appointing； well enough known to our old intriguer here。 Shall we coax
our old intriguer to tell us when he saw him last？'
'I'll tell you！' cried Affery； unstopping her mouth。 'I dreamed it；
first of all my dreams。 Jeremiah； if you e a…nigh me now； I'll scream
to be heard at St Paul's！ The person as this man has spoken of； was
jeremiah's own twin brother； and he was here in the dead of the night；
on the night when Arthur e home； and Jeremiah with his own hands give
him this paper； along with I don't know what more； and he took it away
in an iron box……Help！ Murder！ Save me from Jere…mi…ah！'
Mr Flintwinch had made a run at her； but Rigaud had caught him in his
arms midway。 After a moment's wrestle with him； Flintwinch gave up； and
put his hands in his pockets。
'What！' cried Rigaud； rallying him as he poked and jerked him back with
his elbows； 'assault a lady with such a genius for dreaming！ Ha； ha； ha！
Why； she'll be a fortune to you as an exhibition。 All that she dreams
es true。 Ha； ha； ha！ You're so like him； Little Flintwinch。 So like
him； as I knew him （when I first spoke English for him to the host） in
the Cabaret of the Three Billiard Tables； in the little street of the
high roofs； by the wharf at Antwerp！ Ah； but he was a brave boy to
drink。 Ah； but he was a brave boy to smoke！ Ah； but he lived in a sweet
bachelor…apartment……furnished； on the fifth floor； above the wood and
charcoal merchant's； and the dress…maker's； and the chair…maker's； and
the maker of tubs……where I knew him too； and wherewith his cognac and
tobacco； he had twelve sleeps a day and one fit； until he had a fit too
much； and ascended to the skies。 Ha； ha； ha！ What does it matter how I
took possession of the papers in his iron box？ Perhaps he confided it
to my hands for you； perhaps it was locked and my curiosity was piqued；
perhaps I suppressed it。 Ha； ha； ha！ What does it matter； so that I
have it safe？ We are not particular here； hey； Flintwinch？ We are not
particular here； is it not so； madame？'
Retiring before him with vicious counter…jerks of his own elbows； Mr
Flintwinch had got back into his corner； where he now stood with his
hands in his pockets； taking breath； and returning Mrs Clennam's stare。
'Ha； ha； ha！ But what's this？' cried Rigaud。 'It appears as if you
don't know； one the other。 Permit me； Madame Clennam who suppresses； to
present Monsieur Flintwinch who intrigues。'
Mr Flintwinch； unpocketing one of his hands to scrape his jaw； advanced
a step or so in that attitude； still returning Mrs Clennam's look； and
thus addressed her：
'Now； I know what you mean by opening your eyes so wide at me； but you
needn't take the trouble； because I don't care for it。 I've been telling
you for how many years that you're one of the most opinionated and
obstinate of women。 That's what YOU are。 You call yourself humble and
sinful； but you are the most Bumptious of your sex。 That's what YOU are。
I have told you； over and over again when we have had a tiff； that you
wanted to make everything go down before you； but I wouldn't go down
before you……that you wanted to swallow up everybody alive； but I
wouldn't be swallowed up alive。 Why didn't you destroy the paper when
you first laid hands upon it？
I advised you to； but no； it's not your way to take advice。 You must
keep it forsooth。 Perhaps you may carry it out at some other time；
forsooth。 As if I didn't know better than that！ I think I see your pride
carrying it out； with a chance of being suspected of having kept it by
you。 But that's the way you cheat yourself。 Just as you cheat yourself
into making out that you didn't do all this business because you were a
rigorous woman； all slight； and spite； and power； and unforgiveness； but
because you were a servant and a minister； and were appointed to do it。
Who are you； that you should be appointed to do it？ That may be your
religion； but it's my gammon。 And to tell you all the truth while I
am about it；' said Mr Flintwinch； crossing his arms； and being the
express image of irascible doggedness； 'I have been rasped……rasped these
forty years……by your taking such high ground even with me； who knows
better； the effect of it being coolly to put me on low ground。 I admire
you very much； you are a woman of strong head and great talent； but
the strongest head； and the greatest talent； can't rasp a man for forty
years without making him sore。 So I don't care for your present eyes。
Now； I am ing to the paper； and mark what I say。 You put it away
somewhere； and you kept your own counsel where。 You're an active woman
at that time； and if you want to get that paper； you can get it。 But；
mark。 There es a time when you are struck into what you are now； and
then if you want to get that paper； you can't get it。 So it lies； long
years； in its hiding…place。 At last； when we are expecting Arthur home
every day； and when any day may bring him home； and it's impossible to
say what rummaging he may make about the house； I remend you five
thousand times； if you can't get at it； to let me get at it； that it may
be put in the fire。 But no……no one but you knows where it is； and that's
power； and； call yourself whatever humble names you will； I call you a
female Lucifer in appetite for power！ On a Sunday night； Arthur es
home。 He has not been in this room ten minutes； when he speaks of his
father's watch。 You know very well that the Do Not Forget； at the time
when his father sent that watch to you； could only mean； the rest of the
story being then all dead and over； Do Not Forget the suppression。 Make
restitution！ Arthur's ways have frightened you a bit； and the paper
shall be burnt after all。 So； before that jumping jade and Jezebel；' Mr
Flintwinch grinned at his wife； 'has got you into bed； you at last tell
me where you have put the paper； among the old ledgers in the cellars；
where Arthur himself went prowling the very next morning。 But it's not
to be burnt on a Sunday night。 No； you are strict； you are； we must wait
over twelve o'clock； and get into Monday。 Now； all this is a swallowing
of me up alive that rasps me； so； feeling a little out of temper； and
not being as strict as yourself； I take a look at the document before
twelve o'clock to refresh my memory as to its appearance……fold up one of
the many yellow old papers in the cellars like it……and afterwards； when
we have got into Monday morning； and I have； by the light of your
lamp； to walk from you； lying on that bed； to this grate； make a little
exchange like the conjuror； and burn accordingly。 My brother
Ephraim； the lunatic…keeper （I wish he had had himself to keep in a
strait…waistcoat）； had had many jobs since the close of the long job he
got from you； but had not done well。 His wife died （not that that
was much； mine might have died instead； and wele）； he speculated
unsuccessfully in lunatics； he got into difficulty about over…roasting
a patient to bring him to reason； and he got into debt。 He was going out
of the way； on what he had been able to scrape up； and a trifle from me。
He was here that early Monday morning； waiting for the tide； in short；
he was going to Antwerp； where （I am afraid you'll be shocked at
my saying； And be damned to him！） he made the acquaintance of this
gentleman。 He had e a long way； and； I thought then； was only sleepy；
but； I suppose now； was drunk。 When Arthur's mother had been under
the care of him and his wife； she had been always writing； incessantly
writing；……mostly letters of confession to you； and Prayers for
forgiveness。 My brother had handed； from time to time； lots of these
sheets to me。 I thought I might as well keep them to myself as have them
swallowed up alive too； so I kept them in a box； looking over them when
I felt in the humour。 Convinced that it was advisable to get the paper
out of the place； with Arthur ing about it； I put it into this same
box； and I locked the whole up with two locks； and I trusted it to my
brother to take away and keep； till I should write about it。 I did write
about it； and never got an answer。 I didn't know what to make of it；
till this gentleman favoured us with his first visit。 Of course； I began
to suspect how it was； then； and I don't want his word for it now to
understand how he gets his knowledge from my papers； and your paper； and
my brother's cognac and tobacco talk （I wish he'd had to gag himself）。
Now； I have only one thing more to say； you hammer…headed woman； and
that is； that I haven't altogether made up my mind whether I might； or
might not； have ever given you any trouble about the codicil。 I think
not； and that I should have been quite satisfied with knowing I had got
the better of you； and that I held the power over you。 In the present
state of circumstances； I have no more explanation to give you till
this time to…morrow night。 So you may as well；' said Mr Flintwinch；
terminating his oration with a screw； 'keep your eyes open at somebody
else； for it's no use keeping 'em open at me。'
She slowly withdrew them when he had ceased； and dropped her forehead
on her hand。 Her other hand pressed hard upon the table； and again the
curious stir was observable in her； as if she were going to rise。
'This box can never bring； elsewhere； the price it will bring here。
This knowledge can never be of the same profit to you； sold to any other
person； as sold to me。 But I have not the present means of raising the
sum you have demanded。 I have not prospered。 What will you take now； and
what at another time； and how am I to be assured of your silence？'
'My angel；' said Rigaud； 'I have said what I will take； and time
presses。 Before ing here； I placed copies of the most important of
these papers in another hand。 Put off the time till the Marshalsea
gate shall be shut for the night； and it will be too late to treat。 The
prisoner will have read them。'
She put her two hands to her head again； uttered a loud exclamation； and
started to her feet。 She staggered for a moment； as if she would have
fallen； then stood firm。
'Say what you mean。 Say what you mean； man！'
Before her ghostly figure； so long unused to its erect attitude； and so
stiffened in it； Rigaud fell back and dropped his voice。 It was； to all
the three； almost as if a dead woman had risen。
'Miss Dorrit；' answered Rigaud； 'the little niece of Monsieur Frederick；
whom I have known across the water； is attached to the prisoner。 Miss
Dorrit； little niece of Monsieur Frederick； watches at this moment over
the prisoner； who is ill。 For her I with my own hands left a packet
at the prison； on my way here； with a letter of instructions； 〃FOR HIS
SAKE〃……she will do anything for his sake……to keep it without breaking
the seal； in case of its being reclaimed before the hour of shutting up
to…night……if it should not be reclaimed before the ringing of the prison
bell； to give it to him； and it encloses a second copy for herself；
which he must give to her。 What！ I don't trust myself among you； now we
have got so far； without giving my secret a second life。 And as to its
not bringing me； elsewhere； the price it will bring here； say then；
madame； have you limited and settled the price the little niece will
give……for his sake……to hush it up？ Once more