第152章

Rigaudchinkedthemoney，weigheditinhishand，threwitupalittlewayandcaughtit，chinkeditagain。

’Thesoundofit，totheboldRigaudBlandois，islikethetasteoffreshmeattothetiger。Say，then，madame。Howmuch？’

Heturneduponhersuddenlywithamenacinggestureoftheweightedhandthatclenchedthemoney，asifheweregoingtostrikeherwithit。

’Itellyouagain，asItoldyoubefore，thatwearenotrichhere，asyousupposeustobe，andthatyourdemandisexcessive。Ihavenotthepresentmeansofcomplyingwithsuchademand，ifIhadeversogreataninclination。’

’If!’criedRigaud。’HearthisladywithherIf!Willyousaythatyouhavenottheinclination？’

’Iwillsaywhatpresentsitselftome，andnotwhatpresentsitselftoyou。’

’Sayitthen。Astotheinclination。Quick!Cometotheinclination，andIknowwhattodo。’

Shewasnoquicker，andnoslower，inherreply。’Itwouldseemthatyouhaveobtainedpossessionofapaper——orofpapers——whichIassuredlyhavetheinclinationtorecover。’

Rigaud，withaloudlaugh，drummedhisheelsagainstthetable，andchinkedhismoney。’Ithinkso!Ibelieveyouthere!’

’Thepapermightbeworth，tome，asumofmoney。Icannotsayhowmuch，orhowlittle。’

’WhattheDevil!’heaskedsavagely。’Notafteraweek’sgracetoconsider？’

’No!Iwillnotoutofmyscantymeans——forItellyouagain，wearepoorhere，andnotrich——IwillnotofferanypriceforapowerthatIdonotknowtheworstandthefullestextentof。Thisisthethirdtimeofyourhintingandthreatening。Youmustspeakexplicitly，oryoumaygowhereyouwill，anddowhatyouwill。Itisbettertobetorntopiecesataspring，thantobeamouseatthecapriceofsuchacat。’

Helookedathersohardwiththoseeyestooneartogetherthatthesinistersightofeach，crossingthatoftheother，seemedtomakethebridgeofhishookednosecrooked。Afteralongsurvey，hesaid，withthefurthersettingoffofhisinternalsmile：

’Youareaboldwoman!’

’Iamaresolvedwoman。’

’Youalwayswere。What？Shealwayswas；isitnotso，mylittleFlintwinch？’

’Flintwinch，saynothingtohim。Itisforhimtosay，hereandnow，allhecan；ortogohence，anddoallhecan。Youknowthistobeourdetermination。Leavehimtohisactiononit。’

Shedidnotshrinkunderhisevilleer，oravoidit。Heturnedituponheragain，butsheremainedsteadyatthepointtowhichshehadfixedherself。Hegotoffthetable，placedachairnearthesofa，satdowninit，andleanedanarmuponthesofaclosetoherown，whichhetouchedwithhishand。Herfacewaseverfrowning，attentive，andsettled。

’Itisyourpleasurethen，madame，thatIshallrelateamorseloffamilyhistoryinthislittlefamilysociety，’saidRigaud，withawarningplayofhislithefingersonherarm。’Iamsomethingofadoctor。Letmetouchyourpulse。’

Shesufferedhimtotakeherwristinhishand。Holdingit，heproceededtosay：

’Ahistoryofastrangemarriage，andastrangemother，andarevenge，andasuppression——Aye，aye，aye？thispulseisbeatingcuriously!ItappearstomethatitdoubleswhileItouchit。Arethesetheusualchangesofyourmalady，madame？’

Therewasastruggleinhermaimedarmasshetwisteditaway，buttherewasnoneinherface。Onhisfacetherewashisownsmile。

’Ihavelivedanadventurouslife。Iamanadventurouscharacter。

Ihaveknownmanyadventurers；interestingspirits——amiablesociety!TooneofthemIowemyknowledgeandmyproofs——Irepeatit，estimablelady——proofs——oftheravishinglittlefamilyhistoryIgotocommence。Youwillbecharmedwithit。But，bah!I

forget。Oneshouldnameahistory。ShallInameitthehistoryofahouse？But，bah，again。Therearesomanyhouses。ShallInameitthehistoryofthishouse？’

Leaningoverthesofa，poisedontwolegsofhischairandhisleftelbow；thathandoftentappingherarmtobeathiswordshome；hislegscrossed；hisrighthandsometimesarranginghishair，sometimessmoothinghismoustache，sometimesstrikinghisnose，alwaysthreateningherwhateveritdid；coarse，insolent，rapacious，cruel，andpowerful，hepursuedhisnarrativeathisease。

’Infine，then，Inameitthehistoryofthishouse。Icommenceit。Therelivehere，letussuppose，anuncleandnephew。Theuncle，arigidoldgentlemanofstrongforceofcharacter；thenephew，habituallytimid，repressed，andunderconstraint。’

MistressAffery，fixedlyattentiveinthewindow-seat，bitingtherolledupendofherapron，andtremblingfromheadtofoot，herecriedout，’Jeremiah，keepofffromme!I’veheerd，inmydreams，ofArthur’sfatherandhisuncle。He’satalkingofthem。Itwasbeforemytimehere；butI’veheerdinmydreamsthatArthur’sfatherwasapoor，irresolute，frightenedchap，whohadhadeverythingbuthisorphanlifescaredoutofhimwhenhewasyoung，andthathehadnovoiceinthechoiceofhiswifeeven