第42章

’Perfectlywell。’

’AndwhenyougavemesomeothergoodadvicewhichIneededatthattime？’

’Iwon’tsaywhatitwasworth，’answeredMrMeagles：’butofcourseIrememberourbeingverypleasantandconfidentialtogether。’

’Ihaveactedonyouradvice；andhavingdisembarrassedmyselfofanoccupationthatwaspainfultomeformanyreasons，wishtodevotemyselfandwhatmeansIhave，toanotherpursuit。’

’Right!Youcan’tdoittoosoon，’saidMrMeagles。

’Now，asIcamedownto-day，Ifoundthatyourfriend，MrDoyce，islookingforapartnerinhisbusiness——notapartnerinhismechanicalknowledge，butinthewaysandmeansofturningthebusinessarisingfromittothebestaccount。’

’Justso，’saidMrMeagles，withhishandsinhispockets，andwiththeoldbusinessexpressionoffacethathadbelongedtothescalesandscoop。

’MrDoycementionedincidentally，inthecourseofourconversation，thathewasgoingtotakeyourvaluableadviceonthesubjectoffindingsuchapartner。Ifyoushouldthinkourviewsandopportunitiesatalllikelytocoincide，perhapsyouwilllethimknowmyavailableposition。Ispeak，ofcourse，inignoranceofthedetails，andtheymaybeunsuitableonbothsides。’

’Nodoubt，nodoubt，’saidMrMeagles，withthecautionbelongingtothescalesandscoop。

’Buttheywillbeaquestionoffiguresandaccounts——’

’Justso，justso，’saidMrMeagles，witharithmeticalsoliditybelongingtothescalesandscoop。

’——AndIshallbegladtoenterintothesubject，providedMrDoyceresponds，andyouthinkwellofit。Ifyouwillatpresent，therefore，allowmetoplaceitinyourhands，youwillmuchobligeme。’

’Clennam，Iacceptthetrustwithreadiness，’saidMrMeagles。

’Andwithoutanticipatinganyofthepointswhichyou，asamanofbusiness，haveofcoursereserved，IamfreetosaytoyouthatI

thinksomethingmaycomeofthis。Ofonethingyoumaybeperfectlycertain。Danielisanhonestman。’

’IamsosureofitthatIhavepromptlymadeupmymindtospeaktoyou。’

’Youmustguidehim，youknow；youmuststeerhim；youmustdirecthim；heisoneofacrotchetysort，’saidMrMeagles，evidentlymeaningnothingmorethanthathedidnewthingsandwentnewways；

’butheisashonestasthesun，andsogoodnight!’

Clennamwentbacktohisroom，satdownagainbeforehisfire，andmadeuphismindthathewasgladhehadresolvednottofallinlovewithPet。Shewassobeautiful，soamiable，soapttoreceiveanytrueimpressiongiventohergentlenatureandherinnocentheart，andmakethemanwhoshouldbesohappyastocommunicateit，themostfortunateandenviableofallmen，thathewasverygladindeedhehadcometothatconclusion。

But，asthismighthavebeenareasonforcomingtotheoppositeconclusion，hefollowedoutthethemeagainalittlewayinhismind；tojustifyhimself，perhaps。

’Supposethataman，’sohisthoughtsran，’whohadbeenofagesometwentyyearsorso；whowasadiffidentman，fromthecircumstancesofhisyouth；whowasratheragraveman，fromthetenorofhislife；whoknewhimselftobedeficientinmanylittleengagingqualitieswhichheadmiredinothers，fromhavingbeenlonginadistantregion，withnothingsofteningnearhim；whohadnokindsisterstopresenttoher；whohadnocongenialhometomakeherknownin；whowasastrangerintheland；whohadnotafortunetocompensate，inanymeasure，forthesedefects；whohadnothinginhisfavourbuthishonestloveandhisgeneralwishtodoright——suppos