第61章

InthesocietyofMrRugg，whohadaroundwhitevisage，asifallhisblusheshadbeendrawnoutofhimlongago，andwhohadaraggedyellowheadlikeaworn-outhearthbroom；andinthesocietyofMissRugg，whohadlittlenankeenspots，likeshirtbuttons，alloverherface，andwhoseownyellowtresseswereratherscrubbythanluxuriant；MrPanckshadusuallydinedonSundaysforsomefewyears，andhadtwiceaweek，orso，enjoyedaneveningcollationofbread，Dutchcheese，andporter。MrPanckswasoneoftheveryfewmarriageablemenforwhomMissRugghadnoterrors，theargumentwithwhichhereassuredhimselfbeingtwofold；thatistosay，firstly，’thatitwouldn’tdotwice，’andsecondly，’thathewasn’tworthit。’Fortifiedwithinthisdoublearmour，MrPanckssnortedatMissRuggoneasyterms。

Uptothistime，MrPanckshadtransactedlittleornobusinessathisquartersinPentonville，exceptinthesleepingline；butnowthathehadbecomeafortune-teller，hewasoftenclosetedaftermidnightwithMrRugginhislittlefront-parlouroffice，andevenafterthoseuntimelyhours，burnttallowinhisbed-room。Thoughhisdutiesashisproprietor’sgrubberwereinnowiselessened；

andthoughthatserviceborenogreaterresemblancetoabedofrosesthanwastobediscoveredinitsmanythorns；somenewbranchofindustrymadeaconstantdemanduponhim。WhenhecastoffthePatriarchatnight，itwasonlytotakeananonymouscraftintow，andlabourawayafreshinotherwaters。

TheadvancefromapersonalacquaintancewiththeelderMrChiverytoanintroductiontohisamiablewifeanddisconsolateson，mayhavebeeneasy；buteasyornot，MrPanckssoonmadeit。HenestledinthebosomofthetobaccobusinesswithinaweekortwoafterhisfirstappearanceintheCollege，andparticularlyaddressedhimselftothecultivationofagoodunderstandingwithYoungJohn。Inthisendeavourhesoprosperedastolurethatpiningshepherdforthfromthegroves，andtempthimtoundertakemysteriousmissions；onwhichhebegantodisappearatuncertainintervalsforaslongaspaceastwoorthreedaystogether。TheprudentMrsChivery，whowonderedgreatlyatthischange，wouldhaveprotestedagainstitasdetrimentaltotheHighlandtypificationonthedoorpostbutfortwoforciblereasons；one，thatherJohnwasrousedtotakestronginterestinthebusinesswhichthesestartsweresupposedtoadvance——andthissheheldtobegoodforhisdroopingspirits；theother，thatMrPancksconfidentiallyagreedtopayher，fortheoccupationofherson’stime，atthehandsomerateofsevenandsixpenceperday。Theproposaloriginatedwithhimself，andwascouchedinthepithyterms，’IfyourJohnisweakenough，ma’am，nottotakeit，thatisnoreasonwhyyoushouldbe，don’tyousee？So，quitebetweenourselves，ma’am，businessbeingbusiness，hereitis!’

WhatMrChiverythoughtofthesethings，orhowmuchorhowlittleheknewaboutthem，wasnevergatheredfromhimself。Ithasbeenalreadyremarkedthathewasamanoffewwords；anditmaybehereobservedthathehadimbibedaprofessionalhabitoflockingeverythingup。HelockedhimselfupascarefullyashelockeduptheMarshalseadebtors。Evenhiscustomofboltinghismealsmayhavebeenapartofanuniformwhole；butthereisnoquestion，that，astoallotherpurposes，hekepthismouthashekepttheMarshalsead