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 dear wife； what I mean by hating。
Shall I give you something I have written and put by for your perusal；
or shall I hold my hand？'
Arthur begged her to give it to him。 She went to the bureau； unlocked
it； and took from an inner drawer a few folded sheets of paper。 Without
any conciliation of him； scarcely addressing him； rather speaking as if
she were speaking to her own looking…glass for the justification of her
own stubbornness； she said； as she gave them to him：
'Now you may know what I mean by hating！ No more of that。 Sir； whether
you find me temporarily and cheaply lodging in an empty London house； or
in a Calais apartment； you find Harriet with me。 You may like to see
her before you leave。 Harriet； e in！' She called Harriet again。 The
second call produced Harriet； once Tattycoram。
'Here is Mr Clennam；' said Miss Wade； 'not e for you； he has given
you up；……I suppose you have； by this time？'
'Having no authority； or influence……yes；' assented Clennam。
'Not e in search of you； you see； but still seeking some one。 He
wants that Blandois man。'
'With whom I saw you in the Strand in London；' hinted Arthur。 'If you
know anything of him； Harriet； except that he came from Venice……which
we all know……tell it to Mr Clennam freely。' 'I know nothing more about
him；' said the girl。
'Are you satisfied？' Miss Wade inquired of Arthur。
He had no reason to disbelieve them； the girl's manner being so natural
as to be almost convincing； if he had had any previous doubts。 He
replied； 'I must seek for intelligence elsewhere。'
He was not going in the same breath； but he had risen before the girl
entered； and she evidently thought he ；
and said：
'Are they well； sir？'
'Who？'
She stopped herself in saying what would have been 'all of them；'
glanced at Miss Wade； and said 'Mr and Mrs Meagles。'
'They were； when I last heard of them。 They are not at home。 By the way；
let me ask you。 Is it true that you were seen there？'
'Where？ Where does any one say I was seen？' returned the girl； sullenly
casting down her eyes。
'Looking in at the garden gate of the cottage。'
'No；' said Miss Wade。 'She has never been near it。'
'You are wrong； then；' said the girl。 'I went down there the last time
we were in London。 I went one afternoon when you left me alone。 And I
did look in。'
'You poor…spirited girl；' returned Miss Wade with infinite contempt；
'does all our panionship； do all our conversations； do all your old
plainings； tell for so little as that？'
'There was no harm in looking in at the gate for an instant；' said the
girl。 'I saw by the windows that the family were not there。'
'Why should you go near the place？'
'Because I wanted to see it。 Because I felt that I should like to look
at it again。'
As each of the two handsome faces looked at the other； Clennam felt how
each of the two natures must be constantly tearing the other to pieces。
'Oh！' said Miss Wade； coldly subduing and removing her glance； 'if you
had any desire to see the place where you led the life fro