’Withpleasure，Monsieur。’
Thereuponthewomanwithdrewandlefthimtolookattheroom。Itwasthepatternofroomalwaystobefoundinsuchahouse。Cool，dull，anddark。Waxedfloorveryslippery。Aroomnotlargeenoughtoskatein；noradaptedtotheeasypursuitofanyotheroccupation。Redandwhitecurtainedwindows，littlestrawmat，littleroundtablewithatumultuousassemblageoflegsunderneath，clumsyrush-bottomedchairs，twogreatredvelvetarm-chairsaffordingplentyofspacetobeuncomfortablein，bureau，chimney-
glassinseveralpiecespretendingtobeinonepiece，pairofgaudyvasesofveryartificialflowers；betweenthemaGreekwarriorwithhishelmetoff，sacrificingaclocktotheGeniusofFrance。
Aftersomepause，adoorofcommunicationwithanotherroomwasopened，andaladyentered。ShemanifestedgreatsurpriseonseeingClennam，andherglancewentroundtheroominsearchofsomeoneelse。
’Pardonme，MissWade。Iamalone。’
’Itwasnotyournamethatwasbroughttome。’
’No；Iknowthat。Excuseme。Ihavealreadyhadexperiencethatmynamedoesnotpredisposeyoutoaninterview；andIventuredtomentionthenameofoneIaminsearchof。’
’Pray，’shereturned，motioninghimtoachairsocoldlythatheremainedstanding，’whatnamewasitthatyougave？’
’ImentionedthenameofBlandois。’
’Blandois？’
’Anameyouareacquaintedwith。’
’Itisstrange，’shesaid，frowning，’thatyoushouldstillpressanundesiredinterestinmeandmyacquaintances，inmeandmyaffairs，MrClennam。Idon’tknowwhatyoumean。’
’Pardonme。Youknowthename？’
’Whatcanyouhavetodowiththename？WhatcanIhavetodowiththename？Whatcanyouhavetodowithmyknowingornotknowinganyname？IknowmanynamesandIhaveforgottenmanymore。Thismaybeintheoneclass，oritmaybeintheother，orImayneverhaveheardit。Iamacquaintedwithnoreasonforexaminingmyself，orforbeingexamined，aboutit。’
’Ifyouwillallowme，’saidClennam，’Iwilltellyoumyreasonforpressingthesubject。IadmitthatIdopressit，andImustbegyoutoforgivemeifIdoso，veryearnestly。Thereasonisallmine，Idonotinsinuatethatitisinanywayyours。’
’Well，sir，’shereturned，repeatingalittlelesshaughtilythanbeforeherformerinvitationtohimtobeseated：towhichhenowdeferred，assheseatedherself。’Iamatleastgladtoknowthatthisisnotanotherbondswomanofsomefriendofyours，whoisbereftoffreechoice，andwhomIhavespiritedaway。Iwillhearyourreason，ifyouplease。’
’First，toidentifythepersonofwhomwespeak，’saidClennam，’letmeobservethatitisthepersonyoumetinLondonsometimeback。Youwillremembermeetinghimneartheriver——intheAdelphi!’
’Youmixyourselfmostunaccountablywithmybusiness，’shereplied，lookingfullathimwithsterndispleasure。’Howdoyouknowthat？’
’Ientreatyounottotakeitill。Bymereaccident。’
’Whataccident？’
’Solelytheaccidentofcominguponyouinthestreetandseeingthemeeting。’
’Doyouspeakofyourself，orofsomeoneelse？’
’Ofmyself。Isawit。’
’Tobesureitwasintheopenstreet，’sheobserved，afterafewmomentsoflessandlessangryreflection。’Fiftypeoplemighthaveseenit。Itwouldhavesignifiednothingiftheyhad。’
’NordoImakemyhavingseenitofanymoment，norotherwisethanasanexplanationofmycomingheredoIconnectmyvisitwithitorthefavourthatIhavetoask。’
’Oh!Youhavetoaskafavour!Itoccurredtome，’andthehandsomefacelookedbitterlyathim，’thatyourmannerwassoftened，MrClennam。’
Hewascontenttoprotestagainstthisbyaslightactionwithoutcontestingitinwords。HethenreferredtoBlandois’
disappearance，ofwhichitwasprobableshehadheard？Howeverprobableitwastohim，shehadheardofnosuchthing。Lethimlookroundhimshesaidandjudgeforhimselfwhatgeneralintelligencewaslikelytoreachtheearsofawomanwhohadbeenshutuptherewhileitwasrife，devouringherownheart。Whenshehadutteredthisdenial，whichhebelievedtobetrue，sheaskedhimwhathemeantbydisappearance？Thatledtohisnarratingthecircumstancesindetail，andexpressingsomethingofhisanxietytodiscoverwhathadreallybecomeoftheman，andtorepelthedarksuspicionsthatcloudedabouthismother’shouse。Sheheardhimwithevidentsurprise，andwithmoremarksofsuppressedinterestthanhehadseeninher；stilltheydidnotovercomeherdistant，proud，andself-secludedmanner。Whenhehadfinished，shesaidnothingbutthesewords：
’Youhavenotyettoldme，sir，whatIhavetodowithit，orwhatthefavouris？Willyoubesogoodascometothat？’
’Iassume，’saidArthur，persevering，inhisendeavourtosoftenherscornfuldemeanour，’thatbeingincommunication——mayIsay，confidentialcommunication？——withthisperson——’
’Youmaysay，ofcourse，whateveryoulike，’sheremarked；’butI
donotsubscribetoyourassumptions，MrClennam，ortoanyone’s。’
’——thatbeing，atleastinpersonalcommunicationwithhim，’saidClennam，changingtheformofhispositioninthehopeofmakingitunobjectionable，’youcantellmesomethingofhisantecedents，pursuits，habits，usualplaceofresidence。Cangivemesomelittlecluebywhichtoseekhimoutinthelikeliestmanner，andeitherproducehim，orestablishwhathasbecomeofhim。ThisisthefavourIask，andIaskitinadistressofmindforwhichI
hopeyouwillfeelsomeconsideration。Ifyoushouldhaveanyreasonforimposingconditionsuponme，Iwillrespectitwithoutaskingwhatitis。’
’Youchancedtoseemeinthestreetwiththeman，’sheobserved，afterbeing，tohismortification，evidentlymoreoccupiedwithherownreflectionsonthematterthanwithhisappeal。’Thenyouknewthemanbefore？’
’Notbefore；afterwards。Ineversawhimbefore，butIsawhimagainonthisverynightofhisdisappearance。Inmymother’sroom，infact。Ilefthimthere。Youwillreadinthispaperallthatisknownofhim。’
Hehandedheroneoftheprintedbills，whichshereadwithasteadyandattentiveface。
’ThisismorethanIknewofhim，’shesaid，givingitback。
Clennam’slooksexpressedhisheavydisappointment，perhapshisincredulity；forsheaddedinthesameunsympathetictone：’Youdon’tbelieveit。Still，itisso。Astopersonalcommunication：
itseemsthattherewaspersonalcommunicationbetweenhimandyourmother。Andyetyousayyoubelieveherdeclarationthatsheknowsnomoreofhim!’
Asufficientlyexpressivehintofsuspicionwasconveyedinthesewords，andinthesmilebywhichtheywereaccompanied，tobringthebloodintoClennam’scheeks。
’Come，sir，’shesaid，withacruelpleasureinrepeatingthestab，’Iwillbeasopenwithyouasyoucandesire。IwillconfessthatifIcaredformycreditwhichIdonot，orhadagoodnametopreservewhichIhavenot，forIamutterlyindifferenttoitsbeingconsideredgoodorbad，Ishouldregardmyselfasheavilycompromisedbyhavinghadanythingtodowiththisfellow。YetheneverpassedinatMYdoor——neversatincolloquywithMEuntilmidnight。’
Shetookherrevengeforheroldgrudgeinthusturninghissubjectagainsthim。Herswasnotthenaturetosparehim，andshehadnocompunction。
’Thatheisalow，mercenarywretch；thatIfirstsawhimprowlingaboutItalywhereIwas，notlongago，andthatIhiredhimthere，asthesuitableinstrumentofapurposeIhappenedtohave；
Ihavenoobjectiontotellyou。Inshort，itwasworthmywhile，formyownpleasure——thegratificationofastrongfeeling——topayaspywhowouldfetchandcarryformoney。Ipaidthiscreature。
AndIdaresaythatifIhadwantedtomakesuchabargain，andifIcouldhavepaidhimenough，andifhecouldhavedoneitinthedark，freefromallrisk，hewouldhavetakenanylifewithaslittlescrupleashetookmymoney。That，atleast，ismyopinionofhim；andIseeitisnotveryfarremovedfromyours。Yourmother’sopinionofhim，Iamtoassumefollowingyourexampleofassumingthisandthat，wasvastlydifferent。’
’Mymother，letmeremindyou，’saidClennam，’wasfirstbroughtintocommunicationwithhimintheunluckycourseofbusiness。’
’Itappearstohavebeenanunluckycourseofbusinessthatlastbroughtherintocommunicationwithhim，’returnedMissWade；’andbusinesshoursonthatoccasionwerelate。’
’Youimply，’saidArthur，smartingunderthesecool-handedthrusts，ofwhichhehaddeeplyfelttheforcealready，’thattherewassomething——’
’MrClennam，’shecomposedlyinterrupted，’recollectthatIdonotspeakbyimplicationabouttheman。Heis，Isayagainwithoutdisguise，alowmercenarywretch。Isupposesuchacreaturegoeswherethereisoccasionforhim。IfIhadnothadoccasionforhim，youwouldnothaveseenhimandmetogether。’
Wrungbyherpersistenceinkeepingthatdarksideofthecasebeforehim，ofwhichtherewasahalf-hiddenshadowinhisownbreast，Clennamwassilent。