retirement from the pany； and to sit upon the stairs until she had
had her laugh out。 Meanwhile Mr Pancks； looking； not without some pity；
at Young John； slowly and thoughtfully twisted up his canvas bag as if
he were wringing its neck。 The lady； returning as he restored it to his
pocket； mixed rum and water for the party； not forgetting her fair self；
and handed to every one his glass。 When all were supplied； Mr Rugg rose；
and silently holding out his glass at arm's length above the centre of
the table； by that gesture invited the other three to add theirs； and to
unite in a general conspiratorial clink。 The ceremony was effective up
to a certain point； and would have been wholly so throughout； if Miss
Rugg； as she raised her glass to her lips in pletion of it； had not
happened to look at Young John； when she was again so overe by the
contemptible icality of his disinterestedness as to splutter some
ambrosial drops of rum and water around； and withdraw in confusion。
Such was the dinner without precedent； given by Pancks at Pentonville；
and such was the busy and strange life Pancks led。 The only waking
moments at which he appeared to relax from his cares； and to recreate
himself by going anywhere or saying anything without a pervading object；
were when he showed a dawning interest in the lame foreigner with the
stick； down Bleeding Heart Yard。
The foreigner； by name John Baptist Cavalletto……they called him Mr
Baptist in the Yard……was such a chirping； easy； hopeful little fellow；
that his attraction for Pancks was probably in the force of contrast。
Solitary； ost necessary words
of the only language in which he could municate with the people about
him； he went with the stream of his fortunes； in a brisk way that was
new in those parts。 With little to eat； and less to drink； and nothing
to wear but what he wore upon him； or had brought tied up in one of the
smallest bundles that ever were seen； he put as bright a face upon it as
if he were in the most flourishing circumstances when he first hobbled
up and down the Yard； humbly propitiating the general good…will with his
white teeth。
It was uphill work for a foreigner； lame or sound； to make his way with
the Bleeding Hearts。 In the first place； they were vaguely persuaded
that every foreigner had a knife about him； in the second； they held it
to be a sound constitutional national axiom that he ought to go home to
his own country。 They never thought of inquiring how many of their own
countrymen would be returned upon their hands from divers parts of the
world； if the principle were generally recognised； they considered it
particularly and peculiarly British。 In the third place； they had a
notion that it was a sort of Divine visitation upon a foreigner that he
was not an Englishman； and that all kinds of calamities happened to
his country because it did things that England did not； and did not do
things that England did。 In this belief； to be sure； they had long been
carefully trained by the Barnacles and Stiltstalkings； who were always
proclaiming to them； officially； that no country which failed to submit
itself to those two large families could possibly hope to be under the
protection of Providence； and who； when they believed it； disparaged
them in private as the most prejudiced people under the sun。
This； therefore； might be called a political position of the Bleeding
Hearts； but they entertained other objections to having foreigners
in the Yard。 They believed that foreigners were always badly off； and
though they were as ill off themselves as they could desire to be；
that did not diminish the force of the objection。 They believed that
foreigners were dragooned and bayoed； and though they certainly got
their own skulls promptly fractured if they showed any ill…humour； still
it was with a blunt instrument； and that didn't count。 They believed
that foreigners were always immoral； and though they had an occasional
assize at home； and now and then a divorce case or so； that had nothing
to do with it。 They believed that foreigners had no independent spirit；
as never being escorted to the poll in droves by Lord Decimus Tite
Barnacle； with colours flying and the tune of Rule Britannia playing。
Not to be tedious； they had many other beliefs of a similar kind。
Against these obstacles； the lame foreigner with the stick had to make
head as well as he could； not absolutely single…handed； because Mr
Arthur Clennam had remended him to the Plornishes （he lived at the
top of the same house）； but still at heavy odds。 However； the Bleeding
Hearts were kind hearts； and when they saw the little fellow cheerily
limping about with a good…humoured face； doing no harm； drawing no
knives； mitting no outrageous immoralities； living chiefly on
farinaceous and milk diet； and playing with Mrs Plornish's children of
an evening； they began to think that although he could never hope to be
an Englishman； still it would be hard to visit that affliction on his
head。 They began to acmodate themselves to his level； calling him 'Mr
Baptist；' but treating him like a baby； and laughing immoderately at his
lively gestures and his childish English……more； because he didn't mind
it； and laughed too。 They spoke to him in very loud voices as if he
were stone deaf。 They constructed sentences； by way of teaching him the
language in its purity； such as were addressed by the savages to Captain
Cook； or by Friday to Robinson Crusoe。 Mrs Plornish was particularly
ingenious in this art； and attained so much celebrity for saying 'Me ope
you leg well soon；' that it was considered in the Yard but a very short
remove indeed from speaking Italian。 Even Mrs Plornish herself began to
think that she had a natural call towards that language。 As he became
more popular； household objects were brought into requisition for his
instruction in a copious vocabulary； and whenever he appeared in the
Yard ladies would fly out at their doors crying 'Mr Baptist……tea…pot！'
'Mr Baptist……dust…pan！' 'Mr Baptist……flour…dredger！' 'Mr
Baptist……coffee…biggin！' At the same time exhibiting those articles；
and perating him with a sense of the appalling difficulties of the
Anglo…Saxon tongue。
It was in this stage of his progress； and in about the third week of his
occupation； that Mr Pancks's fancy became attracted by the little man。
Mounting to his attic； attended by Mrs Plornish as interpreter； he found
Mr Baptist with no furniture but his bed on the ground； a table； and a
chair； carving with the aid of a few simple tools； in the blithest way
possible。
'Now； old chap；' said Mr Pancks； 'pay up！'
He had his money ready； folded in a scrap of paper； and laughingly
handed it in； then with a free action； threw out as many fingers of his
right hand as there were shillings； and made a cut crosswise in the air
for an odd sixpence。
'Oh！' said Mr Pancks； watching him； wonderingly。 'That's it； is it？
You're a quick customer。 It's all right。 I didn't expect to receive it；
though。'
Mrs Plornish here interposed with great condescension； and explained to
Mr Baptist。 'E please。 E glad get money。'
The little man smiled and nodded。 His bright face seemed unmonly
attractive to Mr Pancks。 'How's he getting on in his limb？' he asked Mrs
Plornish。
'Oh； he's a deal better； sir；' said Mrs Plornish。 'We expect next week
he'll be able to leave off his stick entirely。' （The opportunity
being too favourable to be lost； Mrs Plornish displayed her great
acplishment by explaining with pardonable pride to Mr Baptist； 'E ope
you leg well soon。'）
'He's a merry fellow； too；' said Mr Pancks； admiring him as if he were a
mechanical toy。 'How does he live？'
'Why； sir；' rejoined Mrs Plornish； 'he turns out to have quite a power
of carving them flowers that you see him at now。' （Mr Baptist； watching
their faces as they spoke； held up his work。 Mrs Plornish interpreted in
her Italian manner； on behalf of Mr Pancks； 'E please。 Double good！'）
'Can he live by that？' asked Mr Pancks。 'He can live on very little；
sir； and it is expected as he will be able； in time； to make a very good
living。 Mr Clennam got it him to do； and gives him odd jobs besides in
at the Works next door……makes 'em for him； in short； when he knows he
wants 'em。'
'And what does he do with himself； now； when he ain't hard at it？' said
Mr Pancks。
'Why； not much as yet； sir； on accounts I suppose of not being able to
walk much； but he goes about the Yard； and he chats without particular
understanding or being understood； and he plays with the children；
and he sits in the sun……he'll sit down anywhere； as if it was an
arm…chair……and he'll sing； and he'll laugh！'
'Laugh！' echoed Mr Pancks。 'He looks to me as if every tooth in his head
was always laughing。'
'But whenever he gets to the top of the steps at t'other end of the
Yard；' said Mrs Plornish； 'he'll peep out in the curiousest way！ So that
some of us thinks he's peeping out towards where his own country is； and
some of us thinks he's looking for somebody he don't want to see； and
some of us don't know what to think。'
Mr Baptist seemed to have a general understanding of what she said； or
perhaps his quickness caught and applied her slight action of peeping。
In any case he closed his eyes and tossed his head with the air of a man
who had sufficient reasons for what he did； and said in his own tongue；
it didn't matter。 Altro！
'What's Altro？' said Pancks。
'Hem！ It's a sort of a general kind of expression； sir；' said Mrs
Plornish。
'Is it？' said Pancks。 'Why； then Altro to you； old chap。 Good afternoon。
Altro！'
Mr Baptist in his vivacious way repeating the word several times； Mr
Pancks in his duller way gave it him back once。 From that time it became
a frequent custom with Pancks the gipsy； as he went home jaded at night；
to pass round by Bleeding Heart Yard； go quietly up the stairs； look in
at Mr Baptist's door； and； finding him in his room； to say； 'Hallo； old
chap！ Altro！' To which Mr Baptist would reply with innumerable bright
nods and smiles； 'Altro； signore； altro； altro； altro！' After this
highly condensed conversation； Mr Pancks would go his way with an
appearance of being lightened and refreshed。
CHAPTER 26。 Nobody's State of Mind
If Arthur Clennam had not arrived at that wise decision firmly to
restrain himself from loving Pet； he would have lived on in a state of
much perplexity； involving difficult struggles with his own heart。 Not
the least of these would have been a contention； always waging within
it； between a tendency to dislike Mr Henry Gowan； if not to regard
him with positive repugnance； and a whisper that the inclination was
unworthy。 A generous nature is not prone to strong aversions； and is
slow to admit them even dispassionately； but when it finds ill…will
gaining upon it； and can discern between…whiles that its origin is not
dispassionate； such a nature bees distressed。
Therefore Mr Henry Gowan would have clouded Clennam's mind； and would
have been far oftener present to it than more agreeable persons and
subjects but for the great prudence of his decision aforesaid。 As it
was； Mr Gowan seemed transferred to Daniel Doyce's mind； at all events；
it so happ