Nay12, the high priests of this worship had the man before them as a protest against their meanness. The multitude worshipped on trust—though always distinctly knowing why—but the officiators at the altar had the man habitually13 in their view. They sat at his feasts, and he sat at theirs. There was a spectre always attendant on him, saying to these high priests, ‘Are such the signs you trust, and love to honour; this head, these eyes, this mode of speech, the tone and manner of this man? You are the levers of the Circumlocution14 Office, and the rulers of men. When half-a-dozen of you fall out by the ears, it seems that mother earth can give birth to no other rulers. Does your qualification lie in the superior knowledge of men which accepts, courts, and puffs15 this man? Or, if you are competent to judge aright the signs I never fail to show you when he appears among you, is your superior honesty your qualification?’ Two rather ugly questions these, always going about town with Mr Merdle; and there was a tacit agreement that they must be stifled16.
In Mrs Merdle’s absence abroad, Mr Merdle still kept the great house open for the passage through it of a stream Of visitors. A few of these took affable possession of the establishment. Three or four ladies of distinction and liveliness used to say to one another, ‘Let us dine at our dear Merdle’s next Thursday. Whom shall we have?’ Our dear Merdle would then receive his instructions; and would sit heavily among the company at table and wander lumpishly about his drawing-rooms afterwards, only remarkable17 for appearing to have nothing to do with the entertainment beyond being in its way.
The Chief Butler, the Avenging18 Spirit of this great man’s life, relaxed nothing of his severity. He looked on at these dinners when the bosom19 was not there, as he looked on at other dinners when the bosom was there; and his eye was a basilisk to Mr Merdle. He was a hard man, and would never bate20 an ounce of plate or a bottle of wine. He would not allow a dinner to be given, unless it was up to his mark. He set forth21 the table for his own dignity. If the guests chose to partake of what was served, he saw no objection; but it was served for the maintenance of his rank. As he stood by the sideboard he seemed to announce, ‘I have accepted office to look at this which is now before me, and to look at nothing less than this.’ If he missed the presiding bosom, it was as a part of his own state of which he was, from unavoidable circumstances, temporarily deprived, just as he might have missed a centre-piece, or a choice wine-cooler, which had been sent to the Banker’s.
Mr Merdle issued invitations for a Barnacle dinner. Lord Decimus was to be there, Mr Tite Barnacle was to be there, the pleasant young Barnacle was to be there; and the Chorus of Parliamentary Barnacles who went about the provinces when the House was up, warbling the praises of their Chief, were to be represented there. It was understood to be a great occasion. Mr Merdle was going to take up the Barnacles. Some delicate little negotiations22 had occurred between him and the noble Decimus—the young Barnacle of engaging manners acting23 as negotiator—and Mr Merdle had decided24 to cast the weight of his great probity25 and great riches into the Barnacle scale. Jobbery was suspected by the malicious26; perhaps because it was indisputable that if the adherence27 of the immortal28 Enemy of Mankind could have been secured by a job, the Barnacles would have jobbed him—for the good of the country, for the good of the country.
Mrs Merdle had written to this magnificent spouse29 of hers, whom it was heresy30 to regard as anything less than all the British Merchants since the days of Whittington rolled into one, and gilded31 three feet deep all over—had written to this spouse of hers, several letters from Rome, in quick succession, urging upon him with importunity32 that now or never was the time to provide for Edmund Sparkler. Mrs Merdle had shown him that the case of Edmund was urgent, and that infinite advantages might result from his having some good thing directly. In the grammar of Mrs Merdle’s verbs on this momentous33 subject, there was only one mood, the Imperative34; and that Mood had only one Tense, the Present. Mrs Merdle’s verbs were so pressingly presented to Mr Merdle to conjugate35, that his sluggish36 blood and his long coat-cuffs became quite agitated37.
In which state of agitation38, Mr Merdle, evasively rolling his eyes round the Chief Butler’s shoes without raising them to the index of that stupendous creature’s thoughts, had signified to him his intention of giving a special dinner: not a very large dinner, but a very special dinner. The Chief Butler had signified, in return, that he had no objection to look on at the most expensive thing in that way that could be done; and the day of the dinner was now come.
Mr Merdle stood in one of his drawing-rooms, with his back to the fire, waiting for the arrival of his important guests. He seldom or never took the liberty of standing39 with his back to the fire unless he was quite alone. In the presence of the Chief Butler, he could not have done such a deed. He would have clasped himself by the wrists in that constabulary manner of his, and have paced up and down the hearthrug, or gone creeping about among the rich objects of furniture, if his oppressive retainer had appeared in the room at that very moment. The sly shadows which seemed to dart40 out of hiding when the fire rose, and to dart back into it when the fire fell, were sufficient witnesses of his making himself so easy. They were even more than sufficient, if his uncomfortable glances at them might be taken to mean anything.
Mr Merdle’s right hand was filled with the evening paper, and the evening paper was full of Mr Merdle. His wonderful enterprise, his wonderful wealth, his wonderful Bank, were the fattening41 food of the evening paper that night. The wonderful Bank, of which he was the chief projector42, establisher, and manager, was the latest of the many Merdle wonders. So modest was Mr Merdle withal, in the midst of these splendid achievements, that he looked far more like a man in possession of his house under a distraint, than a commercial Colossus bestriding his own hearthrug, while the little ships were sailing into dinner.
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Behold43 the vessels44 coming into port! The engaging young Barnacle was the first arrival; but Bar overtook him on the staircase. Bar, strengthened as usual with his double eye-glass and his little jury droop45, was overjoyed to see the engaging young Barnacle; and opined that we were going to sit in Banco, as we lawyers called it, to take a special argument?
‘Nay,’ smiled Bar. ‘If you don’t know, how can I know? You are in the innermost sanctuary47 of the temple; I am one of the admiring concourse on the plain without.’
Bar could be light in hand, or heavy in hand, according to the customer he had to deal with. With Ferdinand Barnacle he was gossamer48. Bar was likewise always modest and self-depreciatory—in his way. Bar was a man of great variety; but one leading thread ran through the woof of all his patterns. Every man with whom he had to do was in his eyes a jury-man; and he must get that jury-man over, if he could.
‘Our illustrious host and friend,’ said Bar; ‘our shining mercantile star;—going into politics?’
‘Going? He has been in Parliament some time, you know,’ returned the engaging young Barnacle.
‘True,’ said Bar, with his light-comedy laugh for special jury-men, which was a very different thing from his low-comedy laugh for comic tradesmen on common juries: ‘he has been in Parliament for some time. Yet hitherto our star has been a vacillating and wavering star? Humph?’
An average witness would have been seduced49 by the Humph? into an affirmative answer, But Ferdinand Barnacle looked knowingly at Bar as he strolled up-stairs, and gave him no answer at all.
‘Just so, just so,’ said Bar, nodding his head, for he was not to be put off in that way, ‘and therefore I spoke50 of our sitting in Banco to take a special argument—meaning this to be a high and solemn occasion, when, as Captain Macheath says, “the judges are met: a terrible show!” We lawyers are sufficiently51 liberal, you see, to quote the Captain, though the Captain is severe upon us. Nevertheless, I think I could put in evidence an admission of the Captain’s,’ said Bar, with a little jocose52 roll of his head; for, in his legal current of speech, he always assumed the air of rallying himself with the best grace in the world; ‘an admission of the Captain’s that Law, in the gross, is at least intended to be impartial53. For what says the Captain, if I quote him correctly—and if not,’ with a light-comedy touch of his double eye-glass on his companion’s shoulder, ‘my learned friend will set me right:
“Since laws were made for every degree,
I wonder we ha’n’t better company
Upon Tyburn Tree!”’
These words brought them to the drawing-room, where Mr Merdle stood before the fire. So immensely astounded56 was Mr Merdle by the entrance of Bar with such a reference in his mouth, that Bar explained himself to have been quoting Gay. ‘Assuredly not one of our Westminster Hall authorities,’ said he, ‘but still no despicable one to a man possessing the largely-practical Mr Merdle’s knowledge of the world.’
Mr Merdle looked as if he thought he would say something, but subsequently looked as if he thought he wouldn’t. The interval57 afforded time for Bishop58 to be announced.
Bishop came in with meekness59, and yet with a strong and rapid step as if he wanted to get his seven-league dress-shoes on, and go round the world to see that everybody was in a satisfactory state. Bishop had no idea that there was anything significant in the occasion. That was the most remarkable trait in his demeanour. He was crisp, fresh, cheerful, affable, bland60; but so surprisingly innocent.
Bar sidled up to prefer his politest inquiries61 in reference to the health of Mrs Bishop. Mrs Bishop had been a little unfortunate in the article of taking cold at a Confirmation62, but otherwise was well. Young Mr Bishop was also well. He was down, with his young wife and little family, at his Cure of Souls.
The representatives of the Barnacle Chorus dropped in next, and Mr Merdle’s physician dropped in next. Bar, who had a bit of one eye and a bit of his double eye-glass for every one who came in at the door, no matter with whom he was conversing63 or what he was talking about, got among them all by some skilful64 means, without being seen to get at them, and touched each individual gentleman of the jury on his own individual favourite spot. With some of the Chorus, he laughed about the sleepy member who had gone out into the lobby the other night, and voted the wrong way: with others, he deplored65 that innovating66 spirit in the time which could not even be prevented from taking an unnatural67 interest in the public service and the public money: with the physician he had a word to say about the general health; he had also a little information to ask him for, concerning a professional man of unquestioned erudition and polished manners—but those credentials68 in their highest development he believed were the possession of other professors of the healing art (jury droop)—whom he had happened to have in the witness-box the day before yesterday, and from whom he had elicited69 in cross-examination that he claimed to be one of the exponents70 of this new mode of treatment which appeared to Bar to—eh?—well, Bar thought so; Bar had thought, and hoped, Physician would tell him so. Without presuming to decide where doctors disagreed, it did appear to Bar, viewing it as a question of common sense and not of so-called legal penetration71, that this new system was—might be, in the presence of so great an authority—say, Humbug72? Ah! Fortified73 by such encouragement, he could venture to say Humbug; and now Bar’s mind was relieved.
Mr Tite Barnacle, who, like Dr Johnson’s celebrated74 acquaintance, had only one idea in his head and that was a wrong one, had appeared by this time. This eminent75 gentleman and Mr Merdle, seated diverse ways and with ruminating76 aspects on a yellow ottoman in the light of the fire, holding no verbal communication with each other, bore a strong general resemblance to the two cows in the Cuyp picture over against them.
But now, Lord Decimus arrived. The Chief Butler, who up to this time had limited himself to a branch of his usual function by looking at the company as they entered (and that, with more of defiance77 than favour), put himself so far out of his way as to come up-stairs with him and announce him. Lord Decimus being an overpowering peer, a bashful young member of the Lower House who was the last fish but one caught by the Barnacles, and who had been invited on this occasion to commemorate78 his capture, shut his eyes when his Lordship came in.
Lord Decimus, nevertheless, was glad to see the Member. He was also glad to see Mr Merdle, glad to see Bishop, glad to see Bar, glad to see Physician, glad to see Tite Barnacle, glad to see Chorus, glad to see Ferdinand his private secretary. Lord Decimus, though one of the greatest of the earth, was not remarkable for ingratiatory manners, and Ferdinand had coached him up to the point of noticing all the fellows he might find there, and saying he was glad to see them. When he had achieved this rush of vivacity79 and condescension80, his Lordship composed himself into the picture after Cuyp, and made a third cow in the group.
Bar, who felt that he had got all the rest of the jury and must now lay hold of the Foreman, soon came sidling up, double eye-glass in hand. Bar tendered the weather, as a subject neatly81 aloof82 from official reserve, for the Foreman’s consideration. Bar said that he was told (as everybody always is told, though who tells them, and why, will ever remain a mystery), that there was to be no wall-fruit this year. Lord Decimus had not heard anything amiss of his peaches, but rather believed, if his people were correct, he was to have no apples. No apples? Bar was lost in astonishment83 and concern. It would have been all one to him, in reality, if there had not been a pippin on the surface of the earth, but his show of interest in this apple question was positively84 painful. Now, to what, Lord Decimus—for we troublesome lawyers loved to gather information, and could never tell how useful it might prove to us—to what, Lord Decimus, was this to be attributed? Lord Decimus could not undertake to propound85 any theory about it. This might have stopped another man; but Bar, sticking to him fresh as ever, said, ‘As to pears, now?’
Long after Bar got made Attorney-General, this was told of him as a master-stroke. Lord Decimus had a reminiscence about a pear-tree formerly86 growing in a garden near the back of his dame’s house at Eton, upon which pear-tree the only joke of his life perennially87 bloomed. It was a joke of a compact and portable nature, turning on the difference between Eton pears and Parliamentary pairs; but it was a joke, a refined relish88 of which would seem to have appeared to Lord Decimus impossible to be had without a thorough and intimate acquaintance with the tree. Therefore, the story at first had no idea of such a tree, sir, then gradually found it in winter, carried it through the changing season, saw it bud, saw it blossom, saw it bear fruit, saw the fruit ripen89; in short, cultivated the tree in that diligent90 and minute manner before it got out of the bed-room window to steal the fruit, that many thanks had been offered up by belated listeners for the trees having been planted and grafted91 prior to Lord Decimus’s time. Bar’s interest in apples was so overtopped by the wrapt suspense92 in which he pursued the changes of these pears, from the moment when Lord Decimus solemnly opened with ‘Your mentioning pears recalls to my remembrance a pear-tree,’ down to the rich conclusion, ‘And so we pass, through the various changes of life, from Eton pears to Parliamentary pairs,’ that he had to go down-stairs with Lord Decimus, and even then to be seated next to him at table in order that he might hear the anecdote93 out. By that time, Bar felt that he had secured the Foreman, and might go to dinner with a good appetite.
It was a dinner to provoke an appetite, though he had not had one. The rarest dishes, sumptuously94 cooked and sumptuously served; the choicest fruits; the most exquisite95 wines; marvels96 of workmanship in gold and silver, china and glass; innumerable things delicious to the senses of taste, smell, and sight, were insinuated97 into its composition. O, what a wonderful man this Merdle, what a great man, what a master man, how blessedly and enviably endowed—in one word, what a rich man!
He took his usual poor eighteenpennyworth of food in his usual indigestive way, and had as little to say for himself as ever a wonderful man had. Fortunately Lord Decimus was one of those sublimities who have no occasion to be talked to, for they can be at any time sufficiently occupied with the contemplation of their own greatness. This enabled the bashful young Member to keep his eyes open long enough at a time to see his dinner. But, whenever Lord Decimus spoke, he shut them again.
The agreeable young Barnacle, and Bar, were the talkers of the party. Bishop would have been exceedingly agreeable also, but that his innocence98 stood in his way. He was so soon left behind. When there was any little hint of anything being in the wind, he got lost directly. Worldly affairs were too much for him; he couldn’t make them out at all.
This was observable when Bar said, incidentally, that he was happy to have heard that we were soon to have the advantage of enlisting99 on the good side, the sound and plain sagacity—not demonstrative or ostentatious, but thoroughly100 sound and practical—of our friend Mr Sparkler.
Ferdinand Barnacle laughed, and said oh yes, he believed so. A vote was a vote, and always acceptable.
Bar was sorry to miss our good friend Mr Sparkler to-day, Mr Merdle.
‘He is away with Mrs Merdle,’ returned that gentleman, slowly coming out of a long abstraction, in the course of which he had been fitting a tablespoon up his sleeve. ‘It is not indispensable for him to be on the spot.’
‘The magic name of Merdle,’ said Bar, with the jury droop, ‘no doubt will suffice for all.’
‘Why—yes—I believe so,’ assented101 Mr Merdle, putting the spoon aside, and clumsily hiding each of his hands in the coat-cuff of the other hand. ‘I believe the people in my interest down there will not make any difficulty.’
‘Model people!’ said Bar.
‘I am glad you approve of them,’ said Mr Merdle.
‘And the people of those other two places, now,’ pursued Bar, with a bright twinkle in his keen eye, as it slightly turned in the direction of his magnificent neighbour; ‘we lawyers are always curious, always inquisitive102, always picking up odds103 and ends for our patchwork104 minds, since there is no knowing when and where they may fit into some corner;—the people of those other two places now? Do they yield so laudably to the vast and cumulative105 influence of such enterprise and such renown; do those little rills become absorbed so quietly and easily, and, as it were by the influence of natural laws, so beautifully, in the swoop106 of the majestic107 stream as it flows upon its wondrous108 way enriching the surrounding lands; that their course is perfectly109 to be calculated, and distinctly to be predicated?’
Mr Merdle, a little troubled by Bar’s eloquence110, looked fitfully about the nearest salt-cellar for some moments, and then said hesitating:
‘They are perfectly aware, sir, of their duty to Society. They will return anybody I send to them for that purpose.’
‘Cheering to know,’ said Bar. ‘Cheering to know.’
The three places in question were three little rotten holes in this Island, containing three little ignorant, drunken, guzzling111, dirty, out-of-the-way constituencies, that had reeled into Mr Merdle’s pocket. Ferdinand Barnacle laughed in his easy way, and airily said they were a nice set of fellows. Bishop, mentally perambulating among paths of peace, was altogether swallowed up in absence of mind.
‘Pray,’ asked Lord Decimus, casting his eyes around the table, ‘what is this story I have heard of a gentleman long confined in a debtors’ prison proving to be of a wealthy family, and having come into the inheritance of a large sum of money? I have met with a variety of allusions112 to it. Do you know anything of it, Ferdinand?’
‘I only know this much,’ said Ferdinand, ‘that he has given the Department with which I have the honour to be associated;’ this sparkling young Barnacle threw off the phrase sportively, as who should say, We know all about these forms of speech, but we must keep it up, we must keep the game alive; ‘no end of trouble, and has put us into innumerable fixes.’
‘Fixes?’ repeated Lord Decimus, with a majestic pausing and pondering on the word that made the bashful Member shut his eyes quite tight. ‘Fixes?’
‘A very perplexing business indeed,’ observed Mr Tite Barnacle, with an air of grave resentment113.
‘What,’ said Lord Decimus, ‘was the character of his business; what was the nature of these—a—Fixes, Ferdinand?’
‘Oh, it’s a good story, as a story,’ returned that gentleman; ‘as good a thing of its kind as need be. This Mr Dorrit (his name is Dorrit) had incurred114 a responsibility to us, ages before the fairy came out of the Bank and gave him his fortune, under a bond he had signed for the performance of a contract which was not at all performed. He was a partner in a house in some large way—spirits, or buttons, or wine, or blacking, or oatmeal, or woollen, or pork, or hooks and eyes, or iron, or treacle116, or shoes, or something or other that was wanted for troops, or seamen117, or somebody—and the house burst, and we being among the creditors118, detainees were lodged119 on the part of the Crown in a scientific manner, and all the rest of it. When the fairy had appeared and he wanted to pay us off, Egad we had got into such an exemplary state of checking and counter-checking, signing and counter-signing, that it was six months before we knew how to take the money, or how to give a receipt for it. It was a triumph of public business,’ said this handsome young Barnacle, laughing heartily120, ‘You never saw such a lot of forms in your life. “Why,” the attorney said to me one day, “if I wanted this office to give me two or three thousand pounds instead of take it, I couldn’t have more trouble about it.” “You are right, old fellow,” I told him, “and in future you’ll know that we have something to do here.”’ The pleasant young Barnacle finished by once more laughing heartily. He was a very easy, pleasant fellow indeed, and his manners were exceedingly winning.
Mr Tite Barnacle’s view of the business was of a less airy character. He took it ill that Mr Dorrit had troubled the Department by wanting to pay the money, and considered it a grossly informal thing to do after so many years. But Mr Tite Barnacle was a buttoned-up man, and consequently a weighty one. All buttoned-up men are weighty. All buttoned-up men are believed in. Whether or no the reserved and never-exercised power of unbuttoning, fascinates mankind; whether or no wisdom is supposed to condense and augment121 when buttoned up, and to evaporate when unbuttoned; it is certain that the man to whom importance is accorded is the buttoned-up man. Mr Tite Barnacle never would have passed for half his current value, unless his coat had been always buttoned-up to his white cravat122.
‘May I ask,’ said Lord Decimus, ‘if Mr Darrit—or Dorrit—has any family?’
Nobody else replying, the host said, ‘He has two daughters, my lord.’
‘Oh! you are acquainted with him?’ asked Lord Decimus.
‘Mrs Merdle is. Mr Sparkler is, too. In fact,’ said Mr Merdle, ‘I rather believe that one of the young ladies has made an impression on Edmund Sparkler. He is susceptible123, and—I—think—the conquest—’ Here Mr Merdle stopped, and looked at the table-cloth, as he usually did when he found himself observed or listened to.
Bar was uncommonly124 pleased to find that the Merdle family, and this family, had already been brought into contact. He submitted, in a low voice across the table to Bishop, that it was a kind of analogical illustration of those physical laws, in virtue125 of which Like flies to Like. He regarded this power of attraction in wealth to draw wealth to it, as something remarkably126 interesting and curious—something indefinably allied127 to the loadstone and gravitation. Bishop, who had ambled128 back to earth again when the present theme was broached129, acquiesced130. He said it was indeed highly important to Society that one in the trying situation of unexpectedly finding himself invested with a power for good or for evil in Society, should become, as it were, merged131 in the superior power of a more legitimate132 and more gigantic growth, the influence of which (as in the case of our friend at whose board we sat) was habitually exercised in harmony with the best interests of Society. Thus, instead of two rival and contending flames, a larger and a lesser133, each burning with a lurid134 and uncertain glare, we had a blended and a softened135 light whose genial136 ray diffused137 an equable warmth throughout the land. Bishop seemed to like his own way of putting the case very much, and rather dwelt upon it; Bar, meanwhile (not to throw away a jury-man), making a show of sitting at his feet and feeding on his precepts138.
The dinner and dessert being three hours long, the bashful Member cooled in the shadow of Lord Decimus faster than he warmed with food and drink, and had but a chilly139 time of it. Lord Decimus, like a tall tower in a flat country, seemed to project himself across the table-cloth, hide the light from the honourable140 Member, cool the honourable Member’s marrow141, and give him a woeful idea of distance. When he asked this unfortunate traveller to take wine, he encompassed142 his faltering143 steps with the gloomiest of shades; and when he said, ‘Your health sir!’ all around him was barrenness and desolation.
At length Lord Decimus, with a coffee-cup in his hand, began to hover144 about among the pictures, and to cause an interesting speculation145 to arise in all minds as to the probabilities of his ceasing to hover, and enabling the smaller birds to flutter up-stairs; which could not be done until he had urged his noble pinions146 in that direction. After some delay, and several stretches of his wings which came to nothing, he soared to the drawing-rooms.
And here a difficulty arose, which always does arise when two people are specially147 brought together at a dinner to confer with one another. Everybody (except Bishop, who had no suspicion of it) knew perfectly well that this dinner had been eaten and drunk, specifically to the end that Lord Decimus and Mr Merdle should have five minutes’ conversation together. The opportunity so elaborately prepared was now arrived, and it seemed from that moment that no mere148 human ingenuity149 could so much as get the two chieftains into the same room. Mr Merdle and his noble guest persisted in prowling about at opposite ends of the perspective. It was in vain for the engaging Ferdinand to bring Lord Decimus to look at the bronze horses near Mr Merdle. Then Mr Merdle evaded150, and wandered away. It was in vain for him to bring Mr Merdle to Lord Decimus to tell him the history of the unique Dresden vases. Then Lord Decimus evaded and wandered away, while he was getting his man up to the mark.
‘Did you ever see such a thing as this?’ said Ferdinand to Bar when he had been baffled twenty times.
‘Often,’ returned Bar.
‘Unless I butt115 one of them into an appointed corner, and you butt the other,’ said Ferdinand, ‘it will not come off after all.’
‘Very good,’ said Bar. ‘I’ll butt Merdle, if you like; but not my lord.’
Ferdinand laughed, in the midst of his vexation. ‘Confound them both!’ said he, looking at his watch. ‘I want to get away. Why the deuce can’t they come together! They both know what they want and mean to do. Look at them!’
They were still looming151 at opposite ends of the perspective, each with an absurd pretence152 of not having the other on his mind, which could not have been more transparently153 ridiculous though his real mind had been chalked on his back. Bishop, who had just now made a third with Bar and Ferdinand, but whose innocence had again cut him out of the subject and washed him in sweet oil, was seen to approach Lord Decimus and glide154 into conversation.
‘I must get Merdle’s doctor to catch and secure him, I suppose,’ said Ferdinand; ‘and then I must lay hold of my illustrious kinsman155, and decoy him if I can—drag him if I can’t—to the conference.’
‘Since you do me the honour,’ said Bar, with his slyest smile, to ask for my poor aid, it shall be yours with the greatest pleasure. I don’t think this is to be done by one man. But if you will undertake to pen my lord into that furthest drawing-room where he is now so profoundly engaged, I will undertake to bring our dear Merdle into the presence, without the possibility of getting away.’
‘Done!’ said Ferdinand. ‘Done!’ said Bar.
Bar was a sight wondrous to behold, and full of matter, when, jauntily156 waving his double eye-glass by its ribbon, and jauntily drooping157 to an Universe of Jurymen, he, in the most accidental manner ever seen, found himself at Mr Merdle’s shoulder, and embraced that opportunity of mentioning a little point to him, on which he particularly wished to be guided by the light of his practical knowledge. (Here he took Mr Merdle’s arm and walked him gently away.) A banker, whom we would call A. B., advanced a considerable sum of money, which we would call fifteen thousand pounds, to a client or customer of his, whom he would call P. Q. (Here, as they were getting towards Lord Decimus, he held Mr Merdle tight.) As a security for the repayment158 of this advance to P. Q. whom we would call a widow lady, there were placed in A. B.‘s hands the title-deeds of a freehold estate, which we would call Blinkiter Doddles. Now, the point was this. A limited right of felling and lopping in the woods of Blinkiter Doddles, lay in the son of P. Q. then past his majority, and whom we would call X. Y.—but really this was too bad! In the presence of Lord Decimus, to detain the host with chopping our dry chaff159 of law, was really too bad! Another time! Bar was truly repentant160, and would not say another syllable161. Would Bishop favour him with half-a-dozen words? (He had now set Mr Merdle down on a couch, side by side with Lord Decimus, and to it they must go, now or never.)
And now the rest of the company, highly excited and interested, always excepting Bishop, who had not the slightest idea that anything was going on, formed in one group round the fire in the next drawing-room, and pretended to be chatting easily on the infinite variety of small topics, while everybody’s thoughts and eyes were secretly straying towards the secluded162 pair. The Chorus were excessively nervous, perhaps as labouring under the dreadful apprehension163 that some good thing was going to be diverted from them! Bishop alone talked steadily164 and evenly. He conversed165 with the great Physician on that relaxation166 of the throat with which young curates were too frequently afflicted167, and on the means of lessening168 the great prevalence of that disorder169 in the church. Physician, as a general rule, was of opinion that the best way to avoid it was to know how to read, before you made a profession of reading. Bishop said dubiously170, did he really think so? And Physician said, decidedly, yes he did.
Ferdinand, meanwhile, was the only one of the party who skirmished on the outside of the circle; he kept about mid-way between it and the two, as if some sort of surgical171 operation were being performed by Lord Decimus on Mr Merdle, or by Mr Merdle on Lord Decimus, and his services might at any moment be required as Dresser. In fact, within a quarter of an hour Lord Decimus called to him ‘Ferdinand!’ and he went, and took his place in the conference for some five minutes more. Then a half-suppressed gasp172 broke out among the Chorus; for Lord Decimus rose to take his leave. Again coached up by Ferdinand to the point of making himself popular, he shook hands in the most brilliant manner with the whole company, and even said to Bar, ‘I hope you were not bored by my pears?’ To which Bar retorted, ‘Eton, my lord, or Parliamentary?’ neatly showing that he had mastered the joke, and delicately insinuating173 that he could never forget it while his life remained.
All the grave importance that was buttoned up in Mr Tite Barnacle, took itself away next; and Ferdinand took himself away next, to the opera. Some of the rest lingered a little, marrying golden liqueur glasses to Buhl tables with sticky rings; on the desperate chance of Mr Merdle’s saying something. But Merdle, as usual, oozed174 sluggishly175 and muddily about his drawing-room, saying never a word.
In a day or two it was announced to all the town, that Edmund Sparkler, Esquire, son-in-law of the eminent Mr Merdle of worldwide renown, was made one of the Lords of the Circumlocution Office; and proclamation was issued, to all true believers, that this admirable appointment was to be hailed as a graceful176 and gracious mark of homage177, rendered by the graceful and gracious Decimus, to that commercial interest which must ever in a great commercial country—and all the rest of it, with blast of trumpet178. So, bolstered179 by this mark of Government homage, the wonderful Bank and all the other wonderful undertakings180 went on and went up; and gapers came to Harley Street, Cavendish Square, only to look at the house where the golden wonder lived.
And when they saw the Chief Butler looking out at the hall-door in his moments of condescension, the gapers said how rich he looked, and wondered how much money he had in the wonderful Bank. But, if they had known that respectable Nemesis181 better, they would not have wondered about it, and might have stated the amount with the utmost precision.
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1
renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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2
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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3
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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4
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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5
clogged
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| （使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞 | |
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6
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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7
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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8
propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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9
reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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10
deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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11
benighted
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| adj.蒙昧的 | |
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12
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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13
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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14
circumlocution
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| n. 绕圈子的话，迂回累赘的陈述 | |
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15
puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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16
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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17
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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18
avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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19
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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20
bate
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| v.压制；减弱；n.（制革用的）软化剂 | |
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21
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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22
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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23
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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24
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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25
probity
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| n.刚直；廉洁，正直 | |
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26
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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27
adherence
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| n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着 | |
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28
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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29
spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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30
heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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31
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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32
importunity
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| n.硬要，强求 | |
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33
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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34
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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35
conjugate
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| vt.使成对，使结合；adj.共轭的，成对的 | |
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36
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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37
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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38
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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39
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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40
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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41
fattening
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| adj.（食物）要使人发胖的v.喂肥( fatten的现在分词 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
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42
projector
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| n.投影机，放映机，幻灯机 | |
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43
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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44
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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45
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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46
sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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47
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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48
gossamer
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| n.薄纱，游丝 | |
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49
seduced
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| 诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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50
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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51
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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52
jocose
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| adj.开玩笑的，滑稽的 | |
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53
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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54
curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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55
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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56
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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57
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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58
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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59
meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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60
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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61
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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62
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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63
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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64
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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65
deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
innovating
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| v.改革，创新( innovate的现在分词 )；引入（新事物、思想或方法）， | |
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67
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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68
credentials
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| n.证明，资格，证明书，证件 | |
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69
elicited
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| 引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
exponents
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| n.倡导者( exponent的名词复数 )；说明者；指数；能手 | |
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71
penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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72
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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73
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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74
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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75
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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76
ruminating
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| v.沉思( ruminate的现在分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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77
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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78
commemorate
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| vt.纪念，庆祝 | |
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79
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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80
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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81
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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82
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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83
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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84
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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85
propound
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| v.提出 | |
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86
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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87
perennially
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| adv.经常出现地；长期地；持久地；永久地 | |
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88
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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89
ripen
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| vt.使成熟；vi.成熟 | |
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90
diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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91
grafted
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| 移植( graft的过去式和过去分词 )； 嫁接； 使（思想、制度等）成为（…的一部份）； 植根 | |
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92
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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93
anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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94
sumptuously
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| 奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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95
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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96
marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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97
insinuated
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| v.暗示( insinuate的过去式和过去分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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98
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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99
enlisting
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| v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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100
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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101
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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102
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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103
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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104
patchwork
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| n.混杂物；拼缝物 | |
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105
cumulative
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| adj.累积的，渐增的 | |
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106
swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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107
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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108
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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109
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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110
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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111
guzzling
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| v.狂吃暴饮，大吃大喝( guzzle的现在分词 ) | |
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112
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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113
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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114
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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115
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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116
treacle
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| n.糖蜜 | |
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117
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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118
creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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119
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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120
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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121
augment
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| vt.(使)增大，增加，增长，扩张 | |
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122
cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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123
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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124
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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125
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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126
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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127
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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128
ambled
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的过去式和过去分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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129
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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130
acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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131
merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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132
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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133
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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134
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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135
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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136
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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137
diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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138
precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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139
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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140
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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141
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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142
encompassed
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| v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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143
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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144
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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145
speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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146
pinions
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的第三人称单数 ) | |
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147
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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148
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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150
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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151
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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152
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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153
transparently
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| 明亮地，显然地，易觉察地 | |
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154
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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155
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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156
jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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157
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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158
repayment
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| n.偿还，偿还款；报酬 | |
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159
chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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160
repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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161
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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162
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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163
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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164
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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165
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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166
relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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167
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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168
lessening
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| 减轻，减少，变小 | |
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169
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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170
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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171
surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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172
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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173
insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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174
oozed
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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175
sluggishly
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| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
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176
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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177
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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178
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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179
bolstered
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| v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助 | |
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180
undertakings
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| 企业( undertaking的名词复数 )； 保证； 殡仪业； 任务 | |
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181
nemesis
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| n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手 | |
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