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character to be waited on！'
He half filled the tumbler as he said it； and drank off the contents
when he had done saying it。
'Hah！' smacking his lips。 'Not a very old prisoner that！ I judge by your
looks； brave sir； that imprisonment will subdue your blood much sooner
than it softens this hot wine。 You are mellowing……losing body and colour
already。 I salute you！'
He tossed off another half glass： holding it up both before and
afterwards； so as to display his small； white hand。
'To business；' he then continued。 'To conversation。 You have shown
yourself more free of speech than body； sir。'
'I have used the freedom of telling you what you know yourself to be。
You know yourself； as we all know you； to be far worse than that。'
'Add； always a gentleman； and it's no matter。 Except in that regard； we
are all alike。 For example： you couldn't for your life be a gentleman；
I couldn't for my life be otherwise。 How great the difference！ Let us go
on。 Words； sir； never influence the course of the cards； or the course
of the dice。 Do you know that？ You do？ I also play a game； and words are
without power over it。'
Now that he was confronted with Cavalletto； and knew that his story was
known……whatever thin disguise he had worn； he dropped； and faced it out；
with a bare face； as the infamous wretch he was。
'No； my son；' he resumed； with a snap of his fingers。 'I play my game
to the end in spite of words； and Death of my Body and Death of my Soul！
I'll win it。 You want to know why I played this little trick that
you have interrupted？ Know then that I had； and that I have……do you
understand me？ have……a modity to sell to my lady your respectable
mother。 I described my precious modity； and fixed my price。 Touching
the bargain； your admirable mother was a little too calm； too stolid；
too immovable and statue…like。 In fine； your admirable mother vexed me。
To make variety in my position； and to amuse myself……what！ a gentleman
must be amused at somebody's expense！……I conceived the happy idea of
disappearing。 An idea； see you； that your characteristic mother and my
Flintwinch would have been well enough pleased to execute。 Ah！ Bah；
bah； bah； don't look as from high to low at me！ I repeat it。 Well enough
pleased； excessively enchanted； and with all their hearts ravished。 How
strongly will you have it？'
He threw out the lees of his glass on the ground； so that they nearly
spattered Cavalletto。 This seemed to draw his attention to him anew。 He
set down his glass and said：
'I'll not fill it。 What！ I am born to be served。 e then； you
Cavalletto； and fill！'
The little man looked at Clennam； whose eyes were occupied with Rigaud；
and； seeing no prohibition； got up from the ground； and poured out
from the bottle into the glass。 The blending； as he did so； of his old
submission with a sense of something humorous； the striving of that
with a certain smouldering ferocity； which might have flashed fire in
an instant （as the born gentleman seemed to think； for he had a wary
eye upon him）； and the easy yielding of all to a good…natured； careless；
predominant propensity to sit down on the ground again： formed a very
remarkable bination of character。
'This happy idea； brave sir；' Rigaud resumed after drinking； 'was a
happy idea for several reasons。 It amused me； it worried your dear
mama and my Flintwinch； it caused you agonies （my terms for a lesson
in politeness towards a gentleman）； and it suggested to all the amiable
persons interested that your entirely devoted is a man to fear。 By
Heaven； he is a man to fear！ Beyond this； it might have restored her wit
to my lady your mother……might； under the pressing little suspicion your
wisdom has recognised； have persuaded her at last to announce； covertly；
in the journals； that the difficulties of a certain contract would be
removed by the appearance of a certain important party to it。 Perhaps
yes； perhaps no。 But that； you have interrupted。 Now； what is it you
say？ What is it you want？'
Never had Clennam felt more acutely that he was a prisoner in bonds；
than when he saw this man before him； and could not acpany him to his
mother's house。 All the undiscernible difficulties and dangers he had
ever feared were closing in； when he could not stir hand or foot。
'Perhaps； my friend； philosopher； man of virtue； Imbecile； what you
will； perhaps；' said Rigaud； pausing in his drink to look out of his
glass with his horrible smile； 'you would have done better to leave me
alone？'
'No！ At least；' said Clennam； 'you are known to be alive and unharmed。
At least you cannot escape from these two witnesses； and they can
produce you before any public authorities； or before hundreds of
people！'
'But will not produce me before one；' said Rigaud； snapping his
fingers again with an air of triumphant menace。 'To the Devil with your
witnesses！ To the Devil with your produced！ To the Devil with yourself！
What！ Do I know what I know； for that？ Have I my modity on sale； for
that？ Bah； poor debtor！ You have interrupted my little project。 Let it
pass。 How then？ What remains？ To you； nothing； to me； all。 Produce
me！ Is that what you want？ I will produce myself； only too quickly。
Contrabandist！
Give me pen； ink； and paper。'
Cavalletto got up again as before； and laid them before him in his
former manner。 Rigaud； after some villainous thinking and smiling；
wrote； and read aloud； as follows：
'To MRS CLENNAM。
'Wait answer。
'Prison of the Marshalsea。 'At the apartment of your son。
'Dear Madam；……I am in despair to be informed to…day by our prisoner here
（who has had the goodness to employ spies to seek me； living for politic
reasons in retirement）； that you have had fears for my safety。
'Reassure yourself； dear madam。 I am well； I am strong and constant。
'With the greatest impatience I should fly to your house； but that I
foresee it to be possible； under the circumstances； that you will not
yet have quite definitively arranged the little proposition I have had
the honour to submit to you。 I name one week from this day； for a last
final visit on my part； when you will unconditionally accept it or
reject it； with its train of consequences。
'I suppress my ardour to embrace you and achieve this interesting
business； in order that you may have leisure to adjust its details to
our perfect mutual satisfaction。
'In the meanwhile； it is not too much to propose （our prisoner having
deranged my housekeeping）； that my expenses of lodging and nourishment
at an hotel shall be paid by you。 'Receive； dear madam； the assurance of
my highest and most distinguished consideration；
'RIGAUD BLANDOIS。
'A thousand friendships to that dear Flintwinch。
'I kiss the hands of Madame F。'
When he had finished this epistle； Rigaud folded it and tossed it with
a flourish at Clennam's feet。 'Hola you！ Apropos of producing； let
somebody produce that at its address； and produce the answer here。'
'Cavalletto；' said Arthur。 'Will you take this fellow's letter？'
But； Cavalletto's significant finger again expressing that his post was
at the door to keep watch over Rigaud； now he had found him with so much
trouble； and that the duty of his post was to sit on the floor backed up
by the door； looking at Rigaud and holding his own ankles；……Signor Panco
once more volunteered。 His services being accepted； Cavalletto suffered
the door to open barely wide enough to admit of his squeezing himself
out； and immediately shut it on him。
'Touch me with a finger； touch me y
superiority as I sit here drinking my wine at my pleasure；' said Rigaud；
'and I follow the letter and cancel my week's grace。 You wanted me？ You
have got me！ How do you like me？'
'You know；' returned Clennam； with a bitter sense of his helplessness；
'that when I sought you； I was not a prisoner。'
'To the Devil with you and your prison；' retorted Rigaud； leisurely；
as he took from his pocket a case containing the materials for making
cigarettes； and employed his facile hands in folding a few for present
use； 'I care for neither of you。 Contrabandist！ A light。'
Again Cavalletto got up； and gave him what he wanted。 There had been
somet