Theyweresoonquiteintimate，andlightenedthewaywithavarietyofconversation。Theingeniousculpritwasamanofgreatmodestyandgoodsense；and，thoughaplainman，hadbeentoomuchaccustomedtocombinewhatwasoriginalanddaringinconceptionwithwhatwaspatientandminuteinexecution，tobebyanymeansanordinaryman。Itwasatfirstdifficulttoleadhimtospeakabouthimself，andheputoffArthur’sadvancesinthatdirectionbyadmittingslightly，ohyes，hehaddonethis，andhehaddonethat，andsuchathingwasofhismaking，andsuchanotherthingwashisdiscovery，butitwashistrade，yousee，histrade；until，ashegraduallybecameassuredthathiscompanionhadarealinterestinhisaccountofhimself，hefranklyyieldedtoit。Thenitappearedthathewasthesonofanorth-countryblacksmith，andhadoriginallybeenapprenticedbyhiswidowedmothertoalock-
　　maker；thathehad’struckoutafewlittlethings’atthelock-
　　maker’s，whichhadledtohisbeingreleasedfromhisindentureswithapresent，whichpresenthadenabledhimtogratifyhisardentwishtobindhimselftoaworkingengineer，underwhomhehadlabouredhard，learnedhard，andlivedhard，sevenyears。Histimebeingout，hehad’workedintheshop’atweeklywagessevenoreightyearsmore；andhadthenbetakenhimselftothebanksoftheClyde，wherehehadstudied，andfiled，andhammered，andimprovedhisknowledge，theoreticalandpractical，forsixorsevenyearsmore。TherehehadhadanoffertogotoLyons，whichhehadaccepted；andfromLyonshadbeenengagedtogotoGermany，andinGermanyhadhadanoffertogotoStPetersburg，andtherehaddoneverywellindeed——neverbetter。However，hehadnaturallyfeltapreferenceforhisowncountry，andawishtogaindistinctionthere，andtodowhateverservicehecoulddo，thereratherthanelsewhere。Andsohehadcomehome。Andsoathomehehadestablishedhimselfinbusiness，andhadinventedandexecuted，andworkedhiswayon，until，afteradozenyearsofconstantsuitandservice，hehadbeenenrolledintheGreatBritishLegionofHonour，theLegionoftheRebuffedoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andhadbeendecoratedwiththeGreatBritishOrderofMerit，theOrderoftheDisorderoftheBarnaclesandStiltstalkings。
　　’itismuchtoberegretted，’saidClennam，’thatyoueverturnedyourthoughtsthatway，MrDoyce。’
　　’True，sir，truetoacertainextent。Butwhatisamantodo？ifhehasthemisfortunetostrikeoutsomethingserviceabletothenation，hemustfollowwhereitleadshim。’
　　’Hadn’thebetterletitgo？’saidClennam。
　　’Hecan’tdoit，’saidDoyce，shakinghisheadwithathoughtfulsmile。’It’snotputintohisheadtobeburied。It’sputintohisheadtobemadeuseful。Youholdyourlifeontheconditionthattothelastyoushallstrugglehardforit。Everymanholdsadiscoveryonthesameterms。’
　　’Thatistosay，’saidArthur，withagrowingadmirationofhisquietcompanion，’youarenotfinallydiscouragedevennow？’
　　’Ihavenorighttobe，ifIam，’returnedtheother。’Thethingisastrueasiteverwas。’
　　Whentheyhadwalkedalittlewayinsilence，Clennam，atoncetochangethedirectpointoftheirconversationandnottochangeittooabruptly，askedMrDoyceifhehadanypartnerinhisbusinesstorelievehimofaportionofitsanxieties？
　　’No，’hereturned，’notatpresent。IhadwhenIfirstenteredonit，andagoodmanhewas。Buthehasbeendeadsomeyears；andasIcouldnoteasilytaketothenotionofanotherwhenIlosthim，Iboughthisshareformyselfandhavegoneonbymyselfeversince。Andhere’sanotherthing，’hesaid，stoppingforamomentwithagood-humouredlaughinhiseyes，andlayinghisclosedrighthand，withitspeculiarsupplenessofthumb，onClennam’sarm，’noinventorcanbeamanofbusiness，youknow。’
　　’No？’saidClennam。
　　’Why，sothemenofbusinesssay，’heanswered，resumingthewalkandlaughingoutright。’Idon’tknowwhyweunfortunatecreaturesshouldbesupposedtowantcommonsense，butitisgenerallytakenforgrantedthatwedo。EventhebestfriendIhaveintheworld，ourexcellentfriendoveryonder，’saidDoyce，noddingtowardsTwickenham，’extendsasortofprotectiontome，don’tyouknow，asamannotquiteabletotakecareofhimself？’
　　ArthurClennamcouldnothelpjoininginthegood-humouredlaugh，forherecognisedthetruthofthedescription。
　　’SoIfindthatImusthaveapartnerwhoisamanofbusinessandnotguiltyofanyinventions，’saidDanielDoyce，takingoffhishattopasshishandoverhisforehead，’ifit’sonlyindeferencetothecurrentopinion，andtoupholdthecreditoftheWorks。I
　　don’tthinkhe’llfindthatIhavebeenveryremissorconfusedinmywayofconductingthem；butthat’sforhimtosay——whoeverheis——notforme。’
　　’Youhavenotchosenhimyet，then？’
　　’No，sir，no。Ihaveonlyjustcometoadecisiontotakeone。
　　Thefactis，there’smoretodothanthereusedtobe，andtheWorksareenoughformeasIgrowolder。Whatwiththebooksandcorrespondence，andforeignjourneysforwhichaPrincipalisnecessary，Ican’tdoall。Iamgoingtotalkoverthebestwayofnegotiatingthematter，ifIfindasparehalf-hourbetweenthisandMondaymorning，withmy——myNurseandprotector，’saidDoyce，withlaughingeyesagain。’Heisasagaciousmaninbusiness，andhashadagoodapprenticeshiptoit。’
　　Afterthis，theyconversedondifferentsubjectsuntiltheyarrivedattheirjourney’send。Acomposedandunobtrusiveself-
　　sustainmentwasnoticeableinDanielDoyce——acalmknowledgethatwhatwastruemustremaintrue，inspiteofalltheBarnaclesinthefamilyocean，andwouldbejustthetruth，andneithermorenorlesswheneventhatseahadrundry——whichhadakindofgreatnessinit，thoughnotoftheofficialquality。
　　Asheknewthehousewell，heconductedArthurtoitbythewaythatshowedittothebestadvantage。Itwasacharmingplacenonetheworseforbeingalittleeccentric，ontheroadbytheriver，andjustwhattheresidenceoftheMeaglesfamilyoughttobe。Itstoodinagarden，nodoubtasfreshandbeautifulintheMayoftheYearasPetnowwasintheMayofherlife；anditwasdefendedbyagoodlyshowofhandsometreesandspreadingevergreens，asPetwasbyMrandMrsMeagles。Itwasmadeoutofanoldbrickhouse，ofwhichaparthadbeenaltogetherpulleddown，andanotherparthadbeenchangedintothepresentcottage；
　　sotherewasahaleelderlyportion，torepresentMrandMrsMeagles，andayoungpicturesque，veryprettyportiontorepresentPet。Therewaseventhelateradditionofaconservatoryshelteringitselfagainstit，uncertainofhueinitsdeep-stainedglass，andinitsmoretransparentportionsflashingtothesun’srays，nowlikefireandnowlikeharmlesswaterdrops；whichmighthavestoodforTattycoram。Withinviewwasthepeacefulriverandtheferry-boat，tomoralisetoalltheinmatessaying：Youngorold，passionateortranquil，chafingorcontent，you，thusrunsthecurrentalways。Lettheheartswellintowhatdiscorditwill，thusplaystheripplingwaterontheprowoftheferry-boateverthesametune。Yearafteryear，somuchallowanceforthedriftingoftheboat，somanymilesanhourtheflowingofthestream，heretherushes，therethelilies，nothinguncertainorunquiet，uponthisroadthatsteadilyrunsaway；whileyou，uponyourflowingroadoftime，aresocapriciousanddistracted。
　　ThebellatthegatehadscarcelysoundedwhenMrMeaglescameouttoreceivethem。MrMeagleshadscarcelycomeout，whenMrsMeaglescameout。MrsMeagleshadscarcelycomeout，whenPetcameout。Petscarcelyhadcomeout，whenTattycoramcameout。Neverhadvisitorsamorehospitablereception。
　　’Hereweare，yousee，’saidMrMeagles，’boxedup，MrClennam，withinourownhome-limits，asifwewerenevergoingtoexpand——
　　thatis，travel——again。NotlikeMarseilles，eh？Noallongingandmarshonginghere!’
　　’Adifferentkindofbeauty，indeed!’saidClennam，lookingabouthim。
　　’But，Lordblessme!’criedMrMeagles，rubbinghishandswitharelish，’itwasanuncommonlypleasantthingbeinginquarantine，wasn’tit？Doyouknow，Ihaveoftenwishedmyselfbackagain？Wewereacapitalparty。’
　　ThiswasMrMeagles’sinvariablehabit。Alwaystoobjecttoeverythingwhilehewastravelling，andalwaystowanttogetbacktoitwhenhewasnottravelling。
　　’Ifitwassummer-time，’saidMrMeagles，’whichIwishitwasonyouraccount，andinorderthatyoumightseetheplaceatitsbest，youwouldhardlybeabletohearyourselfspeakforbirds。
　　Beingpracticalpeople，weneverallowanybodytoscarethebirds；
　　andthebirds，beingpracticalpeopletoo，comeaboutusinmyriads。Wearedelightedtoseeyou，Clennamifyou’llallowme，IshalldroptheMister；Iheartilyassureyou，wearedelighted。’
　　’Ihavenothadsopleasantagreeting，’saidClennam——thenherecalledwhatLittleDorrithadsaidtohiminhisownroom，andfaithfullyadded’exceptonce——sincewelastwalkedtoandfro，lookingdownattheMediterranean。’
　　’Ah!’returnedMrMeagles。’Somethinglikealookout，thatwas，wasn’tit？Idon’twantamilitarygovernment，butIshouldn’tmindalittleallongingandmarshonging——justadashofit——inthisneighbourhoodsometimes。It’sDevilishstill。’
　　Bestowingthiseulogiumontheretiredcharacterofhisretreatwithadubiousshakeofthehead，MrMeaglesledthewayintothehouse。Itwasjustlargeenough，andnomore；wasasprettywithinasitwaswithout，andwasperfectlywell-arrangedandcomfortable。
　　Sometracesofthemigratoryhabitsofthefamilyweretobeobservedinthecoveredframesandfurniture，andwrapped-uphangings；butitwaseasytoseethatitwasoneofMrMeagles’swhimstohavethecottagealwayskept，intheirabsence，asiftheywerealwayscomingbackthedayafterto-morrow。Ofarticlescollectedonhisvariousexpeditions，therewassuchavastmiscellanythatitwaslikethedwellingofanamiableCorsair。
　　TherewereantiquitiesfromCentralItaly，madebythebestmodernhousesinthatdepartmentofindustry；bitsofmummyfromEgyptandperhapsBirmingham；modelgondolasfromVenice；modelvillagesfromSwitzerland；morselsoftesselatedpavementfromHerculaneumandPompeii，likepetrifiedmincedveal；ashesoutoftombs，andlavaoutofVesuvius；Spanishfans，Spezzianstrawhats，Moorishslippers，Tuscanhairpins，Carrarasculpture，Trastaveriniscarves，Genoesevelvetsandfiligree，Neapolitancoral，Romancameos，Genevajewellery，Arablanterns，rosariesblestallroundbythePopehimself，andaninfinitevarietyoflumber。Therewereviews，likeandunlike，ofamultitudeofplaces；andtherewasonelittlepicture-roomdevotedtoafewoftheregularstickyoldSaints，withsinewslikewhipcord，hairlikeNeptune’s，wrinklesliketattooing，andsuchcoatsofvarnishthateveryholypersonageservedforafly-trap，andbecamewhatisnowcalledinthevulgartongueaCatch-em-aliveO。OfthesepictorialacquisitionsMrMeaglesspokeintheusualmanner。Hewasnojudge，hesaid，exceptofwhatpleasedhimself；hehadpickedthemup，dirt-cheap，andpeoplehadconsideredthemratherfine。Oneman，whoatanyrateoughttoknowsomethingofthesubject，haddeclaredthat’Sage，Reading’aspeciallyoilyoldgentlemaninablanket，withaswan’s-downtippetforabeard，andawebofcracksalloverhimlikerichpie-crust，tobeafineGuercino。AsforSebastiandelPiombothere，youwouldjudgeforyourself；ifitwerenothislatermanner，thequestionwas，Whowasit？Titian，thatmightormightnotbe——perhapshehadonlytouchedit。DanielDoycesaidperhapshehadn’ttouchedit，butMrMeaglesratherdeclinedtooverheartheremark。
　　Whenhehadshownallhisspoils，MrMeaglestookthemintohisownsnugroomoverlookingthelawn，whichwasfittedupinpartlikeadressing-roomandinpartlikeanoffice，andinwhich，uponakindofcounter-desk，wereapairofbrassscalesforweighinggold，andascoopforshovellingoutmoney。
　　’Heretheyare，yousee，’saidMrMeagles。’Istoodbehindthesetwoarticlesfive-and-thirtyyearsrunning，whenInomorethoughtofgaddingaboutthanInowthinkof——stayingathome。WhenIlefttheBankforgood，Iaskedforthem，andbroughtthemawaywithme。
　　Imentionitatonce，oryoumightsupposethatIsitinmycounting-houseasPetsaysIdo，likethekinginthepoemofthefour-and-twentyblackbirds，countingoutmymoney。’