loiter to and fro near the house while his friend was inside。 They
walked there； the better to recover self…possession in the air； and the
wings of day were fluttering the night when Physician knocked at the
door。
A footman of rainbow hues； in the public eye； was sitting up for his
master……that is to say； was fast asleep in the kitchen over a couple
of candles and a newspaper； demonstrating the great accumulation of
mathematical odds against the probabilities of a house being set on fire
by accident When this serving man was roused； Physician had still to
await the rousing of the Chief Butler。 At last that noble creature came
into the dining…room in a flannel gown and list shoes； but with his
cravat on； and a Chief Butler all over。 It was morning now。 Physician
had opened the shutters of one window while waiting； that he might see
the light。 'Mrs Merdle's maid must be called； and told to get Mrs Merdle
up； and prepare her as gently as she can to see me。 I have dreadful news
to break to her。'
Thus Physician to the Chief Butler。 The latter； who had a candle in his
hand； called his man to take it away。 Then he approached the window with
dignity； looking on at Physician's news exactly as he had looked on at
the dinners in that very room。
'Mr Merdle is dead。'
'I should wish；' said the Chief Butler； 'to give a month's notice。'
'Mr Merdle has destroyed himself。'
'Sir；' said the Chief Butler； 'that is very unpleasant to the feelings
of one in my position； as calculated to awaken prejudice； and I should
wish to leave immediately。'
'If you are not shocked； are you not surprised； man？' demanded the
Physician； warmly。
The Chief Butler； erect and calm； replied in these memorable words。
'Sir； Mr Merdle never was the gentleman； and no ungentlemanly act on
Mr Merdle's part would surprise me。 Is there anybody else I can send to
you； or any other directions I can give before I leave； respecting what
you would wish to be done？'
When Physician； after discharging himself of his trust up…stairs；
rejoined Bar in the street； he said no more of his interview with Mrs
Merdle than that he had not yet told her all； but that what he had told
her she had borne pretty well。 Bar had devoted his leisure in the street
to the construction of a most ingenious man…trap for catching the whole
of his jury at a blow； having got that matter settled in his mind；
it was lucid on the late catastrophe； and they walked home slowly；
discussing it in every bearing。 Before parting at the Physician's door；
they both looked up at the sunny morning sky； into which the smoke of a
few early fires and the breath and voices of a few early stirrers were
peacefully rising； and then looked round upon the immense city； and
said； if all those hundreds and thousands of beggared people who were
yet asleep could only know； as they two spoke； the ruin that impended
over them； what a fearful cry against one miserable soul would go up to
Heaven！
The report that the great man was dead； got about with astonishing
rapidity。 At first； he was dead of all the diseases that ever were
known； and of several bran…new maladies invented with the speed of
Light to meet the demand of the occasion。 He had concealed a dropsy from
infancy； he had inherited a large estate of water on the chest from his
grandfather； he had had an operation performed upon him every morning
of his life for eighteen years； he had been subject to the explosion of
important veins in his body after the manner of fireworks； he had had
something the matter with his lungs； he had had something the matter
with his heart； he had had something the matter with his brain。 Five
hundred people who sat down to breakfast entirely uninformed on the
whole subject； believed before they had done breakfast； that they
privately and personally knew Physician to have said to Mr Merdle； 'You
must expect to go out； some day； like the snuff of a candle；' and that
they knew Mr Merdle to have said to Physician； 'A man can die but once。'
By about eleven o'clock in the forenoon； something the matter with the
brain； became the favourite theory against the field； and by twelve the
something had been distinctly ascertained to be 'Pressure。'
Pressure was so entirely satisfactory to the public mind； and seemed to
make everybody so fortable； that it might have lasted all day but for
Bar's having taken the real state of the case into Court at half…past
nine。 This led to its beginning to be currently whispered all over
London by about one； that Mr Merdle had killed himself。 Pressure；
however； so far from being overthrown by the discovery； became a greater
favourite than ever。 There was a general moralising upon Pressure； in
every street。 All the people who had tried to make money and had not
been able to do it； said； There you were！ You no sooner began to devote
yourself to the pursuit of wealth than you got Pressure。 The idle people
improved the occasion in a similar manner。 See； said they； what you
brought yourself to by work； work； work！ You persisted in working； you
overdid it。 Pressure came on； and you were done for！ This consideration
was very potent in many quarters； but nowhere more so than among the
young clerks and partners who had never been in the slightest danger
of overdoing it。 These； one and all； declared； quite piously； that they
hoped they would never forget the warning as long as they lived； and
that their conduct might be so regulated as to keep off Pressure； and
preserve them； a fort to their friends； for many years。
But； at about the time of High 'Change； Pressure began to wane； and
appalling whispers to circulate； east； west； north； and south。 At first
they were faint； and went no further than a doubt whether Mr Merdle's
wealth would be found to be as vast as had been supposed； whether there
might not be a temporary difficulty in 'realising' it； whether there
might not even be a temporary suspension （say a month or so）； on the
part of the wonderful Bank。 As the whispers became louder； which they
did from that time every minute； they became more threatening。 He had
sprung from nothing； by no natural growth or process that any one could
account for； he had been； after all； a low； ignorant fellow； he had been
a down…looking man； and no one had ever been able to catch his eye；
he had been taken up by all sorts of people in quite an unaccountable
manner； he had never had any money of his own； his ventures had been
utterly reckless； and his expenditure had been most enormous。 In steady
progression； as the day declined； the talk rose in sound and purpose。
He had left a letter at the Baths addressed to his physician； and his
physician had got the letter； and the letter would be produced at the
Inquest on the morrow； and it would fall like a thunderbolt upon the
multitude he had deluded。 Numbers of men in every profession and trade
would be blighted by his insolvency； old people who had been in easy
circumstances all their lives would have no place of repentance for
their trust in him but the workhouse； legions of women and children
would have their whole future desolated by the hand of this mighty
scoundrel。 Every partaker of his magnificent feasts would be seen to
have been a sharer in the plunder of innumerable homes； every servile
worshipper of riches who had helped to set him on his pedestal； would
have done better to worship the Devil point…blank。 So； the talk； lashed
louder and higher by confirmation on confirmation； and by edition after
edition of the evening papers； swelled into such a roar when night came；
as might have brought one to believe that a solitary watcher on the
gallery above the Dome of St Paul's would have perceived the night air
to be laden with a heavy muttering of the name of Merdle； coupled with
every form of execration。
For by that time it was known that the late Mr Merdle's plaint
had been simply Forgery and Robbery。 He； the uncouth object of such
wide…spread adulation； the sitter at great men's feasts； the roc's egg
of great ladies' assemblies； the subduer of exclusiveness； the leveller
of pride； the patron of patrons； the bargain…driver with a Minister
for Lordships of the Circumlocution Office； the recipient of more
acknowledgment within some ten or fifteen years； at most； than had been
bestowed in England upon all peaceful public benefactors； and upon
all the leaders of all the Arts and Sciences； with all their works to
testify for them； during two centuries at least……he； the shining wonder；
the new constellation to be followed by the wise men bringing gifts；
until it stopped over a certain carrion at the bottom of a bath and
disappeared……was simply the greatest Forger and the greatest Thief that
ever cheated the gallows。
CHAPTER 26。 Reaping the Whirlwind
With a precursory sound of hurried breath and hurried feet； Mr Pancks
rushed into Arthur Clennam's Counting…house。 The Inquest was over； the
letter was public； the Bank was broken； the other model structures of
straw had taken fire and were turned to smoke。 The admired piratical
ship had blown up； in the midst of a vast fleet of ships of all rates；
and boats of all sizes； and on the deep was nothing but ruin； nothing
but burning hulls； bursting magazines； great guns self…exploded tearing
friends and neighbours to pieces； drowning men clinging to unseaworthy
spars and going down every minute； spent swimmers floating dead； and
sharks。
The usual diligence and order of the Counting…house at the Works were
overthrown。 Unopened letters and unsorted papers lay strewn about the
desk。 In the midst of these tokens of prostrated energy and dismissed
hope； the master of the Counting…house stood idle in his usual place；
with his arms crossed on the desk； and his head bowed down upon them。
Mr Pancks rushed in and saw him； and stood still。 In another minute； Mr
Pancks's arms were on the desk； and Mr Pancks's head was bowed down
upon them； and for some time they remained in these attitudes； idle and
silent； with the width of the little room between them。 Mr Pancks was
the first to lift up his head and speak。
'I persuaded you to it； Mr Clennam。 I know it。 Say what you will。
You can't say more to me than I say to myself。 You can't say more than I
deserve。'
'O； Pancks； Pancks！' returned Clennam； 'don't speak of deserving。 What
do I myself deserve！'
'Better luck；' said Pancks。
'I；' pursued Clennam； without attending to him； 'who have ruined my
partner！ Pancks； Pancks； I have ruined Doyce！ The honest； self…helpful；
indefatigable old man who has worked his way all through his life；
the man who has contended against so much disappointment； and who has
brought out of it such a good and hopeful nature； the man I have felt
so much for； and meant to be so true and useful to； I have ruined
him……brought him to shame and disgrace……ruined him； ruined him！'
The agony into which the reflection wrought his mind was so distressing
to see； that Mr Pancks took hold of himself by the hair of his head； and
tore it in desperation at the spectacle。
'Reproach me！' cried Pancks。 'Reproach me； sir； or I'll do myself an
injury。 Say；……You fool； you villain。 Say；……Ass； how could you do it；
Beast； what did you me