little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第217章

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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　smi