’TheDepartmentisaccessibletothe——Public，’MrBarnaclewasalwayscheckedalittlebythatwordofimpertinentsignification，’ifthe——Publicapproachesitaccordingtotheofficialforms；ifthe——Publicdoesnotapproachitaccordingtotheofficialforms，the——Publichasitselftoblame。’
MrBarnaclemadehimaseverebow，asawoundedmanoffamily，awoundedmanofplace，andawoundedmanofagentlemanlyresidence，allrolledintoone；andhemadeMrBarnacleabow，andwasshutoutintoMewsStreetbytheflabbyfootman。
Havinggottothispass，heresolvedasanexerciseinperseverance，tobetakehimselfagaintotheCircumlocutionOffice，andtrywhatsatisfactionhecouldgetthere。SohewentbacktotheCircumlocutionOffice，andoncemoresentuphiscardtoBarnaclejuniorbyamessengerwhotookitveryillindeedthatheshouldcomebackagain，andwhowaseatingmashedpotatoesandgravybehindapartitionbythehallfire。
HewasreadmittedtothepresenceofBarnaclejunior，andfoundthatyounggentlemansingeinghiskneesnow，andgapinghiswearywayontofouro’clock。
’Isay。Lookhere。Yousticktousinadevilofamanner，’SaidBarnaclejunior，lookingoverhisshoulder。
’Iwanttoknow——’
’Lookhere。Uponmysoulyoumustn’tcomeintotheplacesayingyouwanttoknow，youknow，’remonstratedBarnaclejunior，turningaboutandputtinguptheeye-glass。
’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthurClennam，whohadmadeuphismindtopersistenceinoneshortformofwords，’theprecisenatureoftheclaimoftheCrownagainstaprisonerfordebt，namedDorrit。’
’Isay。Lookhere。Youreallyaregoingitatagreatpace，youknow。Egad，youhaven’tgotanappointment，’saidBarnaclejunior，asifthethingweregrowingserious。
’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthur，andrepeatedhiscase。
Barnaclejuniorstaredathimuntilhiseye-glassfellout，andthenputitinagainandstaredathimuntilitfelloutagain。
’Youhavenorighttocomethissortofmove，’hethenobservedwiththegreatestweakness。’Lookhere。Whatdoyoumean？Youtoldmeyoudidn’tknowwhetheritwaspublicbusinessornot。’
’Ihavenowascertainedthatitispublicbusiness，’returnedthesuitor，’andIwanttoknow’——andagainrepeatedhismonotonousinquiry。
ItseffectuponyoungBarnaclewastomakehimrepeatinadefencelessway，’Lookhere!UponmySOULyoumustn’tcomeintotheplacesayingyouwanttoknow，youknow!’TheeffectofthatuponArthurClennamwastomakehimrepeathisinquiryinexactlythesamewordsandtoneasbefore。TheeffectofthatuponyoungBarnaclewastomakehimawonderfulspectacleoffailureandhelplessness。
’Well，Itellyouwhat。Lookhere。YouhadbettertrytheSecretarialDepartment，’hesaidatlast，sidlingtothebellandringingit。’Jenkinson，’tothemashedpotatoesmessenger，’MrWobbler!’
ArthurClennam，whonowfeltthathehaddevotedhimselftothestormingoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andmustgothroughwithit，accompaniedthemessengertoanotherfloorofthebuilding，wherethatfunctionarypointedoutMrWobbler’sroom。Heenteredthatapartment，andfoundtwogentlemensittingfacetofaceatalargeandeasydesk，oneofwhomwaspolishingagun-barrelonhispocket-handkerchief，whiletheotherwasspreadingmarmaladeonbreadwithapaper-knife。
’MrWobbler？’inquiredthesuitor。
Bothgentlemenglancedathim，andseemedsurprisedathisassurance。
’Sohewent，’saidthegentlemanwiththegun-barrel，whowasanextremelydeliberatespeaker，’downtohiscousin’splace，andtooktheDogwithhimbyrail。InestimableDog。Flewattheporterfellowwhenhewasputintothedog-box，andflewattheguardwhenhewastakenout。Hegothalf-a-dozenfellowsintoaBarn，andagoodsupplyofRats，andtimedtheDog。FindingtheDogabletodoitimmensely，madethematch，andheavilybackedtheDog。Whenthematchcameoff，somedevilofafellowwasboughtover，Sir，Dogwasmadedrunk，Dog’smasterwascleanedout。’
’MrWobbler？’inquiredthesuitor。
Thegentlemanwhowasspreadingthemarmaladereturned，withoutlookingupfromthatoccupation，’WhatdidhecalltheDog？’
’CalledhimLovely，’saidtheothergentleman。’SaidtheDogwastheperfectpictureoftheoldauntfromwhomhehadexpectations。
Foundhimparticularlylikeherwhenhocussed。’
’MrWobbler？’saidthesuitor。
Bothgentlemenlaughedforsometime。Thegentlemanwiththegun-
barrel，consideringit，oninspection，inasatisfactorystate，referredittotheother；receivingconfirmationofhisviews，hefitteditintoitsplaceinthecasebeforehim，andtookoutthestockandpolishedthat，softlywhistling。
’MrWobbler？’saidthesuitor。
’What’sthematter？’thensaidMrWobbler，withhismouthfull。
’Iwanttoknow——’andArthurClennamagainmechanicallysetforthwhathewantedtoknow。
’Can’tinformyou，’observedMrWobbler，apparentlytohislunch。
’Neverheardofit。Nothingatalltodowithit。BettertryMrClive，seconddoorontheleftinthenextpassage。’
’Perhapshewillgivemethesameanswer。’
’Verylikely。Don’tknowanythingaboutit，’saidMrWobbler。
Thesuitorturnedawayandhadlefttheroom，whenthegentlemanwiththeguncalledout’Mister!Hallo!’
Helookedinagain。
’Shutthedoorafteryou。You’relettinginadevilofadraughthere!’
Afewstepsbroughthimtotheseconddoorontheleftinthenextpassage。Inthatroomhefoundthreegentlemen；numberonedoingnothingparticular，numbertwodoingnothingparticular，numberthreedoingnothingparticular。Theyseemed，however，tobemoredirectlyconcernedthantheothershadbeenintheeffectiveexecutionofthegreatprincipleoftheoffice，astherewasanawfulinnerapartmentwithadoubledoor，inwhichtheCircumlocutionSagesappearedtobeassembledincouncil，andoutofwhichtherewasanimposingcomingofpapers，andintowhichtherewasanimposinggoingofpapers，almostconstantly；whereinanothergentleman，numberfour，wastheactiveinstrument。
’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthurClennam，——andagainstatedhiscaseinthesamebarrel-organway。Asnumberonereferredhimtonumbertwo，andasnumbertworeferredhimtonumberthree，hehadoccasiontostateitthreetimesbeforetheyallreferredhimtonumberfour，towhomhestateditagain。
Numberfourwasavivacious，well-looking，well-dressed，agreeableyoungfellow——hewasaBarnacle，butonthemoresprightlysideofthefamily——andhesaidinaneasyway，’Oh!youhadbetternotbotheryourselfaboutit，Ithink。’
’Notbothermyselfaboutit？’
’No!Irecommendyounottobotheryourselfaboutit。’
ThiswassuchanewpointofviewthatArthurClennamfoundhimselfatalosshowtoreceiveit。
’Youcanifyoulike。Icangiveyouplentyofformstofillup。
Lotsof’emhere。Youcanhaveadozenifyoulike。Butyou’llnevergoonwithit，’saidnumberfour。
’Woulditbesuchhopelesswork？Excuseme；IamastrangerinEngland。’
’Idon’tsayitwouldbehopeless，’returnednumberfour，withafranksmile。’Idon’texpressanopinionaboutthat；Ionlyexpressanopinionaboutyou。Idon’tthinkyou’dgoonwithit。
However，ofcourse，youcandoasyoulike。Isupposetherewasafailureintheperformanceofacontract，orsomethingofthatkind，wasthere？’
’Ireallydon’tknow。’
’Well!Thatyoucanfindout。Thenyou’llfindoutwhatDepartmentthecontractwasin，andthenyou’llfindoutallaboutitthere。’
’Ibegyourpardon。HowshallIfindout？’
’Why，you’ll——you’llasktilltheytellyou。Thenyou’llmemorialisethatDepartmentaccordingtoregularformswhichyou’llfindoutforleavetomemorialisethisDepartment。Ifyougetitwhichyoumayafteratime，thatmemorialmustbeenteredinthatDepartment，senttoberegisteredinthisDepartment，sentbacktobesignedbythatDepartment，sentbacktobecountersignedbythisDepartment，andthenitwillbegintoberegularlybeforethatDepartment。You’llfindoutwhenthebusinesspassesthrougheachofthesestagesbyaskingatbothDepartmentstilltheytellyou。’
’Butsurelythisisnotthewaytodothebusiness，’ArthurClennamcouldnothelpsaying。
ThisairyyoungBarnaclewasquiteentertainedbyhissimplicityinsupposingforamomentthatitwas。ThislightinhandyoungBarnacleknewperfectlythatitwasnot。ThistouchandgoyoungBarnaclehad’gotup’theDepartmentinaprivatesecretaryship，thathemightbereadyforanylittlebitoffatthatcametohand；
andhefullyunderstoodtheDepartmenttobeapolitico-diplomatichocuspocuspieceofmachineryfortheassistanceofthenobsinkeepingoffthesnobs。ThisdashingyoungBarnacle，inaword，waslikelytobecomeastatesman，andtomakeafigure。