Indeed it would be the height of unreason to expect him to be sitting there without that head.
Arthur Clennam moved to attract his attention, and the grey eyebrows turned towards him.
'I beg your pardon,' said Clennam, 'I fear you did not hear me announced ?' 'No, sir, I did not.

Did you wish to see me, sir ?' 'I wished to pay my respects.' Mr Casby seemed a feather's weight disappointed by the last words, having perhaps prepared himself for the visitor's wishing to pay something else.

'Have I the pleasure, sir,' he proceeded--'take a chair, if you please--have I the pleasure of knowing--?
Ah! truly, yes, I think I have! I believe I am not mistaken in supposing that I am acquainted with those features?
I think I address a gentleman of whose return to this country I was informed by Mr Flintwinch ?' 'That is your present visitor.' 'Really! Mr Clennam ?' 'No other, Mr Casby.' 'Mr Clennam, I am glad to see you.

How have you been since we met ?' Without thinking it worth while to explain that in the course of some quarter of a century he had experienced occasional slight fluctuations in his health and spirits, Clennam answered generally that he had never been better, or something equally to the purpose; and shook hands with the possessor of 'that head' as it shed its patriarchal light upon him.
'We are older, Mr Clennam,' said Christopher Casby.
'We are--not younger,' said Clennam.

After this wise remark he felt that he was scarcely shining with brilliancy, and became aware that he was nervous.
'And your respected father,' said Mr Casby, 'is no more! I was grieved to hear it, Mr Clennam, I was grieved.' Arthur replied in the usual way that he felt infinitely obliged to him.
'There was a time,' said Mr Casby, 'when your parents and myself were not on friendly terms.