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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 intriguer？ He said that
you were not……？ And you burst out and stopped him！ What was it you were
not？ What is it you are not？ Say then； madame！'
Under this ferocious banter； she sat breathing harder； and her mouth was
disturbed。 Her lips quivered and opened； in spite of her utmost efforts
to keep them still。
'e then； madame！ Speak； then！ Our old intriguer said that you were
not……and you stopped him。 He was going to say that you were not……what？
I know already； but I want a little confidence from you。 How； then？ You
are not what？'
She tried again to repress herself； but broke out vehemently； 'Not
Arthur's mother！'
'Good；' said Rigaud。 'You are amenable。'
With the set expression of her face all torn away by the explosion
of her passion； and with a bursting； from every rent feature； of the
smouldering fire so long pent up； she cried out： 'I will tell it myself！
I will not hear it from your lips； and with the taint of your wickedness
upon it。 Since it must be seen； I will have it seen by the light I stood
in。 Not another word。 Hear me！'
'Unless you are a more obstinate and more persisting woman than even
I know you to be；' Mr Flintwinch interposed； 'you had better leave Mr
Rigaud； Mr Blandois； Mr Beelzebub； to tell it in his own way。 What does
it signify when he knows all about it？'
'He does not know all about it。'
'He knows all he cares about it；' Mr Flintwinch testily urged。 'He does
not know me。'
'What do you suppose he cares for you； you conceited woman？' said Mr
Flintwinch。
'I tell you； Flintwinch； I will speak。 I tell you when it has e
to this； I will tell it with my own lips； and will express myself
throughout it。 What！ Have I suffered nothing in this room； no
deprivation； no imprisonment； that I should condescend at last to
contemplate myself in such a glass as that。 Can you see him？ Can you
hear him？ If your wife were a hundred times the ingrate that she is； and
if I were a thousand times more hopeless than I am of inducing her to be
silent if this man is silenced； I would tell it myself； before I would
bear the torment of the hearing it from him。'
Rigaud pushed his chair a little back； pushed his legs out straight
before him； and sat with his arms folded over against her。
'You do not know what it is；' she went on addressing him； 'to be brought
up strictly and straitly。 I was so brought up。 Mine was no light youth
of sinful gaiety and pleasure。 Mine were days of wholesome repression；
punishment； and fear。 The corruption of our hearts； the evil of our
ways； the curse that is upon us； the terrors that surround us……these
were the themes of my childhood。 They formed my character； and filled me
with an abhorrence of evil…doers。 When old Mr Gilbert Clennam proposed
his orphan nephew to my father for my husband； my father impressed upon
me that his bringing…up had been； like mine； one of severe restraint。
He told me； that besides the discipline his spirit had undergone； he
had lived in a starved house； where rioting and gaiety were unknown；