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everything good and everything sound at each important stage； before
taking his hearer on a line's…breadth further。 His dismissal of himself
from his description； was hardly less remarkable。 He never said； I
discovered this adaptation or invented that bination； but showed the
whole thing as if the Divine artificer had made it； and he had happened
to find it； so modest he was about it； such a pleasant touch of respect
iration of it； and so calmly convinced he
was that it was established on irrefragable laws。
Not only that evening； but for several succeeding evenings； Clennam was
quite charmed by this investigation。 The more he pursued it； and the
oftener he glanced at the grey head bending over it； and the shrewd eye
kindling with pleasure in it and love of it……instrument for probing his
heart though it had been made for twelve long years……the less he could
reconcile it to his younger energy to let it go without one effort more。
At length he said：
'Doyce； it came to this at last……that the business was to be sunk with
Heaven knows how many more wrecks； or begun all over again？'
'Yes；' returned Doyce； 'that's what the noblemen and gentlemen made of
it after a dozen years。'
'And pretty fellows too！' said Clennam； bitterly。
'The usual thing！' observed Doyce。 'I must not make a martyr of myself；
when I am one of so large a pany。'
'Relinquish it； or begin it all over again？' mused Clennam。
'That was exactly the long and the short of it；' said Doyce。
'Then； my friend；' cried Clennam； starting up and taking his
work…roughened hand； 'it shall be begun all over again！'
Doyce looked alarmed； and replied in a hurry……for him； 'No； no。 Better
put it by。 Far better put it by。 It will be heard of； one day。 I can
put it by。 You forget； my good Clennam； I HAVE put it by。 It's all at an
end。'
'Yes； Doyce；' returned Clennam； 'at an end as far as your efforts and
rebuffs are concerned； I admit； but not as far as mine are。 I am younger
than you： I have only once set foot in that precious office； and I am
fresh game for them。 e！ I'll try them。 You shall do exactly as you
have been doing since we have been together。 I will add （as I easily
can） to what I have been doing； the attempt to get public justice done
to you； and； unless I have some success to report； you shall hear no
more of it。'
Daniel Doyce was still reluctant to consent； and again and again urged
that they had better put it by。 But it was natural that he should
gradually allow himself to be over…persuaded by Clennam； and should
yield。 Yield he did。 So Arthur resumed the long and hopeless labour of
striving to make way with the Circumlocution Office。
The waiting…rooms of that Department soon began to be familiar with his
presence； and he was generally ushered into them by its janitors much
as a pickpocket might be shown into a police…office； the principal
difference being that the object of the latter class of public business
is to keep the pickpocket； while the Circumlocution object was to
get rid of Clennam。 However； he was resolved to stick to the Great
Department； and so the work of form…filling； corresponding； minuting；
memorandum…making； signing； counter…signing； counter…counter…signing；
referring backwards and forwards； and referring sideways； crosswise； and
zig…zag； remenced。
Here arises a feature of the Circumlocution Office； not previously
mentioned in the present record。 When that admirable Department got
into trouble； and was； by some infuriated members of Parliament whom
the smaller Barnacles almost suspected of labouring under diabolic
possession； attacked on the merits of no individual case； but as an
Institution wholly abominable and Bedlamite； then the noble or right
honourable Barnacle who represented it in the House； would smite that
member and cleave him asunder； with a statement of the quantity of
business （for the prevention of business） done by the Circumlocution
Office。 Then would that noble or right honourable Barnacle hold in his
hand a paper containing a few figures； to which； with the permission
of the House； he would entreat its attention。 Then would the inferior
Barnacles exclaim； obeying orders；'Hear； Hear； Hear！' and 'Read！' Then
would the noble or right honourable Barnacle perceive； sir； from this
little document； which he thought might carry conviction even to the
perversest mind （Derisive laughter and cheering from the Barnacle fry）；
that within the short pass of the last financial half…year； this
much…maligned Department （Cheers） had written and received fifteen
thousand letters （Loud cheers）； had written twenty…four thousand minutes
（Louder cheers）； and thirty…two thousand five hundred and seventeen
memoranda （Vehement cheering）。 Nay； an ingenious gentleman connected
with the Department； and himself a valuable public servant； had done
him the favour to make a curious calculation of the amount of stationery
consumed in it during the same period。 It formed a part of this same
short document； and he derived from it the remarkable fact that the
sheets of foolscap paper it had devoted to the public service would pave
the footways on both sides of Oxford Street from end to end； and leave
nearly a quarter of a mile to spare for the park （Immense cheering and
laughter）； while of tape……red tape……it had used enough to stretch； in
graceful festoons； from Hyde Park Corner to the General Post Office。
Then； amidst a burst of official exultation； would the noble or right
honourable Barnacle sit down； leaving the mutilated fragments of the
Member on the field。 No one； after that exemplary demolition of him；
would have the hardihood to hint that the more the Circumlocution Office
did； the less was done； and that the greatest blessing it could confer
on an unhappy public would be to do nothing。
With sufficient occupation on his hands； now that he had this additional
task……such a task had many and many a serviceable man died of before his
day……Arthur Clennam led a life of slight variety。 Regular visits to his
mother's dull sick room； and visits scarcely less regular to Mr Meagles
at Twickenham； were its only changes during many months。
He sadly and sorely missed Little Dorrit。 He had been prepared to miss
her very much； but not so much。 He knew to the full extent only through
experience； what a large place in his life was left blank when her
familiar little figure went out of it。 He felt； too； that he must
relinquish the hope of its return； understanding the family character
sufficiently well to be assured that he and she were divided by a broad
ground of separation。 The old interest he had had in her； and her old
trusting reliance on him； were tinged with melancholy in his mind： so
soon had change stolen over them； and so soon had they glided into the
past with other secret tendernesses。
When he received her letter he was greatly moved； but did not the less
sensibly feel that she was far divided from him by more than distance。
It helped him to a clearer and keener perception of the place assigned
him by the family。 He saw that he was cherished in her grateful
remembrance secretly； and that they resented him with the jail and the
rest of its belongings。
Through all these meditations which every day of his life crowded about
her； he thought of her otherwise in the old way。 She was his innocent
friend； his delicate child； his dear Little Dorrit。 This very change
of circumstances fitted curiously in with the habit； begun on the night
when the roses floated away； of considering himself as a much older man
than his years really made him。 He regarded her from a point of view
which in its remoteness； tender as it was； he little thought would have
been unspeakable agony to her。 He speculated about her future destiny；
and about the husband she might have； with an affection for her which
would have drained her heart of its dearest drop of hope； and broken it。
Everything about him tended to confirm him in the custom of looking on
himself as an elderly man； from whom such aspirations as he had bated
in the case of Minnie Gowan （though that was not so long ago either；
reckoning by months and seasons）； were finally departed。 His relations
with her father and mother were like those on which a widower son…in…law
might have stood。 If the twin sister who was dead had lived to pass away
in the bloom of womanhood； and he had been her husband； the nature of
his intercourse with Mr and Mrs Meagles would probably have been just
what it was。 This imperceptibly helped to render habitual the impression
within him； that he had done with； and dismissed that part of life。
He invariably heard of Minnie from them； as telling them in her letters
how happy she was； and how she loved her husband； but inseparable from
that subject； he invariably saw the old cloud on Mr Meagles's face。 Mr
Meagles had never been quite so radiant since the marriage as before。
He had never quite recovered the separation from Pet。 He was the same
good…humoured； open creature； but as if his face； from being much turned
towards the pictures of his two children which could show him only one
look； unconsciously adopted a characteristic from them； it always had
now； throu