Hehadthepower，oftentobefoundinunionwithsuchacharacter，ofexplainingwhathehimselfperceived，andmeant，withthedirectforceanddistinctnesswithwhichitstruckhisownmind。Hismannerofdemonstrationwassoorderlyandneatandsimple，thatitwasnoteasytomistakehim。Therewassomethingalmostludicrousinthecompleteirreconcilabilityofavagueconventionalnotionthathemustbeavisionaryman，withtheprecise，sagacioustravellingofhiseyeandthumbovertheplans，theirpatientstoppagesatparticularpoints，theircarefulreturnstootherpointswhencelittlechannelsofexplanationhadtobetracedup，andhissteadymannerofmakingeverythinggoodandeverythingsoundateachimportantstage，beforetakinghisheareronaline’s-breadthfurther。Hisdismissalofhimselffromhisdescription，washardlylessremarkable。Heneversaid，I
　　discoveredthisadaptationorinventedthatcombination；butshowedthewholethingasiftheDivineartificerhadmadeit，andhehadhappenedtofindit；somodesthewasaboutit，suchapleasanttouchofrespectwasmingledwithhisquietadmirationofit，andsocalmlyconvincedhewasthatitwasestablishedonirrefragablelaws。
　　Notonlythatevening，butforseveralsucceedingevenings，Clennamwasquitecharmedbythisinvestigation。Themorehepursuedit，andtheoftenerheglancedatthegreyheadbendingoverit，andtheshrewdeyekindlingwithpleasureinitandloveofit——
　　instrumentforprobinghisheartthoughithadbeenmadefortwelvelongyears——thelesshecouldreconcileittohisyoungerenergytoletitgowithoutoneeffortmore。Atlengthhesaid：
　　’Doyce，itcametothisatlast——thatthebusinesswastobesunkwithHeavenknowshowmanymorewrecks，orbegunalloveragain？’
　　’Yes，’returnedDoyce，’that’swhatthenoblemenandgentlemenmadeofitafteradozenyears。’
　　’Andprettyfellowstoo!’saidClennam，bitterly。
　　’Theusualthing!’observedDoyce。’Imustnotmakeamartyrofmyself，whenIamoneofsolargeacompany。’
　　’Relinquishit，orbeginitalloveragain？’musedClennam。
　　’Thatwasexactlythelongandtheshortofit，’saidDoyce。
　　’Then，myfriend，’criedClennam，startingupandtakinghiswork-
　　roughenedhand，’itshallbebegunalloveragain!’
　　Doycelookedalarmed，andrepliedinahurry——forhim，’No，no。
　　Betterputitby。Farbetterputitby。Itwillbeheardof，oneday。Icanputitby。Youforget，mygoodClennam；IHAVEputitby。It’sallatanend。’
　　’Yes，Doyce，’returnedClennam，’atanendasfarasyoureffortsandrebuffsareconcerned，Iadmit，butnotasfarasmineare。I
　　amyoungerthanyou：Ihaveonlyoncesetfootinthatpreciousoffice，andIamfreshgameforthem。Come!I’lltrythem。Youshalldoexactlyasyouhavebeendoingsincewehavebeentogether。IwilladdasIeasilycantowhatIhavebeendoing，theattempttogetpublicjusticedonetoyou；and，unlessIhavesomesuccesstoreport，youshallhearnomoreofit。’
　　DanielDoycewasstillreluctanttoconsent，andagainandagainurgedthattheyhadbetterputitby。Butitwasnaturalthatheshouldgraduallyallowhimselftobeover-persuadedbyClennam，andshouldyield。Yieldhedid。SoArthurresumedthelongandhopelesslabourofstrivingtomakewaywiththeCircumlocutionOffice。
　　Thewaiting-roomsofthatDepartmentsoonbegantobefamiliarwithhispresence，andhewasgenerallyusheredintothembyitsjanitorsmuchasapickpocketmightbeshownintoapolice-office；
　　theprincipaldifferencebeingthattheobjectofthelatterclassofpublicbusinessistokeepthepickpocket，whiletheCircumlocutionobjectwastogetridofClennam。However，hewasresolvedtosticktotheGreatDepartment；andsotheworkofform-
　　filling，corresponding，minuting，memorandum-making，signing，counter-signing，counter-counter-signing，referringbackwardsandforwards，andreferringsideways，crosswise，andzig-zag，recommenced。
　　HerearisesafeatureoftheCircumlocutionOffice，notpreviouslymentionedinthepresentrecord。WhenthatadmirableDepartmentgotintotrouble，andwas，bysomeinfuriatedmembersofParliamentwhomthesmallerBarnaclesalmostsuspectedoflabouringunderdiabolicpossession，attackedonthemeritsofnoindividualcase，butasanInstitutionwhollyabominableandBedlamite；thenthenobleorrighthonourableBarnaclewhorepresenteditintheHouse，wouldsmitethatmemberandcleavehimasunder，withastatementofthequantityofbusinessforthepreventionofbusinessdonebytheCircumlocutionOffice。ThenwouldthatnobleorrighthonourableBarnacleholdinhishandapapercontainingafewfigures，towhich，withthepermissionoftheHouse，hewouldentreatitsattention。ThenwouldtheinferiorBarnaclesexclaim，obeyingorders，’Hear，Hear，Hear!’and’Read!’ThenwouldthenobleorrighthonourableBarnacleperceive，sir，fromthislittledocument，whichhethoughtmightcarryconvictioneventotheperversestmindDerisivelaughterandcheeringfromtheBarnaclefry，thatwithintheshortcompassofthelastfinancialhalf-
　　year，thismuch-malignedDepartmentCheershadwrittenandreceivedfifteenthousandlettersLoudcheers，hadwrittentwenty-fourthousandminutesLoudercheers，andthirty-twothousandfivehundredandseventeenmemorandaVehementcheering。
　　Nay，aningeniousgentlemanconnectedwiththeDepartment，andhimselfavaluablepublicservant，haddonehimthefavourtomakeacuriouscalculationoftheamountofstationeryconsumedinitduringthesameperiod。Itformedapartofthissameshortdocument；andhederivedfromittheremarkablefactthatthesheetsoffoolscappaperithaddevotedtothepublicservicewouldpavethefootwaysonbothsidesofOxfordStreetfromendtoend，andleavenearlyaquarterofamiletosparefortheparkImmensecheeringandlaughter；whileoftape——redtape——ithadusedenoughtostretch，ingracefulfestoons，fromHydeParkCornertotheGeneralPostOffice。Then，amidstaburstofofficialexultation，wouldthenobleorrighthonourableBarnaclesitdown，leavingthemutilatedfragmentsoftheMemberonthefield。Noone，afterthatexemplarydemolitionofhim，wouldhavethehardihoodtohintthatthemoretheCircumlocutionOfficedid，thelesswasdone，andthatthegreatestblessingitcouldconferonanunhappypublicwouldbetodonothing。
　　Withsufficientoccupationonhishands，nowthathehadthisadditionaltask——suchataskhadmanyandmanyaserviceablemandiedofbeforehisday——ArthurClennamledalifeofslightvariety。Regularvisitstohismother’sdullsickroom，andvisitsscarcelylessregulartoMrMeaglesatTwickenham，wereitsonlychangesduringmanymonths。
　　HesadlyandsorelymissedLittleDorrit。Hehadbeenpreparedtomissherverymuch，butnotsomuch。Heknewtothefullextentonlythroughexperience，whatalargeplaceinhislifewasleftblankwhenherfamiliarlittlefigurewentoutofit。Hefelt，too，thathemustrelinquishthehopeofitsreturn，understandingthefamilycharactersufficientlywelltobeassuredthatheandsheweredividedbyabroadgroundofseparation。Theoldinteresthehadhadinher，andheroldtrustingrelianceonhim，weretingedwithmelancholyinhismind：sosoonhadchangestolenoverthem，andsosoonhadtheyglidedintothepastwithothersecrettendernesses。
　　Whenhereceivedherletterhewasgreatlymoved，butdidnotthelesssensiblyfeelthatshewasfardividedfromhimbymorethandistance。Ithelpedhimtoaclearerandkeenerperceptionoftheplaceassignedhimbythefamily。Hesawthathewascherishedinhergratefulremembrancesecretly，andthattheyresentedhimwiththejailandtherestofitsbelongings。
　　Throughallthesemeditationswhicheverydayofhislifecrowdedabouther，hethoughtofherotherwiseintheoldway。Shewashisinnocentfriend，hisdelicatechild，hisdearLittleDorrit。Thisverychangeofcircumstancesfittedcuriouslyinwiththehabit，begunonthenightwhentherosesfloatedaway，ofconsideringhimselfasamucholdermanthanhisyearsreallymadehim。Heregardedherfromapointofviewwhichinitsremoteness，tenderasitwas，helittlethoughtwouldhavebeenunspeakableagonytoher。Hespeculatedaboutherfuturedestiny，andaboutthehusbandshemighthave，withanaffectionforherwhichwouldhavedrainedherheartofitsdearestdropofhope，andbrokenit。
　　Everythingabouthimtendedtoconfirmhiminthecustomoflookingonhimselfasanelderlyman，fromwhomsuchaspirationsashehadcombatedinthecaseofMinnieGowanthoughthatwasnotsolongagoeither，reckoningbymonthsandseasons，werefinallydeparted。Hisrelationswithherfatherandmotherwerelikethoseonwhichawidowerson-in-lawmighthavestood。Ifthetwinsisterwhowasdeadhadlivedtopassawayinthebloomofwomanhood，andhehadbeenherhusband，thenatureofhisintercoursewithMrandMrsMeagleswouldprobablyhavebeenjustwhatitwas。Thisimperceptiblyhelpedtorenderhabitualtheimpressionwithinhim，thathehaddonewith，anddismissedthatpartoflife。
　　HeinvariablyheardofMinniefromthem，astellingtheminherlettershowhappyshewas，andhowshelovedherhusband；butinseparablefromthatsubject，heinvariablysawtheoldcloudonMrMeagles’sface。MrMeagleshadneverbeenquitesoradiantsincethemarriageasbefore。HehadneverquiterecoveredtheseparationfromPet。Hewasthesamegood-humoured，opencreature；
　　butasifhisface，frombeingmuchturnedtowardsthepicturesofhistwochildrenwhichcouldshowhimonlyonelook，unconsciouslyadoptedacharacteristicfromthem，italwayshadnow，throughallitschangesofexpression，alookoflossinit。
　　OnewintrySaturdaywhenClennamwasatthecottage，theDowagerMrsGowandroveup，intheHamptonCourtequipagewhichpretendedtobetheexclusiveequipageofsomanyindividualproprietors。
　　Shedescended，inhershadyambuscadeofgreenfan，tofavourMrandMrsMeagleswithacall。
　　’Andhowdoyoubothdo，PapaandMamaMeagles？’saidshe，encouragingherhumbleconnections。’Andwhendidyoulasthearfromoraboutmypoorfellow？’
　　Mypoorfellowwasherson；andthismodeofspeakingofhimpolitelykeptalive，withoutanyoffenceintheworld，thepretencethathehadfallenavictimtotheMeagles’wiles。
　　’Andthedearprettyone？’saidMrsGowan。’HaveyoulaternewsofherthanIhave？’
　　Whichalsodelicatelyimpliedthathersonhadbeencapturedbymerebeauty，andunderitsfascinationhadforgoneallsortsofworldlyadvantages。
　　’Iamsure，’saidMrsGowan，withoutstrainingherattentionontheanswersshereceived，’it’sanunspeakablecomforttoknowtheycontinuehappy。Mypoorfellowisofsucharestlessdisposition，andhasbeensousedtorovingabout，andtobeinginconstantandpopularamongallmannerofpeople，thatit’sthegreatestcomfortinlife。Isupposethey’reaspoorasmice，PapaMeagles？’
　　MrMeagles，fidgetyunderthequestion，replied，’Ihopenot，ma’am。Ihopetheywillmanagetheirlittleincome。’
　　’Oh!mydearestMeagles!’returnedthelady，tappinghimonthearmwiththegreenfanandthenadroitlyinterposingitbetweenayawnandthecompany，’howcanyou，asamanoftheworldandoneofthemostbusiness-likeofhumanbeings——foryouknowyouarebusiness-like，andagreatdealtoomuchforuswhoarenot——’
　　Whichwenttotheformerpurpose，bymakingMrMeaglesouttobeanartfulschemer。
　　’——Howcanyoutalkabouttheirmanagingtheirlittlemeans？Mypoordearfellow!Theideaofhismanaginghundreds!Andthesweetprettycreaturetoo。Thenotionofhermanaging!PapaMeagles!Don’t!’
　　’Well，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，gravely，’Iamsorrytoadmit，then，thatHenrycertainlydoesanticipatehismeans。’
　　’Mydeargoodman——Iusenoceremonywithyou，becauseweareakindofrelations；——positively，MamaMeagles，’exclaimedMrsGowancheerfully，asiftheabsurdcoincidencethenflasheduponherforthefirsttime，’akindofrelations!Mydeargoodman，inthisworldnoneofuscanhaveeverythingourownway。’
　　Thisagainwenttotheformerpoint，andshowedMrMeagleswithallgoodbreedingthat，sofar，hehadbeenbrilliantlysuccessfulinhisdeepdesigns。MrsGowanthoughtthehitsogoodaone，thatshedweltuponit；repeating’Noteverything。No，no；inthisworldwemustnotexpecteverything，PapaMeagles。’