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so much’ of success, as a master‘ of ‘languages, among
your compatriots who are as stiff as their own ‘starch is
‘to one another, but are ever 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,t“about this honourable house,-to know which
had the distin uished pleasure of making the acquaint-
ance of the la y-I:sought., ‘I achievedthis.‘ -I gave my
word of honour, to our dear Fhntwmch, that I would
return.'. Igracefully departed." V: r- ’ '
..;Her face neither acquiesced nor demurred.- , The same
when he pziused and when he spoke, 1t‘ as yet showed
him always the oneattentive frown, and the dark‘ rev-
elation before mentioned of her. being nerved for the oc-
ron, ,-‘ - .';' .
I say, gracefully departed, becauseit was graceful
to retire without alarming a lady. =.' To be morally grace-
ful, not less than physically, is apart of the character
of Rigaud Blandois. ; It was also politic, as leaving you,
with something overhangin you, to expect‘ me again
with a little anxie’Ly,:0n a. ay. not named.‘ ,But your
slave is politic. By Heaven,’ madamejpolitic I‘ Let us
return. On the day not named, I have again the honour
to render myself at your house. I I intimate that I have
something to sell, which, if not bought, will compromise
madame whom I highly esteem. I explain myself gen-
erally. I demand--I think it was a thousand pounds.
Will you correct me‘2”‘ ’ ‘ r- - .7. " . ,' > f -
Thus forced to speak, she replied, with constraint,
5‘ You demanded as muchas a. thousarid pounds.” I '
“I demand at present,>Two. ' Such‘ are the evils of
delay. But to return oncemore.’ life are not accord-
ant; we differ on that occasion. V I am playful ; playful-
ness is a part of my. amiable character. Playfully, I
become as one slain and hidden. - For,'it may alone be
worth half =the sum, to madame, to-be freed from the
suspicions thatmy-droll idea awakens. f Accident and
spies intermix themselves against. my‘ playfulness, and
gpoil the fruit, perhaps-whoxknows? only you and
lintwinch-when it is just ripe.f- Thus, madame, I am
here for the last time. Listenl 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 tonefor a fierccr one. " V‘ . '
“ Bah ! Stop an instant! ;Let us advance by step
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. , Payil l Count
metliernonc-y!’,’, . ::- >, ; -:.
“‘, Take it from his hand and pay it, Flintwinch,” ' said
‘Mrs.,Clennam. ‘-v m r V ., I ’ , , 7 - ’
Ho spirted it into Mr. Flintwinclfs face, when the old
man advanced to take it ;.aud held forth his hand, re-
peating noisily, .“ Pay it 1 Count it out l- Good money l’,’
Jeremiah picked the bill up, looked at the total’ with 3
bloodshot eye, took a small canvas bag from his pocket,
and told theamount into his hand. . . j
Rigaud chinked the money, weighed it in his hand,
threw it up a little way, and caught it, chinkcd it again.
,. “ The soundof it, to thebold Rigaud Blandois, is like
the taste of fresh meat to the tiger. -Say, then, madame.
How much?” r g , V . l ‘
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. . y , . - 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 de-
mand is excessive. I- have not the present means of
complying with such a demand, if.I had ever so great an
inclination.” : ‘ - ‘ - . , .. . > .-
“If !" cried Iligaud. ‘f Hear this lady with her Ifl
“fill you say that you have not the inclination?" , '
p “I will say what presents itself to me, and-not what
presents itself to you.’,' A r - V >. -
“Say it then. ‘ As to the inclination.- Quick 1 Come
to the inclination, and I know what to do." . ' V ,
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." ‘ , -' '
Rlgaud, with aloud laugh, drurumcd his heels against
was necessary to assure me, and to convince me that I -
932 CHARLES " DI OKENS ’ ‘ WORKS.
the table, and chinked' his money. ‘f Ithink so 1‘ I be-
lieve you;there!”.‘ ' " ' ‘ " " ‘ '-
“ The paper might be: worth, to me, sumioft money..
I cannot say how much, or how little.f’4 -' r- V
- ‘,‘, VVhat the Devil 1’? he asked savagely.‘ f‘ Not after a
.week’s grace to consider?” . ' ' ‘ ' V r V "‘ ‘
you again, ;we'are poor'here‘, and not rich-'-I will -not
offer any price for a powerthat 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 tofbe a mouse
at the caprice of such a cat.” : 9 r. 3‘; " 2 J .' "l
He looked at her so hard with those eyes’ too -near to-'
gether,.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, withtthe further
setting-oh of his infernal smile : ’ ‘
.. “ You are a bold woman’l” ' ‘N’. " " " ’E I"
“ I am it resolved woman.” . ” ‘ v A , > ' .
“ You always were. VVhat? She always ‘was ;.is it
not so, my little Flintwinchi.” " , ’ 7,1. " 3" ' “
“ Flintwinch, say nothing to him. It is for him to say
here, and now, all he can ; or to go hence, anddo all he
can. You know this tobo our‘determination. 'Leave
him to his action on it.” : I -‘ ‘ ' ’ “ '
She did not shrink under his evil leer, or avoid it." He
turned it upon her atrain, 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 injit, and
leaned an arm upon‘ the sofa close to her own, which‘she
touched with his hand. IIer-face was ‘ever frowning,
attentive, and settled. - ' " " I ‘ " ‘
“ It is your pleasure then, madame, that I shall relate
a morsel of family history in this ‘little family society,’v’
said Rigaud with a warning play of- his lithe fingerS"0Il
her arm. ’ “ I am ‘something of a doctor. Let me touch
x,.
, v
yourpulse.” ' " “ ‘ 2 r 3 ’
She suffered him to take her wrist'in his hand.‘ Hold’
ing it, he proceeded tp say: I r "‘ , " “
V “ ‘A history of astrangc marriage; and astrange mother,"
and arevcnge, and asuppression.--Aye, aye, aye? This
pulse-is beating curiouslyl -It appears to,me that It
doubles while I touch it. Are these the ‘usual changes
of your malady, madame? ”- , " i ‘ ii 1‘ ,
There was a struggle in henmaimed arm as she
twisted it away, but there was none in her face. 0111119
face there was his own smile. . - ' . r 7 " ‘
“ I have lived -an adventurous life. 7‘ Iam an adventur-
ous character. I have knownmany adventurers ;'m>
teresting spirits-amiable society i ‘To one-of ‘them’
owe my knowledge, and my proofs-I repeat it, estimable
lady-proofs-of the‘ ravishing little‘ family history I 5:0
to commence. You will be charmed with it.’ v Bl1i.'.b31l.l
I forget. One should name a history. Shall I name It
the history of a house? But, bah, again. "There are 53
many houses. - Shall I name it the history of this house’ ‘I.
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 : l1is“rigl1t.11=“1,
sometimes arranging his hair, sometimes smoothing 1115
moustache, sometimes striking his nose, always threat-
ening hcr whatever it did ; coarse, insolent, rapacious.
cruel,- and powerful, he pursued his narrative at his,eaSc-
', “ In fine, then, I name it the history of this house. "
commence it. There lived here, let us'suppoS0.‘3“ “"910
and nephew. The uncle, a rigid old gentleman of strong
force‘ of character; the nephew, habitually tim1d,'r0-
pressed, and under constraint.” . I W‘ t ': ' ‘ i ,7’ "'
Mistress Affery, fixedly attentive = in, the‘ window-scat.
biting therolled up end of her apron, and trerublmg
from head to foot, here cried out, .“ Jeremiah; keep Off
from me I I've heard 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 hcerd in my dreams that Arthur S
father was a poor,‘ irresolute, frightened chap. ""110 Ii.“
had everything but his orphan life scared out of I11111
when he was young, and that he had no voice in “"3
choice of his wife even,‘ but his uncle chose her..' There
she sits l I heerd it in my dreams, and you’.-mid it take;
own self." ' ‘ v I ' ' '
“ No I - I will not, out of my scanty meansefor Iitellv
....,..,.,,.s.- ....,,,, ..,n...