第149章

Rigaudtookhiscigarettefromhismouth，andeyedhimwithamomentaryrevelationofsurprise。Butheputitbetweenhislipsagain，asheansweredwithcoolness：

’Isellanythingthatcommandsaprice。Howdoyourlawyerslive，yourpoliticians，yourintriguers，yourmenoftheExchange？Howdoyoulive？Howdoyoucomehere？Haveyousoldnofriend？Ladyofmine!Iratherthink，yes!’

Clennamturnedawayfromhimtowardsthewindow，andsatlookingoutatthewall。

’Effectively，sir，’saidRigaud，’Societysellsitselfandsellsme：andIsellSociety。Iperceiveyouhaveacquaintancewithanotherlady。Alsohandsome。Astrongspirit。Letussee。Howdotheycallher？Wade。’

Hereceivednoanswer，butcouldeasilydiscernthathehadhitthemark。

’Yes，’hewenton，’thathandsomeladyandstrongspiritaddressesmeinthestreet，andIamnotinsensible。Irespond。Thathandsomeladyandstrongspiritdoesmethefavourtoremark，infullconfidence，“Ihavemycuriosity，andIhavemychagrins。Youarenotmorethanordinarilyhonourable，perhaps？“Iannouncemyself，“Madame，agentlemanfromthebirth，andagentlemantothedeath；butNOTmorethanordinarilyhonourable。Idespisesuchaweakfantasy。“Thereuponsheispleasedtocompliment。“Thedifferencebetweenyouandtherestis，“sheanswers，“thatyousayso。“ForsheknowsSociety。Iaccepthercongratulationswithgallantryandpoliteness。Politenessandlittlegallantriesareinseparablefrommycharacter。Shethenmakesaproposition，whichis，ineffect，thatshehasseenusmuchtogether；thatitappearstoherthatIamforthepassingtimethecatofthehouse，thefriendofthefamily；thathercuriosityandherchagrinsawakenthefancytobeacquaintedwiththeirmovements，toknowthemanneroftheirlife，howthefairGowanaisbeloved，howthefairGowanaischerished，andsoon。Sheisnotrich，butofferssuchandsuchlittlerecompensesforthelittlecaresandderangementsofsuchservices；andIgraciously——todoeverythinggraciouslyisapartofmycharacter——consenttoacceptthem。Oyes!Sogoestheworld。Itisthemode。’

ThoughClennam’sbackwasturnedwhilehespoke，andthenceforthtotheendoftheinterview，hekeptthoseglitteringeyesofhisthatweretooneartogether，uponhim，andevidentlysawintheverycarriageofthehead，ashepassedwithhisbraggartrecklessnessfromclausetoclauseofwhathesaid，thathewassayingnothingwhichClennamdidnotalreadyknow。

’Whoof!ThefairGowana!’hesaid，lightingathirdcigarettewithasoundasifhislightestbreathcouldblowheraway。’Charming，butimprudent!ForitwasnotwellofthefairGowanatomakemysteriesoflettersfromoldlovers，inherbedchamberonthemountain，thatherhusbandmightnotseethem。No，no。Thatwasnotwell。Whoof!TheGowanawasmistakenthere。’

’Iearnestlyhope，’criedArthuraloud，’thatPancksmaynotbelonggone，forthisman’spresencepollutestheroom。’

’Ah!Buthe’llflourishhere，andeverywhere，’saidRigaud，withanexultinglookandsnapofhisfingers。’Healwayshas；healwayswill!’StretchinghisbodyoutontheonlythreechairsintheroombesidesthatonwhichClennamsat，hesang，smitinghimselfonthebreastasthegallantpersonageofthesong。

’Whopassesbythisroadsolate？

CompagnondelaMajolaine!

Whopassesbythisroadsolate？

Alwaysgay!

’SingtheRefrain，pig!Youcouldsingitonce，inanotherjail。

Singit!Or，byeverySaintwhowasstonedtodeath，I’llbeaffrontedandcompromising；andthensomepeoplewhoarenotdeadyet，hadbetterhavebeenstonedalongwiththem!’

’Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，CompagnondelaMajolaine!

Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，Alwaysgay!’

Partlyinhisoldhabitofsubmission，partlybecausehisnotdoingitmightinjurehisbenefactor，andpartlybecausehewouldassoondoitasanythingelse，CavallettotookuptheRefrainthistime。

Rigaudlaughed，andfelltosmokingwithhiseyesshut。

PossiblyanotherquarterofanhourelapsedbeforeMrPancks’sstepwashearduponthestairs，buttheintervalseemedtoClennaminsupportablylong。Hisstepwasattendedbyanotherstep；andwhenCavallettoopenedthedoor，headmittedMrPancksandMrFlintwinch。Thelatterwasnosoonervisible，thanRigaudrushedathimandembracedhimboisterously。

’Howdoyoufindyourself，sir？’saidMrFlintwinch，assoonashecoulddisengagehimself，whichhestruggledtodowithverylittleceremony。’Thankyou，no；Idon’twantanymore。’Thiswasinreferencetoanothermenaceofattentionfromhisrecoveredfriend。

’Well，Arthur。YourememberwhatIsaidtoyouaboutsleepingdogsandmissingones。It’scometrue，yousee。’

Hewasasimperturbableasever，toallappearance，andnoddedhisheadinamoralisingwayashelookedroundtheroom。

’AndthisistheMarsh