Page 1100 - bleak-house

such a trap as I never laid yet, and such a venture as I never
made yet. I worked it out in my mind while I was talking to
her at supper. When I went upstairs to bed, our house being
small and this young woman’s ears sharp, I stuffed the sheet
into Mrs. Bucket’s mouth that she shouldn’t say a word of
surprise and told her all about it. My dear, don’t you give
your mind to that again, or I shall link your feet together at
the ankles.’ Mr. Bucket, breaking off, has made a noiseless
descent upon mademoiselle and laid his heavy hand upon
her shoulder.
‘What is the matter with you now?’ she asks him.
‘Don’t you think any more,’ returns Mr. Bucket with ad-
monitory finger, ‘of throwing yourself out of window. That’s
what’s the matter with me. Come! Just take my arm. You
needn’t get up; I’ll sit down by you. Now take my arm, will
you? I’m a married man, you know; you’re acquainted with
my wife. Just take my arm.’
Vaiuly endeavouring to moisten those dry lips, with a
painful sound she struggles with herself and complies.
‘Now we’re all right again. Sir Leicester Dedlock, Bar-
onet, this case could never have been the case it is but for
Mrs. Bucket, who is a woman in fifty thousand—in a hun-
dred and fifty thousand! To throw this young woman off
her guard, I have never set foot in our house since, though
I’ve communicated with Mrs. Bucket in the baker’s loaves
and in the milk as often as required. My whispered words
to Mrs. Bucket when she had the sheet in her mouth were,
‘My dear, can you throw her off continually with natural ac-
counts of my suspicions against George, and this, and that,

1100 Bleak House