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have and to hold Henry。'
'Of course they have； my dear；' said Mrs Merdle。
'I have persisted in every possible objection； and have worried
myself morning； noon； and night； for means to detach Henry from the
connection。'
'No doubt you have； my dear；' said Mrs Merdle。
'And all of no use。 All has broken down beneath me。 Now tell me； my
love。 Am I justified in at last yielding my most reluctant consent to
Henry's marrying among people not in Society； or； have I acted with
inexcusable weakness？'
In answer to this direct appeal； Mrs Merdle assured Mrs Gowan （speaking
as a Priestess of Society） that she was highly to be mended； that
she was much to be sympathised with； that she had taken the highest of
parts； and had e out of the furnace refined。 And Mrs Gowan； who of
course saw through her own threadbare blind perfectly； and who knew that
Mrs Merdle saw through it perfectly； and who knew that Society would see
through it perfectly； came out of this form； notwithstanding； as she had
gone into it； with immense placency and gravity。
The conference was held at four or five o'clock in the afternoon； when
all the region of Harley Street； Cavendish Square； was resonant of
carriage…wheels and double…knocks。 It had reached this point when Mr
Merdle came home from his daily occupation of causing the British
name to be more and more respected in all parts of the civilised globe
capable of the appreciation of world…wide mercial enterprise and
gigantic binations of skill and capital。 For； though nobody knew with
the least precision what Mr Merdle's business was； except that it was
to coin money； these were the terms in which everybody defined it on all
ceremonious occasions； and which it was the last new polite reading of
the parable of the camel and the needle's eye to accept without inquiry。
For a gentleman who had this splendid work cut out for him； Mr Merdle
looked a little mon； and rather as if； in the course of his vast
transactions； he had accidentally made an interchange of heads with
some inferior spirit。 He presented himself before the two ladies in the
course of a dismal stroll through his mansion； which had no apparent
object but escape from the presence of the chief butler。
'I beg your pardon；' he said； stopping short in confusion； 'I didn't
know there was anybody here but the parrot。'
However； as Mrs Merdle said； 'You can e in！' and as Mrs Gowan said
she was just going； and had already risen to take her leave； he came in；
and stood looking out at a distant window； with his hands crossed under
his uneasy coat…cuffs； clasping his wrists as if he were taking himself
into custody。 In this attitude he fell directly into a reverie from
which he was only aroused by his wife's calling to him from her ottoman；
when they had been for some quarter of an hour alone。
'Eh？ Yes？' said Mr Merdle； turning towards her。 'What is it？'
'What is it？' repeated Mrs Merdle。 'It is； I suppose； that you have not
heard a word of my plaint。'
'Your plaint； Mrs Merdle？' said Mr Merdle。 'I didn't know that you
were suffering from a plaint。 What plaint？'
'A plaint of you；' said Mrs Merdle。
'Oh！ A plaint of me；' said Mr Merdle。 'What is the……what have I……what
may you have to plain of in me； Mrs Merdle？' In his withdrawing；
abstracted； pondering way； it took him some time to shape this question。
As a kind of faint attempt to convince himself that he was the master of
the house； he concluded by presenting his forefinger to the parrot； who
expressed his opinion on that subject by instantly driving his bill into
it。
'You were saying； Mrs Merdle；' said Mr Merdle； with his wounded finger
in his mouth； 'that you had a plaint against me？'
'A plaint which I could scarcely show the justice of more
emphatically； than by having to repeat it；' said Mrs Merdle。 'I might as
well have stated it to the wall。 I had far better have stated it to the
bird。 He would at least have screamed。'
'You don't want me to scream； Mrs Merdle； I suppose；' said Mr Merdle；
taking a chair。
'Indeed I don't know；' retorted Mrs Merdle； 'but that you had better do
that； than be so moody and distraught。 One would at least know that you
were sensible of what was going on around you。'
'A man might scream； and yet not be that； Mrs Merdle；' said Mr Merdle；
heavily。
'And might be dogged； as you are at present； without screaming；'
returned Mrs Merdle。 'That's very true。 If you wish to know the
plaint I make against you； it is； in so many plain words； that you
really ought not to go into Society unless you can acmodate yourself
to Society。'
Mr Merdle； so twisting his hands into what hair he had upon his head
that he seemed to lift himself up by it as he started out of his chair；
cried： 'Why； in the name of all the infernal powers； Mrs Merdle； who
does more for Society than I do？ Do you see these premises； Mrs Merdle？
Do you see this furniture； Mrs Merdle？ Do you look in the glass and see
yourself； Mrs Merdle？ Do you know the cost of all this； and who it's
all provided for？ And yet will you tell me that I oughtn't to go into
Society？ I； who shower money upon it in this way？ I； who might always be
said……to……to……to harness myself to a watering…cart full of money； and go
about saturating Society every day of my life。'
'Pray； don't be violent； Mr Merdle；' said Mrs Merdle。
'Violent？' said Mr Merdle。 'You are enough to make me desperate。 You
don't know half of what I do to acmodate Society。 You don't know
anything of the sacrifices I make for it。'
'I know；' returned Mrs Merdle； 'that you receive the best in the land。 I
know that you move in the whole Society of the country。 And I believe
I know （indeed； not to make any ridiculous pretence about it； I know I
know） who sustains you in it； Mr Merdle。'
'Mrs Merdle；' retorted that gentleman； wiping his dull red and yellow
face； 'I know that as well as you do。 If you were not an ornament to
Society； and if I was not a benefactor to Society； you and I would never
have e together。 When I say a benefactor to it； I mean a person who
provides it with all sorts of expensive things to eat and drink and look
at。 But； to tell me that I am