InthesocietyofMrRugg，whohadaroundwhitevisage，asifallhisblusheshadbeendrawnoutofhimlongago，andwhohadaraggedyellowheadlikeaworn-outhearthbroom；andinthesocietyofMissRugg，whohadlittlenankeenspots，likeshirtbuttons，alloverherface，andwhoseownyellowtresseswereratherscrubbythanluxuriant；MrPanckshadusuallydinedonSundaysforsomefewyears，andhadtwiceaweek，orso，enjoyedaneveningcollationofbread，Dutchcheese，andporter。MrPanckswasoneoftheveryfewmarriageablemenforwhomMissRugghadnoterrors，theargumentwithwhichhereassuredhimselfbeingtwofold；thatistosay，firstly，’thatitwouldn’tdotwice，’andsecondly，’thathewasn’tworthit。’Fortifiedwithinthisdoublearmour，MrPanckssnortedatMissRuggoneasyterms。
　　Uptothistime，MrPanckshadtransactedlittleornobusinessathisquartersinPentonville，exceptinthesleepingline；butnowthathehadbecomeafortune-teller，hewasoftenclosetedaftermidnightwithMrRugginhislittlefront-parlouroffice，andevenafterthoseuntimelyhours，burnttallowinhisbed-room。Thoughhisdutiesashisproprietor’sgrubberwereinnowiselessened；
　　andthoughthatserviceborenogreaterresemblancetoabedofrosesthanwastobediscoveredinitsmanythorns；somenewbranchofindustrymadeaconstantdemanduponhim。WhenhecastoffthePatriarchatnight，itwasonlytotakeananonymouscraftintow，andlabourawayafreshinotherwaters。
　　TheadvancefromapersonalacquaintancewiththeelderMrChiverytoanintroductiontohisamiablewifeanddisconsolateson，mayhavebeeneasy；buteasyornot，MrPanckssoonmadeit。HenestledinthebosomofthetobaccobusinesswithinaweekortwoafterhisfirstappearanceintheCollege，andparticularlyaddressedhimselftothecultivationofagoodunderstandingwithYoungJohn。Inthisendeavourhesoprosperedastolurethatpiningshepherdforthfromthegroves，andtempthimtoundertakemysteriousmissions；onwhichhebegantodisappearatuncertainintervalsforaslongaspaceastwoorthreedaystogether。TheprudentMrsChivery，whowonderedgreatlyatthischange，wouldhaveprotestedagainstitasdetrimentaltotheHighlandtypificationonthedoorpostbutfortwoforciblereasons；one，thatherJohnwasrousedtotakestronginterestinthebusinesswhichthesestartsweresupposedtoadvance——andthissheheldtobegoodforhisdroopingspirits；theother，thatMrPancksconfidentiallyagreedtopayher，fortheoccupationofherson’stime，atthehandsomerateofsevenandsixpenceperday。Theproposaloriginatedwithhimself，andwascouchedinthepithyterms，’IfyourJohnisweakenough，ma’am，nottotakeit，thatisnoreasonwhyyoushouldbe，don’tyousee？So，quitebetweenourselves，ma’am，businessbeingbusiness，hereitis!’
　　WhatMrChiverythoughtofthesethings，orhowmuchorhowlittleheknewaboutthem，wasnevergatheredfromhimself。Ithasbeenalreadyremarkedthathewasamanoffewwords；anditmaybehereobservedthathehadimbibedaprofessionalhabitoflockingeverythingup。HelockedhimselfupascarefullyashelockeduptheMarshalseadebtors。Evenhiscustomofboltinghismealsmayhavebeenapartofanuniformwhole；butthereisnoquestion，that，astoallotherpurposes，hekepthismouthashekepttheMarshalseadoor。Heneveropeneditwithoutoccasion。Whenitwasnecessarytoletanythingout，heopeneditalittleway，helditopenjustaslongassufficedforthepurpose，andlockeditagain。
　　EvenashewouldbesparingofhistroubleattheMarshalseadoor，andwouldkeepavisitorwhowantedtogoout，waitingforafewmomentsifhesawanothervisitorcomingdowntheyard，sothatoneturnofthekeyshouldsufficeforboth，similarlyhewouldoftenreservearemarkifheperceivedanotheronitswaytohislips，andwoulddeliverhimselfofthetwotogether。Astoanykeytohisinnerknowledgebeingtobefoundinhisface，theMarshalseakeywasaslegibleasanindextotheindividualcharactersandhistoriesuponwhichitwasturned。
　　ThatMrPancksshouldbemovedtoinviteanyonetodinneratPentonville，wasanunprecedentedfactinhiscalendar。ButheinvitedYoungJohntodinner，andevenbroughthimwithinrangeofthedangerousbecauseexpensivefascinationsofMissRugg。ThebanquetwasappointedforaSunday，andMissRuggwithherownhandsstuffedalegofmuttonwithoystersontheoccasion，andsentittothebaker’s——notTHEbaker’sbutanoppositionestablishment。Provisionoforanges，apples，andnutswasalsomade。AndrumwasbroughthomebyMrPancksonSaturdaynight，togladdenthevisitor’sheart。
　　Thestoreofcreaturecomfortswasnotthechiefpartofthevisitor’sreception。Itsspecialfeaturewasaforegonefamilyconfidenceandsympathy。WhenYoungJohnappearedathalf-pastonewithouttheivoryhandandwaistcoatofgoldensprigs，thesunshornofhisbeamsbydisastrousclouds，MrPanckspresentedhimtotheyellow-hairedRuggsastheyoungmanhehadsooftenmentionedwholovedMissDorrit。
　　’Iamglad，’saidMrRugg，challenginghimspeciallyinthatcharacter，’tohavethedistinguishedgratificationofmakingyouracquaintance，sir。Yourfeelingsdoyouhonour。Youareyoung；
　　mayyouneveroutliveyourfeelings!IfIwastooutlivemyownfeelings，sir，’saidMrRugg，whowasamanofmanywords，andwasconsideredtopossessaremarkablygoodaddress；’ifIwastooutlivemyownfeelings，I’dleavefiftypoundinmywilltothemanwhowouldputmeoutofexistence。’
　　MissRuggheavedasigh。
　　’Mydaughter，sir，’saidMrRugg。’Anastatia，youarenostrangertothestateofthisyoungman’saffections。Mydaughterhashadhertrials，sir’——MrRuggmighthaveusedthewordmorepointedlyinthesingularnumber——’andshecanfeelforyou。’
　　YoungJohn，almostoverwhelmedbythetouchingnatureofthisgreeting，professedhimselftothateffect。
　　’WhatIenvyyou，sir，is，’saidMrRugg，’allowmetotakeyourhat——wearerathershortofpegs——I’llputitinthecorner，nobodywilltreadonitthere——WhatIenvyyou，sir，istheluxuryofyourownfeelings。Ibelongtoaprofessioninwhichthatluxuryissometimesdeniedus。’
　　YoungJohnreplied，withacknowledgments，thatheonlyhopedhedidwhatwasright，andwhatshowedhowentirelyhewasdevotedtoMissDorrit。Hewishedtobeunselfish；andhehopedhewas。HewishedtodoanythingaslaidinhispowertoserveMissDorrit，altogetherputtinghimselfoutofsight；andhehopedhedid。Itwasbutlittlethathecoulddo，buthehopedhedidit。
　　’Sir，’saidMrRugg，takinghimbythehand，’youareayoungmanthatitdoesonegoodtocomeacross。YouareayoungmanthatI
　　shouldliketoputinthewitness-box，tohumanisethemindsofthelegalprofession。Ihopeyouhavebroughtyourappetitewithyou，andintendtoplayagoodknifeandfork？’
　　’Thankyou，sir，’returnedYoungJohn，’Idon’teatmuchatpresent。’
　　MrRuggdrewhimalittleapart。’Mydaughter’scase，sir，’saidhe，’atthetimewhen，invindicationofheroutragedfeelingsandhersex，shebecametheplaintiffinRuggandBawkins。IsupposeIcouldhaveputitinevidence，MrChivery，ifIhadthoughtitworthmywhile，thattheamountofsolidsustenancemydaughterconsumedatthatperioddidnotexceedtenouncesperweek。’
　　’IthinkIgoalittlebeyondthat，sir，’returnedtheother，hesitating，asifheconfesseditwithsomeshame。
　　’Butinyourcasethere’snofiendinhumanform，’saidMrRugg，withargumentativesmileandactionofhand。’Observe，MrChivery!
　　Nofiendinhumanform!’
　　’No，sir，certainly，’YoungJohnaddedwithsimplicity，’Ishouldbeverysorryiftherewas。’
　　’Thesentiment，’saidMrRugg，’iswhatIshouldhaveexpectedfromyourknownprinciples。Itwouldaffectmydaughtergreatly，sir，ifsheheardit。AsIperceivethemutton，Iamgladshedidn’thearit。MrPancks，onthisoccasion，prayfaceme。Mydear，faceMrChivery。Forwhatwearegoingtoreceive，mayweandMissDorritbetrulythankful!’
　　ButforagravewaggishnessinMrRugg’smannerofdeliveringthisintroductiontothefeast，itmighthaveappearedthatMissDorritwasexpectedtobeoneofthecompany。Pancksrecognisedthesallyinhisusualway，andtookinhisprovenderinhisusualway。MissRugg，perhapsmakingupsomeofherarrears，likewisetookverykindlytothemutton，anditrapidlydiminishedtothebone。A
　　bread-and-butterpuddingentirelydisappeared，andaconsiderableamountofcheeseandradishesvanishedbythesamemeans。Thencamethedessert。
　　Thenalso，andbeforethebroachingoftherumandwater，cameMrPancks’snote-book。Theensuingbusinessproceedingswerebriefbutcurious，andratherinthenatureofaconspiracy。MrPanckslookedoverhisnote-book，whichwasnowgettingfull，studiously；
　　andpickedoutlittleextracts，whichhewroteonseparateslipsofpaperonthetable；MrRugg，inthemeanwhile，lookingathimwithcloseattention，andYoungJohnlosinghisuncollectedeyeinmistsofmeditation。WhenMrPancks，whosupportedthecharacterofchiefconspirator，hadcompletedhisextracts，helookedthemover，correctedthem，putuphisnote-book，andheldthemlikeahandatcards。
　　’Now，there’sachurchyardinBedfordshire，’saidPancks。’Whotakesit？’
　　’I’lltakeit，sir，’returnedMrRugg，’ifnoonebids。’
　　MrPancksdealthimhiscard，andlookedathishandagain。
　　’Now，there’sanEnquiryinYork，’saidPancks。’Whotakesit？’
　　’I’mnotgoodforYork，’saidMrRugg。
　　’Thenperhaps，’pursuedPancks，’you’llbesoobliging，JohnChivery？’YoungJohnassenting，Pancksdealthimhiscard，andconsultedhishandagain。
　　’There’saChurchinLondon；Imayaswelltakethat。AndaFamilyBible；Imayaswelltakethat，too。That’stwotome。Twotome，’repeatedPancks，breathinghardoverhiscards。’Here’saClerkatDurhamforyou，John，andanoldseafaringgentlemanatDunstableforyou，MrRugg。Twotome，wasit？Yes，twotome。
　　Here’saStone；threetome。AndaStill-bornBaby；fourtome。
　　Andall，forthepresent，told。’