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illness with her usual accuracy. She was alarmed by an oc-
currence in the house which might have alarmed a stronger
person, and was made ill by the distress and agitation. She
brought me here in the first hurry of the discovery, though
too late for me to be of any use to the unfortunate man. I
have compensated myself for that disappointment by com-
ing here since and being of some small use to her.’
‘The kindest physician in the college,’ whispered Miss
Flite to me. ‘I expect a judgment. On the day of judgment.
And shall then confer estates.’
‘She will be as well in a day or two,’ said Mr. Woodcourt,
looking at her with an observant smile, ‘as she ever will be.
In other words, quite well of course. Have you heard of her
good fortune?’
‘Most extraordinary!’ said Miss Flite, smiling brightly.
‘You never heard of such a thing, my dear! Every Saturday,
Conversation Kenge or Guppy (clerk to Conversation K.)
places in my hand a paper of shillings. Shillings. I assure
you! Always the same number in the paper. Always one for
every day in the week. Now you know, really! So well-timed,
is it not? Ye-es! From whence do these papers come, you say?
That is the great question. Naturally. Shall I tell you what I
think? I think,’ said Miss Flite, drawing herself back with a
very shrewd look and shaking her right forefinger in a most
significant manner, ‘that the Lord Chancellor, aware of the
length of time during which the Great Seal has been open
(for it has been open a long time!), forwards them. Until
the judgment I expect is given. Now that’s very creditable,
you know. To confess in that way that he IS a little slow for

298 Bleak House