第59章

ButhereagainshewasundeceivedbyanomalousandincongruousconductonthepartofMrPanckshimself。Shehadleftthetablehalfanhour，andwasatworkalone。Florahad’gonetoliedown’

inthenextroom，concurrentlywithwhichretirementasmellofsomethingtodrinkhadbrokenoutinthehouse。ThePatriarchwasfastasleep，withhisphilanthropicmouthopenunderayellowpocket-handkerchiefinthedining-room。Atthisquiettime，MrPanckssoftlyappearedbeforeher，urbanelynodding。

’Finditalittledull，MissDorrit？’inquiredPancksinalowvoice。

’No，thankyou，sir，’saidLittleDorrit。

’Busy，Isee，’observedMrPancks，stealingintotheroombyinches。’Whatarethosenow，MissDorrit？’

’Handkerchiefs。’

’Arethey，though!’saidPancks。’Ishouldn’thavethoughtit。’

Notintheleastlookingatthem，butlookingatLittleDorrit。

’PerhapsyouwonderwhoIam。ShallItellyou？Iamafortune-

teller。’

LittleDorritnowbegantothinkhewasmad。

’Ibelongbodyandsoultomyproprietor，’saidPancks；’yousawmyproprietorhavinghisdinnerbelow。ButIdoalittleintheotherway，sometimes；privately，veryprivately，MissDorrit。’

LittleDorritlookedathimdoubtfully，andnotwithoutalarm。

’Iwishyou’dshowmethepalmofyourhand，’saidPancks。’I

shouldliketohavealookatit。Don’tletmebetroublesome。’

Hewassofartroublesomethathewasnotatallwantedthere，butshelaidherworkinherlapforamoment，andheldoutherlefthandwithherthimbleonit。

’Yearsoftoil，eh？’saidPancks，softly，touchingitwithhisbluntforefinger。’Butwhatelsearewemadefor？Nothing。

Hallo!’lookingintothelines。’What’sthiswithbars？It’saCollege!Andwhat’sthiswithagreygownandablackvelvetcap？

it’safather!Andwhat’sthiswithaclarionet？It’sanuncle!

Andwhat’sthisindancing-shoes？It’sasister!Andwhat’sthisstragglingaboutinanidlesortofaway？It’sabrother!Andwhat’sthisthinkingfor’emall？Why，thisisyou，MissDorrit!’

Hereyesmethisasshelookedupwonderinglyintohisface，andshethoughtthatalthoughhisweresharpeyes，hewasabrighterandgentler-lookingmanthanshehadsupposedatdinner。Hiseyeswereonherhandagaindirectly，andheropportunityofconfirmingorcorrectingtheimpressionwasgone。

’Now，thedeuceisinit，’mutteredPancks，tracingoutalineinherhandwithhisclumsyfinger，’ifthisisn’tmeinthecornerhere!WhatdoIwanthere？What’sbehindme？’

Hecarriedhisfingerslowlydowntothewrist，androundthewrist，andaffectedtolookatthebackofthehandforwhatwasbehindhim。

’Isitanyharm？’askedLittleDorrit，smiling。

’Deuceabit!’saidPancks。’Whatdoyouthinkit’sworth？’

’Ioughttoaskyouthat。Iamnotthefortune-teller。’

’True，’saidPancks。’What’sitworth？Youshalllivetosee，MissDorrit。’

Releasingthehandbyslowdegrees，hedrewallhisfingersthroughhisprongsofhair，sothattheystoodupintheirmostportentousmanner；andrepeatedslowly，’RememberwhatIsay，MissDorrit。

Youshalllivetosee。’

Shecouldnothelpshowingthatshewasmuchsurprised，ifitwereonlybyhisknowingsomuchabouther。

’Ah!That’sit!’saidPancks，pointingather。’MissDorrit，notthat，ever!’

Moresurprisedthanbefore，andalittlemorefrightened，shelookedtohimforanexplanationofhislastwords。

’Notthat，’saidPancks，making，withgreatseriousness，animitationofasurprisedlookandmannerthatappearedtobeunintentionallygrotes