves； you wouldn’t think it）
a little—rambling you know；” said Miss Flite； touching her
forehead。 “Nothing more。”
“What were you going to tell me？” said I； smiling； for I saw she
wanted to go on。 “You have roused my curiosity； and now you
must gratify it。”
Miss Flite looked at Charley for advice in this important crisis；
who said； “If you please； ma’am； you had better tell them；” and
therein gratified Miss Flite beyond measure。
“So sagacious； our young friend；” said she to me； in her
mysterious way。 “Diminutive。 But ve…ry sagacious！ Well； my dear；
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it’s a pretty anecdote。 Nothing more。 Still I think it charming。 Who
should follow us down the road from the coach； my dear； but a
poor person in a very ungenteel bonnet—”
“Jenny； if you please； miss；” said Charley。
“Just so！” Miss Flite acquiesced with the greatest suavity。
“Jenny。 Ye…es！ And what does she tell our young friend； but that
there has been a lady with a veil inquiring at her cottage after my
dear Fitz…Jarndyce’s health； and taking a handkerchief away with
her as a little keepsake； merely because it was my amiable Fitz…
Jarndyce’s！ Now； you know； so very prepossessing in the lady with
the veil！”
“If you please； miss；” said Charley； to whom I looked in some
astonishment； “Jenny says that when her baby died； you left a
handkerchief there； and that she put it away and kept it with the
baby’s little things。 I think； if you please； partly because it was
yours； miss； and partly because it had covered the baby。”
“Diminutive；” whispered Miss Flite； making a variety of
motions about her own forehead to express intellect in Charley。
“But exceedingly sagacious！ And so clear！ My love； she’s clearer
than any counsel I ever heard！”
“Yes； Charley；” I returned。 “I remember it。 Well？”
“Well； miss；” said Charley； “and that’s the handkerchief the
lady took。 And Jenny wants you to know that she wouldn’t have
made away with it herself for a heap of money； but that the lady
took it； and left some money instead。 Jenny don’t know her at all；
if you please； miss。”
“Why； who can she be？” said I。
“My love；” Miss Flite suggested； advancing her lips to my ear；
with her most mysterious look； “in my opinion—don’t mention this
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to our diminutive friend—she’s the Lord Chancellor’s wife。 He’s
married； you know。 And I understand she leads him a terrible life。
Throws his lordship’s papers into the fire； my dear； if he won’t pay
the jeweller！”
I did not think very much about this lady then； for I had an
impression that it might be Caddy。 Besides； my attention was
diverted by my visitor； who was cold after her ride； and looked
hungry； and who； our dinner being brought in； required some
little assistance in arraying herself with great satisfaction in a
pitiable old scarf and a much…worn and often…mended pair of
gloves； which she had brought down in a paper parcel。 I had to
preside； too； over the entertainment； consisting of a dish of fish； a
roast…fowl； a sweetbread； vegetables； pudding； and Madeira； and it
was so pleasant to see how she enjoyed it； and with what state and
ceremony she did honour to it； that I was soon thinking of nothing
else。
When we had finished； and had our little dessert before us；
embellished by the hands of my dear； who would yield the
superintendence of everything prepared for me to no one； Miss
Flite was so very chatty and happy； that I though I would lead her
to her own history； as she was always pleased to talk about herself。
I began by saying “You have attended on the Lord Chancellor
many years； Miss Flite？”
“O many； many； many years； my dear。 But I expect a
Judgement。 Shortly。”
There was an anxiety even in her hopefulness； that made me
doubtful if I had done right in approaching the subject。 I thought I
would say no more about it。
“My father expected a Judgement；” says Miss Flite。 “My
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brother。 My sister。 They all expected a Judgement。 The same that
I expect。”
“They are all—”
“Ye…es。 Dead of course； my dear；” said she。
As I saw she would go on； I thought it best to try to be
serviceable to her by meeting the theme； rather than avoiding it。
“Would it not be wiser；” said I； “to expect this Judgement no
more？”
“Why； my dear；” she answered promptly； “of course it would！”
“And to attend the court no more？”
“Equally of course；” said she。 “Very wearing to be always in
expectation of what never comes； my dear Fitz…Jarndyce！
Wearing； I assure you； to the bone！”
She slightly showed me her arm； and it was fearfully thin
indeed。
“But； my dear；” she went on in her mysterious way； “there’s a
dreadful attraction in the place。 Hush！ Don’t mention it to our
diminutive friend when she comes in。 Or it may frighten her。 With
good reason。 There’s a cruel attraction in the place； you can’t leave
it。 And you must expect。”
I tried to assure her that this was not so。 She heard me
patiently and smilingly； but was ready with her own answer。
“Ay； ay； ay！ You think so； because I am a little rambling。 Ve…ry
absurd； to be a little rambling； is it not？ Ve…ry confusing； too。 To
the head。 I find it so。 But； my dear； I have been there many years；
and I have noticed。 It’s the Mace and Seal upon the table。”
What could they do； did she think？ I mildly asked her。
“Draw；” returned Miss Flite。 “Draw people on； my dear。 Draw
peace out of them。 Sense out of them。 Good looks out of them。
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Good qualities out of them。 I have felt them even drawing my rest
away in the night。 Cold and glittering devils！”
She tapped me several times upon the arm