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bridge of his hooked nose crooked。 After a long survey； he said； with
the further setting off of his internal smile：
'You are a bold woman！'
'I am a resolved woman。'
'You always were。 What？ She always was； is it not so； my little
Flintwinch？'
'Flintwinch； say nothing to him。 It is for him to say； here and now；
all he can； or to go hence； and do all he can。 You know this to be our
determination。 Leave him to his action on it。'
She did not shrink under his evil leer； or avoid it。 He turned it upon
her again； but she remained steady at the point to which she had fixed
herself。 He got off the table； placed a chair near the sofa； sat down in
it； and leaned an arm upon the sofa close to her own； which he touched
with his hand。 Her face was ever frowning； attentive； and settled。
'It is your pleasure then； madame； that I shall relate a morsel of
family history in this little family society；' said Rigaud； with a
warning play of his lithe fingers on her arm。 'I am something of a
doctor。 Let me touch your pulse。'
She suffered him to take her wrist in his hand。 Holding it； he proceeded
to say：
'A history of a strange marriage； and a strange mother； and a revenge；
and a suppression。……Aye； aye； aye？ this pulse is beating curiously！
It appears to me that it doubles while I touch it。 Are these the usual
changes of your malady； madame？'
There was a struggle in her maimed arm as she twisted it away； but there
was none in her face。 On his face there was his own smile。
'I have lived an adventurous life。 I am an adventurous character。 I have
known many adventurers； interesting spirits……amiable society！ To one
of them I owe my knowledge and my proofs……I repeat it； estimable
lady……proofs……of the ravishing little family history I go to mence。
You will be charmed with it。 But； bah！ I forget。 One should name a
history。 Shall I name it the history of a house？ But； bah； again。 There
are so many houses。 Shall I name it the history of this house？'
Leaning over the sofa； poised on two legs of his chair and his left
elbow； that hand often tapping her arm to beat his words home； his
legs crossed； his right hand sometimes arranging his hair； sometimes
smoothing his moustache； sometimes striking his nose； always threatening
her whatever it did； coarse； insolent； rapacious； cruel； and powerful；
he pursued his narrative at his ease。
'In fine； then； I name it the history of this house。 I mence it。
There live here； let us suppose； an uncle and nephew。 The uncle； a
rigid old gentleman of strong force of character； the nephew； habitually
timid； repressed； and under constraint。'
Mistress Affery； fixedly attentive in the window…seat； biting the
rolled up end of her apron； and trembling from head to foot； here cried
out；'Jeremiah； keep off from me！ I've heerd； in my dreams； of Arthur's
father and his uncle。 He's a talking of them。 It was before my time
here； but I've heerd in my dreams that Arthur's father was a poor；
irresolute； frightened chap； who had had everything but his orphan life
scared out of him when he was young； and that he had no voice in the
choice of his wife even； but his uncle chose her。 There she sits！ I
heerd it in my dreams； and you said it to her own self。'
As Mr Flintwinch shook his fist at her； and as Mrs Clennam gazed upon
her； Rigaud kissed his hand to her。 'Perfectly right； dear Madame
Flintwinch。 You have a genius for dreaming。'
'I don't want none of your praises；' returned Affery。 'I don't want to
have nothing at all to say to you。 But Jeremiah said they was dreams；
and I'll tell 'em as such！' Here she put her apron in her mouth again；
as if she were stopping somebody else's mouth……perhaps jeremiah's； which
was chattering with threats as if he were grimly cold。
'Our beloved Madame Flintwinch；' said Rigaud； 'developing all of a
sudden a fine susceptibility and spirituality； is right to a marvel。
Yes。 So runs the history。 Monsieur； the uncle； mands the nephew to
marry。 Monsieur says to him in effect； 〃My nephew； I introduce to you a
lady of strong force of character； like myself……a resolved lady； a stern
lady； a lady who has a will that can break the weak to powder： a lady
without pity； without love； implacable； revengeful； cold as the stone；
but raging as the fire。〃
Ah！ what fortitude！ Ah； what superiority of intellectual strength！
Truly； a proud and noble character that I describe in the supposed words
of Monsieur； the uncle。 Ha； ha； ha！ Death of my soul； I love the sweet
lady！'
Mrs Clennam's face had changed。 There was a remarkable darkness of
colour on it； and the brow was more contracted。 'Madame； madame；' said
Rigaud； tapping her on the arm； as if his cruel hand were sounding a
musical instrument； 'I perceive I interest you。 I perceive I awaken your
sympathy。 Let us go on。'
The drooping nose and the ascending moustache had； however； to be hidden
for a moment with the white hand； before he could go on； he enjoyed the
effect he made so much。
'The nephew； being； as the lucid Madame Flintwinch has remarked； a poor
devil who has had everything but his orphan life frightened and famished
out of him……the nephew abases his head； and makes response： 〃My uncle；
it is to you to mand。 Do as you will！〃 Monsieur； the uncle； does as
he will。 It is what he always does。 The auspicious nuptials take place；
the newly married e home to this charming mansion； the lady is
received； let us suppose； by Flintwinch。 Hey； old intriguer？'
Jeremiah； with his eyes upon his mistress； made no reply。 Rigaud looked
from one to the other； struck his ugly nose； and made a clucking with
his tongue。
'Soon the lady makes a singular and exciting discovery。 Thereupon；
full of anger； full of jealousy； full of vengeance； she forms……see you；
madame！……a scheme of retribution； the weight of which she ingeniously
forces her crushed husband to bear himself； as well as execute upon her
enemy。 What superior intelligence！'
'Keep off； Jeremiah！' cried the palpitating Affery； taking her apron
from her mouth again。 'But it was one of my dreams； that you told her；
when you quarrelled with her one winter evening at dusk……there she sits
and you looking at her……that she oughtn't to have let Arthur when he
e home； suspect his father only； that she had always had the strength
and the power； and that she ought to have stood up more to Arthur； for
his father。 It was in the same dream where you said to her that she was
not……not something； but I don't know what； for she burst out tremendous
and stopped you。 You know the dream as well as I do。 When you e
down…stairs into the kitchen with the candle in your hand； and hitched
my apron off my head。 When you told me I had been dreaming。 When you
wouldn't believe the noises。' After this explosion Affery put her apron
into her mouth again； always keeping her hand on the window…sill and her
knee on the window…seat； ready to cry out or jump out if her lord and
master approached。
Rigaud had not lost a word of this。
'Haha！' he cried； lifting his eyebrows； folding his arms； and leaning
back in his chair。 'Assuredly； Madame Flintwinch is an oracle！ How shall
we interpret the oracle； you and I and the old