 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
