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ever you said a true word in your life； it's when you call me a heap of
confusion； for you two clever ones have done your most to make me such。
You married me whether I liked it or not； and you've led me； pretty well
ever since； such a life of dreaming and frightening as never was known；
and what do you expect me to be but a heap of confusion？ You wanted to
make me such； and I am such； but I won't submit no longer； no； I won't；
I won't； I won't； I won't！' She was still beating the air against all
ers。
After gazing at her in silence； Mrs Clennam turned to Rigaud。 'You
see and hear this foolish creature。 Do you object to such a piece of
distraction remaining where she is？'
'I； madame；' he replied； 'do I？ That's a question for you。'
'I do not；' she said； gloomily。 'There is little left to choose now。
Flintwinch； it is closing in。'
Mr Flintwinch replied by directing a look of red vengeance at his wife；
and then； as if to pinion himself from falling upon her； screwed his
crossed arms into the breast of his waistcoat； and with his chin very
near one of his elbows stood in a corner； watching Rigaud in the oddest
attitude。 Rigaud； for his part； arose from his chair； and seated himself
on the table with his legs dangling。 In this easy attitude； he met Mrs
Clennam's set face； with his moustache going up and his nose ing
down。
'Madame； I am a gentleman……'
'Of whom；' she interrupted in her steady tones； 'I have heard
disparagement； in connection with a French jail and an accusation of
murder。'
He kissed his hand to her with his exaggerated gallantry。
'Perfectly。 Exactly。 Of a lady too！ What absurdity！ How incredible！ I
had the honour of making a great success then； I hope to have the
honour of making a great success now。 I kiss your hands。 Madame； I am a
gentleman （I was going to observe）； who when he says； 〃I will definitely
finish this or that affair at the present sitting；〃 does definitely
finish it。 I announce to you that we are arrived at our last sitting on
our little business。 You do me the favour to follow； and to prehend？'
She kept her eyes fixed upon him with a frown。 'Yes。'
'Further； I am a gentleman to whom mere mercenary trade…bargains are
unknown； but to whom money is always acceptable as the means of pursuing
his pleasures。 You do me the favour to follow； and to prehend？'
'Scarcely necessary to ask； one would say。 Yes。'
'Further； I am a gentleman of the softest and sweetest disposition；
but who； if trifled with； bees enraged。 Noble natures under such
circumstances bee enraged。 I possess a noble nature。 When the lion
is awakened……that is to say； when I enrage……the satisfaction of my
animosity is as acceptable to me as money。 You always do me the favour
to follow； and to prehend？'
'Yes；' she answered； somewhat louder than before。
'Do not let me derange you； pray be tranquil。 I have said we are now
arrived at our last sitting。 Allow me to recall the two sittings we have
held。'
'It is not necessary。'
'Death； madame；' he burst out； 'it's my fancy！ Besides； it clears the
way。 The first sitting was limited。 I had the honour of making your
acquaintance……of presenting my letter； I am a Knight of Industry； at
your service； madame； but my polished manners had won me so much of
success； as a master of languages； among your patriots who are as
stiff as their own starch is to one another； but are ready to relax to
a foreign gentleman of polished manners……and of observing one or two
little things；' he glanced around the room and smiled； 'about this
honourable house； to know which was necessary to assure me； and
to convince me that I had the distinguished pleasure of making the
acquaintance of the lady I sought。 I achieved this。 I gave my word
of honour to our dear Flintwinch that I would return。 I gracefully
departed。'
Her face neither acquiesced nor demurred。 The same when he paused； and
when he spoke； it as yet showed him always the one attentive frown；
and the dark revelation before mentioned of her being nerved for the
occasion。
'I say； gracefully departed； because it was graceful to retire without
alarming a lady。 To be morally graceful； not less than physically； is
a part of the character of Rigaud Blandois。 It was also politic； as
leaving you with something overhanging you； to expect me again with a
little anxiety on a day not named。 But your slave is politic。 By Heaven；
madame； politic！ Let us return。 On the day not named； I have again the
honour to render myself at your house。 I intimate that I have something
to sell； which； if not bought； will promise madame whom I highly
esteem。 I explain myself generally。 I demand……I think it was a thousand
pounds。 Will you correct me？'
Thus forced to speak； she replied with constraint； 'You demanded as much
as a thousand pounds。'
'I demand at present； Two。 Such are the evils of delay。 But to return
once more。 We are not accordant； we differ on that occasion。 I am
playful； playfulness is a part of my amiable character。 Playfully； I
bee as one slain and hidden。 For； it may alone be worth half the sum
to madame； to be freed from the suspicions that my droll idea awakens。
Accident and spies intermix themselves against my playfulness； and spoil
the fruit； perhaps……who knows？ only you and Flintwinch……when it is just
ripe。 Thus； madame； I am here for the last time。 Listen！ Definitely the
last。'
As he struck his straggling boot…heels against the flap of the table；
meeting her frown with an insolent gaze； he began to change his tone for
a fierce one。
'Bah！ Stop an instant！ Let us advance by steps。 Here is my Hotel…note to
be paid； according to contract。 Five minutes hence we may be at daggers'
points。 I'll not leave it till then； or you'll cheat me。 Pay it！ Count
me the money！'
'Take it from his hand and pay it； Flintwinch；' said Mrs Clennam。
He spirted it into Mr Flintwinch's face when the old man advanced to
take it； and held forth his hand； repeating noisily； 'Pay it！ Count it
out！ Good money！' Jeremiah picked the bill up； looked at the total with
a bloodshot eye； took a small canvas bag from his pocket； and told the
amount into his hand。
Rigaud chinked the money； weighed it in his hand； threw it up a little
way and caught it； chinked it again。
'The sound of it； to the bold Rigaud Blandois； is like the taste of
fresh meat to the tiger。 Say； then； madame。 How much？'
He turned upon her suddenly with a menacing gesture of the weighted hand
that clenched the money； as if he were going to strike her with it。
'I tell you again； as I told you before； that we are not rich here； as
you suppose us to be； and that your demand is excessive。 I have not the
present means of plying with such a demand； if I had ever so great an
inclination。'
'If！' cried Rigaud。 'Hear this lady with her If！ Will you say that you
have not the inclination？'
'I will say what presents itself to me； and not what presents itself to
you。'
'Say it then。 As to the inclination。 Quick！ e to the inclination； and
I know what to do。'
She was no quicker； and no slower； in her reply。 'It would seem that
you have obtained possession of a paper……or of papers……which I assuredly
have the inclination to recover。'
Rigaud； with a loud laugh； drummed his heels against the table； and
chinked his money。 'I think so！ I believe you there！'
'The paper might be worth； to me； a sum of money。 I cannot say how much；
or how little。'
'What the Devil！' he asked savagely。'Not after a week's grace to
consider？'
'No！ I will not out of my scanty means……for I tell you again； we are
poor here； and not rich……I will not offer any price for a power that I
do not know the worst and the fullest extent of。 This is the third time
of your hinting and threatening。 You must speak explicitly； or you may
go where you will； and do what you will。 It is better to be torn to
pieces at a spring； than to be a mouse at the caprice of such a cat。'
He looked at her so hard with those eyes too near together that the
sinister sight of each； crossing that of the other； seemed to make the
bridge of his hooked nose crooked。 After a long survey； he said； with
the further setting off of his internal smile：
'You are a bold woman！'
'I am a resolved woman。'
'You always were。 What？ She always was； is it not so； my little
Flintwinch？'
'Flintwinch； say nothing to him。 It is for him to say； here and now；
all he can； or to go hence； and do all he can。 You know this to be our
determination。 Leave him to his action on it。'
She did not shrink under his evil leer； or avoid it。 He turned it upon
her again； but she remained steady at the point to which she had fixed
herself。 He got off the table； placed a chair near the sofa； sat down in
it； and leaned an arm upon the sofa close to her own； which he touched
with his hand。 Her face was ever frowning； attentive； and settled。
'It is your pleasure then； madame； that I shall relate a morsel of
family history in this little family society；' said Rigaud； with a
warning play of his lithe fingers on her arm。 'I am something of a
doctor。 Let me touch your pulse。'
She suffered him to take her wrist in his hand。 Holding it； he proceeded
to say：
'A history of a strange marriage； and a strange mother； and a revenge；
and a suppression。……Aye； aye； aye？ this pulse is beating curiously！
It appears to me that it doubles while I touch it。 Are these the usual
changes of your malady； madame？'
There was a struggle in her maimed arm as she twisted it away； but there
was none in her face。 On his face there was his own smile。
'I have lived an adventurous life。 I am an adventurous character。 I have
known many adventurers； interesting spirits……amiable society！ To one
of them I owe my knowledge and my proofs……I repeat it； estimable
lady……proofs……of the ravishing little family history I go to mence。
You will be charmed with it。 But； bah！ I forget。 One should name a
history。 Shall I name it the history of a house？ But； bah； again。 There
are so many houses。 Shall I name it the history of this house？'
Leaning over the sofa； poised on two legs of his chair and his left
elbow； that hand often tapping her arm to beat his words home； his
legs crossed； his right hand sometimes arranging his hair； sometimes
smoothing his moustache； sometimes striking his nose； always threatening
her whatever it did； coarse； insolent； rapacious； cruel； and powerful；
he pursued his narrative at his ease。
'In fine； then； I name it the history of this house。 I mence it。
There live here； let us suppose； an uncle and nephew。 The uncle； a
rigid old gentleman of strong force of character； the nephew； habitually
timid； repressed； and under constraint。'
Mistress Affery； fixedly attentive in the window…seat； biting the
rolled up end of her apron； and trembling from head to foot； here cried
out；'Jeremiah； keep off from me！ I've heerd； in my dreams； of Arthur's
father and his uncle。 He's a talking of them。 It was before my time
here； but I've heerd in my dreams that Arthur's father was a poor；
irresolute； frightened chap； who had had everything but his orphan life
scared out of him when he was young； and that he had no voice in the
choice of his wife even； but his uncle chose her。 There she sits！ I
heerd it in my dreams； and you said it to her own self。'
As Mr Flintwinch shook his fist at her； and as Mrs Clennam gazed upon
her； Rigaud kissed his hand to her。 'Perfectly right； dear Madame
Flintwinch。 You have a genius for dreaming。'
'I don't want none of your praises；' returned Affery。 'I don't want to
have nothing at all to say to you。 But Jeremiah said they was dreams；
and I'll tell 'em as such！' Here she put her apron in her mouth again；
as if she were stopping somebody else's mouth……perhaps jeremiah's； which
was chattering with threats as if he were grimly cold。
'Our beloved Madame Flintwinch；' said Rigaud； 'developing all of a
sudden a fine susceptibility and spirituality； is right to a marvel。
Yes。 So runs the history。 Monsieur； the uncle； mands the nephew to
marry。 Monsieur says to him in effect； 〃My nephew； I introduce to you a
lady of strong force of character； like myself……a resolved lady； a stern
lady； a lady who has a will that can break the w