第40章

Theyweresoonquiteintimate，andlightenedthewaywithavarietyofconversation。Theingeniousculpritwasamanofgreatmodestyandgoodsense；and，thoughaplainman，hadbeentoomuchaccustomedtocombinewhatwasoriginalanddaringinconceptionwithwhatwaspatientandminuteinexecution，tobebyanymeansanordinaryman。Itwasatfirstdifficulttoleadhimtospeakabouthimself，andheputoffArthur’sadvancesinthatdirectionbyadmittingslightly，ohyes，hehaddonethis，andhehaddonethat，andsuchathingwasofhismaking，andsuchanotherthingwashisdiscovery，butitwashistrade，yousee，histrade；until，ashegraduallybecameassuredthathiscompanionhadarealinterestinhisaccountofhimself，hefranklyyieldedtoit。Thenitappearedthathewasthesonofanorth-countryblacksmith，andhadoriginallybeenapprenticedbyhiswidowedmothertoalock-

maker；thathehad’struckoutafewlittlethings’atthelock-

maker’s，whichhadledtohisbeingreleasedfromhisindentureswithapresent，whichpresenthadenabledhimtogratifyhisardentwishtobindhimselftoaworkingengineer，underwhomhehadlabouredhard，learnedhard，andlivedhard，sevenyears。Histimebeingout，hehad’workedintheshop’atweeklywagessevenoreightyearsmore；andhadthenbetakenhimselftothebanksoftheClyde，wherehehadstudied，andfiled，andhammered，andimprovedhisknowledge，theoreticalandpractical，forsixorsevenyearsmore。TherehehadhadanoffertogotoLyons，whichhehadaccepted；andfromLyonshadbeenengagedtogotoGermany，andinGermanyhadhadanoffertogotoStPetersburg，andtherehaddoneverywellindeed——neverbetter。However，hehadnaturallyfeltapreferenceforhisowncountry，andawishtogaindistinctionthere，andtodowhateverservicehecoulddo，thereratherthanelsewhere。Andsohehadcomehome。Andsoathomehehadestablishedhimselfinbusiness，andhadinventedandexecuted，andworkedhiswayon，until，afteradozenyearsofconstantsuitandservice，hehadbeenenrolledintheGreatBritishLegionofHonour，theLegionoftheRebuffedoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andhadbeendecoratedwiththeGreatBritishOrderofMerit，theOrderoftheDisorderoftheBarnaclesandStiltstalkings。

’itismuchtoberegretted，’saidClennam，’thatyoueverturnedyourthoughtsthatway，MrDoyce。’

’True，sir，truetoacertainextent。Butwhatisamantodo？ifhehasthemisfortunetostrikeoutsomethingserviceabletothenation，hemustfollowwhereitleadshim。’

’Hadn’thebetterletitgo？’saidClennam。

’Hecan’tdoit，’saidDoyce，shakinghisheadwithathoughtfulsmile。’It’snotputintohisheadtobeburied。It’sputintohisheadtobemadeuseful。Youholdyourlifeontheconditionthattothelastyoushallstrugglehardforit。Everymanholdsadiscoveryonthesameterms。’

’Thatistosay，’saidArthur，withagrowingadmirationofhisquietcompanion，’youarenotfinallydiscouragedevennow？’

’Ihavenorighttobe，ifIam，’returnedtheother。’Thethingisastrueasiteverwas。’

Whentheyhadwalkedalittlewayinsilence，Clennam，atoncetochangethedirectpointoftheirconversationandnottochangeittooabruptly，askedMrDoyceifhehadanypartnerinhisbusinesstorelievehimofaportionofitsanxieties？

’No，’hereturned，’notatpresent。IhadwhenIfirstenteredonit，andagoodmanhewas。Buthehasbeendeadsomeyears；andasIcouldnoteasilytaketothenotionofanotherwhenIlosthim，Iboughthisshareformyselfandhavegoneonbymyselfeversince。Andhere’sanotherthing，’hesaid，stoppingforamomentwithagood-humouredlaughinhiseyes，andlayinghisclosedrighthand，withitspeculiarsupplenessofthumb，onClennam’sarm，’noinventorcanbeamanofbusiness，youknow。’

’No？’saidClennam。

’Why，sothemenofbusinesssay，’heanswered，resumingthewalkandlaughingoutright。’Idon’tknowwhyweunfortunatecreaturesshouldbesupposedtowantcommonsense，butitisgenerallytakenforgrantedthatwedo。EventhebestfriendIhaveintheworld，ourexcellentfriendoveryonder，’saidDoyce，noddingtowardsTwick