always is told； though who tells them； and why； will ever remain a
mystery）； that there was to be no wall…fruit this year。 Lord Decimus
had not heard anything amiss of his peaches； but rather believed； if his
people were correct； he was to have no apples。 No apples？ Bar was lost
in astonishment and concern。 It would have been all one to him； in
reality； if there had not been a pippin on the surface of the earth； but
his show of interest in this apple question was positively painful。
Now； to what； Lord Decimus……for we troublesome lawyers loved to gather
information； and could never tell how useful it might prove to us……to
what； Lord Decimus； was this to be attributed？ Lord Decimus could not
undertake to propound any theory about it。 This might have stopped
another man； but Bar； sticking to him fresh as ever； said； 'As to pears；
now？'
Long after Bar got made Attorney…General； this was told of him as
a master…stroke。 Lord Decimus had a reminiscence about a pear…tree
formerly growing in a garden near the back of his dame's house at Eton；
upon which pear…tree the only joke of his life perennially bloomed。 It
was a joke of a pact and portable nature； turning on the difference
between Eton pears and Parliamentary pairs； but it was a joke； a refined
relish of which would seem to have appeared to Lord Decimus impossible
to be had without a thorough and intimate acquaintance with the tree。
Therefore； the story at first had no idea of such a tree； sir； then
gradually found it in winter； carried it through the changing season；
saw it bud； saw it blossom； saw it bear fruit； saw the fruit ripen； in
short； cultivated the tree in that diligent and minute manner before it
got out of the bed…room window to steal the fruit； that many thanks had
been offered up by belated listeners for the trees having been planted
and grafted prior to Lord Decimus's time。 Bar's interest in apples was
so overtopped by the wrapt suspense in which he pursued the changes
of these pears； from the moment when Lord Decimus solemnly opened with
'Your mentioning pears recalls to my remembrance a pear…tree；' down to
the rich conclusion； 'And so we pass； through the various changes
of life； from Eton pears to Parliamentary pairs；' that he had to go
down…stairs with Lord Decimus； and even then to be seated next to him
at table in order that he might hear the anecdote out。 By that time； Bar
felt that he had secured the Foreman； and might go to dinner with a good
appetite。
It was a dinner to provoke an appetite； though he had not had one。 The
rarest dishes； sumptuously cooked and sumptuously served； the choicest
fruits； the most exquisite wines； marvels of workmanship in gold and
silver； china and glass； innumerable things delicious to the senses of
taste； smell； and sight； were insinuated into its position。 O； what
a wonderful man this Merdle； what a great man； what a master man； how
blessedly and enviably endowed……in one word； what a rich man！
He took his usual poor eighteenpennyworth of food in his usual
indigestive way； and had as little to say for himself as ever a
wonderful man had。 Fortunately Lord Decimus was one of those sublimities
who have no occasion to be talked to； for they can be at any time
sufficiently occupied with the contemplation of their own greatness。
This enabled the bashful young Member to keep his eyes open long enough
at a time to see his dinner。 But； whenever Lord Decimus spoke； he shut
them again。
The agreeable young Barnacle； and Bar； were the talkers of the party。
Bishop would have been exceedingly agreeable also； but that his
innocence stood in his way。 He was so soon left behind。 When there was
any little hint of anything being in the wind； he got lost directly。
Worldly affairs were too much for him； he couldn't make them out at all。
This was observable when Bar said； incidentally； that he was happy to
have heard that we were soon to have the advantage of enlisting on
the good side； the sound and plain sagacity……not demonstrative or
ostentatious； but thoroughly sound and practical……of our friend Mr
Sparkler。
Ferdinand Barnacle laughed； and said oh yes； he believed so。 A vote was
a vote； and always acceptable。
Bar was sorry to miss our good friend Mr Sparkler to…day； Mr Merdle。
'He is away with Mrs Merdle；' returned that gentleman； slowly ing
out of a long abstraction； in the course of which he had been fitting a
tablespoon up his sleeve。 'It is not indispensable for him to be on the
spot。'
'The magic name of Merdle；' said Bar； with the jury droop； 'no doubt
will suffice for all。'
'Why……yes……I believe so；' assented Mr Merdle； putting the spoon aside；
and clumsily hiding each of his hands in the coat…cuff of the other
hand。 'I believe the people in my interest down there will not make any
difficulty。'
'Model people！' said Bar。 'I am glad you approve of them；' said Mr
Merdle。
'And the people of those other two places； now；' pursued Bar； with a
bright twinkle in his keen eye； as it slightly turned in the direction
of his magnificent neighbour； 'we lawyers are always curious； always
inquisitive； always picking up odds and ends for our patchwork minds；
since there is no knowing when and where they may fit into some
corner；……the people of those other two places now？ Do they yield so
laudably to the vast and cumulative influence of such enterprise and
such renown； do those little rills bee absorbed so quietly
and easily； and； as it were by the influence of natural laws； so
beautifully； in the swoop of the majestic stream as it flows upon its
wondrous way enriching the surrounding lands； that their course is
perfectly to be calculated； and distinctly to be predicated？'
Mr Merdle； a little troubled by Bar's eloquence； looked fitfully about
the nearest salt…cellar for some moments； and then said hesitating：
'They are perfectly aware； sir； of their duty to Society。 They will
return anybody I send to them for that purpose。'
'Cheering to know；' said Bar。 'Cheering to know。'
The three places in question were three little rotten holes in this
Island； containing three little ignorant； drunken； guzzling； dirty；
out…of…the…way constituencies； that had reeled into Mr Merdle's pocket。
Ferdinand Barnacle laughed in his easy way； and airily said they were
a nice set of fellows。 Bishop； mentally perambulating among paths of
peace； was altogether swallowed up in absence of mind。
'Pray；' asked Lord Decimus； casting his eyes around the table； 'what
is this story I have heard of a gentleman long confined in a debtors'
prison proving to be of a wealthy family； and having e into the
inheritance of a large sum of money？ I have met with a variety of
allusions to it。 Do you know anything of it； Ferdinand？'
'I only know this much；' said Ferdinand； 'that he has given the
Department with which I have the honour to be associated；' this
sparkling young Barnacle threw off the phrase sportively； as who should
say； We know all about these forms of speech； but we must keep it up；
we must keep the game alive； 'no end of trouble； and has put us into
innumerable fixes。'
'Fixes？' repeated Lord Decimus； with a majestic pausing and pondering
on the word that made the bashful Member shut his eyes quite tight。
'Fixes？'
'A very perplexing business indeed；' observed Mr Tite Barnacle； with an
air of grave resentment。
'What；' said Lord Decimus； 'was the character of his business； what was
the nature of these……a……Fixes； Ferdinand？'
'Oh； it's a good story； as a story；' returned that gentleman； 'as good
a thing of its kind as need be。 This Mr Dorrit （his name is Dorrit） had
incurred a responsibility to us； ages before the fairy came out of
the Bank and gave him his fortune； under a bond he had signed for the
performance of a contract which was not at all performed。 He was a
partner in a house in some large way……spirits； or buttons； or wine； or
blacking； or oatmeal； or woollen； or pork； or hooks and eyes； or iron；
or treacle； or shoes； or something or other that was wanted for troops；
or seamen； or somebody……and the house burst； and we being among
the creditors； detainees were lodged on the part of the Crown in a
scientific manner； and all the rest Of it。 When the fairy had appeared
and he wanted to pay us off； Egad we had got into such an exemplary
state of checking and counter…checking； signing and counter…signing；
that it was six months before we knew how to take the money； or how to
give a receipt for it。 It was a triumph of public business；' said this
handsome young Barnacle； laughing heartily； 'You never saw such a lot of
forms in your life。 〃Why；〃 the attorney said to me one day； 〃if I wanted
this office to give me two or three thousand pounds instead of take it；
I couldn't have more trouble about it。〃 〃You are right； old fellow；〃
I told him； 〃and in future you'll know that we have something to do
here。〃' The pleasant young Barnacle finished by once more laughing
heartily。 He was a very easy； pleasant fellow indeed； and his manners
were exceedingly winning。
Mr Tite Barnacle's view of the business was of a less airy character。 He
took it ill that Mr Dorrit had troubled the Department by wanting to
pay the money； and considered it a grossly informal thing to do after so
many years。 But Mr Tite Barnacle was a buttoned…up man； and consequently
a weighty one。 All buttoned…up men are weighty。 All buttoned…up men are
believed in。 Whether or no the reserved and never…exercised power of
unbuttoning； fascinates mankind； whether or no wisdom is supposed to
condense and augment when buttoned up； and to evaporate when unbuttoned；
it is certain that the man to whom importance is accorded is the
buttoned…up man。 Mr Tite Barnacle never would have passed for half his
current value； unless his coat had been always buttoned…up to his white
cravat。
'May I ask；' said Lord Decimus； 'if Mr Darrit……or Dorrit……has any
family？'
Nobody else replying； the host said； 'He has two daughters； my lord。'
'Oh！ you are acquainted with him？' asked Lord Decimus。
'Mrs Merdle is。 Mr Sparkler is； too。 In fact；' said Mr Merdle； 'I rather
believe that one of the young ladies has made an impression on Edmund
Sparkler。 He is susceptible； and……I……think……the conquest……' Here Mr
Merdle stopped； and looked at the table…cloth； as he usually did when he
found himself observed or listened to。
Bar was unmonly pleased to find that the Merdle family； and this
family； had already been brought into contact。 He submitted； in a low
voice across the table to Bishop； that it was a kind of analogical
illustration of those physical laws； in virtue of which Like flies to
Like。 He regarded this power of attraction in wealth to draw wealth
to it； as something remarkably interesting and curious……something
indefinably allied to the loadstone and gravitation。 Bishop； who
had ambled back to earth again when the present theme was broached；
acquiesced。 He said it was indeed highly important to Society that one
in the trying situation of unexpectedly finding himself invested with a
power for good or for evil in Society； should bee； as it were； merged
in the superior power of a more legitimate and more gigantic growth； the
influence of which （as in the case of