works in a highly effective manner； so that when Clennam produced his
Eastern pipe； and handed Mr Pancks another Eastern pipe； the latter
gentleman was perfectly fortable。
They puffed for a while in silence； Mr Pancks like a steam…vessel
with wind； tide； calm water； and all other sea…going conditions in her
favour。 He was the first to speak； and he spoke thus：
'Yes。 Investments is the word。'
Clennam； with his former look； said 'Ah！'
'I am going back to it； you see；' said Pancks。
'Yes。 I see you are going back to it；' returned Clennam； wondering why。
'Wasn't it a curious thing that they should run in little Altro's head？
Eh？' said Pancks as he smoked。 'Wasn't that how you put it？'
'That was what I said。'
'Ay！ But think of the whole Yard having got it。 Think of their
all meeting me with it； on my collecting days； here and there and
everywhere。 Whether they pay； or whether they don't pay。 Merdle； Merdle；
Merdle。 Always Merdle。'
'Very strange how these runs on an infatuation prevail；' said Arthur。
'An't it？' returned Pancks。 After smoking for a minute or so； more drily
than ported with his recent oiling； he added： 'Because you see these
people don't understand the subject。'
'Not a bit；' assented Clennam。
'Not a bit；' cried Pancks。 'Know nothing of figures。 Know nothing of
money questions。 Never made a calculation。 Never worked it； sir！'
'If they had……' Clennam was going on to say； when Mr Pancks； without
change of countenance； produced a sound so far surpassing all his usual
efforts； nasal or bronchial； that he stopped。
'If they had？' repeated Pancks in an inquiring tone。
'I thought you……spoke；' said Arthur； hesitating what name to give the
interruption。
'Not at all；' said Pancks。 'Not yet。 I may in a minute。 If they had？'
'If they had；' observed Clennam； who was a little at a loss how to take
his friend； 'why； I suppose they would have known better。'
'How so； Mr Clennam？' Pancks asked quickly； and with an odd effect of
having been from the mencement of the conversation loaded with the
heavy charge he now fired off。 'They're right； you know。 They don't mean
to be； but they're right。'
'Right in sharing Cavalletto's inclination to speculate with Mr Merdle？'
'Per…fectly； sir；' said Pancks。 'I've gone into it。 I've made the
calculations。 I've worked it。 They're safe and genuine。' Relieved by
having got to this； Mr Pancks took as long a pull as his lungs would
permit at his Eastern pipe； and looked sagaciously and steadily at
Clennam while inhaling and exhaling too。
In those moments； Mr Pancks began to give out the dangerous infection
with which he was laden。 It is the manner of municating these
diseases； it is the subtle way in which they go about。
'Do you mean； my good Pancks；' asked Clennam emphatically； 'that you
would put that thousand pounds of yours； let us say； for instance； out
at this kind of interest？'
'Certainly；' said Pancks。 'Already done it； sir。'
Mr Pancks took another long inhalation； another long exhalation； another
long sagacious look at Clennam。
'I tell you； Mr Clennam； I've gone into it；' said Pancks。 'He's a man of
immense resources……enormous capital……government influence。 They're the
best schemes afloat。 They're safe。 They're certain。'
'Well！' returned Clennam； looking first at him gravely and then at the
fire gravely。 'You surprise me！'
'Bah！' Pancks retorted。 'Don't say that； sir。 It's what you ought to do
yourself！ Why don't you do as I do？'
Of whom Mr Pancks had taken the prevalent disease； he could no more have
told than if he had unconsciously taken a fever。 Bred at first； as many
physical diseases are； in the wickedness of men； and then disseminated
in their ignorance； these epidemics； after a period； get municated to
many sufferers who are neither ignorant nor wicked。 Mr Pancks might； or
might not； have caught the illness himself from a subject of this class；
but in this category he appeared before Clennam； and the infection he
threw off was all the more virulent。
'And you have really invested；' Clennam had already passed to that word；
'your thousand pounds； Pancks？'
'To be sure； sir！' replied Pancks boldly； with a puff of smoke。 'And
only wish it ten！'
Now； Clennam had two subjects lying heavy on his lonely mind that night；
the one； his partner's long…deferred hope； the other； what he had seen
and heard at his mother's。 In the relief of having this panion；
and of feeling that he could trust him； he passed on to both； and both
brought him round again； with an increase and acceleration of force； to
his point of departure。
It came about in the simplest manner。 Quitting the investment subject；
after an interval of silent looking at the fire through the smoke of his
pipe； he told Pancks how and why he was occupied with the great National
Department。 'A hard case it has been； and a hard case it is on Doyce；'
he finished by saying； with all the honest feeling the topic roused in
him。
'Hard indeed；' Pancks acquiesced。 'But you manage for him； Mr Clennam？'
'How do you mean？'
'Manage the money part of the business？'
'Yes。 As well as I can。'
'Manage it better； sir；' said Pancks。 'Repense him for his toils and
disappointments。 Give him the chances of the time。 He'll never benefit
himself in that way； patient and preoccupied workman。 He looks to you；
sir。'
'I do my best； Pancks；' returned Clennam； uneasily。 'As to duly weighing
and considering these new enterprises of which I have had no experience；
I doubt if I am fit for it； I am growing old。'
'Growing old？' cried Pancks。 'Ha； ha！'
There was something so indubitably genuine in the wonderful laugh； and
series of snorts and puffs； engendered in Mr Pancks's astonishment at；
and utter rejection of； the idea； that his being quite in earnest could
not be questioned。
'Growing old？' cried Pancks。 'Hear； hear； hear！ Old？ Hear him； hear
him！'
The positive refusal expressed in Mr Pancks's continued snorts； no less
than in these exclamations； to entertain the sentiment for a single
instant； drove Arthur away from it。 Indeed； he was fearful of something
happening to Mr Pancks in the violent conflict that took place between
the breath he jerked out of himself and the smoke he jerked into
himself。 This abandonment of the second topic threw him on the third。
'Young； old； or middle…aged； Pancks；' he said； when there was a
favourable pause； 'I am in a very anxious and uncertain state； a state
that even leads me to doubt whether anything now seeming to belong to
me； may be really mine。 Shall I tell you how this is？ Shall I put a
great trust in you？'
'You shall； sir；' said Pancks； 'if you believe me worthy of it。'
'I do。'
'You may！' Mr Pancks's short and sharp rejoinder； confirmed by the
sudden outstretching of his coaly hand； was most expressive and
convincing。 Arthur shook the hand warmly。
He then； softening the nature of his old apprehensions as much as was
possible consistently with their being made intelligible and never
alluding to his mother by name； but speaking vaguely of a relation
of his； confided to Mr Pancks a broad outline of the misgivings he
entertained； and of the interview he had witnessed。 Mr Pancks listened
with such interest that； regardless of the charms of the Eastern pipe；
he put it in the grate among the fire…irons； and occupied his hands
during the whole recital in so erecting the loops and hooks of hair
all over his head； that he looked； when it came to a conclusion； like a
journeyman Hamlet in conversation with his father's spirit。
'Brings me back； sir；' was his exclamation then； with a startling touch
on Clennam's knee； 'brings me back； sir； to the Investments！ I don't
say anything of your making yourself poor to repair a wrong you never
mitted。 That's you。 A man must be himself。 But I say this；
fearing you may want money to save your own blood from exposure and
disgrace……make as much as you can！'
Arthur shook his head； but looked at him thoughtfully too。
'Be as rich as you can； sir；' Pancks adjured him with a powerful
concentration of all his energies on the advice。 'Be as rich as you
honestly can。 It's your duty。 Not for your sake； but for the sake of
others。 Take time by the forelock。 Poor Mr Doyce （who really is growing
old） depends upon you。 Your relative depends upon you。 You don't know
what depends upon you。'
'Well； well； well！' returned Arthur。 'Enough for to…night。'
'One word more； Mr Clennam；' retorted Pancks； 'and then enough for
to…night。 Why should you leave all the gains to the gluttons； knaves；
and impostors？ Why should you leave all the gains that are to be got to
my proprietor and the like of him？ Yet you're always doing it。 When I
say you； I mean such men as you。 You know you are。 Why； I see it
every day of my life。 I see nothing else。 It's my business to see it。
Therefore I say；' urged Pancks； 'Go in and win！'
'But what of Go in and lose？' said Arthur。
'Can't be done； sir；' returned Pancks。 'I have looked into it。 Name up
everywhere……immense resources……enormous capital……great position……high
connection……government influence。 Can't be done！'
Gradually； after this closing exposition； Mr Pancks subsided； allowed
his hair to droop as much as it ever would droop on the utmost
persuasion； reclaimed the pipe from the fire…irons； filled it anew； and
smoked it out。 They said little more； but were pany to one another in
silently pursuing the same subjects； and did not part until midnight。
On taking his leave； Mr Pancks； when he had shaken hands with Clennam；
worked pletely round him before he steamed out at the door。 This；
Arthur received as an assurance that he might implicitly rely on Pancks；
if he ever should e to need assistance； either in any of the matters
of which they had spoken that night； or any other subject that could in
any way affect himself。
At intervals all next day； and even while his attention was fixed on
other things； he thought of Mr Pancks's investment of his thousand
pounds； and of his having 'looked into it。' He thought of Mr Pancks's
being so sanguine in this matter； and of his not being usually of a
sanguine character。 He thought of the great National Department； and of
the delight it would be to him to see Doyce better off。 He thought
of the darkly threatening place that went by the name of Home in his
remembrance； and of the gathering shadows which made it yet more darkly
threatening than of old。 He observed anew that wherever he went； he
saw； or heard； or touched； the celebrated name of Merdle； he found it
difficult even to remain at his desk a couple of hours； without having
it presented to one of his bodily senses through some agency or other。
He began to think it was curious too that it should be everywhere； and
that nobody but he should seem to have any mistrust of it。 Though indeed
he began to remember； when he got to this； even he did not mistrust it；
he had only happened to keep aloof from it。
Such symptoms； when a disease of the kind is rife； are usually the signs
of sickening。
CHAPTER 14。 Taking Advice
When it became known to the Britons on the shore of the yellow Tiber
that their intelligent patriot； Mr Sparkler； was made