’Perfectlywell。’
　　’AndwhenyougavemesomeothergoodadvicewhichIneededatthattime？’
　　’Iwon’tsaywhatitwasworth，’answeredMrMeagles：’butofcourseIrememberourbeingverypleasantandconfidentialtogether。’
　　’Ihaveactedonyouradvice；andhavingdisembarrassedmyselfofanoccupationthatwaspainfultomeformanyreasons，wishtodevotemyselfandwhatmeansIhave，toanotherpursuit。’
　　’Right!Youcan’tdoittoosoon，’saidMrMeagles。
　　’Now，asIcamedownto-day，Ifoundthatyourfriend，MrDoyce，islookingforapartnerinhisbusiness——notapartnerinhismechanicalknowledge，butinthewaysandmeansofturningthebusinessarisingfromittothebestaccount。’
　　’Justso，’saidMrMeagles，withhishandsinhispockets，andwiththeoldbusinessexpressionoffacethathadbelongedtothescalesandscoop。
　　’MrDoycementionedincidentally，inthecourseofourconversation，thathewasgoingtotakeyourvaluableadviceonthesubjectoffindingsuchapartner。Ifyoushouldthinkourviewsandopportunitiesatalllikelytocoincide，perhapsyouwilllethimknowmyavailableposition。Ispeak，ofcourse，inignoranceofthedetails，andtheymaybeunsuitableonbothsides。’
　　’Nodoubt，nodoubt，’saidMrMeagles，withthecautionbelongingtothescalesandscoop。
　　’Buttheywillbeaquestionoffiguresandaccounts——’
　　’Justso，justso，’saidMrMeagles，witharithmeticalsoliditybelongingtothescalesandscoop。
　　’——AndIshallbegladtoenterintothesubject，providedMrDoyceresponds，andyouthinkwellofit。Ifyouwillatpresent，therefore，allowmetoplaceitinyourhands，youwillmuchobligeme。’
　　’Clennam，Iacceptthetrustwithreadiness，’saidMrMeagles。
　　’Andwithoutanticipatinganyofthepointswhichyou，asamanofbusiness，haveofcoursereserved，IamfreetosaytoyouthatI
　　thinksomethingmaycomeofthis。Ofonethingyoumaybeperfectlycertain。Danielisanhonestman。’
　　’IamsosureofitthatIhavepromptlymadeupmymindtospeaktoyou。’
　　’Youmustguidehim，youknow；youmuststeerhim；youmustdirecthim；heisoneofacrotchetysort，’saidMrMeagles，evidentlymeaningnothingmorethanthathedidnewthingsandwentnewways；
　　’butheisashonestasthesun，andsogoodnight!’
　　Clennamwentbacktohisroom，satdownagainbeforehisfire，andmadeuphismindthathewasgladhehadresolvednottofallinlovewithPet。Shewassobeautiful，soamiable，soapttoreceiveanytrueimpressiongiventohergentlenatureandherinnocentheart，andmakethemanwhoshouldbesohappyastocommunicateit，themostfortunateandenviableofallmen，thathewasverygladindeedhehadcometothatconclusion。
　　But，asthismighthavebeenareasonforcomingtotheoppositeconclusion，hefollowedoutthethemeagainalittlewayinhismind；tojustifyhimself，perhaps。
　　’Supposethataman，’sohisthoughtsran，’whohadbeenofagesometwentyyearsorso；whowasadiffidentman，fromthecircumstancesofhisyouth；whowasratheragraveman，fromthetenorofhislife；whoknewhimselftobedeficientinmanylittleengagingqualitieswhichheadmiredinothers，fromhavingbeenlonginadistantregion，withnothingsofteningnearhim；whohadnokindsisterstopresenttoher；whohadnocongenialhometomakeherknownin；whowasastrangerintheland；whohadnotafortunetocompensate，inanymeasure，forthesedefects；whohadnothinginhisfavourbuthishonestloveandhisgeneralwishtodoright——supposesuchamanweretocometothishouse，andweretoyieldtothecaptivationofthischarminggirl，andweretopersuadehimselfthathecouldhopetowinher；whataweaknessitwouldbe!’
　　Hesoftlyopenedhiswindow，andlookedoutuponthesereneriver。
　　Yearafteryearsomuchallowanceforthedriftingoftheferry-
　　boat，somanymilesanhourtheflowingofthestream，heretherushes，therethelilies，nothinguncertainorunquiet。
　　Whyshouldhebevexedorsoreatheart？Itwasnothisweaknessthathehadimagined。Itwasnobody’s，nobody’swithinhisknowledge；whyshouldittroublehim？Andyetitdidtroublehim。
　　Andhethought——whohasnotthoughtforamoment，sometimes？——thatitmightbebettertoflowawaymonotonously，liketheriver，andtocompoundforitsinsensibilitytohappinesswithitsinsensibilitytopain。
　　Nobody’sRivalBeforebreakfastinthemorning，Arthurwalkedouttolookabouthim。Asthemorningwasfineandhehadanhouronhishands，hecrossedtheriverbytheferry，andstrolledalongafootpaththroughsomemeadows。Whenhecamebacktothetowing-path，hefoundtheferry-boatontheoppositeside，andagentlemanhailingitandwaitingtobetakenover。
　　Thisgentlemanlookedbarelythirty。Hewaswelldressed，ofasprightlyandgayappearance，awell-knitfigure，andarichdarkcomplexion。AsArthurcameoverthestileanddowntothewater’sedge，theloungerglancedathimforamoment，andthenresumedhisoccupationofidlytossingstonesintothewaterwithhisfoot。
　　Therewassomethinginhiswayofspurningthemoutoftheirplaceswithhisheel，andgettingthemintotherequiredposition，thatClennamthoughthadanairofcrueltyinit。Mostofushavemoreorlessfrequentlyderivedasimilarimpressionfromaman’smannerofdoingsomeverylittlething：pluckingaflower，clearingawayanobstacle，orevendestroyinganinsentientobject。
　　Thegentleman’sthoughtswerepreoccupied，ashisfaceshowed，andhetooknonoticeofafineNewfoundlanddog，whowatchedhimattentively，andwatchedeverystonetoo，initsturn，eagertospringintotheriveronreceivinghismaster’ssign。Theferry-
　　boatcameover，however，withouthisreceivinganysign，andwhenitgroundedhismastertookhimbythecollarandwalkedhimintoit。
　　’Notthismorning，’hesaidtothedog。’Youwon’tdoforladies’
　　company，drippingwet。Liedown。’
　　Clennamfollowedthemanandthedogintotheboat，andtookhisseat。Thedogdidashewasordered。Themanremainedstanding，withhishandsinhispockets，andtoweredbetweenClennamandtheprospect。Mananddogbothjumpedlightlyoutassoonastheytouchedtheotherside，andwentaway。Clennamwasgladtoberidofthem。
　　Thechurchclockstruckthebreakfasthourashewalkedupthelittlelanebywhichthegarden-gatewasapproached。Themomenthepulledthebelladeeploudbarkingassailedhimfromwithinthewall。
　　’Iheardnodoglastnight，’thoughtClennam。Thegatewasopenedbyoneoftherosymaids，andonthelawnweretheNewfoundlanddogandtheman。
　　’MissMinnieisnotdownyet，gentlemen，’saidtheblushingportress，astheyallcametogetherinthegarden。Thenshesaidtothemasterofthedog，’MrClennam，sir，’andtrippedaway。
　　’Oddenough，MrClennam，thatweshouldhavemetjustnow，’saidtheman。Uponwhichthedogbecamemute。’Allowmetointroducemyself——HenryGowan。Aprettyplacethis，andlookswonderfullywellthismorning!’
　　Themannerwaseasy，andthevoiceagreeable；butstillClennamthought，thatifhehadnotmadethatdecidedresolutiontoavoidfallinginlovewithPet，hewouldhavetakenadisliketothisHenryGowan。
　　’It’snewtoyou，Ibelieve？’saidthisGowan，whenArthurhadextolledtheplace。
　　’Quitenew。Imadeacquaintancewithitonlyyesterdayafternoon。’
　　’Ah!Ofcoursethisisnotitsbestaspect。Itusedtolookcharminginthespring，beforetheywentawaylasttime。Ishouldlikeyoutohaveseenitthen。’
　　Butforthatresolutionsooftenrecalled，ClennammighthavewishedhiminthecraterofMountEtna，inreturnforthiscivility。
　　’Ihavehadthepleasureofseeingitundermanycircumstancesduringthelastthreeyears，andit’s——aParadise。’
　　Itwasatleastitmighthavebeen，alwaysexceptingforthatwiseresolutionlikehisdexterousimpudencetocallitaParadise。HeonlycalleditaParadisebecausehefirstsawhercoming，andsomadeheroutwithinherhearingtobeanangel，Confusiontohim!
　　Andah!howbeamingshelooked，andhowglad!Howshecaressedthedog，andhowthedogknewher!Howexpressivethatheightenedcolourinherface，thatflutteredmanner，herdowncasteyes，herirresolutehappiness!WhenhadClennamseenherlooklikethis？
　　Notthattherewasanyreasonwhyhemight，could，would，orshouldhaveeverseenherlooklikethis，orthathehadeverhopedforhimselftoseeherlooklikethis；butstill——whenhadheeverknownherdoit!
　　Hestoodatalittledistancefromthem。ThisGowanwhenhehadtalkedaboutaParadise，hadgoneuptoherandtakenherhand。
　　Thedoghadputhisgreatpawsonherarmandlaidhisheadagainstherdearbosom。Shehadlaughedandwelcomedthem，andmadefartoomuchofthedog，far，far，toomuch——thatistosay，supposingtherehadbeenanythirdpersonlookingonwholovedher。
　　Shedisengagedherselfnow，andcametoClennam，andputherhandinhisandwishedhimgoodmorning，andgracefullymadeasifshewouldtakehisarmandbeescortedintothehouse。TothisGowanhadnoobjection。No，heknewhewastoosafe。
　　TherewasapassingcloudonMrMeagles’sgood-humouredfacewhentheyallthreefour，countingthedog，andhewasthemostobjectionablebutoneofthepartycameintobreakfast。Neitherit，northetouchofuneasinessonMrsMeaglesasshedirectedhereyestowardsit，wasunobservedbyClennam。
　　’Well，Gowan，’saidMrMeagles，evensuppressingasigh；’howgoestheworldwithyouthismorning？’
　　’Muchasusual，sir。LionandIbeingdeterminednottowasteanythingofourweeklyvisit，turnedoutearly，andcameoverfromKingston，mypresentheadquarters，whereIammakingasketchortwo。’ThenhetoldhowhehadmetMrClennamattheferry，andtheyhadcomeovertogether。
　　’MrsGowaniswell，Henry？’saidMrsMeagles。Clennambecameattentive。
　　’Mymotherisquitewell，thankyou。’Clennambecameinattentive。’Ihavetakenthelibertyofmakinganadditiontoyourfamilydinner-partyto-day，whichIhopewillnotbeinconvenienttoyouortoMrMeagles。Icouldn’tverywellgetoutofit，’heexplained，turningtothelatter。’Theyoungfellowwrotetoproposehimselftome；andasheiswellconnected，I
　　thoughtyouwouldnotobjecttomytransferringhimhere。’
　　’Whoistheyoungfellow？’askedMrMeagleswithpeculiarcomplacency。
　　’HeisoneoftheBarnacles。TiteBarnacle’sson，ClarenceBarnacle，whoisinhisfather’sDepartment。Icanatleastguaranteethattherivershallnotsufferfromhisvisit。Hewon’tsetitonfire。’