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his ears as if his wiry prongs of hair had darted up like springs and
cast it off； with his jet…black beads of eyes inquisitively sharp； with
the fingers of his right hand in his mouth that he might bite the nails；
and with the fingers of his left hand in reserve in his pocket for
another course； Mr Pancks cast his shadow through the glass upon the
books and papers。
Mr Pancks asked； with a little inquiring twist of his head； if he
might e in again？ Clennam replied with a nod of his head in the
affirmative。 Mr Pancks worked his way in； came alongside the desk； made
himself fast by leaning his arms upon it； and started conversation with
a puff and a snort。
'Mr F。's Aunt is appeased； I hope？' said Clennam。
'All right； sir；' said Pancks。
'I am so unfortunate as to have awakened a strong animosity in the
breast of that lady；' said Clennam。 'Do you know why？'
'Does SHE know why？' said Pancks。
'I suppose not。'
'_I_ suppose not；' said Pancks。
He took out his note…book； opened it； shut it； dropped it into his hat；
which was beside him on the desk； and looked in at it as it lay at the
bottom of the hat： all with a great appearance of consideration。
'Mr Clennam；' he then began； 'I am in want of information； sir。'
'Connected with this firm？' asked Clennam。
'No；' said Pancks。
'With what then； Mr Pancks？ That is to say； assuming that you want it of
me。'
'Yes； sir； yes； I want it of you；' said Pancks； 'if I can persuade you
to furnish it。 A； B； C； D。 DA； DE； DI； DO。 Dictionary order。
Dorrit。 That's the name； sir？'
Mr Pancks blew off his peculiar noise again； and fell to at his
right…hand nails。 Arthur looked searchingly at him； he returned the
look。
'I don't understand you； Mr Pancks。'
'That's the name that I want to know about。'
'And what do you want to know？'
'Whatever you can and will tell me。' This prehensive summary of his
desires was not discharged without some heavy labouring on the part of
Mr Pancks's machinery。
'This is a singular visit； Mr Pancks。 It strikes me as rather
extraordinary that you should e； with such an object； to me。'
'It may be all extraordinary together；' returned Pancks。 'It may be out
of the ordinary course； and yet be business。 In short； it is business。 I
am a man of business。 What business have I in this present world； except
to stick to business？ No business。'
With his former doubt whether this dry hard personage were quite in
earnest； Clennam again turned his eyes attentively upon his face。 It
was as scrubby and dingy as ever； and as eager and quick as ever； and he
could see nothing lurking in it that was at all expressive of a latent
mockery that had seemed to strike upon his ear in the voice。
'Now；' said Pancks； 'to put this business on its own footing； it's not
my proprietor's。'
'Do you refer to Mr Casby as your proprietor？'
Pancks nodded。 'My proprietor。 Put a case。 Say； at my proprietor's I
hear name……name of young person Mr Clennam wants to serve。 Say； name
first mentioned to my proprietor by Plornish in the Yard。 Say； I go to
Plornish。 Say； I ask Plornish as a matter of business for information。
Say； Plornish； though six weeks in arrear to my proprietor； declines。
Say； Mrs Plornish declines。 Say； both refer to Mr Clennam。 Put the
case。' 'Well？'
'Well； sir；' returned Pancks； 'say； I e to him。 Say； here I am。'
With those prongs of hair sticking up all over his head； and his breath
ing and going very hard and short； the busy Pancks fell back a step
（in Tug metaphor； took half a turn astern） as if to show his dingy hull
plete； then forged a…head again； and directed his quick glance by
turns into his hat where his note…book was； and into Clennam's face。
'Mr Pancks； not to trespass on your grounds of mystery； I will be as
plain with you as I can。 Let me ask two questions。 First……'
'All right！' said Pancks； holding up his dirty forefinger with his
broken nail。 'I see！ 〃What's your motive？〃'
'Exactly。'
'Motive；' said Pancks； 'good。 Nothing to do with my proprietor； not
stateable at present； ridiculous to state at present； but good。
Desiring to serve young person； name of Dorrit；' said Pancks； with his
forefinger still up as a caution。 'Better admit motive to be good。'
'Secondly； and lastly； what do you want to know？'
Mr Pancks fished up his note…book before the question was put； and
buttoning it with care in an inner breast…pocket； and looking straight
at Clennam all the time； replied with a pause and a puff； 'I want
supplementary information of any sort。'
Clennam could not withhold a smile； as the panting little steam…tug； so
useful to that unwieldy ship； the Casby； waited on and watched him as if
it were seeking an opportunity of running in and rifling him of all he
wanted before he could resist its manoeuvres； though there was that in
Mr Pancks's eagerness； too； which awakened many wondering speculations
in his mind。 After a little consideration； he resolved to supply Mr
Pancks with such leading information as it was in his power to impart
him； well knowing that Mr Pancks； if he failed in his present research；
was pretty sure to find other means of getting it。
He； therefore； first requesting Mr Pancks to remember his voluntary
declaration that his proprietor had no part in the disclosure； and that
his own intentions were good （two declarations which that coaly little
gentleman with the greatest ardour repeated）； openly told him that as to
the Dorrit lineage or former place of habitation； he had no information
to municate； and that his knowledge of the family did not extend
beyond the fact that it appeared to be now reduced to five members；
namely； to two brothers； of whom one was single； and one a widower with
three children。 The ages of the whole family he made known to Mr Pancks；
as nearly as he could guess at them； and finally he described to him
the position of the Father of the Marshalsea； and the course of time and
events through which he had bee invested with that character。 To
all this； Mr Pancks； snorting and blowing in a more and more portentous
manner as he became more interested； listened with great attention；
appearing to derive the most agreeable sensations from the painfullest
parts of the narrative； and particularly to be quite charmed by the
account of William Dorrit's long imprisonment。
'In conclusion； Mr Pancks；' said Arthur； 'I have but to say this。 I have
reasons beyond a personal regard for speaking as little as I can of the
Dorrit family； particularly at my mother's house' （Mr Pancks nodded）；
'and for knowing as much as I can。 So devoted a man of business as you
are……eh？'
For Mr Pancks had suddenly made that blowing effort with unusual force。
'It's nothing；' said Pancks。
'So devoted a man of business as yourself has a perfect understanding of
a fair bargain。 I wish to make a fair bargain with you； that you shall
enlighten me concerning the Dorrit family when you have it in your
power； as I have enlightened you。 It may not give you a very flattering
idea of my business habits； that I failed to make my terms beforehand；'
continued Clennam； 'but I prefer to make them a point of honour。 I have
seen so much business done on sharp principles that； to tell you the
truth； Mr Pancks； I am tired of them。'
Mr Pancks laughed。 'It's a bargain； sir；' said he。 'You shall find me
stick to it。'
After that； he stood a little while looking at Clennam； and biting his
ten nails all round； evidently while he fixed in his mind what he had
been told； and went over it carefully； before the means of supplying a
gap in his memory should be no longer at hand。 'It's all right；' he said
at last； 'and now I'll wish you good day； as it's collecting day in the
Yard。 By…the…bye； though。 A lame foreigner with a stick。'
'Ay； ay。 You do take a reference sometimes； I see？' said Clennam。
'When he can pay； sir；' replied Pancks。 'Take all you can get； and
keep back all you can't be forced to give up。 That's business。 The lame
foreigner with the stick wants a top room down the Yard。 Is he good for
it？'
'I am；' said Clennam； 'and I will answer for him。'
'That's enough。 What I must have of Bleeding Heart Yard；' said Pancks；
making a note of the case in his book； 'is my bond。 I want my bond； you
see。 Pay up； or produce your property！ That's the watchword down the
Yard。 The lame foreigner with the stick represented that you sent him；
but he could represent （as far as that goes） that the Great Mogul sent
him。 He has been in the hospital； I believe？'
'Yes。 Through having met with an accident。 He is only just now
discharged。'
'It's pauperising a man； sir； I have been shown； to let him into a
hospital？' said Pancks。 And again blew off that remarkable sound。
'I have been shown so too；' said Clennam； coldly。
Mr Pancks； being by that time quite ready for a start； got under steam
in a moment； and； without any other signal or ceremony； was snorting
down the step…ladder and working into Bleeding Heart Yard； before he
seemed to be well out of the counting…house。
Throughout the remainder of the day； Bleeding Heart Yard was in
consternation； as the grim Pancks cruised in it； haranguing the
inhabitants on th