第153章

desecratedceremonyofmarriagetherehadsecretlybeenbetweenthem，andtheterrorsofwantandshamethathadoverwhelmedthembothwhenIwasfirstappointedtobetheinstrumentoftheirpunishment，andthelove(forshesaidthewordtome，downatmyfeet)inwhichshehadabandonedhimandlefthimtome，wasitmyenemythatbecamemyfootstool，weretheythewordsofmywraththatmadehershrinkandquiver!Notuntomethestrengthbeascribed；notuntomethewringingoftheexpiation!’

Manyyearshadcomeandgonesinceshehadhadthefreeuseevenofherfingers；butitwasnoticeablethatshehadalreadymorethanoncestruckherclenchedhandvigorouslyuponthetable，andthatwhenshesaidthesewordssheraisedherwholearmintheair，asthoughithadbeenacommonactionwithher。

’Andwhatwastherepentancethatwasextortedfromthehardnessofherheartandtheblacknessofherdepravity？I，vindictiveandimplacable？Itmaybeso，tosuchasyouwhoknownorighteousness，andnoappointmentexceptSatan’s。Laugh；butI

willbeknownasIknowmyself，andasFlintwinchknowsme，thoughitisonlytoyouandthishalf-wittedwoman。’

’Add，toyourself，madame，’saidRigaud。’Ihavemylittlesuspicionsthatmadameisrathersolicitoustobejustifiedtoherself。’

’Itisfalse。Itisnotso。Ihavenoneedtobe，’shesaid，withgreatenergyandanger。

’Truly？’retortedRigaud。’Hah!’

’Iask，whatwasthepenitence，inworks，thatwasdemandedofher？

“Youhaveachild；Ihavenone。Youlovethatchild。Givehimtome。Heshallbelievehimselftobemyson，andheshallbebelievedbyeveryonetobemyson。Tosaveyoufromexposure，hisfathershallswearnevertoseeorcommunicatewithyoumore；

equallytosavehimfrombeingstrippedbyhisuncle，andtosaveyourchildfrombeingabeggar，youshallswearnevertoseeorcommunicatewitheitherofthemmore。Thatdone，andyourpresentmeans，derivedfrommyhusband，renounced，Ichargemyselfwithyoursupport。Youmay，withyourplaceofretreatunknown，thenleave，ifyouplease，uncontradictedbyme，theliethatwhenyoupassedoutofallknowledgebutmine，youmeritedagoodname。“

Thatwasall。Shehadtosacrificehersinfulandshamefulaffections；nomore。Shewasthenfreetobearherloadofguiltinsecret，andtobreakherheartinsecret；andthroughsuchpresentmisery(lightenoughforher，Ithink!)topurchaseherredemptionfromendlessmisery，ifshecould。If，inthis，I

punishedherhere，didInotopentoherawayhereafter？Ifsheknewherselftobesurroundedbyinsatiablevengeanceandunquenchablefires，weretheymine？IfIthreatenedher，thenandafterwards，withtheterrorsthatencompassedher，didIholdtheminmyrighthand？’

Sheturnedthewatchuponthetable，andopenedit，and，withanunsofteningface，lookedattheworkedletterswithin。

’Theydidnotforget。Itisappointedagainstsuchoffencesthattheoffendersshallnotbeabletoforget。IfthepresenceofArthurwasadailyreproachtohisfather，andiftheabsenceofArthurwasadailyagonytohismother，thatwasthejustdispensationofJehovah。Aswellmightitbechargeduponme，thatthestingsofanawakenedconsciencedrovehermad，andthatitwasthewilloftheDisposerofallthingsthatsheshouldliveso，manyyears。Idevotedmyselftoreclaimtheotherwisepredestinedandlostboy；togivehimthereputationofanhonestorigin；tobringhimupinfearandtrembling，andinalifeofpracticalcontritionforthesinsthatwereheavyonhisheadbeforehisentranceintothiscondemnedworld。Wasthatacruelty？WasI，too，notvisitedwithconsequencesoftheoriginaloffenceinwhichIhadnocomplicity？Arthur’sfatherandIlivednofurtherapart，withhalftheglobebetweenus，thanwhenweweretogetherinthishouse。Hedied，andsentthiswatchbacktome，withitsDonotforget。IdoNOTforget，thoughIdonotreaditashedid。I

readinit，thatIwasappointedtodothesethings。IhavesoreadthesethreeletterssinceIhavehadthemlyingonthistable，andIdidsoreadthem，withequaldistinctness，whentheywerethousandsofmilesaway。’

Asshetookthewatch-caseinherhand，withthatnewfreedomintheuseofherhandofwhichsheshowednoconsciousnesswhatever，bendinghereyesuponitasifsheweredefyingittomoveher，Rigaudcriedwithaloudandcontemptuoussnappingofhisfingers。

’Come，madame!Timerunsout。Come，ladyofpiety，itmustbe!

YoucantellnothingIdon’tknow。Cometothemoneystolen，orI

will!Deathofmysoul，Ihavehadenoughofyourotherjargon。

Comestraighttothestolenmoney!’

’Wretchthatyouare，’sheanswered，andnowherhandsclaspedherhead：’throughwhatfatalerrorofFlintwinch’s，throughwhatincompletenessonhispart，whowastheonlyotherpersonhelpinginthesethingsandtrustedwiththem，throughwhoseandwhatbringingtogetheroftheashesofaburntpaper，youhavebecomepossessedofthatcodicil，Iknownomorethanhowyouacquiredtherestofyourpowerhere——’

’Andyet，’interruptedRigaud，’itismyoddfortunetohave