第104章

Hehadthepower，oftentobefoundinunionwithsuchacharacter，ofexplainingwhathehimselfperceived，andmeant，withthedirectforceanddistinctnesswithwhichitstruckhisownmind。Hismannerofdemonstrationwassoorderlyandneatandsimple，thatitwasnoteasytomistakehim。Therewassomethingalmostludicrousinthecompleteirreconcilabilityofavagueconventionalnotionthathemustbeavisionaryman，withtheprecise，sagacioustravellingofhiseyeandthumbovertheplans，theirpatientstoppagesatparticularpoints，theircarefulreturnstootherpointswhencelittlechannelsofexplanationhadtobetracedup，andhissteadymannerofmakingeverythinggoodandeverythingsoundateachimportantstage，beforetakinghisheareronaline’s-breadthfurther。Hisdismissalofhimselffromhisdescription，washardlylessremarkable。Heneversaid，I

discoveredthisadaptationorinventedthatcombination；butshowedthewholethingasiftheDivineartificerhadmadeit，andhehadhappenedtofindit；somodesthewasaboutit，suchapleasanttouchofrespectwasmingledwithhisquietadmirationofit，andsocalmlyconvincedhewasthatitwasestablishedonirrefragablelaws。

Notonlythatevening，butforseveralsucceedingevenings，Clennamwasquitecharmedbythisinvestigation。Themorehepursuedit，andtheoftenerheglancedatthegreyheadbendingoverit，andtheshrewdeyekindlingwithpleasureinitandloveofit——

instrumentforprobinghisheartthoughithadbeenmadefortwelvelongyears——thelesshecouldreconcileittohisyoungerenergytoletitgowithoutoneeffortmore。Atlengthhesaid：

’Doyce，itcametothisatlast——thatthebusinesswastobesunkwithHeavenknowshowmanymorewrecks，orbegunalloveragain？’

’Yes，’returnedDoyce，’that’swhatthenoblemenandgentlemenmadeofitafteradozenyears。’

’Andprettyfellowstoo!’saidClennam，bitterly。

’Theusualthing!’observedDoyce。’Imustnotmakeamartyrofmyself，whenIamoneofsolargeacompany。’

’Relinquishit，orbeginitalloveragain？’musedClennam。

’Thatwasexactlythelongandtheshortofit，’saidDoyce。

’Then，myfriend，’criedClennam，startingupandtakinghiswork-

roughenedhand，’itshallbebegunalloveragain!’

Doycelookedalarmed，andrepliedinahurry——forhim，’No，no。

Betterputitby。Farbetterputitby。Itwillbeheardof，oneday。Icanputitby。Youforget，mygoodClennam；IHAVEputitby。It’sallatanend。’

’Yes，Doyce，’returnedClennam，’atanendasfarasyoureffortsandrebuffsareconcerned，Iadmit，butnotasfarasmineare。I

amyoungerthanyou：Ihaveonlyoncesetfootinthatpreciousoffice，andIamfreshgameforthem。Come!I’lltrythem。Youshalldoexactlyasyouhavebeendoingsincewehavebeentogether。Iwilladd(asIeasilycan)towhatIhavebeendoing，theattempttogetpublicjusticedonetoyou；and，unlessIhavesomesuccesstoreport，youshallhearnomoreofit。’

DanielDoycewasstillreluctanttoconsent，andagainandagainurgedthattheyhadbetterputitby。Butitwasnaturalthatheshouldgraduallyallowhimselftobeover-persuadedbyClennam，andshouldyield。Yieldhedid。SoArthurresumedthelongandhopelesslabourofstrivingtomakewaywiththeCircumlocutionOffice。

Thewaiting-roomsofthatDepartmentsoonbegantobefamiliarwithhispresence，andhewasgenerallyusheredintothembyitsjanitorsmuchasapickpocketmightbeshownintoapolice-office；

theprincipaldifferencebeingthattheobjectofthelatterclassofpublicbusinessistokeepthepickpocket，whiletheCircumlocutionobjectwastogetridofClennam。However，hewasresolvedtosticktotheGreatDepartment；andsotheworkofform-

filling，corresponding，minuting，memorandum-making，signing，counter-signing，counter-counter-signing，referringbackwardsandforwards，andreferringsideways，crosswise，andzig-zag，recommenced。

HerearisesafeatureoftheCircumlocutionOffice，notpreviouslymentionedinthepresentrecord。WhenthatadmirableDepartmentgotintotrouble，andwas，bysomeinfuriatedmembersofParlia