from Mr Sparkler that there is no great……hum……probability of Mr Merdle's
ing abroad。'
'Why； indeed；' said Mrs Merdle； 'he is so much engaged and in such
request； that I fear not。 He has not been able to get abroad for years。
You； Miss Dorrit； I believe have been almost continually abroad for a
long time。'
'Oh dear yes；' drawled Fanny； with the greatest hardihood。 'An immense
number of years。'
'So I should have inferred；' said Mrs Merdle。
'Exactly；' said Fanny。
'I trust； however；' resumed Mr Dorrit； 'that if I have not
the……hum……great advantage of being known to Mr Merdle on this side
of the Alps or Mediterranean； I shall have that honour on returning to
England。 It is an honour I particularly desire and shall particularly
esteem。' 'Mr Merdle；' said Mrs Merdle； who had been looking admiringly
at Fanny through her eye…glass； 'will esteem it； I am sure； no less。'
Little Dorrit； still habitually thoughtful and solitary though no longer
alone； at first supposed this to be mere Prunes and Prism。 But as her
father when they had been to a brilliant reception at Mrs Merdle's；
harped at their own family breakfast…table on his wish to know Mr
Merdle； with the contingent view of benefiting by the advice of that
wonderful man in the disposal of his fortune； she began to think it had
a real meaning； and to entertain a curiosity on her own part to see the
shining light of the time。
CHAPTER 8。 The Dowager Mrs Gowan is reminded that 'It Never Does'
While the waters of Venice and the ruins of Rome were sunning themselves
for the pleasure of the Dorrit family； and were daily being sketched
out of all earthly proportion； lineament； and likeness； by travelling
pencils innumerable； the firm of Doyce and Clennam hammered away in
Bleeding Heart Yard； and the vigorous clink of iron upon iron was heard
there through the working hours。
The younger partner had； by this time； brought the business into sound
trim； and the elder； left free to follow his own ingenious devices； had
done much to enhance the character of the factory。 As an ingenious man；
he had necessarily to encounter every discouragement that the ruling
powers for a length of time had been able by any means to put in the way
of this class of culprits； but that was only reasonable self…defence in
the powers； since How to do it must obviously be regarded as the natural
and mortal enemy of How not to do it。 In this was to be found the basis
of the wise system； by tooth and nail upheld by the Circumlocution
Office； of warning every ingenious British subject to be ingenious
at his peril： of harassing him； obstructing him； inviting robbers （by
making his remedy uncertain； and expensive） to plunder him； and at the
best of confiscating his property after a short term of enjoyment； as
though invention were on a par with felony。 The system had uniformly
found great favour with the Barnacles； and that was only reasonable；
too； for one who worthily invents must be in earnest； and the Barnacles
abhorred and dreaded nothing half so much。 That again was very
reasonable； since in a country suffering under the affliction of a great
amount of earnestness； there might； in an exceeding short space of time；
be not a single Barnacle left sticking to a post。
Daniel Doyce faced his condition with its pains and penalties attached
to it； and soberly worked on for the work's sake。 Clennam cheering him
with a hearty co…operation； was a moral support to him； besides doing
good service in his business relation。 The concern prospered； and the
partners were fast friends。 But Daniel could not forget the old design
of so many years。 It was not in reason to be expected that he should； if
he could have lightly forgotten it； he could never have conceived it；
or had the patience and perseverance to work it out。 So Clennam thought；
when he sometimes observed him of an evening looking over the models and
drawings； and consoling himself by muttering with a sigh as he put them
away again； that the thing was as true as it ever was。
To show no sympathy with so much endeavour； and so much disappointment；
would have been to fail in what Clennam regarded as among the implied
obligations of his partnership。 A revival of the passing interest in
the subject which had been by chance awakened at the door of the
Circumlocution Office； originated in this feeling。 He asked his partner
to explain the invention to him； 'having a lenient consideration；' he
stipulated； 'for my being no workman； Doyce。'
'No workman？' said Doyce。 'You would have been a thorough workman if you
had given yourself to it。 You have as good a head for understanding such
things as I have met with。'
'A totally uneducated one； I am sorry to add；' said Clennam。
'I don't know that；' returned Doyce； 'and I wouldn't have you say
that。 No man of sense who has been generally improved； and has improved
himself； can be called quite uneducated as to anything。 I don't
particularly favour mysteries。 I would as soon； on a fair and clear
explanation； be judged by one class of man as another； provided he had
the qualification I have named。'
'At all events；' said Clennam……'this sounds as if we were exchanging
pliments； but we know we are not……I shall have the advantage of as
plain an explanation as can be given。'
'Well！' said Daniel； in his steady even way；'I'll try to make it so。'
He had the power； often to be found in union with such a character； of
explaining what he himself perceived； and meant； with the direct force
and distinctness with which it struck his own mind。 His manner of
demonstration was so orderly and neat and simple； that it was not easy
to mistake him。 There was something almost ludicrous in the plete
irreconcilability of a vague conventional notion that he must be a
visionary man； with the precise； sagacious travelling of his eye and
thumb over the plans； their patient stoppages at particular points；
their careful returns to other points whence little channels of
explanation had to be traced up； and his steady manner of making
everything good and everything sound at each important stage； before
taking his hearer on a line's…breadth further。 His dismissal of himself
from his description； was hardly less remarkable。 He never said； I
discovered this adaptation or invented that bination； but showed the
whole thing as if the Divine artificer had made it； and he had happened
to find it； so modest he was about it； such a pleasant touch of respect
iration of it； and so calmly convinced he
was that it was established on irrefragable laws。
Not only that evening； but for several succeeding evenings； Clennam was
quite charmed by this investigation。 The more he pursued it； and the
oftener he glanced at the grey head bending over it； and the shrewd eye
kindling with pleasure in it and love of it……instrument for probing his
heart though it had been made for twelve long years……the less he could
reconcile it to his younger energy to let it go without one effort more。
At length he said：
'Doyce； it came to this at last……that the business was to be sunk with
Heaven knows how many more wrecks； or begun all over again？'
'Yes；' returned Doyce； 'that's what the noblemen and gentlemen made of
it after a dozen years。'
'And pretty fellows too！' said Clennam； bitterly。
'The usual thing！' observed Doyce。 'I must not make a martyr of myself；
when I am one of so large a pany。'
'Relinquish it； or begin it all over again？' mused Clennam。
'That was exactly the long and the short of it；' said Doyce。
'Then； my friend；' cried Clennam； starting up and taking his
work…roughened hand； 'it shall be begun all over again！'
Doyce looked alarmed； and replied in a hurry……for him； 'No； no。 Better
put it by。 Far better put it by。 It will be heard of； one day。 I can
put it by。 You forget； my good Clennam； I HAVE put it by。 It's all at an
end。'
'Yes； Doyce；' returned Clennam； 'at an end as far as your efforts and
rebuffs are concerned； I admit； but not as far as mine are。 I am younger
than you： I have only once set foot in that precious office； and I am
fresh game for them。 e！ I'll try them。 You shall do exactly as you
have been doing since we have been together。 I will add （as I easily
can） to what I have been doing； the attempt to get public justice done
to you； and； unless I have some success to report； you shall hear no
more of it。'
Daniel Doyce was still reluctant to consent； and again and again urged
that they had better put it by。 But it was natural that he should
gradually allow himself to be over…persuaded by Clennam； and should
yield。 Yield he did。 So Arthur resumed the long and hopeless labour of
striving to make way with the Circumlocution Office。
The waiting…rooms of that Department soon began to be familiar with his
presence； and he was generally ushered into them by its janitors much
as a pickpocket might be shown into a police…office； the principal
difference being that the object of the latter class of public business
is to keep the pickpocket； while the Circumlocution object was to
get rid of Clennam。 However； he was resolved to stick to the Great
Department； and so the work of form…filling； corresponding； minuting；
memorandum…making； signing； counter…signing； counter…counter…signing；
referring backwards and forwards； and referring sideways； crosswise； and
zig…zag； remenced。
Here arises a feature of the Circumlocution Office； not previously
mentioned in the present record。 When that admirable Department got
into trouble； and was； by some infuriated members of Parliament whom
the smaller Barnacles almost suspected of labouring under diabolic
possession； attacked on the merits of no individual case； but as an
Institution wholly abominable and Bedlamite； then the noble or right
honourable Barnacle who represented it in the House； would smite that
member and cleave him asunder； with a statement of the quantity of
business （for the prevention of business） done by the Circumlocution
Office。 Then would that noble or right honourable Barnacle hold in his
hand a paper containing a few figures； to which； with the permission
of the House； he would entreat its attention。 Then would the inferior
Barnacles exclaim； obeying orders；'Hear； Hear； Hear！' and 'Read！' Then
would the noble or right honourable Barnacle perceive； sir； from this
little document； which he thought might carry conviction even to the
perversest mind （Derisive laughter and cheering from the Barnacle fry）；
that within the short pass of the last financial half…year； this
much…maligned Department （Cheers） had written and received fifteen
thousand letters （Loud cheers）； had written twenty…four thousand minutes
（Louder cheers）； and thirty…two thousand five hundred and seventeen
memoranda （Vehement cheering）。 Nay； an ingenious gentleman connected
with the Department； and himself a valuable public servant； had done
him the favour to make a curious calculation of the amount of stationery
consumed in it during the same period。 It formed a part of this same
short document； and he derived from it the remarkable fact that the
sheets of foolscap paper it had devoted to the public service would pave
the footways on both sides of Oxford Street f