第151章

ClosinginThelastdayoftheappointedweektouchedthebarsoftheMarshalseagate。Black，allnight，sincethegatehadclasheduponLittleDorrit，itsironstripeswereturnedbytheearly-glowingsunintostripesofgold。Faraslantacrossthecity，overitsjumbledroofs，andthroughtheopentraceryofitschurchtowers，struckthelongbrightrays，barsoftheprisonofthislowerworld。

Throughoutthedaytheoldhousewithinthegatewayremaineduntroubledbyanyvisitors。But，whenthesunwaslow，threementurnedinatthegatewayandmadeforthedilapidatedhouse。

Rigaudwasthefirst，andwalkedbyhimselfsmoking。MrBaptistwasthesecond，andjoggedcloseafterhim，lookingatnootherobject。MrPanckswasthethird，andcarriedhishatunderhisarmfortheliberationofhisrestivehair；theweatherbeingextremelyhot。Theyallcametogetheratthedoor-steps。

’Youpairofmadmen!’saidRigaud，facingabout。’Don’tgoyet!’

’Wedon’tmeanto，’saidMrPancks。

Givinghimadarkglanceinacknowledgmentofhisanswer，Rigaudknockedloudly。Hehadchargedhimselfwithdrink，fortheplayingoutofhisgame，andwasimpatienttobegin。Hehadhardlyfinishedonelongresoundingknock，whenheturnedtotheknockeragainandbegananother。ThatwasnotyetfinishedwhenJeremiahFlintwinchopenedthedoor，andtheyallclankedintothestonehall。Rigaud，thrustingMrFlintwinchaside，proceededstraightup-stairs。Histwoattendantsfollowedhim，MrFlintwinchfollowedthem，andtheyallcametroopingintoMrsClennam’squietroom。Itwasinitsusualstate；exceptthatoneofthewindowswaswideopen，andAfferysatonitsold-fashionedwindow-seat，mendingastocking。Theusualarticleswereonthelittletable；theusualdeadenedfirewasinthegrate；thebedhaditsusualpalluponit；

andthemistressofallsatonherblackbier-likesofa，proppedupbyherblackangularbolsterthatwasliketheheadsman’sblock。

Yettherewasanamelessairofpreparationintheroom，asifitwerestrungupforanoccasion。Fromwhattheroomderivedit——

everyoneofitssmallvarietyofobjectsbeinginthefixedspotithadoccupiedforyears——noonecouldhavesaidwithoutlookingattentivelyatitsmistress，andthat，too，withapreviousknowledgeofherface。Althoughherunchangingblackdresswasineveryplaitpreciselyasofold，andherunchangingattitudewasrigidlypreserved，averyslightadditionalsettingofherfeaturesandcontractionofhergloomyforeheadwassopowerfullymarked，thatitmarkedeverythingabouther。

’Whoarethese？’shesaid，wonderingly，asthetwoattendantsentered。’Whatdothesepeoplewanthere？’

’Whoarethese，dearmadame，isit？’returnedRigaud。’Faith，theyarefriendsofyoursontheprisoner。Andwhatdotheywanthere，isit？Death，madame，Idon’tknow。Youwilldowelltoaskthem。’

’Youknowyoutoldusatthedoor，nottogoyet，’saidPancks。

’Andyouknowyoutoldmeatthedoor，youdidn’tmeantogo，’

retortedRigaud。’Inaword，madame，permitmetopresenttwospiesoftheprisoner’s——madmen，butspies。Ifyouwishthemtoremainhereduringourlittleconversation，saytheword。Itisnothingtome。’

’WhyshouldIwishthemtoremainhere？’saidMrsClennam。’WhathaveItodowiththem？’

’Then，dearestmadame，’saidRigaud，throwinghimselfintoanarm-

chairsoheavilythattheoldroomtrembled，’youwilldowelltodismissthem。Itisyouraffair。Theyarenotmyspies，notmyrascals。’

’Hark!YouPancks，’saidMrsClennam，bendingherbrowsuponhimangrily，’youCasby’sclerk!Attendtoyouremployer’sbusinessandyourown。Go。Andtakethatothermanwithyou。’

’Thankyou，ma’am，’returnedMrPancks，’IamgladtosayIseenoobjectiontoourbothretiring。WehavedoneallweundertooktodoforMrClennam。Hisconstantanxietyhasbeen(anditgrewworseuponhimwhenhebecameaprisoner)，thatthisagreeablegentlemanshouldbebroughtbackheretotheplacefromwhichheslippedaway。Hereheis——broughtback。AndIwillsay，’addedMrPancks，’tohisill-lookingface，thatinmyopiniontheworldwouldbenoworseforhisslippingoutofitaltogether。’

’Youropinionisnotasked，’answeredMrsClennam。’Go。’

’Iamsorrynottoleaveyouinbettercompany，ma’am，’saidPancks；’andsorry，too，thatMrClennamcan’tbepresent。It’smyfault，thatis。’

’Youmeanhisown，’shereturned。

’No，Imeanmine，ma’am，’saidPancks，’foritwasmymisfortunetoleadhimintoaruinousinvestment。’(MrPancksstillclungtothatword，andneversaidspeculation。)’ThoughIcanprovebyfigures，’addedMrPancks，withananxiouscountenance，’thatitoughttohavebeenagoodinvestment。Ihavegoneoveritsinceitfailed，everydayofmylife，anditcomesout——regardedasaquestionoffigures——triumphant。Thepresentisnotatimeorplace，’MrPanckspursued，withalongingglanceintohishat，wherehekepthiscalculations，’forenteringuponthefigures；butthefiguresarenottobedisputed。MrClennamoughttohavebeenatthismomentinhiscarriageandpair，andIoughttohavebeenworthfromthreetofivethousandpound。’

MrPancksputhishairerectwithageneralaspectofconfidencethatcouldhardlyhavebeensurpassed，ifhehadhadtheamountinhispocket。Thes