Thiswasconfirmedwithcriesof’Certainly,’and’Hear!’
’ButItellyou,goodpeople——Casby!Thismoundofmeekness,thislumpoflove,thisbottle-greensmiler,thisisyourdriver!’saidPancks。’Ifyouwanttoseethemanwhowouldflayyoualive——hereheis!Don’tlookforhiminme,atthirtyshillingsaweek,butlookforhiminCasby,atIdon’tknowhowmuchayear!’
’Good!’criedseveralvoices。’HearMrPancks!’
’HearMrPancks?’criedthatgentlemanafterrepeatingthepopularperformance。’Yes,Ishouldthinkso!It’salmosttimetohearMrPancks。MrPanckshascomedownintotheYardto-nightonpurposethatyoushouldhearhim。PancksisonlytheWorks;buthere’stheWinder!’
TheaudiencewouldhavegoneovertoMrPancks,asoneman,woman,andchild,butforthelong,grey,silkenlocks,andthebroad-
brimmedhat。
’Here’stheStop,’saidPancks,’thatsetsthetunetobeground。
Andthereisbutonetune,anditsnameisGrind,Grind,Grind!
Here’stheProprietor,andhere’shisGrubber。Why,goodpeople,whenhecomessmoothlyspinningthroughtheYardto-night,likeaslow-goingbenevolentHumming-Top,andwhenyoucomeabouthimwithyourcomplaintsoftheGrubber,youdon’tknowwhatacheattheProprietoris!Whatdoyouthinkofhisshowinghimselfto-night,thatImayhavealltheblameonMonday?Whatdoyouthinkofhishavinghadmeoverthecoalsthisveryevening,becauseIdon’tsqueezeyouenough?Whatdoyouthinkofmybeing,atthepresentmoment,underspecialorderstosqueezeyoudryonMonday?’
Thereplywasgiveninamurmurof’Shame!’and’Shabby!’
’Shabby?’snortedPancks。’Yes,Ishouldthinkso!ThelotthatyourCasbybelongsto,istheshabbiestofallthelots。SettingtheirGrubberson,atawretchedpittance,todowhatthey’reashamedandafraidtodoandpretendnottodo,butwhattheywillhavedone,orgiveamannorest!ImposingonyoutogivetheirGrubbersnothingbutblame,andtogivethemnothingbutcredit!
Why,theworst-lookingcheatinallthistownwhogetsthevalueofeighteenpenceunderfalsepretences,an’thalfsuchacheatasthissign-postofTheCasby’sHeadhere!’
Criesof’That’strue!’and’Nomorehean’t!’
’Andseewhatyougetofthesefellows,besides,’saidPancks’’SeewhatmoreyougetofthesepreciousHumming-Tops,revolvingamongyouwithsuchsmoothnessthatyou’venoideaofthepatternpaintedon’em,orthelittlewindowin’em。Iwishtocallyourattentiontomyselfforamoment。Ian’tanagreeablestyleofchap,Iknowthatverywell。’
Theauditoryweredividedonthispoint;itsmoreuncompromisingmemberscrying,’No,youarenot,’anditspolitermaterials,’Yes,youare。’
’Iam,ingeneral,’saidMrPancks,’adry,uncomfortable,drearyPlodderandGrubber。That’syourhumbleservant。There’shisfull-lengthportrait,paintedbyhimselfandpresentedtoyou,warrantedalikeness!Butwhat’samantobe,withsuchamanasthisforhisProprietor?Whatcanbeexpectedofhim?Didanybodyeverfindboiledmuttonandcaper-saucegrowinginacocoa-nut?’
NoneoftheBleedingHeartseverhad,itwasclearfromthealacrityoftheirresponse。
’Well,’saidMrPancks,’andneitherwillyoufindinGrubberslikemyself,underProprietorslikethis,pleasantqualities。I’vebeenaGrubberfromaboy。Whathasmylifebeen?Fagandgrind,fagandgrind,turnthewheel,turnthewheel!Ihaven’tbeenagreeabletomyself,andIhaven’tbeenlikelytobeagreeabletoanybodyelse。IfIwasashillingaweeklessusefulintenyears’
time,thisimpostorwouldgivemeashillingaweekless;ifasusefulamancouldbegotatsixpencecheaper,hewouldbetakeninmyplaceatsixpencecheaper。Bargainandsale,blessyou!Fixedprinciples!It’samightyfinesign-post,isTheCasby’sHead,’
saidMrPancks,surveyingitwithanythingratherthanadmiration;
’buttherealnameoftheHouseistheSham’sArms。Itsmottois,KeeptheGrubberalwaysatit。Isanygentlemanpresent,’saidMrPancks,breakingoffandlookinground,’acquaintedwiththeEnglishGrammar?’
BleedingHeartYardwasshyofclaimingthatacquaintance。
’It’snomatter,’saidMrPancks,’ImerelywishtoremarkthatthetaskthisProprietorhassetme,hasbeennevertoleaveoffconjugatingtheImperativeMoodPresentTenseoftheverbTokeepalwaysatit。Keepthoualwaysatit。Lethimkeepalwaysatit。
Keepweordowekeepalwaysatit。Keepyeordoyeoryoukeepalwaysatit。Letthemkeepalwaysatit。HereisyourbenevolentPatriarchofaCasby,andthereishisgoldenrule。Heisuncommonlyimprovingtolookat,andIamnotatallso。Heisassweetashoney,andIamasdullasditch-water。Heprovidesthepitch,andIhandleit,anditstickstome。Now,’saidMrPancks,closinguponhislateProprietoragain,fromwhomhehadwithdrawnalittleforthebetterdisplayofhimtotheYard;’asIamnotaccustomedtospeakinpublic,andasIhavemadearatherlengthyspeech,allcircumstancesconsidered,Ishallbringmyobservationstoaclosebyrequestingyoutogetoutofthis。’
TheLastofthePatriarchshadbeensoseizedbyassault,andrequiredsomuchroomtocatchanideain,ansomuchmoreroomtoturnitin,thathehadnotawordtoofferinreply。HeappearedtobemeditatingsomePatriarchalwayoutofhisdelicateposition,whenMrPancks,oncemoresuddenlyapplyingthetriggertohishat,shotitoffagainwithhisformerdexterity。Ontheprecedingoccasion,oneortwooftheBleedingHeartYardershadobsequiouslypickeditupandhandedittoitsowner;butMrPanckshadnowsofarimpressedhisaudience,thatthePatriarchhadtoturnandstoopforithimself。
Quickaslightning,MrPancks,who,forsomemoments,hadhadhisrighthandinhiscoatpocket,whippedoutapairofshears,swoopeduponthePatriarchbehind,andsnippedoffshortthesacredlocksthatfloweduponhisshoulders。Inaparoxysmofanimosityandrapidity,MrPancksthencaughtthebroad-brimmedhatoutoftheastoundedPatriarch’shand,cutitdownintoamerestewpan,andfixeditonthePatriarch’shead。
Beforethefrightfulresultsofthisdesperateaction,MrPanckshimselfrecoiledinconsternation。Abare-polled,goggle-eyed,big-headedlumberingpersonagestoodstaringathim,notintheleastimpressive,notintheleastvenerable,whoseemedtohavestartedoutoftheearthtoaskwhatwasbecomeofCasby。Afterstaringatthisphantominreturn,insilentawe,MrPancksthrewdownhisshears,andfledforaplaceofhiding,wherehemightlieshelteredfromtheconsequencesofhiscrime。MrPancksdeemeditprudenttouseallpossibledespatchinmakingoff,thoughhewaspursuedbynothingbutthesoundoflaughterinBleedingHeartYard,ripplingthroughtheairandmakingitringagain。
Going!
Thechangesofafeveredroomareslowandfluctuating;butthechangesofthefeveredworldarerapidandirrevocable。
ItwasLittleDorrit’slottowaituponbothkindsofchange。TheMarshalseawalls,duringaportionofeveryday,againembracedherintheirshadowsastheirchild,whileshethoughtforClennam,workedforhim,watchedhim,andonlylefthim,stilltodevoteherutmostloveandcaretohim。Herpartinthelifeoutsidethegateurgeditspressingclaimsuponhertoo,andherpatienceuntiringlyrespondedtothem。HerewasFanny,proud,fitful,whimsical,furtheradvancedinthatdisqualifiedstateforgoingintosocietywhichhadsomuchfrettedherontheeveningofthetortoise-shellknife,resolvedalwaystowantcomfort,resolvednottobecomforted,resolvedtobedeeplywronged,andresolvedthatnobodyshouldhavetheaudacitytothinkherso。Herewasherbrother,aweak,proud,tipsy,youngoldman,shakingfromheadtofoot,talkingasindistinctlyasifsomeofthemoneyheplumedhimselfuponhadgotintohismouthandcouldn’tbegotout,unabletowalkaloneinanyactofhislife,andpatronisingthesisterwhomheselfishlylovedhealwayshadthatnegativemerit,ill-starredandill-launchedTip!becausehesufferedhertoleadhim。HerewasMrsMerdleingauzymourning——theoriginalcapwhereofhadpossiblybeenrenttopiecesinafitofgrief,buthadcertainlyyieldedtoahighlybecomingarticlefromtheParisianmarket——warringwithFannyfoottofoot,andbreastingherwithherdesolatebosomeveryhourintheday。HerewaspoorMrSparkler,notknowinghowtokeepthepeacebetweenthem,buthumblyincliningtotheopinionthattheycoulddonobetterthanagreethattheywerebothremarkablyfinewomen,andthattherewasnononsenseabouteitherofthem——forwhichgentlerecommendationtheyunitedinfallinguponhimfrightfully。Then,too,herewasMrsGeneral,gothomefromforeignparts,sendingaPruneandaPrismbyposteveryotherday,demandinganewTestimonialbywayofrecommendationtosomevacantappointmentorother。Ofwhichremarkablegentlewomanitmaybefinallyobserved,thattheresurelyneverwasagentlewomanofwhosetranscendentfitnessforanyvacantappointmentonthefaceofthisearth,somanypeoplewereasthewarmthofherTestimonialsevincedsoperfectlysatisfied——orwhowassoveryunfortunateinhavingalargecircleofardentanddistinguishedadmirers,whoneverthemselveshappenedtowantherinanycapacity。
OnthefirstcrashoftheeminentMrMerdle’sdecease,manyimportantpersonshadbeenunabletodeterminewhethertheyshouldcutMrsMerdle,orcomforther。Asitseemed,however,essentialtothestrengthoftheirowncasethattheyshouldadmithertohavebeencruellydeceived,theygraciouslymadetheadmission,andcontinuedtoknowher。ItfollowedthatMrsMerdle,asawomanoffashionandgoodbreedingwhohadbeensacrificedtothewilesofavulgarbarbarianforMrMerdlewasfoundoutfromthecrownofhisheadtothesoleofhisfoot,themomenthewasfoundoutinhispocket,mustbeactivelychampionedbyherorderforherorder’ssake。Shereturnedthisfealtybycausingittobeunderstoodthatshewasevenmoreincensedagainstthefeloniousshadeofthedeceasedthananybodyelsewas;thus,onthewhole,shecameoutofherfurnacelikeawisewoman,anddidexceedinglywell。
MrSparkler’slordshipwasfortunatelyoneofthoseshelvesonwhichagentlemanisconsideredtobeputawayforlife,unlessthereshouldbereasonsforhoistinghimupwiththeBarnaclecranetoamorelucrativeheight。ThatpatrioticservantaccordinglystucktohiscolourstheStandardoffourQuarterings,andwasaperfectNelsoninrespectofnailingthemtothemast。Ontheprofitsofhisintrepidity,MrsSparklerandMrsMerdle,inhabitingdifferentfloorsofthegenteellittletempleofinconveniencetowhichthesmellofthedaybeforeyesterday’ssoupandcoach-horseswasasconstantasDeathtoman,arrayedthemselvestofightitoutinthelistsofSociety,swornrivals。AndLittleDorrit,seeingallthesethingsastheydevelopedthemselves,couldnotbutwonder,anxiously,intowhatbackcornerofthegenteelestablishmentFanny’schildrenwouldbepokedby-and-by,andwhowouldtakecareofthoseunbornlittlevictims。
Arthurbeingfartooilltobespokenwithonsubjectsofemotionoranxiety,andhisrecoverygreatlydependingonthereposeintowhichhisweaknesscouldbehushed,LittleDorrit’ssolerelianceduringthisheavyperiodwasonMrMeagles。Hewasstillabroad;
butshehadwrittentohimthroughhisdaughter,immediatelyafterfirstseeingArthurintheMarshalseaandsince,confidingheruneasinesstohimonthepointsonwhichshewasmostanxious,butespeciallyonone。Tothatone,thecontinuedabsenceofMrMeaglesabroad,insteadofhiscomfortingpresenceintheMarshalsea,wasreferable。
WithoutdisclosingtheprecisenatureofthedocumentsthathadfallenintoRigaud’shands,LittleDorrithadconfidedthegeneraloutlineofthatstorytoMrMeagles,towhomshehadalsorecountedhisfate。TheoldcautioushabitsofthescalesandscoopatonceshowedMrMeaglestheimportanceofrecoveringtheoriginalpapers;
whereforehewrotebacktoLittleDorrit,stronglyconfirmingherinthesolicitudesheexpressedonthathead,andaddingthathewouldnotcomeovertoEngland’withoutmakingsomeattempttotracethemout。’
BythistimeMrHenryGowanhadmadeuphismindthatitwouldbeagreeabletohimnottoknowtheMeagleses。Hewassoconsiderateastolaynoinjunctionsonhiswifeinthatparticular;buthementionedtoMrMeaglesthatpersonallytheydidnotappeartohimtogetontogether,andthathethoughtitwouldbeagoodthingif——politely,andwithoutanyscene,oranythingofthatsort——theyagreedthattheywerethebestfellowsintheworld,butwerebestapart。PoorMrMeagles,whowasalreadysensiblethathedidnotadvancehisdaughter’shappinessbybeingconstantlyslightedinherpresence,said’Good,Henry!YouaremyPet’shusband;youhavedisplacedme,inthecourseofnature;ifyouwishit,good!’
Thisarrangementinvolvedthecontingentadvantage,whichperhapsHenryGowanhadnotforeseen,thatbothMrandMrsMeaglesweremoreliberalthanbeforetotheirdaughter,whentheircommunicationwasonlywithherandheryoungchild:andthathishighspiritfounditselfbetterprovidedwithmoney,withoutbeingunderthedegradingnecessityofknowingwhenceitcame。
MrMeagles,atsuchaperiod,naturallyseizedanoccupationwithgreatardour。HeknewfromhisdaughterthevarioustownswhichRigaudhadbeenhaunting,andthevarioushotelsatwhichhehadbeenlivingforsometimeback。Theoccupationhesethimselfwastovisitthesewithalldiscretionandspeed,and,intheeventoffindinganywherethathehadleftabillunpaid,andaboxorparcelbehind,topaysuchbill,andbringawaysuchboxorparcel。
WithnootherattendantthanMother,MrMeagleswentuponhispilgrimage,andencounteredanumberofadventures。Nottheleastofhisdifficultieswas,thatheneverknewwhatwassaidtohim,andthathepursuedhisinquiriesamongpeoplewhoneverknewwhathesaidtothem。Still,withanunshakenconfidencethattheEnglishtonguewassomehowthemothertongueofthewholeworld,onlythepeopleweretoostupidtoknowit,MrMeaglesharanguedinnkeepersinthemostvolublemanner,enteredintoloudexplanationsofthemostcomplicatedsort,andutterlyrenouncedrepliesinthenativelanguageoftherespondents,onthegroundthattheywere’allbosh。’Sometimesinterpreterswerecalledin;
whomMrMeaglesaddressedinsuchidiomatictermsofspeech,asinstantlytoextinguishandshutup——whichmadethematterworse。
Onabalanceoftheaccount,however,itmaybedoubtedwhetherhelostmuch;for,althoughhefoundnoproperty,hefoundsomanydebtsandvariousassociationsofdiscreditwiththepropername,whichwastheonlywordhemadeintelligible,thathewasalmosteverywhereoverwhelmedwithinjuriousaccusations。OnnofewerthanfouroccasionsthepolicewerecalledintoreceivedenunciationsofMrMeaglesasaKnightofIndustry,agood-for-
nothing,andathief,allofwhichopprobriouslanguageheborewiththebesttemperhavingnoideawhatitmeant,andwasinthemostignominiousmannerescortedtosteam-boatsandpubliccarriages,tobegotridof,talkingallthewhile,likeacheerfulandfluentBritonashewas,withMotherunderhisarm。
But,inhisowntongue,andinhisownhead,MrMeagleswasaclear,shrewd,perseveringman。Whenhehad’workedround,’ashecalledit,toParisinhispilgrimage,andhadwhollyfailedinitsofar,hewasnotdisheartened。’ThenearertoEnglandIfollowhim,yousee,Mother,’arguedMrMeagles,’thenearerIamlikelytocometothepapers,whethertheyturnuporno。BecauseitisonlyreasonabletoconcludethathewoulddepositthemsomewherewheretheywouldbesafefrompeopleoverinEngland,andwheretheywouldyetbeaccessibletohimself,don’tyousee?’
AtParisMrMeaglesfoundaletterfromLittleDorrit,lyingwaitingforhim;inwhichshementionedthatshehadbeenabletotalkforaminuteortwowithMrClennamaboutthismanwhowasnomore;andthatwhenshetoldMrClennamthathisfriendMrMeagles,whowasonhiswaytoseehim,hadaninterestinascertainingsomethingaboutthemanifhecould,hehadaskedhertotellMrMeaglesthathehadbeenknowntoMissWade,thenlivinginsuchastreetatCalais。’Oho!’saidMrMeagles。
AssoonafterwardsasmightbeinthoseDiligencedays,MrMeaglesrangthecrackedbellatthecrackedgate,anditjarredopen,andthepeasant-womanstoodinthedarkdoorway,saying,’Ice-say!
Seer!Who?’Inacknowledgmentofwhoseaddress,MrMeaglesmurmuredtohimselfthattherewassomesenseabouttheseCalaispeople,whoreallydidknowsomethingofwhatyouandthemselveswereupto;andreturned,’MissWade,mydear。’HewasthenshownintothepresenceofMissWade。
’It’ssometimesincewemet,’saidMrMeagles,clearinghisthroat;’Ihopeyouhavebeenprettywell,MissWade?’
Withouthopingthatheoranybodyelsehadbeenprettywell,MissWadeaskedhimtowhatshewasindebtedforthehonourofseeinghimagain?MrMeagles,inthemeanwhile,glancedallroundtheroomwithoutobservinganythingintheshapeofabox。
’Why,thetruthis,MissWade,’saidMrMeagles,inacomfortable,managing,nottosaycoaxingvoice,’itispossiblethatyoumaybeabletothrowalightuponalittlesomethingthatisatpresentdark。Anyunpleasantbygonesbetweenusarebygones,Ihope。
Can’tbehelpednow。Yourecollectmydaughter?Timechangesso!
Amother!’
Inhisinnocence,MrMeaglescouldnothavestruckaworsekey-
note。Hepausedforanyexpressionofinterest,butpausedinvain。
’Thatisnotthesubjectyouwishedtoenteron?’shesaid,afteracoldsilence。
’No,no,’returnedMrMeagles。’No。Ithoughtyourgoodnaturemight——’
’Ithoughtyouknew,’sheinterrupted,withasmile,’thatmygoodnatureisnottobecalculatedupon?’
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