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eye upon him）； and the easy yielding of all to a good…natured； careless；
predominant propensity to sit down on the ground again： formed a very
remarkable bination of character。
'This happy idea； brave sir；' Rigaud resumed after drinking； 'was a
happy idea for several reasons。 It amused me； it worried your dear
mama and my Flintwinch； it caused you agonies （my terms for a lesson
in politeness towards a gentleman）； and it suggested to all the amiable
persons interested that your entirely devoted is a man to fear。 By
Heaven； he is a man to fear！ Beyond this； it might have restored her wit
to my lady your mother……might； under the pressing little suspicion your
wisdom has recognised； have persuaded her at last to announce； covertly；
in the journals； that the difficulties of a certain contract would be
removed by the appearance of a certain important party to it。 Perhaps
yes； perhaps no。 But that； you have interrupted。 Now； what is it you
say？ What is it you want？'
Never had Clennam felt more acutely that he was a prisoner in bonds；
than when he saw this man before him； and could not acpany him to his
mother's house。 All the undiscernible difficulties and dangers he had
ever feared were closing in； when he could not stir hand or foot。
'Perhaps； my friend； philosopher； man of virtue； Imbecile； what you
will； perhaps；' said Rigaud； pausing in his drink to look out of his
glass with his horrible smile； 'you would have done better to leave me
alone？'
'No！ At least；' said Clennam； 'you are known to be alive and unharmed。
At least you cannot escape from these two witnesses； and they can
produce you before any public authorities； or before hundreds of
people！'
'But will not produce me before one；' said Rigaud； snapping his
fingers again with an air of triumphant menace。 'To the Devil with your
witnesses！ To the Devil with your produced！ To the Devil with yourself！
What！ Do I know what I know； for that？ Have I my modity on sale； for
that？ Bah； poor debtor！ You have interrupted my little project。 Let it
pass。 How then？ What remains？ To you； nothing； to me； all。 Produce
me！ Is that what you want？ I will produce myself； only too quickly。
Contrabandist！
Give me pen； ink； and paper。'
Cavalletto got up again as before； and laid them before him in his
former manner。 Rigaud； after some villainous thinking and smiling；
wrote； and read aloud； as follows：
'To MRS CLENNAM。
'Wait answer。
'Prison of the Marshalsea。 'At the apartment of your son。
'Dear Madam；……I am in despair to be informed to…day by our prisoner here
（who has had the goodness to employ spies to seek me； living for politic
reasons in retirement）； that you have had fears for my safety。
'Reassure yourself； dear madam。 I am well； I am strong and constant。
'With the greatest impatience I should fly to your house； but that I
foresee it to be possible； under the circumstances； that you will not
yet have quite definitively arranged the little proposition I have had
the honour to submit to you。 I name one week from this day； for a last
final visit on my part； when you will unconditionally accept it or
reject it； with its train of consequences。
'I suppress my ardour to embrace you and achieve this interesting
business； in order that you may have leisure to adjust its details to
our perfect mutual satisfaction。
'In the meanwhile； it is not too much to propose （our prisoner having
deranged my housekeeping）； that my expenses of lodging and nourishment
at an hotel shall be paid by you。 'Receive； dear madam； the assurance of
my highest and most distinguished consideration；
'RIGAUD BLANDOIS。
'A thousand friendships to that dear Flintwinch。
'I kiss the hands of Madame F。'
When he had finished this epistle； Rigaud folded it and tossed it with
a flourish at Clennam's feet。 'Hola you！ Apropos of producing； let
somebody produce that at its address； and produce the answer here。'
'Cavalletto；' said Arthur。 'Will you take this fellow's letter？'
But； Cavalletto's significant finger again expressing that his post was
at the door to keep watch over Rigaud； now he had found him with so much
trouble； and that the duty of his post was to sit on the floor backed up
by the door； looking at Rigaud and holding his own ankles；……Signor Panco
once more volunteered。 His services being accepted； Cavalletto suffered
the door to open barely wide enough to admit of his squeezing himself
out； and immediately shut it on him。
'Touch me with a finger； touch me y
superiority as I sit here drinking my wine at my pleasure；' said Rigaud；
'and I follow the letter and cancel my week's grace。 You wanted me？ You
have got me！ How do you like me？'
'You know；' returned Clennam； with a bitter sense of his helplessness；
'that when I sought you； I was not a prisoner。'
'To the Devil with you and your prison；' retorted Rigaud； leisurely；
as he took from his pocket a case containing the materials for making
cigarettes； and employed his facile hands in folding a few for present
use； 'I care for neither of you。 Contrabandist！ A light。'
Again Cavalletto got up； and gave him what he wanted。 There had been
something dreadful in the noiseless skill of his cold； white hands； with
the fingers lithely twisting about and twining one over another like
serpents。 Clennam could not prevent himself from shuddering inwardly； as
if he had been looking on at a nest of those creatures。
'Hola； Pig！' cried Rigaud； with a noisy stimulating cry； as if
Cavalletto were an Italian horse or mule。 'What！ The infernal old jail
was a respectable one to this。 There was dignity in the bars and stones
of that place。 It was a prison for men。 But this？ Bah！ A hospital for
imbeciles！'
He smoked his cigarette out； with his ugly smile so fixed upon his face
that he looked as though he were smoking with his drooping beak of a
nose； rather than with his mouth； like a fancy in a weird picture。 When
he had lighted a second cigarette at the still burning end of the first；
he said to Clennam：
'One must pass the time in the madman's absence。 One must talk。 One
can't drink strong wine all day long； or I would have another bottle。
She's handsome； sir。 Though not exactly to my taste； still； by
the Thunder and the Lightning！ handsome。 I felicitate you on your
admiration。'
'I neither know nor ask；' said Clennam； 'of whom you speak。'
'Della bella Gowana； sir； as they say in Italy。 Of the Gowan； the fair
Gowan。'
'Of whose husband you were the……follower； I think？'
'Sir？ Follower？ You are insolent。 The friend。'
'Do you sell all your friends？'
Rigaud took his cigarette from his mouth； and eyed him with a momentary
revelation of surprise。 But he put it between his lips again； as he
answered with coolness：
'I sell anything that mands a price。 How do your lawyers live； your
politicians； your intriguers； your men of the Exchange？ How do you live？
How do you e here？ Have you sold no friend？ Lady of mine！ I rather
think； yes！'
Clennam turned away from him towards the window； and sat looking out at
the wall。
'Effectively； sir；' said Rigaud； 'Society sells itself and sells me： and
I sell Society。 I perceive you have acquaintance with another lady。 Also
handsome。 A strong spirit。 Let us see。 How do they call her？ Wade。'
He received no answer； but could easily discern that he had hit the
mark。
'Yes；' he went on； 'that handsome lady and strong spirit addresses me in
the street； and I am not insensible。 I respond。 That handsome lady and
strong spirit does me the favour to remark； in full confidence； 〃I have
my curiosity； and I have my chagrins。 You are not more than ordinarily
honourable； perhaps？〃 I announce myself； 〃Madame； a gentleman from
the birth； and a gentleman to the death； but NOT more than ordinarily
honourable。 I despise such a weak fantasy。〃 Thereupon she is pleased to
pliment。 〃The difference between you and the rest is；〃 she answers；
〃that you say so。〃 For she knows Society。 I accept her congratulations
with gallantry and politeness。 Politeness and little gallantries are
inseparable from my character。 She then makes a proposition； which is；
in effect； that she has seen us much together； that it appears to her
that I am for the passing time the cat of the house； the friend of
the family； that her curiosity and her chagrins awaken the fancy to be
acquainted with their movements； to know the manner of their life； how
the fair Gowana is beloved； how the fair Gowana is cherished； and so
on。 She is not rich； but offers such and such little repenses for the
little cares and derangements of such services； and I graciously……to do
everything graciously is a part of my character……consent to accept them。
O yes！ So goes the world。 It is the mode。'
Though Clennam's back was turned while he spoke； and thenceforth to the
end of the interview； he kept those glittering eyes of his that were too
near together； upon him； and evidently saw in the very carriage of the
head； as he passed with his braggart recklessness from clause to clause
of what he said； that he was saying nothing which Clennam did not
already know。
'Whoof！ The fair Gowana！' he said； lighting a third cigarette with a