occupants； which preys on Little Dorrit's mind？'
She seemed to catch at these words……that he remembered； too； long
afterwards……and said； more brightly； 'Yes； Mr Clennam； yes； you may！'
The crazy staircase； usually not slow to give notice when any one was
ing up or down； here creaked under a quick tread； and a further sound
was heard upon it； as if a little steam…engine with more steam than it
knew what to do with； were working towards the room。 As it approached；
which it did very rapidly； it laboured with increased energy； and；
after knocking at the door； it sounded as if it were stooping down and
snorting in at the keyhole。
Before Maggy could open the door； Mr Pancks； opening it from without；
stood without a hat and with his bare head in the wildest condition；
looking at Clennam and Little Dorrit； over her shoulder。
He had a lighted cigar in his hand； and brought with him airs of ale and
tobacco smoke。
'Pancks the gipsy；' he observed out of breath； 'fortune…telling。' He
stood dingily smiling； and breathing hard at them； with a most curious
air； as if； instead of being his proprietor's grubber； he were the
triumphant proprietor of the Marshalsea； the Marshal； all the turnkeys；
and all the Collegians。 In his great self…satisfaction he put his cigar
to his lips （being evidently no smoker）； and took such a pull at it；
with his right eye shut up tight for the purpose； that he underwent
a convulsion of shuddering and choking。 But even in the midst of that
paroxysm； he still essayed to repeat his favourite introduction of
himself； 'Pa…ancks the gi…ipsy； fortune…telling。'
'I am spending the evening with the rest of 'em；' said Pancks。 'I've
been singing。 I've been taking a part in White sand and grey sand。
I don't know anything about it。 Never mind。 I'll take any part in
anything。 It's all the same； if you're loud enough。'
At first Clennam supposed him to be intoxicated。 But he soon perceived
that though he might be a little the worse （or better） for ale； the
staple of his excitement was not brewed from malt； or distilled from any
grain or berry。
'How d'ye do； Miss Dorrit？' said Pancks。 'I thought you wouldn't mind my
running round； and looking in for a moment。 Mr Clennam I heard was here；
from Mr Dorrit。 How are you； Sir？'
Clennam thanked him； and said he was glad to see him so gay。
'Gay！' said Pancks。 'I'm in wonderful feather； sir。 I can't stop a
minute； or I shall be missed； and I don't want 'em to miss me。……Eh； Miss
Dorrit？'
He seemed to have an insatiate delight in appealing to her and looking
at her； excitedly sticking his hair up at the same moment； like a dark
species of cockatoo。
'I haven't been here half an hour。 I knew Mr Dorrit was in the chair；
and I said； 〃I'll go and support him！〃 I ought to be down in Bleeding
Heart Yard by rights； but I can worry them to…morrow。……Eh； Miss Dorrit？'
His little black eyes sparkled electrically。 His very hair seemed to
sparkle as he roughened it。 He was in that highly…charged state that one
might have expected to draw sparks and snaps from him by presenting a
knuckle to any part of his figure。
'Capital pany here；' said Pancks。……'Eh； Miss Dorrit？'
She was half afraid of him； and irresolute what to say。 He laughed； with
a nod towards Clennam。
'Don't mind him； Miss Dorrit。 He's one of us。 We agreed that you
shouldn't take on to mind me before people； but we didn't mean Mr
Clennam。 He's one of us。 He's in it。 An't you； Mr Clennam？……Eh； Miss
Dorrit？' The excitement of this strange creature was fast municating
itself to Clennam。 Little Dorrit with amazement； saw this； and observed
that they exchanged quick looks。
'I was making a remark；' said Pancks； 'but I declare I forget what
it was。 Oh； I know！ Capital pany here。 I've been treating 'em all
round。……Eh； Miss Dorrit？'
'Very generous of you；' she returned； noticing another of the quick
looks between the two。
'Not at all；' said Pancks。 'Don't mention it。 I'm ing into my
property； that's the fact。 I can afford to be liberal。 I think I'll give
'em a treat here。 Tables laid in the yard。 Bread in stacks。 Pipes in
faggots。 Tobacco in hayloads。 Roast beef and plum…pudding for every one。
Quart of double stout a head。 Pint of wine too； if they like it； and the
authorities give permission。……Eh； Miss Dorrit？'
She was thrown into such a confusion by his manner； or rather by
Clennam's growing understanding of his manner （for she looked to him
after every fresh appeal and cockatoo demonstration on the part of Mr
Pancks）； that she only moved her lips in answer； without forming any
word。
'And oh； by…the…bye！' said Pancks； 'you were to live to know what was
behind us on that little hand of yours。 And so you shall； you shall； my
darling。……Eh； Miss Dorrit？'
He had suddenly checked himself。 Where he got all the additional black
prongs from； that now flew up all over his head like the myriads of
points that break out in the large change of a great firework； was a
wonderful mystery。
'But I shall be missed；' he came back to that； 'and I don't want 'em to
miss me。 Mr Clennam； you and I made a bargain。 I said you should find me
stick to it。 You shall find me stick to it now； sir； if you'll step out
of the room a moment。 Miss Dorrit； I wish you good night。 Miss Dorrit； I
wish you good fortune。'
He rapidly shook her by both hands； and puffed down stairs。 Arthur
followed him with such a hurried step； that he had very nearly tumbled
over him on the last landing； and rolled him down into the yard。
'What is it； for Heaven's sake！' Arthur demanded； when they burst out
there both together。
'Stop a moment； sir。 Mr Rugg。 Let me introduce him。' With those words
he presented another man without a hat； and also with a cigar； and also
surrounded with a halo of ale and tobacco smoke； which man； though not
so excited as himself； was in a state which would have been akin to
lunacy but for its fading into sober method when pared with the
rampancy of Mr Pancks。 'Mr Clennam； Mr Rugg；' said Pancks。 'Stop a
moment。 e to the pump。'
They adjourned to the pump。 Mr Pancks； instantly putting his head under
the spout； requested Mr Rugg to take a good strong turn at the handle。
Mr Rugg plying to the letter； Mr Pancks came forth snorting and
blowing to some purpose； and dried himself on his handkerchief。
'I am the clearer for that；' he gasped to Clennam standing astonished。
'But upon my soul； to hear her father making speeches in that chair；
knowing what we know； and to see her up in that room in that dress；
knowing what we know； is enough to……give me a back； Mr Rugg……a little
higher； sir；……that'll do！'
Then and there； on that Marshalsea pavement； in the shades of evening；
did Mr Pancks； of all mankind； fly over the head and shoulders of Mr
Rugg of Pentonville； General Agent； Accountant； and Recoverer of Debts。
Alighting on his feet； he took Clennam by the button…hole； led him
behind the pump； and pantingly produced from his pocket a bundle of
papers。 Mr Rugg； also； pantingly produced from his pocket a bundle of
papers。
'Stay！' said Clennam in a whisper。'You have made a discovery。'
Mr Pancks answered； with an unction which there is no language to
convey； 'We rather think so。'
'Does it implicate any one？'
'How implicate； sir？'
'In any suppression or wrong dealing of any kind？'
'Not a bit of it。'
'Thank God！' said Clennam to himself。 'Now show me。' 'You are to
understand'……snorted Pancks； feverishly unfolding papers； and speaking
in short high…pressure blasts of sentences； 'Where's the Pedigree？
Where's Schedule number four； Mr Rugg？ Oh！ all right！ Here we are。……You
are to understand that we are this very day virtually plete。 We
shan't be legally for a day or two。 Call it at the outside a week。 We've
been at it night and day for I don't know how long。 Mr Rugg； you know
how long？ Never mind。 Don't say。 You'll only confuse me。 You shall tell
her； Mr Clennam。 Not till we give you leave。 Where's that rough total；
Mr Rugg？ Oh！ Here we are！ There sir！ That's what you'll have to break to
her。 That man's your Father of the Marshalsea！'
CHAPTER 33。 Mrs Merdle's plaint
Resigning herself to inevitable fate by making the best of those people；
the Miggleses； and submitting her philosophy to the draught upon it； of
which she had foreseen the likelihood in her interview with Arthur；
Mrs Gowan handsomely resolved not to oppose her son's marriage。 In her
progress to； and happy arrival at； this resolution； she was possibly
influenced； not only by her maternal affections but by three politic
considerations。
Of these； the first may have been that her son had never signified the
smallest intention to ask her consent； or any mistrust of his ability
to dispense with it； the second； that the pension bestowed upon her by a
grateful country （and a Barnacle） would be freed from any little filial
inroads； when her Henry should be married to the darling only child of
a man in very easy circumstances； the third； that Henry's debts must
clearly be paid down upon the altar…railing by his father…in…law。 When；
to these three…fold points of prudence there is added the fact that
Mrs Gowan yielded her consent the moment she knew of Mr Meagles having
yielded his； and that Mr Meagles's objection to the marriage had
been the sole obstacle in its way all along； it bees the height of
probability that the relict of the deceased missioner of nothing
particular； turned these ideas in her sagacious mind。
Among her connections and acquaintances； however； she maintained her
individual dignity and the dignity of the blood of the Barnacles； by
diligently nursing the pretence that it was a most unfortunate business；
that she was sadly cut up by it； that this was a perfect fascination
under which Henry laboured； that she had opposed it for a long time；
but what could a mother do； and the like。 She had already called Arthur
Clennam to bear witness to this fable； as a friend of the Meagles
family； and she followed up the move by now impounding the family itself
for the same purpose。 In the first interview she accorded to Mr Meagles；
she slided herself into the position of disconsolately but gracefully
yielding to irresistible pressure。 With the utmost politeness and
good…breeding； she feigned that it was she……not he……who had made the
difficulty； and who at length gave way； and that the sacrifice was
hers……not his。 The same feint； with the same polite dexterity； she
foisted on Mrs Meagles； as a conjuror might have forced a card on that
innocent lady； and； when her future daughter…in…law was presented to her
by her son； she said on embracing her； 'My dear； what have you done to
Henry that has bewitched him so！' at the same time allowing a few tears
to carry before them； in little pills； the cosmetic powder on her nose；
as a delicate but touching signal that she suffered much inwardly for
the show of posure with which she bore her misfortune。
Among the friends of Mrs Gowan （who piqued herself at once on being
Society； and on maintaining intimate and easy relations with that
Power）； Mrs Merdle occupied a front row。 True； the Hampton Court
Bohemians； without exception； turned up their noses at Merdle as an
upstar