am I to find a surgeon who can put together my crushed
bones? Daggers, indeed! Do you not suppose that in thinking of you I
have often thought of daggers? Why have I not thrust one into your
heart, so that I might rescue you from the arms of this puny,
spiritless English girl?' All this time she was still seated, looking
at him, leaning forward towards him with her hands upon her brow.
'But, Paul, I spit out my words to you, like any common woman, not
because they will hurt you, but because I know I may take that
comfort, such as it is, without hurting you. You are uneasy for a
moment while you are here, and I have a cruel pleasure in thinking
that you cannot answer me. But you will go from me to her, and then
will you not be happy? When you are sitting with your arm round her
waist, and when she is playing with your smiles, will the memory of my
words interfere with your joy then? Ask yourself whether the prick
will last longer than the moment. But where am I to go for happiness
and joy? Can you understand what it is to have to live only on
retrospects?'

'I wish I could say a word to comfort you.'

'You cannot say a word to comfort me, unless you will unsay all that
you have said since I have been in England. I never expect comfort
again. But, Paul, I will not be cruel to the end. I will tell you all
that I know of my concerns, even though my doing so should justify
your treatment of me. He is not dead.'

'You mean Mr Hurtle.'

'Whom else should I mean? And he himself says that the divorce which
was declared between us was no divorce. Mr Fisker came here to me with
tidings. Though he is not a man whom I specially love,--though I know
that he has been my enemy with you,--I shall return with him to San
Francisco.'

'I am told that he is taking Madame Melmotte with him, and Melmotte's
daughter.'

'So I understand. They are adventurers,--as I am, and I do not see why
we should not suit each other.'

'They say also that Fisker will marry Miss Melmotte.'

'Why should I object to that? I shall not be jealous of Mr Fisker's
attentions to the young lady. But it will suit me to have some one to
whom I can speak on friendly terms when I am back in California. I may
have a job of work to do there which will require the backing of some
friends. I shall be hand-and-glove with these people before I have
travelled half across the ocean with them.'

'I hope they will be kind to you,' said Paul.

'No;--but I will be kind