Now the housekeeper was at that time clearing the table; my guardian,

taking no heed of her, but with the side of his face turned from her,

was leaning back in his chair biting the side of his forefinger and

showing an interest in Drummle, that, to me, was quite inexplicable.

Suddenly, he clapped his large hand on the housekeeper's, like a trap,

as she stretched it across the table. So suddenly and smartly did he do

this, that we all stopped in our foolish contention.

"If you talk of strength," said Mr. Jaggers, "I'll show you a wrist.

Molly, let them see your wrist."

Her entrapped hand was on the table, but she had already put her other

hand behind her waist. "Master," she said, in a low voice, with her eyes

attentively and entreatingly fixed upon him. "Don't."

"I'll show you a wrist," repeated Mr. Jaggers, with an immovable

determination to show it. "Molly, let them see your wrist."

"Master," she again murmured. "Please!"

"Molly," said Mr. Jaggers, not looking at her, but obstinately looking

at the opposite side of the room, "let them see both your wrists. Show

them. Come!"

He took his hand from hers, and turned that wrist up on the table. She

brought her other hand from behind her, and held the two out side by

side. The last wrist was much disfigured,--deeply scarred and scarred

across and across. When she held her hands out she took her eyes from

Mr. Jaggers, and turned them watchfully on every one of the rest of us

in succession.

"There's power here," said Mr. Jaggers, coolly tracing out the sinews

with his forefinger. "Very few men have the power of wrist that this

woman has. It's remarkable what mere force of grip there is in these

hands. I have had occasion to notice many hands; but I never saw

stronger in that respect, man's or woman's, than these."

While he said these words in a leisurely, critical style, she continued

to look at every one of us in regular succession as we sat. The moment

he ceased, she looked at him again. "That'll do, Molly," said Mr.

Jaggers, giving her a slight nod; "you have been admired, and can

go." She withdrew her hands and went out of the room, and Mr. Jaggers,

putting the decanters on from his dumb-waiter, filled his glass and

passed round the wine.

"At half-past nine, gentlemen," said he, "we must break up. Pray make

the best use of your time. I am glad to see you all. Mr. Drummle, I

drink to you."




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