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through which it was that Mrs Clennam first happened to employ Miss
Dorrit。' Plornish repeated； employ Miss Dorrit； and Mrs Plornish having
e to an end； feigned to bite the fingers of the little hand as she
kissed it。
'The landlord of the Yard；' said Arthur Clennam； 'is……'
'He is Mr Casby； by name； he is；' said Plornish； 'and Pancks； he
collects the rents。 That；' added Mr Plornish； dwelling on the subject
with a slow thoughtfulness that appeared to have no connection with any
specific object； and to lead him nowhere； 'that is about what they are；
you may believe me or not； as you think proper。'
'Ay？' returned Clennam； thoughtful in his turn。 'Mr Casby； too！ An old
acquaintance of mine； long ago！'
Mr Plornish did not see his road to any ment on this fact； and made
none。 As there truly was no reason why he should have the least interest
in it； Arthur Clennam went on to the present purport of his visit；
namely； to make Plornish the instrument of effecting Tip's release；
with as little detriment as possible to the self…reliance and
self…helpfulness of the young man； supposing him to possess any remnant
of those qualities： without doubt a very wide stretch of supposition。
Plornish； having been made acquainted with the cause of action from the
Defendant's own mouth； gave Arthur to understand that the Plaintiff
was a 'Chaunter'……meaning； not a singer of anthems； but a seller of
horses……and that he （Plornish） considered that ten shillings in the
pound 'would settle handsome；' and that more would be a waste of money。
The Principal and instrument soon drove off together to a stable…yard in
High Holborn； where a remarkably fine grey gelding； worth； at the lowest
figure； seventy…five guineas （not taking into account the value of the
shot he had been made to swallow for the improvement of his form）； was
to be parted with for a twenty…pound note； in consequence of his having
run away last week with Mrs Captain Barbary of Cheltenham； who wasn't up
to a horse of his courage； and who； in mere spite； insisted on selling
him for that ridiculous sum： or； in other words； on giving him away。
Plornish； going up this yard alone and leaving his Principal outside；
found a gentleman with tight drab legs； a rather old hat； a little
hooked stick； and a blue neckerchief （Captain Maroon of Gloucestershire；
a private friend of Captain Barbary）； who happened to be there； in
a friendly way； to mention these little circumstances concerning the
remarkably fine grey gelding to any real judge of a horse and quick
snapper…up of a good thing； who might look in at that address as per
advertisement。 This gentleman； happening also to be the Plaintiff in the
Tip case； referred Mr Plornish to his solicitor； and declined to treat
with Mr Plornish； or even to endure his presence in the yard； unless
he appeared there with a twenty…pound note： in which case only； the
gentleman would augur from appearances that he meant business； and
might be induced to talk to him。 On this hint； Mr Plornish retired
to municate with his Principal； and presently came back with the
required credentials。 Then said Captain Maroon； 'Now； how much time do
you want to make the other twenty in？ Now； I'll give you a month。' Then
said Captain Maroon； when that wouldn't suit； 'Now； I'll tell what I'll
do with you。 You shall get me a good bill at four months； made payable
at a banking…house； for the other twenty！' Then said Captain Maroon；
when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now； e； Here's the last I've got to say
to you。 You shall give me another ten down； and I'll run my pen clean
through it。' Then said Captain Maroon when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now；
I'll tell you what it is； and this shuts it up； he has used me bad； but
I'll let him off for another five down and a bottle of wine； and if you
mean done； say done； and if you don't like it； leave it。' Finally said
Captain Maroon； when THAT wouldn't suit either； 'Hand over； then！'……And
in consideration of the first offer； gave a receipt in full and
discharged the prisoner。
'Mr Plornish；' said Arthur； 'I trust to you； if you please； to keep my
secret。 If you will undertake to let the young man know that he is free；
and to tell him that you were employed to pound for the debt by
some one whom you are not at liberty to name； you will not only do me a
service； but may do him one； and his sister also。'
'The last reason； sir；' said Plornish； 'would be quite sufficient。 Your
wishes shall be attended to。'
'A Friend has obtained his discharge； you can say if you please。 A
Friend who hopes that for his sister's sake； if for no one else's； he
will make good use of his liberty。'
'Your wishes； sir； shall be attended to。'
'And if you will be so good； in your better knowledge of the family； as
to municate freely with me； and to point out to me any means by which
you think I may be delicately and really useful to Little Dorrit； I
shall feel under an obligation to you。'
'Don't name it； sir；' returned Plornish； 'it'll be ekally a pleasure an
a……it'l be ekally a pleasure and a……' Finding himself unable to balance
his sentence after two efforts； Mr Plornish wisely dropped it。 He took
Clennam's card and appropriate pecuniary pliment。
He was earnest to finish his mission at once； and his Principal
was in the same mind。 So his Principal offered to set him down at the
Marshalsea Gate； and they drove in that direction over Blackfriars
Bridge。 On the way； Arthur elicited from his new friend a confused
summary of the interior life of Bleeding Heart Yard。 They was all hard
up there； Mr Plornish said； unmon hard up； to be sure。 Well； he
couldn't say how it was； he didn't know as anybody could say how it was；
all he know'd was； that so it was。
When a man felt； on his own back and in his own belly； that poor he was；
that man （Mr Plornish gave it as his decided belief） know'd well that
he was poor somehow or another； and you couldn't talk it out of him； no
more than you could talk Beef into him。 Then you see； some people as was
better off said； and a good many such people lived pretty close up
to the mark themselves if not beyond it so he'd heerd； that they was
'improvident' （that was the favourite word） down the Yard。 For instance；
if they see a man with his wife and children going to Hampton Court in a
Wan； perhaps once in a year； they says； 'Hallo！ I thought you was poor；
my improvident friend！' Why； Lord； how hard it was upon a man！ What was
a man to do？ He couldn't go mollancholy mad； and even if he did； you
wouldn't be the better for it。 In Mr Plornish's judgment you would be
the worse for it。 Yet you seemed to want to make a man mollancholy mad。
You was always at it……if not with your right hand； with your left。 What
was they a doing in the Yard？ Why； take a look at 'em and see。 There
was the girls and their mothers a working at their sewing； or their
shoe…binding； or their trimming； or their waistcoat making； day and
night and night and day； and not more than able to keep body and soul
together after all……often not so much。 There was people of pretty well
all sorts of trades you could name； all wanting to work； and yet not
able to get it。 There was old people； after working all their lives；
going and being shut up in the workhouse； much worse fed and lodged and
treated altogether； than……Mr Plornish said manufacturers； but appeared
to mean malefactors。 Why； a man didn't know where to turn himself for a
crumb of fort。 As to who was to blame for it； Mr Plornish didn't know
who was to blame for it。 He could tell you who suffered； but he couldn't
tell you whose fault it was。 It wasn't HIS place to find out； and who'd
mind what he said； if he did find out？ He only know'd that it wasn't put
right by them what undertook that line of business； and that it didn't
e right of itself。 And； in brief； his illogical opinion was； that if
you couldn't do nothing for him； you had better take nothing from him
for doing of it； so far as he could make out； that was about what it
e to。 Thus； in a prolix； gently…growling； foolish way； did Plornish
turn the tangled skein of his estate about and about； like a blind man
who was trying to find some beginning or end to it； until they reached
the prison gate。 There； he left his Principal alone； to wonder； as he
rode away； how many thousand Plornishes there might be within a day
or two's journey of the Circumlocution Office； playing sundry curious
variations on the same tune； which were not known by ear in that
glorious institution。
CHAPTER 13。 Patriarchal
The mention of Mr Casby again revived in Clennam's memory the
smouldering embers of curiosity and interest which Mrs Flintwinch had
fanned on the night of his arrival。 Flora Casby had been the beloved of
his boyhood； and Flora was the daughter and only child of wooden…headed
old Christopher （so he was still occasionally spoken of by some
irreverent spirits who had had dealings with him； and in whom
familiarity had bred its proverbial result perhaps）； who was reputed to
be rich in weekly tenants； and to get a good quantity of blood out of
the stones of several unpromising courts and alleys。 After some days of
inquiry and research； Arthur Clennam became convinced tha