按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Sparkler。
Ferdinand Barnacle laughed； and said oh yes； he believed so。 A vote was
a vote； and always acceptable。
Bar was sorry to miss our good friend Mr Sparkler to…day； Mr Merdle。
'He is away with Mrs Merdle；' returned that gentleman； slowly ing
out of a long abstraction； in the course of which he had been fitting a
tablespoon up his sleeve。 'It is not indispensable for him to be on the
spot。'
'The magic name of Merdle；' said Bar； with the jury droop； 'no doubt
will suffice for all。'
'Why……yes……I believe so；' assented Mr Merdle； putting the spoon aside；
and clumsily hiding each of his hands in the coat…cuff of the other
hand。 'I believe the people in my interest down there will not make any
difficulty。'
'Model people！' said Bar。 'I am glad you approve of them；' said Mr
Merdle。
'And the people of those other two places； now；' pursued Bar； with a
bright twinkle in his keen eye； as it slightly turned in the direction
of his magnificent neighbour； 'we lawyers are always curious； always
inquisitive； always picking up odds and ends for our patchwork minds；
since there is no knowing when and where they may fit into some
corner；……the people of those other two places now？ Do they yield so
laudably to the vast and cumulative influence of such enterprise and
such renown； do those little rills bee absorbed so quietly
and easily； and； as it were by the influence of natural laws； so
beautifully； in the swoop of the majestic stream as it flows upon its
wondrous way enriching the surrounding lands； that their course is
perfectly to be calculated； and distinctly to be predicated？'
Mr Merdle； a little troubled by Bar's eloquence； looked fitfully about
the nearest salt…cellar for some moments； and then said hesitating：
'They are perfectly aware； sir； of their duty to Society。 They will
return anybody I send to them for that purpose。'
'Cheering to know；' said Bar。 'Cheering to know。'
The three places in question were three little rotten holes in this
Island； containing three little ignorant； drunken； guzzling； dirty；
out…of…the…way constituencies； that had reeled into Mr Merdle's pocket。
Ferdinand Barnacle laughed in his easy way； and airily said they were
a nice set of fellows。 Bishop； mentally perambulating among paths of
peace； was altogether swallowed up in absence of mind。
'Pray；' asked Lord Decimus； casting his eyes around the table； 'what
is this story I have heard of a gentleman long confined in a debtors'
prison proving to be of a wealthy family； and having e into the
inheritance of a large sum of money？ I have met with a variety of
allusions to it。 Do you know anything of it； Ferdinand？'
'I only know this much；' said Ferdinand； 'that he has given the
Department with which I have the honour to be associated；' this
sparkling young Barnacle threw off the phrase sportively； as who should
say； We know all about these forms of speech； but we must keep it up；
we must keep the game alive； 'no end of trouble； and has put us into
innumerable fixes。'
'Fixes？' repeated Lord Decimus； with a majestic pausing and pondering
on the word that made the bashful Member shut his eyes quite tight。
'Fixes？'
'A very perplexing business indeed；' observed Mr Tite Barnacle； with an
air of grave resentment。
'What；' said Lord Decimus； 'was the character of his business； what was
the nature of these……a……Fixes； Ferdinand？'
'Oh； it's a good story； as a story；' returned that gentleman； 'as good
a thing of its kind as need be。 This Mr Dorrit （his name is Dorrit） had
incurred a responsibility to us； ages before the fairy came out of
the Bank and gave him his fortune； under a bond he had signed for the
performance of a contract which was not at all performed。 He was a
partner in a house in some large way……spirits； or buttons； or wine； or
blacking； or oatmeal； or woollen； or pork； or hooks and eyes； or iron；
or treacle； or shoes； or something or other that was wanted for troops；
or seamen； or somebody……and the house burst； and we being among
the creditors； detainees were lodged on the part of the Crown in a
scientific manner； and all the rest Of it。 When the fairy had appeared
and he wanted to pay us off； Egad we had got into such an exemplary
state of checking and counter…checking； signing and counter…signing；
that it was six months before we knew how to take the money； or how to
give a receipt for it。 It was a triumph of public business；' said this
handsome young Barnacle； laughing heartily； 'You never saw such a lot of
forms in your life。 〃Why；〃 the attorney said to me one day； 〃if I wanted
this office to give me two or three thousand pounds instead of take it；
I couldn't have more trouble about it。〃 〃You are right； old fellow；〃
I told him； 〃and in future you'll know that we have something to do
here。〃' The pleasant young Barnacle finished by once more laughing
heartily。 He was a very easy； pleasant fellow indeed； and his manners
were exceedingly winning。
Mr Tite Barnacle's view of the business was of a less airy character。 He
took it ill that Mr Dorrit had troubled the Department by wanting to
pay the money； and considered it a grossly informal thing to do after so
many years。 But Mr Tite Barnacle was a buttoned…up man； and consequently
a weighty one。 All buttoned…up men are weighty。 All buttoned…up men are
believed in。 Whether or no the reserved and never…exercised power of
unbuttoning； fascinates mankind； whether or no wisdom is supposed to
condense and augment when buttoned up； and to evaporate when unbuttoned；
it is certain that the man to whom importance is accorded is the
buttoned…up man。 Mr Tite Barnacle never would have passed for half his
current value； unless his coat had been always buttoned…up to his white
cravat。
'May I ask；' said Lord Decimus； 'if Mr Darrit……or Dorrit……has any
family？'
Nobody else replying； the host said； 'He has two daughters； my lord。'
'Oh！ you are acquainted with him？' asked Lord Decimus。
'Mrs Merdle is。 Mr Sparkler is； too。 In fact；' said Mr Merdle； 'I rather
believe that one of the young ladies has made an impression on Edmund
Sparkler。 He is susceptible； and……I……think……the conquest……' Here Mr
Merdle stopped； and looked at the table…cloth； as he usually did when he
found himself observed or listened to。
Bar was unmonly pleased to find that the Merdle family； and this
family； had already been brought into contact。 He submitted； in a low
voice across the table to Bishop； that it was a kind of analogical
illustration of those physical laws； in virtue of which Like flies to
Like。 He regarded this power of attraction in wealth to draw wealth
to it； as something remarkably interesting and curious……something
indefinably allied to the loadstone and gravitation。 Bishop； who
had ambled back to earth again when the present theme was broached；
acquiesced。 He said it was indeed highly important to Society that one
in the trying situation of unexpectedly finding himself invested with a
power for good or for evil in Society； should bee； as it were； merged
in the superior power of a more legitimate and more gigantic growth； the
influence of which （as in the case of our friend at whose board we sat）
was habitually exercised in harmony with the best interests of Society。
Thus； instead of two rival and contending flames； a larger and a lesser；
each burning with a lurid and uncertain glare； we had a blended and a
softened light whose genial ray diffused an equable warmth throughout
the land。 Bishop seemed to like his own way of putting the case very
much； and rather dwelt upon it； Bar； meanwhile （not to throw away a
jury…man）； making a show of sitting at his feet and feeding on his
precepts。
The dinner and dessert being three hours long； the bashful Member cooled
in the shadow of Lord Decimus faster than he warmed with food and drink；
and had but a chilly time of it。 Lord Decimus； like a tall tower in a
flat country； seemed to project himself across the table…cloth； hide the
light from the honourable Member； cool the honourable Member's marrow；
and give him a woeful idea of distance。 When he asked this unfortunate
traveller to take wine； he enpassed his faltering steps with the
gloomiest of shades； and when he said； 'Your health sir！' all around him
was barrenness and desolation。
At length Lord Decimus； with a coffee…cup in his hand； began to hover
about among the pictures； and to cause an interesting speculation to
arise in all minds as to the probabilities of his ceasing to hover； and
enabling the smaller birds to flutter up…stairs； which could not be
done until he had urged his noble pinions in that direction。 After some
delay； and several stretches of his wings which came to nothing； he
soared to the drawing…rooms。
And here a difficulty arose； which always does arise when two people
are specially brought together at a dinner to confer with one another。
Everybody （except Bishop； who had no suspicion of it） knew perfectly
well that this dinner had been eaten and drunk； specifically to the end
that Lord Decimus and Mr Merdle should have five minutes' conversation
together。 The opportunity so elaborately prepared was now arrived； and
it seemed from that moment that no m