第66章

Five-and-TwentyAfrequentlyrecurringdoubt，whetherMrPancks’sdesiretocollectinformationrelativetotheDorritfamilycouldhaveanypossiblebearingonthemisgivingshehadimpartedtohismotheronhisreturnfromhislongexile，causedArthurClennammuchuneasinessatthisperiod。WhatMrPancksalreadyknewabouttheDorritfamily，whatmorehereallywantedtofindout，andwhyheshouldtroublehisbusyheadaboutthematall，werequestionsthatoftenperplexedhim。MrPanckswasnotamantowastehistimeandtroubleinresearchespromptedbyidlecuriosity。ThathehadaspecificobjectClennamcouldnotdoubt。AndwhethertheattainmentofthatobjectbyMrPancks’sindustrymightbringtolight，insomeuntimelyway，secretreasonswhichhadinducedhismothertotakeLittleDorritbythehand，wasaseriousspeculation。

Notthatheeverwaveredeitherinhisdesireorhisdeterminationtorepairawrongthathadbeendoneinhisfather’stime，shouldawrongcometolight，andbereparable。Theshadowofasupposedactofinjustice，whichhadhungoverhimsincehisfather’sdeath，wassovagueandformlessthatitmightbetheresultofarealitywidelyremotefromhisideaofit。But，ifhisapprehensionsshouldprovetobewellfounded，hewasreadyatanymomenttolaydownallhehad，andbegintheworldanew。Asthefiercedarkteachingofhischildhoodhadneversunkintohisheart，sothatfirstarticleinhiscodeofmoralswas，thathemustbegin，inpracticalhumility，withlookingwelltohisfeetonEarth，andthathecouldnevermountonwingsofwordstoHeaven。Dutyonearth，restitutiononearth，actiononearth；thesefirst，asthefirststeepstepsupward。Straitwasthegateandnarrowwastheway；farstraiterandnarrowerthanthebroadhighroadpavedwithvainprofessionsandvainrepetitions，motesfromothermen’seyesandliberaldeliveryofotherstothejudgment——allcheapmaterialscostingabsolutelynothing。

No。Itwasnotaselfishfearorhesitationthatrenderedhimuneasy，butamistrustlestPancksmightnotobservehispartoftheunderstandingbetweenthem，and，makinganydiscovery，mighttakesomecourseuponitwithoutimpartingittohim。Ontheotherhand，whenherecalledhisconversationwithPancks，andthelittlereasonhehadtosupposethattherewasanylikelihoodofthatstrangepersonagebeingonthattrackatall，thereweretimeswhenhewonderedthathemadesomuchofit。Labouringinthissea，asallbarkslabourincrossseas，hetossedaboutandcametonohaven。

TheremovalofLittleDorritherselffromtheircustomaryassociation，didnotmendthematter。Shewassomuchout，andsomuchinherownroom，thathebegantomissherandtofindablankinherplace。Hehadwrittentohertoinquireifshewerebetter，andshehadwrittenback，verygratefullyandearnestlytellinghimnottobeuneasyonherbehalf，forshewasquitewell；buthehadnotseenher，forwhat，intheirintercourse，wasalongtime。

Hereturnedhomeoneeveningfromaninterviewwithherfather，whohadmentionedthatshewasoutvisiting——whichwaswhathealwayssaidwhenshewashardatworktobuyhissupper——andfoundMrMeaglesinanexcitedstatewalkingupanddownhisroom。Onhisopeningthedoor，MrMeaglesstopped，facedround，andsaid：

’Clennam!——Tattycoram!’

’What’sthematter？’

’Lost!’

’Why，blessmyheartalive!’criedClennaminamazement。’Whatdoyoumean？’

’Wouldn’tcountfive-and-twenty，sir；couldn’tbegottodoit；

stoppedateight，andtookherselfoff。’

’Leftyourhouse？’

’Nevertocomeback，’saidMrMeagles，shakinghishead。’Youdon’tknowthatgirl’spassionateandproudcharacter。Ateamofhorsescouldn’tdrawherbacknow；theboltsandbarsoftheoldBastillecouldn’tkeepher。’

’Howdidithappen？Praysitdown