第25章

’WhenthebusinessisregularlybeforethatDepartment，whateveritis，’pursuedthisbrightyoungBarnacle，’thenyoucanwatchitfromtimetotimethroughthatDepartment。WhenitcomesregularlybeforethisDepartment，thenyoumustwatchitfromtimetotimethroughthisDepartment。Weshallhavetoreferitrightandleft；

andwhenwereferitanywhere，thenyou’llhavetolookitup。

Whenitcomesbacktousatanytime，thenyouhadbetterlookUS

up。Whenitsticksanywhere，you’llhavetotrytogiveitajog。

WhenyouwritetoanotherDepartmentaboutit，andthentothisDepartmentaboutit，anddon’thearanythingsatisfactoryaboutit，whythenyouhadbetter——keeponwriting。’

ArthurClennamlookedverydoubtfulindeed。’ButIamobligedtoyouatanyrate，’saidhe，’foryourpoliteness。’

’Notatall，’repliedthisengagingyoungBarnacle。’Trythething，andseehowyoulikeit。Itwillbeinyourpowertogiveitupatanytime，ifyoudon’tlikeit。Youhadbettertakealotofformsawaywithyou。Givehimalotofforms!’Withwhichinstructiontonumbertwo，thissparklingyoungBarnacletookafreshhandfulofpapersfromnumbersoneandthree，andcarriedthemintothesanctuarytooffertothepresidingIdoloftheCircumlocutionOffice。

ArthurClennamputhisformsinhispocketgloomilyenough，andwenthiswaydownthelongstonepassageandthelongstonestaircase。Hehadcometotheswingdoorsleadingintothestreet，andwaswaiting，notoverpatiently，fortwopeoplewhowerebetweenhimandthemtopassoutandlethimfollow，whenthevoiceofoneofthemstruckfamiliarlyonhisear。HelookedatthespeakerandrecognisedMrMeagles。MrMeagleswasveryredintheface——redderthantravelcouldhavemadehim——andcollaringashortmanwhowaswithhim，said，’comeout，yourascal，comeOut!’

itwassuchanunexpectedhearing，anditwasalsosuchanunexpectedsighttoseeMrMeaglesbursttheswingdoorsopen，andemergeintothestreetwiththeshortman，whowasofanunoffendingappearance，thatClennamstoodstillforthemomentexchanginglooksofsurprisewiththeporter。Hefollowed，however，quickly；andsawMrMeaglesgoingdownthestreetwithhisenemyathisside。Hesooncameupwithhisoldtravellingcompanion，andtouchedhimontheback。ThecholericfacewhichMrMeaglesturneduponhimsmoothedwhenhesawwhoitwas，andheputouthisfriendlyhand。

’Howareyou？’saidMrMeagles。’Howd’yedo？Ihaveonlyjustcomeoverfromabroad。Iamgladtoseeyou。’

’AndIamrejoicedtoseeyou。’

’Thank’ee。Thank’ee!’

’MrsMeaglesandyourdaughter——？’

’Areaswellaspossible，’saidMrMeagles。’Ionlywishyouhadcomeuponmeinamoreprepossessingconditionastocoolness。’

Thoughitwasanythingbutahotday，MrMeagleswasinaheatedstatethatattractedtheattentionofthepassersby；moreparticularlyasheleanedhisbackagainstarailing，tookoffhishatandcravat，andheartilyrubbedhissteamingheadandface，andhisreddenedearsandneck，withouttheleastregardforpublicopinion。

’Whew!’saidMrMeagles，dressingagain。’That’scomfortable。NowIamcooler。’

’Youhavebeenruffled，MrMeagles。Whatisthematter？’

’Waitabit，andI’lltellyou。HaveyouleisureforaturninthePark？’

’Asmuchasyouplease。’

’Comealongthen。Ah!youmaywelllookathim。’HehappenedtohaveturnedhiseyestowardstheoffenderwhomMrMeagleshadsoangrilycollared。’He’ssomethingtolookat，thatfellowis。’

Hewasnotmuchtolookat，eitherinpointofsizeorinpointofdress；beingmerelyashort，square，practicallookingman，whosehairhadturnedgrey，andinwhosefaceandforeheadthereweredeeplinesofcogitation，whichlookedasthoughtheywerecarvedinha