through the following extraordinary performances。 First； he was observed
hiding at the top of the steps leading down into the Yard； and peeping
up and down the street with his head cautiously thrust out close to the
side of the shop…door。 After very anxious scrutiny； he came out of
his retreat； and went briskly down the street as if he were going away
altogether； then； suddenly turned about； and went； at the same pace； and
with the same feint； up the street。 He had gone no further up the street
than he had gone down； when he crossed the road and disappeared。 The
object of this last manoeuvre was only apparent； when his entering the
shop with a sudden twist； from the steps again； explained that he
had made a wide and obscure circuit round to the other； or Doyce and
Clennam； end of the Yard； and had e through the Yard and bolted in。
He was out of breath by that time； as he might well be； and his heart
seemed to jerk faster than the little shop…bell； as it quivered and
jingled behind him with his hasty shutting of the door。
'Hallo； old chap！' said Mr Pancks。 'Altro； old boy！ What's the matter？'
Mr Baptist； or Signor Cavalletto； understood English now almost as well
as Mr Pancks himself； and could speak it very well too。 Nevertheless；
Mrs Plornish； with a pardonable vanity in that acplishment of hers
which made her all but Italian； stepped in as interpreter。
'E ask know；' said Mrs Plornish； 'What go wrong？'
'e into the happy little cottage； Padrona；' returned Mr Baptist；
imparting great stealthiness to his flurried back…handed shake of his
right forefinger。 'e there！'
Mrs Plornish was proud of the title Padrona； which she regarded as
signifying： not so much Mistress of the house； as Mistress of the
Italian tongue。 She immediately plied with Mr Baptist's request； and
they all went into the cottage。
'E ope you no fright；' said Mrs Plornish then； interpreting Mr Pancks
in a new way with her usual fertility of resource。 'What appen？ Peaka
Padrona！'
'I have seen some one；' returned Baptist。 'I have rincontrato him。'
'Im？ Oo him？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'A bad man。 A baddest man。 I have hoped that I should never see him
again。' 'Ow you know him bad？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'It does not matter； Padrona。 I know it too well。'
''E see you？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'No。 I hope not。 I believe not。'
'He says；' Mrs Plornish then interpreted； addressing her father and
Pancks with mild condescension； 'that he has met a bad man； but he hopes
the bad man didn't see him……rs Plornish； reverting to
the Italian language； 'why ope bad man no see？'
'Padrona； dearest；' returned the little foreigner whom she so
considerately protected； 'do not ask； I pray。 Once again I say it
matters not。 I have fear of this man。 I do not wish to see him； I do not
wish to be known of him……never again！ Enough； most beautiful。 Leave it。'
The topic was so disagreeable to him； and so put his usual liveliness to
the rout； that Mrs Plornish forbore to press him further： the rather as
the tea had been drawing for some time on the hob。 But she was not the
less surprised and curious for asking no more questions； neither was
Mr Pancks； whose expressive breathing had been labouring hard since the
entrance of the little man； like a lootive engine with a great load
getting up a steep incline。 Maggy； now better dressed than of yore；
though still faithful to the monstrous character of her cap； had been
in the background from the first with open mouth and eyes； which staring
and gaping features were not diminished in breadth by the untimely
suppression of the subject。 However； no more was said about it； though
much appeared to be thought on all sides： by no means excepting the two
young Plornishes； who partook of the evening meal as if their eating
the bread and butter were rendered almost superfluous by the painful
probability of the worst of men shortly presenting himself for the
purpose of eating them。 Mr Baptist； by degrees began to chirp a little；
but never stirred from the seat he had taken behind the door and close
to the window； though it was not his usual place。 As often as the little
bell rang； he started and peeped out secretly； with the end of the
little curtain in his hand and the rest before his face； evidently not
at all satisfied but that the man he dreaded had tracked him through all
his doublings and turnings； with the certainty of a terrible bloodhound。
The entrance； at various times； of two or three customers and of Mr
Plornish； gave Mr Baptist just enough of this employment to keep the
attention of the pany fixed upon him。 Tea was over； and the children
were abed； and Mrs Plornish was feeling her way to the dutiful proposal
that her father should favour them with Chloe； when the bell rang again；
and Mr Clennam came in。
Clennam had been poring late over his books and letters； for the
waiting…rooms of the Circumlocution Office ravaged his time sorely。
Over and above that； he was depressed and made uneasy by the late
occurrence at his mother's。 He looked worn and solitary。 He felt so；
too； but； nevertheless； was returning home from his counting…house by
that end of the Yard to give them the intelligence that he had received
another letter from Miss Dorrit。
The news made a sensation in the cottage which drew off the general
attention from Mr Baptist。 Maggy； who pushed her way into the foreground
immediately； would have seemed to draw in the tidings of her Little
Mother equally at her ears； nose； mouth； and eyes； but that the last
were obstructed by tears。 She was particularly delighted when Clennam
assured her that there were hospitals； and very kindly conducted
hospitals； in Rome。 Mr Pancks rose into new distinction in virtue of
being specially remembered in the letter。 Everybody was pleased and
interested； and Clennam was well repaid for his trouble。 'But you are
tired； sir。 Let me make you a cup of tea；' said Mrs Plornish； 'if you'd
condescend to take such a thing in the cottage； and many thanks to you；
too； I am sure； for bearing us in mind so kindly。'
Mr Plornish deeming it incumbent on him； as host； to add his personal
acknowledgments； tendered them in the form which always expressed his
highest ideal of a bination of ceremony with sincerity。
'John Edward Nandy；' said Mr Plornish； addressing the old gentleman。
'Sir。 It's not too often that you see unpretending actions without a
spark of pride； and therefore when you see them give grateful honour
unto the same； being that if you don't； and live to want 'em； it follows
serve you right。'
To which Mr Nandy replied：
'I am heartily of your opinion； Thomas； and which your opinion is the
same as mine； and therefore no more words and not being backwards
with that opinion； which opinion giving it as yes； Thomas； yes； is the
opinion in which yourself and me must ever be unanimously jined by all；
and where there is not difference of opinion there can be none but one
opinion； which fully no； Thomas； Thomas； no！'
Arthur； with less formality； expressed himself gratified by their high
appreciation of so very slight an attention on his part； and explained
as to the tea that he had not yet dined； and was going straight home to
refresh after a long day's labour； or he would have readily accepted the
hospitable offer。 As Mr Pancks was somewhat noisily getting his steam
up for departure； he concluded by asking that gentleman if he would walk
with him？ Mr Pancks said he desired no better engagement； and the two
took leave of Happy Cottage。
'If you will e home with me； Pancks；' said Arthur； when they got into
the street； 'and will share what dinner or supper there is； it will
be next door to an act of charity； for I am weary and out of sorts
to…night。'
'Ask me to do a greater thing than that；' said Pancks； 'when you want it
done； and I'll do it。'
Between this eccentric personage and Clennam； a tacit understanding and
accord had been always improving since Mr Pancks flew over Mr Rugg's
back in the Marshalsea Yard。 When the carriage drove away on the
memorable day of the family's departure； these two had looked after it
together； and had walked slowly away together。 When the first letter
came from little Dorrit； nobody was more interested in hearing of
her than Mr Pancks。 The second letter； at that moment in Clennam's
breast…pocket； particularly remembered him by name。 Though he had never
before made any profession or protestation to Clennam； and though what
he had just said was little enough as to the words in which it was
expressed； Clennam had long had a growing belief that Mr Pancks； in
his own odd way； was being attached to him。 All these strings
intertwining made Pancks a very cable of anchorage that night。
'I am quite alone；' Arthur explained as they walked on。 'My partner is
away； busily engaged at a distance on his branch of our business； and
you shall do just as you like。'
'Thank you。 You didn't take particular notice of little Altro just now；
did you？' said Pancks。
'No。 Why？'
'He's a bright fellow； and I like him；' said Pancks。 'Something has
gone amiss with him to…day。 Have you any idea of any cause that can have
overset him？'
'You surprise me！ None whatever。'
Mr Pancks gave his reasons for the inquiry。 Arthur was quite unprepared
for them； and quite unable to suggest an explanation of them。
'Perhaps you'll ask him；' said Pancks； 'as he's a stranger？'
'Ask him what？' returned Clennam。
'What he has on his mind。'
'I ought first to see for myself that he has something on his mind； I
think；' said Clennam。 'I have found him in every way so diligent； so
grateful （for little enough）； and so trustworthy； that it might look
like suspecting him。 And that would be very unjust。'
'True；' said Pancks。 'But； I say！ You oughtn't to be anybody's
proprietor； Mr Clennam。 You're much too delicate。' 'For the matter of
that；' returned Clennam laughing； 'I have not a large proprietary share
in Cavalletto。 His carving is his livelihood。 He keeps the keys of
the Factory； watches it every alternate night； and acts as a sort of
housekeeper to it generally； but we have little work in the way of his
ingenuity； though we give him what we have。 No！ I am rather his adviser
than his proprietor。 To call me his standing counsel and his banker
would be nearer the fact。 Speaking of being his banker； is it not
curious； Pancks； that the ventures which run just now in so many
people's heads； should run even in little Cavalletto's？'
'Ventures？' retorted Pancks； with a snort。 'What ventures？'
'These Merdle enterprises。'
'Oh！ Investments；' said Pancks。 'Ay； ay！ I didn't know you were speaking
of investments。' His quick way of replying caused Clennam to look
at him； with a doubt whether he meant more than he said。 As it was
acpanied； however； with a quickening of his pace and a corresponding
increase in the labouring of his machinery； Arthur did not pursue the
matter； and they soon arrived at his house。
A dinner of soup and a pigeon…pie； served on a little round table before
the fire； and flavoured with a bottle of good wine； oiled Mr Pancks's
works in a highly effective manner； so that when Clennam produced his
Eastern pipe； and handed Mr Pancks