‘You were wise,’ rejoined his friend.
Jonas stood quite silent; still looking down into the street, and resting his head upon his arms.
‘Now, Chuzzlewit,’ said Montague, ‘notwithstanding what has passed I will be plain with you. Are you attending to me there? I only see your back.’
‘I hear you. Go on!’
‘I say that notwithstanding what has passed, I will be plain with you.’
‘You said that before. And I have told you once I heard you say it. Go on.’
‘You are a little chafed, but I can make allowance for that, and am, fortunately, myself in the very best of tempers. Now, let us see how circumstances stand. A day or two ago, I mentioned to you, my dear fellow, that I thought I had discovered—’
‘Will you hold your tongue?’ said Jonas, looking fiercely round, and glancing at the door.
‘Well, well!’ said Montague. ‘Judicious! Quite correct! My discoveries being published, would be like many other men’s discoveries in this honest world; of no further use to me. You see, Chuzzlewit, how ingenuous and frank I am in showing you the weakness of my own position! To return. I make, or think I make, a certain discovery which I take an early opportunity of mentioning in your ear, in that spirit of confidence which I really hoped did prevail between us, and was reciprocated by you. Perhaps there is something in it; perhaps there is nothing. I have my knowledge and opinion on the subject. You have yours. We will not discuss the question. But, my good fellow, you have been weak; what I wish to point out to you is, that you have been weak. I may desire to turn this little incident to my account (indeed, I do—I’ll not deny it), but my account does not lie in probing it, or using it against you.’
‘What do you call using it against me?’ asked Jonas, who had not yet changed his attitude.