He，therefore，firstrequestingMrPanckstorememberhisvoluntarydeclarationthathisproprietorhadnopartinthedisclosure，andthathisownintentionsweregoodtwodeclarationswhichthatcoalylittlegentlemanwiththegreatestardourrepeated，openlytoldhimthatastotheDorritlineageorformerplaceofhabitation，hehadnoinformationtocommunicate，andthathisknowledgeofthefamilydidnotextendbeyondthefactthatitappearedtobenowreducedtofivemembers；namely，totwobrothers，ofwhomonewassingle，andoneawidowerwiththreechildren。TheagesofthewholefamilyhemadeknowntoMrPancks，asnearlyashecouldguessatthem；andfinallyhedescribedtohimthepositionoftheFatheroftheMarshalsea，andthecourseoftimeandeventsthroughwhichhehadbecomeinvestedwiththatcharacter。Toallthis，MrPancks，snortingandblowinginamoreandmoreportentousmannerashebecamemoreinterested，listenedwithgreatattention；appearingtoderivethemostagreeablesensationsfromthepainfullestpartsofthenarrative，andparticularlytobequitecharmedbytheaccountofWilliamDorrit’slongimprisonment。
’Inconclusion，MrPancks，’saidArthur，’Ihavebuttosaythis。
IhavereasonsbeyondapersonalregardforspeakingaslittleasIcanoftheDorritfamily，particularlyatmymother’shouse’MrPancksnodded，’andforknowingasmuchasIcan。Sodevotedamanofbusinessasyouare——eh？’
ForMrPanckshadsuddenlymadethatblowingeffortwithunusualforce。
’It’snothing，’saidPancks。
’Sodevotedamanofbusinessasyourselfhasaperfectunderstandingofafairbargain。Iwishtomakeafairbargainwithyou，thatyoushallenlightenmeconcerningtheDorritfamilywhenyouhaveitinyourpower，asIhaveenlightenedyou。Itmaynotgiveyouaveryflatteringideaofmybusinesshabits，thatI
failedtomakemytermsbeforehand，’continuedClennam；’butI
prefertomakethemapointofhonour。Ihaveseensomuchbusinessdoneonsharpprinciplesthat，totellyouthetruth，MrPancks，Iamtiredofthem。’
MrPanckslaughed。’It’sabargain，sir，’saidhe。’Youshallfindmesticktoit。’
Afterthat，hestoodalittlewhilelookingatClennam，andbitinghistennailsallround；evidentlywhilehefixedinhismindwhathehadbeentold，andwentoveritcarefully，beforethemeansofsupplyingagapinhismemoryshouldbenolongerathand。’It’sallright，’hesaidatlast，’andnowI’llwishyougoodday，asit’scollectingdayintheYard。By-the-bye，though。Alameforeignerwithastick。’
’Ay，ay。Youdotakeareferencesometimes，Isee？’saidClennam。
’Whenhecanpay，sir，’repliedPancks。’Takeallyoucanget，andkeepbackallyoucan’tbeforcedtogiveup。That’sbusiness。
ThelameforeignerwiththestickwantsatoproomdowntheYard。
Ishegoodforit？’
’Iam，’saidClennam，’andIwillanswerforhim。’
’That’senough。WhatImusthaveofBleedingHeartYard，’saidPancks，makinganoteofthecaseinhisbook，’ismybond。Iwantmybond，yousee。Payup，orproduceyourproperty!That’sthewatchworddowntheYard。Thelameforeignerwiththestickrepresentedthatyousenthim；buthecouldrepresentasfarasthatgoesthattheGreatMogulsenthim。Hehasbeeninthehospital，Ibelieve？’
’Yes。Throughhavingmetwithanaccident。Heisonlyjustnowdischarged。’
’It’spauperisingaman，sir，Ihavebeenshown，tolethimintoahospital？’saidPancks。Andagainblewoffthatremarkablesound。
’Ihavebeenshownsotoo，’saidClennam，coldly。
MrPancks，beingbythattimequitereadyforastart，gotundersteaminamoment，and，withoutanyothersignalorceremony，wassnortingdownthestep-ladderandworkingintoBleedingHeartYard，beforeheseemedtobewelloutofthecounting-house。
Throughouttheremainderoftheday，BleedingHeartYardwasinconsternation，asthegrimPanckscruisedinit；haranguingtheinhabitantsontheirbackslidingsinrespectofpayment，demandinghisbond，breathingnoticestoquitandexecutions，runningdowndefaulters，sendingaswellofterroronbeforehim，andleavingitinhiswake。Knotsofpeople，impelledbyafatalattraction，lurkedoutsideanyhouseinwhichhewasknowntobe，listeningforfragmentsofhisdiscoursestotheinmates；and，whenhewasrumouredtobecomingdownthestairs，oftencouldnotdispersesoquicklybutthathewouldbeprematurelyinamongthem，demandingtheirownarrears，androotingthemtothespot。Throughouttheremainderoftheday，MrPancks’sWhatweretheyupto？andWhatdidtheymeanbyit？soundedallovertheYard。MrPanckswouldn’thearofexcuses，wouldn’thearofcomplaints，wouldn’thearofrepairs，wouldn’thearofanythingbutunconditionalmoneydown。Perspiringandpuffinganddartingaboutineccentricdirections，andbecominghotteranddingiereverymoment，helashedthetideoftheyardintoamostagitatedandturbidstate。Ithadnotsettleddownintocalmwateragainfulltwohoursafterhehadbeenseenfumingawayonthehorizonatthetopofthesteps。
TherewereseveralsmallassemblagesoftheBleedingHeartsatthepopularpointsofmeetingintheYardthatnight，amongwhomitwasuniversallyagreedthatMrPanckswasahardmantohavetodowith；andthatitwasmuchtoberegretted，soitwas，thatagentlemanlikeMrCasbyshouldputhisrentsinhishands，andneverknowhiminhistruelight。ForsaidtheBleedingHearts，ifagentlemanwiththatheadofhairandthemeyestookhisrentsintohisownhands，ma’am，therewouldbenoneofthisworritingandwearing，andthingswouldbeverydifferent。
Atwhichidenticaleveninghourandminute，thePatriarch——whohadfloatedserenelythroughtheYardintheforenoonbeforetheharryingbegan，withtheexpressdesignofgettingupthistrustfulnessinhisshiningbumpsandsilkenlocks——atwhichidenticalhourandminute，thatfirst-ratehumbugofathousandgunswasheavilyflounderinginthelittleDockofhisexhaustedTugathome，andwassaying，asheturnedhisthumbs：
’Averybadday’swork，Pancks，verybadday’swork。Itseemstome，sir，andImustinsistonmakingthisobservationforciblyinjusticetomyself，thatyououghttohavegotmuchmoremoney，muchmoremoney。’
Fortune-TellingLittleDorritreceivedacallthatsameeveningfromMrPlornish，who，havingintimatedthathewishedtospeaktoherprivately，inaseriesofcoughssoverynoticeableastofavourtheideathatherfather，asregardedherseamstressoccupation，wasanillustrationoftheaxiomthattherearenosuchstone-blindmenasthosewhowillnotsee，obtainedanaudiencewithheronthecommonstaircaseoutsidethedoor。
’There’sbeenaladyatourplaceto-day，MissDorrit，’Plornishgrowled，’andanotheronealongwithherasisaoldwixenifeverImetwithsuch。Thewayshesnappedaperson’sheadoff，dearme!’
ThemildPlornishwasatfirstquiteunabletogethismindawayfromMrF。’sAunt。’For，’saidhe，toexcusehimself，’sheis，I
doassureyou，thewinegariestparty。’
Atlength，byagreateffort，hedetachedhimselffromthesubjectsufficientlytoobserve：
’Butshe’sneitherherenortherejustatpresent。Theotherlady，she’sMrCasby’sdaughter；andifMrCasbyan’twelloff，nonebetter，itan’tthroughanyfaultofPancks。For，astoPancks，hedoes，hereallydoes，hedoesindeed!’
MrPlornish，afterhisusualmanner，wasalittleobscure，butconscientiouslyemphatic。
’Andwhatshecometoourplacefor，’hepursued，’wastoleavewordthatifMissDorritwouldstepuptothatcard——whichit’sMrCasby’shousethatis，andPanckshehasaofficeattheback，wherehereallydoes，beyondbelief——shewouldbegladfortoengageher。Shewasaoldandadearfriend，shesaidparticular，ofMrClennam，andhopedfortoproveherselfausefulfriendtohisfriend。Themwasherwords。WishingtoknowwhetherMissDorritcouldcometo-morrowmorning，IsaidIwouldseeyou，Miss，andinquire，andlookroundthereto-night，tosayyes，or，ifyouwasengagedto-morrow，when。’
’Icangoto-morrow，thankyou，’saidLittleDorrit。’Thisisverykindofyou，butyouarealwayskind。’
MrPlornish，withamodestdisavowalofhismerits，openedtheroomdoorforherreadmission，andfollowedherinwithsuchanexceedinglybaldpretenceofnothavingbeenoutatall，thatherfathermighthaveobserveditwithoutbeingverysuspicious。Inhisaffableunconsciousness，however，hetooknoheed。Plornish，afteralittleconversation，inwhichheblendedhisformerdutyasaCollegianwithhispresentprivilegeasahumbleoutsidefriend，qualifiedagainbyhislowestateasaplasterer，tookhisleave；
makingthetouroftheprisonbeforeheleft，andlookingonatagameofskittleswiththemixedfeelingsofanoldinhabitantwhohadhisprivatereasonsforbelievingthatitmightbehisdestinytocomebackagain。
Earlyinthemorning，LittleDorrit，leavingMaggyinhighdomestictrust，setoffforthePatriarchaltent。ShewentbytheIronBridge，thoughitcostherapenny，andwalkedmoreslowlyinthatpartofherjourneythaninanyother。AtfiveminutesbeforeeightherhandwasonthePatriarchalknocker，whichwasquiteashighasshecouldreach。
ShegaveMrsFinching’scardtotheyoungwomanwhoopenedthedoor，andtheyoungwomantoldherthat’MissFlora’——Florahaving，onherreturntotheparentalroof，reinvestedherselfwiththetitleunderwhichshehadlivedthere——wasnotyetoutofherbedroom，butshewastopleasetowalkupintoMissFlora’ssitting-room。ShewalkedupintoMissFlora’ssitting-room，asindutybound，andtherefoundabreakfast-tablecomfortablylaidfortwo，withasupplementarytrayuponitlaidforone。Theyoungwoman，disappearingforafewmoments，returnedtosaythatshewastopleasetotakeachairbythefire，andtotakeoffherbonnetandmakeherselfathome。ButLittleDorrit，beingbashful，andnotusedtomakeherselfathomeonsuchoccasions，feltatalosshowtodoit；soshewasstillsittingnearthedoorwithherbonneton，whenFloracameininahurryhalfanhourafterwards。
Florawassosorrytohavekeptherwaiting，andgoodgraciouswhydidshesitoutthereinthecoldwhenshehadexpectedtofindherbythefirereadingthepaper，andhadn’tthatheedlessgirlgivenherthemessagethen，andhadshereallybeeninherbonnetallthistime，andprayforgoodnesssakeletFloratakeitoff!Floratakingitoffinthebest-naturedmannerintheworld，wassostruckwiththefacedisclosed，thatshesaid，’Why，whatagoodlittlethingyouare，mydear!’andpressedherfacebetweenherhandslikethegentlestofwomen。
Itwasthewordandtheactionofamoment。LittleDorrithadhardlytimetothinkhowkinditwas，whenFloradashedatthebreakfast-tablefullofbusiness，andplungedoverheadandearsintoloquacity。
’ReallysosorrythatIshouldhappentobelateonthismorningofallmorningsbecausemyintentionandmywishwastobereadytomeetyouwhenyoucameinandtosaythatanyonethatinterestedArthurClennamhalfsomuchmustinterestmeandthatIgaveyoutheheartiestwelcomeandwassoglad，insteadofwhichtheynevercalledmeandthereIstillamsnoringIdaresayifthetruthwasknownandifyoudon’tlikeeithercoldfowlorhotboiledhamwhichmanypeopledon’tIdaresaybesidesJewsandtheirsarescruplesofconsciencewhichwemustallrespectthoughImustsayIwishtheyhadthemequallystrongwhentheysellusfalsearticlesforrealthatcertainlyain’tworththemoneyIshallbequitevexed，’saidFlora。
LittleDorritthankedher，andsaid，shyly，bread-and-butterandteawasallsheusually