’HeisawaywithMrsMerdle，’returnedthatgentleman，slowlycomingoutofalongabstraction，inthecourseofwhichhehadbeenfittingatablespoonuphissleeve。’Itisnotindispensableforhimtobeonthespot。’
　　’ThemagicnameofMerdle，’saidBar，withthejurydroop，’nodoubtwillsufficeforall。’
　　’Why——yes——Ibelieveso，’assentedMrMerdle，puttingthespoonaside，andclumsilyhidingeachofhishandsinthecoat-cuffoftheotherhand。’Ibelievethepeopleinmyinterestdowntherewillnotmakeanydifficulty。’
　　’Modelpeople!’saidBar。
　　’Iamgladyouapproveofthem，’saidMrMerdle。
　　’Andthepeopleofthoseothertwoplaces，now，’pursuedBar，withabrighttwinkleinhiskeeneye，asitslightlyturnedinthedirectionofhismagnificentneighbour；’welawyersarealwayscurious，alwaysinquisitive，alwayspickingupoddsandendsforourpatchworkminds，sincethereisnoknowingwhenandwheretheymayfitintosomecorner；——thepeopleofthoseothertwoplacesnow？Dotheyyieldsolaudablytothevastandcumulativeinfluenceofsuchenterpriseandsuchrenown；dothoselittlerillsbecomeabsorbedsoquietlyandeasily，and，asitwerebytheinfluenceofnaturallaws，sobeautifully，intheswoopofthemajesticstreamasitflowsuponitswondrouswayenrichingthesurroundinglands；thattheircourseisperfectlytobecalculated，anddistinctlytobepredicated？’
　　MrMerdle，alittletroubledbyBar’seloquence，lookedfitfullyaboutthenearestsalt-cellarforsomemoments，andthensaidhesitating：
　　’Theyareperfectlyaware，sir，oftheirdutytoSociety。TheywillreturnanybodyIsendtothemforthatpurpose。’
　　’Cheeringtoknow，’saidBar。’Cheeringtoknow。’
　　ThethreeplacesinquestionwerethreelittlerottenholesinthisIsland，containingthreelittleignorant，drunken，guzzling，dirty，out-of-the-wayconstituencies，thathadreeledintoMrMerdle’spocket。FerdinandBarnaclelaughedinhiseasyway，andairilysaidtheywereanicesetoffellows。Bishop，mentallyperambulatingamongpathsofpeace，wasaltogetherswallowedupinabsenceofmind。
　　’Pray，’askedLordDecimus，castinghiseyesaroundthetable，’whatisthisstoryIhaveheardofagentlemanlongconfinedinadebtors’prisonprovingtobeofawealthyfamily，andhavingcomeintotheinheritanceofalargesumofmoney？Ihavemetwithavarietyofallusionstoit。Doyouknowanythingofit，Ferdinand？’
　　’Ionlyknowthismuch，’saidFerdinand，’thathehasgiventheDepartmentwithwhichIhavethehonourtobeassociated；’thissparklingyoungBarnaclethrewoffthephrasesportively，aswhoshouldsay，Weknowallabouttheseformsofspeech，butwemustkeepitup，wemustkeepthegamealive；’noendoftrouble，andhasputusintoinnumerablefixes。’
　　’Fixes？’repeatedLordDecimus，withamajesticpausingandponderingonthewordthatmadethebashfulMembershuthiseyesquitetight。’Fixes？’
　　’Averyperplexingbusinessindeed，’observedMrTiteBarnacle，withanairofgraveresentment。
　　’What，’saidLordDecimus，’wasthecharacterofhisbusiness；whatwasthenatureofthese——a——Fixes，Ferdinand？’
　　’Oh，it’sagoodstory，asastory，’returnedthatgentleman；’asgoodathingofitskindasneedbe。ThisMrDorrithisnameisDorrithadincurredaresponsibilitytous，agesbeforethefairycameoutoftheBankandgavehimhisfortune，underabondhehadsignedfortheperformanceofacontractwhichwasnotatallperformed。Hewasapartnerinahouseinsomelargeway——spirits，orbuttons，orwine，orblacking，oroatmeal，orwoollen，orpork，orhooksandeyes，oriron，ortreacle，orshoes，orsomethingorotherthatwaswantedfortroops，orseamen，orsomebody——andthehouseburst，andwebeingamongthecreditors，detaineeswerelodgedonthepartoftheCrowninascientificmanner，andalltherestOfit。Whenthefairyhadappearedandhewantedtopayusoff，Egadwehadgotintosuchanexemplarystateofcheckingandcounter-checking，signingandcounter-signing，thatitwassixmonthsbeforeweknewhowtotakethemoney，orhowtogiveareceiptforit。Itwasatriumphofpublicbusiness，’saidthishandsomeyoungBarnacle，laughingheartily，’Youneversawsuchalotofformsinyourlife。“Why，“theattorneysaidtomeoneday，“ifIwantedthisofficetogivemetwoorthreethousandpoundsinsteadoftakeit，Icouldn’thavemoretroubleaboutit。““Youareright，oldfellow，“Itoldhim，“andinfutureyou’llknowthatwehavesomethingtodohere。“’ThepleasantyoungBarnaclefinishedbyoncemorelaughingheartily。Hewasaveryeasy，pleasantfellowindeed，andhismannerswereexceedinglywinning。
　　MrTiteBarnacle’sviewofthebusinesswasofalessairycharacter。HetookitillthatMrDorrithadtroubledtheDepartmentbywantingtopaythemoney，andconsidereditagrosslyinformalthingtodoaftersomanyyears。ButMrTiteBarnaclewasabuttoned-upman，andconsequentlyaweightyone。Allbuttoned-upmenareweighty。Allbuttoned-upmenarebelievedin。Whetherornothereservedandnever-exercisedpowerofunbuttoning，fascinatesmankind；whetherornowisdomissupposedtocondenseandaugmentwhenbuttonedup，andtoevaporatewhenunbuttoned；itiscertainthatthemantowhomimportanceisaccordedisthebuttoned-upman。MrTiteBarnacleneverwouldhavepassedforhalfhiscurrentvalue，unlesshiscoathadbeenalwaysbuttoned-uptohiswhitecravat。
　　’MayIask，’saidLordDecimus，’ifMrDarrit——orDorrit——hasanyfamily？’
　　Nobodyelsereplying，thehostsaid，’Hehastwodaughters，mylord。’
　　’Oh!youareacquaintedwithhim？’askedLordDecimus。
　　’MrsMerdleis。MrSparkleris，too。Infact，’saidMrMerdle，’I
　　ratherbelievethatoneoftheyoungladieshasmadeanimpressiononEdmundSparkler。Heissusceptible，and——I——think——theconquest——’HereMrMerdlestopped，andlookedatthetable-cloth，asheusuallydidwhenhefoundhimselfobservedorlistenedto。
　　BarwasuncommonlypleasedtofindthattheMerdlefamily，andthisfamily，hadalreadybeenbroughtintocontact。Hesubmitted，inalowvoiceacrossthetabletoBishop，thatitwasakindofanalogicalillustrationofthosephysicallaws，invirtueofwhichLikefliestoLike。Heregardedthispowerofattractioninwealthtodrawwealthtoit，assomethingremarkablyinterestingandcurious——somethingindefinablyalliedtotheloadstoneandgravitation。Bishop，whohadambledbacktoearthagainwhenthepresentthemewasbroached，acquiesced。HesaiditwasindeedhighlyimportanttoSocietythatoneinthetryingsituationofunexpectedlyfindinghimselfinvestedwithapowerforgoodorforevilinSociety，shouldbecome，asitwere，mergedinthesuperiorpowerofamorelegitimateandmoregiganticgrowth，theinfluenceofwhichasinthecaseofourfriendatwhoseboardwesatwashabituallyexercisedinharmonywiththebestinterestsofSociety。
　　Thus，insteadoftworivalandcontendingflames，alargerandalesser，eachburningwithaluridanduncertainglare，wehadablendedandasoftenedlightwhosegenialraydiffusedanequablewarmththroughouttheland。Bishopseemedtolikehisownwayofputtingthecaseverymuch，andratherdweltuponit；Bar，meanwhilenottothrowawayajury-man，makingashowofsittingathisfeetandfeedingonhisprecepts。
　　Thedinneranddessertbeingthreehourslong，thebashfulMembercooledintheshadowofLordDecimusfasterthanhewarmedwithfoodanddrink，andhadbutachillytimeofit。LordDecimus，likeatalltowerinaflatcountry，seemedtoprojecthimselfacrossthetable-cloth，hidethelightfromthehonourableMember，coolthehonourableMember’smarrow，andgivehimawoefulideaofdistance。Whenheaskedthisunfortunatetravellertotakewine，heencompassedhisfalteringstepswiththegloomiestofshades；
　　andwhenhesaid，’Yourhealthsir!’allaroundhimwasbarrennessanddesolation。
　　AtlengthLordDecimus，withacoffee-cupinhishand，begantohoveraboutamongthepictures，andtocauseaninterestingspeculationtoariseinallmindsastotheprobabilitiesofhisceasingtohover，andenablingthesmallerbirdstoflutterup-
　　stairs；whichcouldnotbedoneuntilhehadurgedhisnoblepinionsinthatdirection。Aftersomedelay，andseveralstretchesofhiswingswhichcametonothing，hesoaredtothedrawing-rooms。
　　Andhereadifficultyarose，whichalwaysdoesarisewhentwopeoplearespeciallybroughttogetheratadinnertoconferwithoneanother。EverybodyexceptBishop，whohadnosuspicionofit
　　knewperfectlywellthatthisdinnerhadbeeneatenanddrunk，specificallytotheendthatLordDecimusandMrMerdleshouldhavefiveminutes’conversationtogether。Theopportunitysoelaboratelypreparedwasnowarrived，anditseemedfromthatmomentthatnomerehumaningenuitycouldsomuchasgetthetwochieftainsintothesameroom。MrMerdleandhisnobleguestpersistedinprowlingaboutatoppositeendsoftheperspective。
　　ItwasinvainfortheengagingFerdinandtobringLordDecimustolookatthebronzehorsesnearMrMerdle。ThenMrMerdleevaded，andwanderedaway。ItwasinvainforhimtobringMrMerdletoLordDecimustotellhimthehistoryoftheuniqueDresdenvases。
　　ThenLordDecimusevadedandwanderedaway，whilehewasgettinghismanuptothemark。
　　’Didyoueverseesuchathingasthis？’saidFerdinandtoBarwhenhehadbeenbaffledtwentytimes。
　　’Often，’returnedBar。
　　’UnlessIbuttoneofthemintoanappointedcorner，andyoubutttheother，’saidFerdinand，’itwillnotcomeoffafterall。’
　　’Verygood，’saidBar。’I’llbuttMerdle，ifyoulike；butnotmylord。’
　　Ferdinandlaughed，inthemidstofhisvexation。’Confoundthemboth!’saidhe，lookingathiswatch。’Iwanttogetaway。Whythedeucecan’ttheycometogether!Theybothknowwhattheywantandmeantodo。Lookatthem!’
　　Theywerestillloomingatoppositeendsoftheperspective，eachwithanabsurdpretenceofnothavingtheotheronhismind，whichcouldnothavebeenmoretransparentlyridiculousthoughhisrealmindhadbeenchalkedonhisback。Bishop，whohadjustnowmadeathirdwithBarandFerdinand，butwhoseinnocencehadagaincuthimoutofthesubjectandwashedhiminsweetoil，wasseentoapproachLordDecimusandglideintoconversation。
　　’ImustgetMerdle’sdoctortocatchandsecurehim，Isuppose，’
　　saidFerdinand；’andthenImustlayholdofmyillustriouskinsman，anddecoyhimifIcan——draghimifIcan’t——totheconference。’
　　’Sinceyoudomethehonour，’saidBar，withhisslyestsmile，toaskformypooraid，itshallbeyourswiththegreatestpleasure。
　　Idon’tthinkthisistobedonebyoneman。Butifyouwillundertaketopenmylordintothatfurthestdrawing-roomwhereheisnowsoprofoundlyengaged，IwillundertaketobringourdearMerdleintothepresence，withoutthepossibilityofgettingaway。’
　　’Done!’saidFerdinand。
　　’Done!’saidBar。
　　Barwasasightwondroustobehold，andfullofmatter，when，jauntilywavinghisdoubleeye-glassbyitsribbon，andjauntilydroopingtoanUniverseofjurymen，he，inthemostaccidentalmannereverseen，foundhimselfatMrMerdle’sshoulder，andembracedthatopportunityofmentioningalittlepointtohim，onwhichheparticularlywishedtobeguidedbythelightofhispracticalknowledge。HerehetookMrMerdle’sarmandwalkedhimgentlyaway。Abanker，whomwewouldcallA。B。，advancedaconsiderablesumofmoney，whichwewouldcallfifteenthousandpounds，toaclientorcustomerofhis，whomhewouldcallP。q。
　　Here，astheyweregettingtowardsLordDecimus，heheldMrMerdletight。AsasecurityfortherepaymentofthisadvancetoP。Q。