’Ihavespokenofhimasstillliving，’sheadded，’buthemayhavebeenputoutofthewayforanythingIknow。ForanythingIcare，also。Ihavenofurtheroccasionforhim。’
　　Withaheavysighandadespondentair，ArthurClennamslowlyrose。
　　Shedidnotrisealso，butsaid，havinglookedathiminthemeanwhilewithafixedlookofsuspicion，andlipsangrilycompressed：
　　’Hewasthechosenassociateofyourdearfriend，MrGowan，washenot？Whydon’tyouaskyourdearfriendtohelpyou？’
　　ThedenialthathewasadearfriendrosetoArthur’slips；butherepressedit，rememberinghisoldstrugglesandresolutions，andsaid：
　　’FurtherthanthathehasneverseenBlandoissinceBlandoissetoutforEngland，MrGowanknowsnothingadditionalabouthim。Hewasachanceacquaintance，madeabroad。’
　　’Achanceacquaintancemadeabroad!’sherepeated。’Yes。Yourdearfriendhasneedtodiverthimselfwithalltheacquaintanceshecanmake，seeingwhatawifehehas。Ihatehiswife，sir。’
　　Theangerwithwhichshesaidit，themoreremarkableforbeingsomuchunderherrestraint，fixedClennam’sattention，andkepthimonthespot。Itflashedoutofherdarkeyesastheyregardedhim，quiveredinhernostrils，andfiredtheverybreathsheexhaled；
　　butherfacewasotherwisecomposedintoadisdainfulserenity；andherattitudewasascalmlyandhaughtilygracefulasifshehadbeeninamoodofcompleteindifference。
　　’AllIwillsayis，MissWade，’heremarked，’thatyoucanhavereceivednoprovocationtoafeelinginwhichIbelieveyouhavenosharer。’
　　’Youmayaskyourdearfriend，ifyouchoose，’shereturned，’forhisopinionuponthatsubject。’
　　’Iamscarcelyonthoseintimatetermswithmydearfriend，’saidArthur，inspiteofhisresolutions，’thatwouldrendermyapproachingthesubjectveryprobable，MissWade。’
　　’Ihatehim，’shereturned。’Worsethanhiswife，becauseIwasoncedupeenough，andfalseenoughtomyself，almosttolovehim。
　　Youhaveseenme，sir，onlyoncommon-placeoccasions，whenIdaresayyouhavethoughtmeacommon-placewoman，alittlemoreself-
　　willedthanthegenerality。Youdon’tknowwhatImeanbyhating，ifyouknowmenobetterthanthat；youcan’tknow，withoutknowingwithwhatcareIhavestudiedmyselfandpeopleaboutme。ForthisreasonIhaveforsometimeinclinedtotellyouwhatmylifehasbeen——nottopropitiateyouropinion，forIsetnovalueonit；butthatyoumaycomprehend，whenyouthinkofyourdearfriendandhisdearwife，whatImeanbyhating。ShallIgiveyousomethingI
　　havewrittenandputbyforyourperusal，orshallIholdmyhand？’
　　Arthurbeggedhertogiveittohim。Shewenttothebureau，unlockedit，andtookfromaninnerdrawerafewfoldedsheetsofpaper。Withoutanyconciliationofhim，scarcelyaddressinghim，ratherspeakingasifshewerespeakingtoherownlooking-glassforthejustificationofherownstubbornness，shesaid，asshegavethemtohim：
　　’NowyoumayknowwhatImeanbyhating!Nomoreofthat。Sir，whetheryoufindmetemporarilyandcheaplylodginginanemptyLondonhouse，orinaCalaisapartment，youfindHarrietwithme。
　　Youmayliketoseeherbeforeyouleave。Harriet，comein!’ShecalledHarrietagain。ThesecondcallproducedHarriet，onceTattycoram。
　　’HereisMrClennam，’saidMissWade；’notcomeforyou；hehasgivenyouup，——Isupposeyouhave，bythistime？’
　　’Havingnoauthority，orinfluence——yes，’assentedClennam。
　　’Notcomeinsearchofyou，yousee；butstillseekingsomeone。
　　HewantsthatBlandoisman。’
　　’WithwhomIsawyouintheStrandinLondon，’hintedArthur。
　　’Ifyouknowanythingofhim，Harriet，exceptthathecamefromVenice——whichweallknow——tellittoMrClennamfreely。’
　　’Iknownothingmoreabouthim，’saidthegirl。
　　’Areyousatisfied？’MissWadeinquiredofArthur。
　　Hehadnoreasontodisbelievethem；thegirl’smannerbeingsonaturalastobealmostconvincing，ifhehadhadanypreviousdoubts。Hereplied，’Imustseekforintelligenceelsewhere。’
　　Hewasnotgoinginthesamebreath；buthehadrisenbeforethegirlentered，andsheevidentlythoughthewas。Shelookedquicklyathim，andsaid：
　　’Aretheywell，sir？’
　　’Who？’
　　Shestoppedherselfinsayingwhatwouldhavebeen’allofthem；’
　　glancedatMissWade；andsaid’MrandMrsMeagles。’
　　’Theywere，whenIlastheardofthem。Theyarenotathome。Bytheway，letmeaskyou。Isittruethatyouwereseenthere？’
　　’Where？WheredoesanyonesayIwasseen？’returnedthegirl，sullenlycastingdownhereyes。
　　’Lookinginatthegardengateofthecottage。’
　　’No，’saidMissWade。’Shehasneverbeennearit。’
　　’Youarewrong，then，’saidthegirl。’IwentdowntherethelasttimewewereinLondon。Iwentoneafternoonwhenyouleftmealone。AndIdidlookin。’
　　’Youpoor-spiritedgirl，’returnedMissWadewithinfinitecontempt；’doesallourcompanionship，doallourconversations，doallyouroldcomplainings，tellforsolittleasthat？’
　　’Therewasnoharminlookinginatthegateforaninstant，’saidthegirl。’Isawbythewindowsthatthefamilywerenotthere。’
　　’Whyshouldyougoneartheplace？’
　　’BecauseIwantedtoseeit。BecauseIfeltthatIshouldliketolookatitagain。’
　　Aseachofthetwohandsomefaceslookedattheother，Clennamfelthoweachofthetwonaturesmustbeconstantlytearingtheothertopieces。
　　’Oh!’saidMissWade，coldlysubduingandremovingherglance；’ifyouhadanydesiretoseetheplacewhereyouledthelifefromwhichIrescuedyoubecauseyouhadfoundoutwhatitwas，thatisanotherthing。Butisthatyourtruthtome？Isthatyourfidelitytome？IsthatthecommoncauseImakewithyou？YouarenotworththeconfidenceIhaveplacedinyou。YouarenotworththefavourIhaveshownyou。Youarenohigherthanaspaniel，andhadbettergobacktothepeoplewhodidworsethanwhipyou。’
　　’Ifyouspeaksoofthemwithanyoneelsebytohear，you’llprovokemetotaketheirpart，’saidthegirl。
　　’Gobacktothem，’MissWaderetorted。’Gobacktothem。’
　　’Youknowverywell，’retortedHarrietinherturn，’thatIwon’tgobacktothem。YouknowverywellthatIhavethrownthemoff，andnevercan，nevershall，neverwill，gobacktothem。Letthemalone，then，MissWade。’
　　’Youprefertheirplentytoyourlessfatlivinghere，’sherejoined。’Youexaltthem，andslightme。WhatelseshouldIhaveexpected？Ioughttohaveknownit。’
　　’It’snotso，’saidthegirl，flushinghigh，’andyoudon’tsaywhatyoumean。Iknowwhatyoumean。Youarereproachingme，underhanded，withhavingnobodybutyoutolookto。AndbecauseI
　　havenobodybutyoutolookto，youthinkyouaretomakemedo，ornotdo，everythingyouplease，andaretoputanyaffrontuponme。
　　Youareasbadastheywere，everybit。ButIwillnotbequitetamed，andmadesubmissive。IwillsayagainthatIwenttolookatthehouse，becauseIhadoftenthoughtthatIshouldliketoseeitoncemore。Iwillaskagainhowtheyare，becauseIoncelikedthemandattimesthoughttheywerekindtome。’
　　HereuponClennamsaidthathewassuretheywouldstillreceiveherkindly，ifsheshouldeverdesiretoreturn。
　　’Never!’saidthegirlpassionately。’Ishallneverdothat。
　　NobodyknowsthatbetterthanMissWade，thoughshetauntsmebecauseshehasmademeherdependent。AndIknowIamso；andI
　　knowsheisoverjoyedwhenshecanbringittomymind。’
　　’Agoodpretence!’saidMissWade，withnolessanger，haughtiness，andbitterness；’buttoothreadbaretocoverwhatIplainlyseeinthis。Mypovertywillnotbearcompetitionwiththeirmoney。
　　Bettergobackatonce，bettergobackatonce，andhavedonewithit!’
　　ArthurClennamlookedatthem，standingalittledistanceasunderinthedullconfinedroom，eachproudlycherishingherownanger；
　　each，withafixeddetermination，torturingherownbreast，andtorturingtheother’s。Hesaidawordortwoofleave-taking；butMissWadebarelyinclinedherhead，andHarriet，withtheassumedhumiliationofanabjectdependentandserfbutnotwithoutdefianceforallthat，madeasifsheweretoolowtonoticeortobenoticed。
　　Hecamedownthedarkwindingstairsintotheyardwithanincreasedsenseuponhimofthegloomofthewallthatwasdead，andoftheshrubsthatweredead，andofthefountainthatwasdry，andofthestatuethatwasgone。Ponderingmuchonwhathehadseenandheardinthathouse，aswellasonthefailureofallhiseffortstotracethesuspiciouscharacterwhowaslost，hereturnedtoLondonandtoEnglandbythepacketthathadtakenhimover。Onthewayheunfoldedthesheetsofpaper，andreadinthemwhatisreproducedinthenextchapter。
　　CHAPTER21
　　TheHistoryofaSelf-TormentorIhavethemisfortuneofnotbeingafool。FromaveryearlyageIhavedetectedwhatthoseaboutmethoughttheyhidfromme。IfIcouldhavebeenhabituallyimposedupon，insteadofhabituallydiscerningthetruth，Imighthavelivedassmoothlyasmostfoolsdo。
　　Mychildhoodwaspassedwithagrandmother；thatistosay，withaladywhorepresentedthatrelativetome，andwhotookthattitleonherself。Shehadnoclaimtoit，butI——beingtothatextentalittlefool——hadnosuspicionofher。Shehadsomechildrenofherownfamilyinherhouse，andsomechildrenofotherpeople。Allgirls；teninnumber，includingme。Wealllivedtogetherandwereeducatedtogether。
　　ImusthavebeenabouttwelveyearsoldwhenIbegantoseehowdeterminedlythosegirlspatronisedme。IwastoldIwasanorphan。Therewasnootherorphanamongus；andIperceivedherewasthefirstdisadvantageofnotbeingafoolthattheyconciliatedmeinaninsolentpity，andinasenseofsuperiority。
　　Ididnotsetthisdownasadiscovery，rashly。Itriedthemoften。Icouldhardlymakethemquarrelwithme。WhenIsucceededwithanyofthem，theyweresuretocomeafteranhourortwo，andbeginareconciliation。Itriedthemoverandoveragain，andI