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or both……any genteel mystifications； I should probably not succeed in
them。'
'Papa Meagles；' returned the Dowager； with an affable smile； but with
the bloom on her cheeks standing out a little more vividly than usual as
the neighbouring surface became paler；'probably not。'
'Therefore； my good madam；' said Mr Meagles； at great pains to
restrain himself； 'I hope I may； without offence； ask to have no such
mystification played off upon me。' 'Mama Meagles；' observed Mrs Gowan；
'your good man is inprehensible。'
Her turning to that worthy lady was an artifice to bring her into the
discussion； quarrel eagles interposed to
prevent that consummation。
'Mother；' said he； 'you are inexpert； my dear； and it is not a fair
match。 Let me beg of you to remain quiet。 e； Mrs Gowan； e！ Let
us try to be sensible； let us try to be good…natured； let us try to
be fair。 Don't you pity Henry； and I won't pity Pet。 And don't be
one…sided； my dear madam； it's not considerate； it's not kind。 Don't
let us say that we hope Pet will make Henry happy； or even that we hope
Henry will make Pet happy；' （Mr Meagles himself did not look happy as he
spoke the words；） 'but let us hope they will make each other happy。'
'Yes； sure； and there leave it； father；' said Mrs Meagles the
kind…hearted and fortable。
'Why； mother； no；' returned Mr Meagles； 'not exactly there。 I can't
quite leave it there； I must say just half…a…dozen words more。 Mrs
Gowan； I hope I am not over…sensitive。 I believe I don't look it。'
'Indeed you do not；' said Mrs Gowan； shaking her head and the great
green fan together； for emphasis。
'Thank you； ma'am； that's well。 Notwithstanding which； I feel a
little……I don't want to use a strong word……now shall I say hurt？'
asked Mr Meagles at once with frankness and moderation； and with a
conciliatory appeal in his tone。
'Say what you like；' answered Mrs Gowan。 'It is perfectly indifferent to
me。'
'No； no； don't say that；' urged Mr Meagles； 'because that's not
responding amiably。 I feel a little hurt when I hear references made to
consequences having been foreseen； and to its being too late now； and so
forth。'
'Do you； Papa Meagles？' said Mrs Gowan。 'I am not surprised。'
'Well； ma'am；' reasoned Mr Meagles； 'I was in hopes you would have been
at least surprised； because to hurt me wilfully on so tender a subject
is surely not generous。' 'I am not responsible；' said Mrs Gowan； 'for
your conscience； you know。'
Poor Mr Meagles looked aghast with astonishment。
'If I am unluckily obliged to carry a cap about with me； which is yours
and fits you；' pursued Mrs Gowan； 'don't blame me for its pattern； Papa
Meagles； I beg！' 'Why； good Lord； ma'am！' Mr Meagles broke out； 'that's
as much as to state……'
'Now； Papa Meagles； Papa Meagles；' said Mrs Gowan； who became extremely
deliberate and prepossessing in manner whenever that gentleman became at
all warm； 'perhaps to prevent confusion； I had better speak for myself
than trouble your kindness to speak for me。
It's as much as to state； you begin。 If you please； I will finish the
sentence。 It is as much as to state……not that I wish to press it or even
recall it； for it is of no use now； and my only wish is to make the
best of existing circumstances……that from the first to the last I always
objected to this match of yours； and at a very late period yielded a
most unwilling consent to it。'
'Mother！' cried Mr Meagles。 'Do you hear this！ Arthur！ Do you hear
this！'
'The room being of a convenient size；' said Mrs Gowan； looking about
as she fanned herself； 'and quite charmingly adapted in all respects to
conversation； I should imagine I am audible in any part of it。'
Some moments passed in silence； before Mr Meagles could hold himself in
his chair with sufficient security to prevent his breaking out of it at
the next word he spoke。 At last he said： 'Ma'am； I am very unwilling to
revive them； but I must remind you what my opinions and my course were；
all along； on that unfortunate subject。'
'O； my dear sir！' said Mrs Gowan； smiling and shaking her head with
accusatory intelligence； 'they were well understood by me； I assure
you。'
'I never； ma'am；' said Mr Meagles； 'knew unhappiness before that time；
I never knew anxiety before that time。 It was a time of such distress to
me that……' That Mr Meagles could really say no more about it； in short；
but passed his handkerchief before his Face。
'I understood the whole affair；' said Mrs Gowan； posedly looking
over her fan。 'As you have appealed to Mr Clennam； I may appeal to Mr
Clennam； too。 He knows whether I did or not。'
'I am very unwilling；' said Clennam； looked to by all parties； 'to take
any share in this discussion； more especially because I wish to preserve
the best understanding and the clearest relations with Mr Henry Gowan。
I have very strong reasons indeed； for entertaining that wish。 Mrs Gowan
attributed certain views of furthering the marriage to my friend here；
in conversation with me before it took place； and I endeavoured to
undeceive her。 I represented that I knew him （as I did and do） to be
strenuously opposed to it； both in opinion and action。'
'You see？' said Mrs Gowan； turning the palms of her hands towards Mr
Meagles； as if she were Justice herself； representing to him that he had
better confess； for he had not a leg to stand on。 'You see？ Very good！
Now Papa and Mama Meagles both！' here she rose； 'allow me to take the
liberty of putting an end to this rather formidable controversy。 I will
not say another word upon its merits。 I will only say that it is an
additional proof of what one knows from all experience； that this kind
of thing never answers……as my poor fellow himself would say； that it
never pays……in one word； that it never does。'
Mr Meagles asked； What kind of thing？
'It is in vain；' said Mrs Gowan； 'for people to attempt to get on
together who have such extremely different antecedents； who are jumbled
against each other in this accidental； matrimonial sort of way； and who
cannot look at the untoward circumstance which has shaken them together
in the same light。 It never does。'
Mr Meagles was beginning； 'Permit me to say； ma'am……'
'No； don't；' returned Mrs Gowan。 'Why should you！ It is an ascertained
fact。 It never does。 I will therefore； if you please； go my way； leaving
you to yours。 I shall at all times be happy to receive my poor fellow's
pretty wife； and I shall always make a point of being on the most
affectionate terms with her。 But as to these terms； semi…family and
semi…stranger； semi…goring and semi…boring； they form a state of things
quite amusing in its impracticability。 I assure you it never does。'
The Dowager here made a smiling obeisance； rather to the room than to
any one in it； and therewith took a final farewell of Papa and Mama
Meagles。 Clennam stepped forward to hand her to the Pill…Box which was
at the service of all the Pills in Hampton Court Palace； and she got
into that vehicle with distinguished serenity； and was driven away。
Thenceforth the Dowager； with a light and careless humour； often
recounted to her particular acquaintance how； after a hard trial； she
had found