 board the packet, or when the ugly
change had fallen on him in Mr. Montague's dressing-room. He had the aspect of a
man found out, and held at bay; of being baffled, hunted, and beset; but there
was now a dawning and increasing purpose in his face, which changed it very
much. It was gloomy, distrustful, lowering; pale with anger, and defeat; it
still was humbled, abject, cowardly, and mean; but, let the conflict go on as it
would, there was one strong purpose wrestling with every emotion of his mind,
and casting the whole series down as they arose.
    Not prepossessing in appearance at the best of times, it may be readily
supposed that he was not so now. He had left deep marks of his front teeth in
his nether lip; and those tokens of the agitation he had lately undergone,
improved his looks as little as the heavy corrugations in his forehead. But he
was self-possessed now; unnaturally self-possessed, indeed, as men quite
otherwise than brave are known to be in desperate extremities; and when the
carriage stopped, he waited for no invitation, but leapt hardily out, and went
up stairs.
    The chairman followed him; and closing the board-room door as soon as they
had entered, threw himself upon a sofa. Jonas stood before the window, looking
down into the street; and leaned against the sash, resting his head upon his
arms.
    »This is not handsome, Chuzzlewit!« said Montague at length. »Not handsome,
upon my soul!«
    »What would you have me do?« he answered, looking round abruptly; »what do
you expect?«
    »Confidence, my good fellow. Some confidence!« said Montague, in an injured
tone.
    »Ecod! You show great confidence in me,« retorted Jonas. »Don't you?«
    »Do I not?« said his companion, raising his head, and looking at him, but he
had turned again. »Do I not? Have I not confided to you the easy schemes I have
formed for our advantage; our advantage, mind; not mine alone; and what is my
return? Attempted flight!«
    »How do you know that? Who said I meant to fly?«
    »Who said! Come, come. A foreign boat, my friend, an early hour, a figure
wrapped up for disguise! Who said? If you didn't mean to jilt me, why were you
there? If you
