第56章

ThePatriarch，meanwhile，cameinanelybeamingtowardsthecounting-houseinthewakeofPancks。Pancksopenedthedoorforhim，towedhimin，andretiredtohisownmooringsinacorner。

’IheardfromFlora，’saidthePatriarchwithhisbenevolentsmile，’thatshewascomingtocall，comingtocall。Andbeingout，I

thoughtI’dcomealso，thoughtI’dcomealso。’

Thebenignwisdomheinfusedintothisdeclaration(notofitselfprofound)，bymeansofhisblueeyes，hisshininghead，andhislongwhitehair，wasmostimpressive。Itseemedworthputtingdownamongthenoblestsentimentsenunciatedbythebestofmen。Also，whenhesaidtoClennam，seatinghimselfintheprofferedchair，’Andyouareinanewbusiness，MrClennam？Iwishyouwell，sir，Iwishyouwell!’heseemedtohavedonebenevolentwonders。

’MrsFinchinghasbeentellingme，sir，’saidArthur，aftermakinghisacknowledgments；therelictofthelateMrF。meanwhileprotesting，withagesture，againsthisuseofthatrespectablename；’thatshehopesoccasionallytoemploytheyoungneedlewomanyourecommendedtomymother。ForwhichIhavebeenthankingher。’

ThePatriarchturninghisheadinalumberingwaytowardsPancks，thatassistantputupthenote-bookinwhichhehadbeenabsorbed，andtookhimintow。

’Youdidn’trecommendher，youknow，’saidPancks；’howcouldyou？

Youknewnothingabouther，youdidn’t。Thenamewasmentionedtoyou，andyoupassediton。That’swhatYOUdid。’

’Well!’saidClennam。’Asshejustifiesanyrecommendation，itismuchthesamething。’

’Youaregladsheturnsoutwell，’saidPancks，’butitwouldn’thavebeenyourfaultifshehadturnedoutill。Thecredit’snotyoursasitis，andtheblamewouldn’thavebeenyoursasitmighthavebeen。Yougavenoguarantee。Youknewnothingabouther。’

’Youarenotacquainted，then，’saidArthur，hazardingarandomquestion，’withanyofherfamily？’

’Acquaintedwithanyofherfamily？’returnedPancks。’Howshouldyoubeacquaintedwithanyofherfamily？Youneverheardof’em。

Youcan’tbeacquaintedwithpeopleyouneverheardof，canyou？

Youshouldthinknot!’

AllthistimethePatriarchsatserenelysmiling；noddingorshakinghisheadbenevolently，asthecaserequired。

’Astobeingareference，’saidPancks，’youknow，inageneralway，whatbeingareferencemeans。It’sallyoureye，thatis!

LookatyourtenantsdowntheYardhere。They’dallbereferencesforoneanother，ifyou’dlet’em。Whatwouldbethegoodofletting’em？It’snosatisfactiontobedonebytwomeninsteadofone。One’senough。Apersonwhocan’tpay，getsanotherpersonwhocan’tpay，toguaranteethathecanpay。Likeapersonwithtwowoodenlegsgettinganotherpersonwithtwowoodenlegs，toguaranteethathehasgottwonaturallegs。Itdon’tmakeeitherofthemabletodoawalkingmatch。Andfourwoodenlegsaremoretroublesometoyouthantwo，whenyoudon’twantany。’MrPancksconcludedbyblowingoffthatsteamofhis。

AmomentarysilencethatensuedwasbrokenbyMrF。’sAunt，whohadbeensittinguprightinacatalepticstatesinceherlastpublicremark。Shenowunderwentaviolenttwitch，calculatedtoproduceastartlingeffectonthenervesoftheuninitiated，andwiththedeadliestanimosityobserved：

’Youcan’tmakeaheadandbrainsoutofabrassknobwithnothinginit。Youcouldn’tdoitwhenyourUncleGeorgewasliving；muchlesswhenhe’sdead。’

MrPanckswasnotslowtoreply，withhisusualcalmness，’Indeed，ma’am!Blessmysoul!I’msurprisedtohearit。’Despitehispresenceofmind，however，thespeechofMrF。’sAuntproducedadepressingeffectont