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favour that I have to ask。'
'Oh！ You have to ask a favour！ It occurred to me；' and the handsome face
looked bitterly at him； 'that your manner was softened； Mr Clennam。'
He was content to protest against this by a slight action without
contesting it in words。 He then referred to Blandois' disappearance； of
which it was probable she had heard？ However probable it was to him； she
had heard of no such thing。 Let him look round him （she said） and judge
for himself what general intelligence was likely to reach the ears of
a woman who had been shut up there while it was rife； devouring her own
heart。 When she had uttered this denial； which he believed to be true；
she asked him what he meant by disappearance？ That led to his narrating
the circumstances in detail； and expressing something of his anxiety
to discover what had really bee of the man； and to repel the dark
suspicions that clouded about his mother's house。 She heard him with
evident surprise； and with more marks of suppressed interest than he
had seen in her； still they did not overe her distant； proud； and
self…secluded manner。 When he had finished； she said nothing but these
words：
'You have not yet told me； sir； what I have to do with it； or what the
favour is？ Will you be so good as e to that？'
'I assume；' said Arthur； persevering； in his endeavour to soften
her scornful demeanour； 'that being in munication……may I say；
confidential munication？……with this person……'
'You may say； of course； whatever you like；' she remarked； 'but I do not
subscribe to your assumptions； Mr Clennam； or to any one's。'
'……that being； at least in personal munication with him；' said
Clennam； changing the form of his position in the hope of making
it unobjectionable； 'you can tell me something of his antecedents；
pursuits； habits； usual place of residence。 Can give me some little clue
by which to seek him out in the likeliest manner； and either produce
him； or establish what has bee of him。 This is the favour I ask；
and I ask it in a distress of mind for which I hope you will feel some
consideration。 If you should have any reason for imposing conditions
upon me； I will respect it without asking what it is。'
'You chanced to see me in the street with the man；' she observed；
after being； to his mortification； evidently more occupied with her own
reflections on the matter than with his appeal。 'Then you knew the man
before？'
'Not before； afterwards。 I never saw him before； but I saw him again on
this very night of his disappearance。 In my mother's room； in fact。 I
left him there。 You will read in this paper all that is known of him。'
He handed her one of the printed bills； which she read with a steady and
attentive face。
'This is more than I knew of him；' she said； giving it back。
Clennam's looks expressed his heavy disappointment； perhaps his
incredulity； for she added in the same unsympathetic tone： 'You don't
believe it。 Still； it is so。 As to personal munication： it seems that
there was personal munication between him and your mother。 And yet
you say you believe her declaration that she knows no more of him！'
A sufficiently expressive hint of suspicion was conveyed in these words；
and in the smile by which they were acpanied； to bring the blood into
Clennam's cheeks。
'e； sir；' she said； with a cruel pleasure in repeating the stab； 'I
will be as open with you as you can desire。 I will confess that if I
cared for my credit （which I do not）； or had a good name to preserve
（which I have not； for I am utterly indifferent to its being considered
good or bad）； I should regard myself as heavily promised by having
had anything to do with this fellow。 Yet he never passed in at MY
door……never sat in colloquy with ME until midnight。'
She took her revenge for her old grudge in thus turning his subject
against him。 Hers was not the nature to spare him； and she had no
punction。
'That he is a low； mercenary wretch； that I first saw him prowling about
Italy （where I was； not long ago）； and that I hired him there； as the
suitable instrument of a purpose I happened to have； I have no objection
to tell you。 In short； it was worth my while； for my own pleasure……the
gratification of a strong feeling……to pay a spy who would fetch and
carry for money。 I paid this creature。 And I dare say that if I had
wanted to make such a bargain； and if I could have paid him enough； and
if he could have done it in the dark； free from all risk； he would have
taken any life with as little scruple as he took my money。 That； at
least； is my opinion of him； and I see it is not very far removed from
yours。 Your mother's opinion of him； I am to assume （following your
example of assuming this and that）； was vastly different。'
'My mother； let me remind you；' said Clennam； 'was first brought into
munication with him in the unlucky course of business。'
'It appears to have been an unlucky course of business that last brought
her into munication with him；' returned Miss Wade； 'and business
hours on that occasion were late。'
'You imply；' said Arthur； smarting under these cool…handed thrusts； of
which he had deeply felt the force already； 'that there was something……'
'Mr Clennam；' she posedly interrupted； 'recollect that I do not speak
by implication about the man。 He is； I say again without disguise； a low
mercenary wretch。 I suppose such a creature goes where there is occasion
for him。 If I had not had occasion for him； you would not have seen him
and me together。'
Wrung by her persistence in keeping that dark side of the case before
him； of which there was a half…hidden shadow in his own breast； Clennam
was silent。
'I have spoken of him as still living；' she added； 'but he may have been
put out of the way for anything I know。 For anything I care； also。 I
have no further occasion for him。'
With a heavy sigh and a despondent air； Arthur Clennam slowly rose。
She did not rise also； but said； having looked at him in the meanwhile
with a fixed look of suspicion； and lips angrily pressed：
'He was the chosen associate of your dear friend； Mr Gowan； was he not？
Why don't you ask your dear friend to help you？'
The denial that he was a dear friend rose to Arthur's lips； but he
repressed it； remembering his old struggles and resolutions； and said：
'Further than that he has never seen Blandois since Blandois set out for
England； Mr Gowan knows nothing additional about him。 He was a chance
acquaintance； made abroad。'
'A chance acquaintance made abroad！' she repeated。 'Yes。 Your dear
friend has need to divert himself with all the acquaintances he can
make； seeing what a wife he has。 I hate his wife； sir。'
The anger with which she said it； the more remarkable for being so much
under her restraint； fixed Clennam's attention； and kept him on the
spot。 It flashed out of her dark eyes as they regarded him； quivered in
her nostrils； and fired the very breath she exhaled； but her face was
otherwise posed into a disdainful serenity； and her attitude was as
calmly and haughtily graceful as if she had been in a mood of plete
indifference。
'All I will say is； Miss Wade；' he remarked； 'that you can have received
no provocation to a feeling in which I believe you have no sharer。'
'You may ask your dear friend； if you choose；' she returned； 'for his
opinion upon that subject。'
'I am scarcely on those intimate terms with my dear friend；' said
Arthur； in spite of his resolutions； 'that would render my approaching
the subject very probable； Miss Wade。'
'I hate him；' she returned。 'Worse than his wife； because I was once
dupe enough； and false enough to myself； almost to love him。 You have
seen me； sir； only on mon…place occasions； when I dare say you have
thought me a mon…place woman； a little more self…willed than the
generality。 You don't know what I mean by hating； if you know me no
better than that； you can't know； without knowing with what care I have
studied myself and people about me。 For this reason I have for some
time inclined to tell you what my life has been……not to propitiate your
opinion； for I set no value on it； but that you may prehend； when
you think of your dear friend and his d