Nobody’sStateofMindIfArthurClennamhadnotarrivedatthatwisedecisionfirmlytorestrainhimselffromlovingPet，hewouldhavelivedoninastateofmuchperplexity，involvingdifficultstruggleswithhisownheart。Nottheleastofthesewouldhavebeenacontention，alwayswagingwithinit，betweenatendencytodislikeMrHenryGowan，ifnottoregardhimwithpositiverepugnance，andawhisperthattheinclinationwasunworthy。Agenerousnatureisnotpronetostrongaversions，andisslowtoadmitthemevendispassionately；butwhenitfindsill-willgaininguponit，andcandiscernbetween-whilesthatitsoriginisnotdispassionate，suchanaturebecomesdistressed。
ThereforeMrHenryGowanwouldhavecloudedClennam’smind，andwouldhavebeenfaroftenerpresenttoitthanmoreagreeablepersonsandsubjectsbutforthegreatprudenceofhisdecisionaforesaid。Asitwas，MrGowanseemedtransferredtoDanielDoyce’smind；atallevents，itsohappenedthatitusuallyfelltoMrDoyce’sturn，ratherthantoClennam’s，tospeakofhiminthefriendlyconversationstheyheldtogether。Thesewereoffrequentoccurrencenow；asthetwopartnerssharedaportionofaroomyhouseinoneofthegraveold-fashionedCitystreets，lyingnotfarfromtheBankofEngland，byLondonWall。
MrDoycehadbeentoTwickenhamtopasstheday。Clennamhadexcusedhimself。MrDoycewasjustcomehome。HeputinhisheadatthedoorofClennam’ssitting-roomtosayGoodnight。
’Comein，comein!’saidClennam。
’Isawyouwerereading，’returnedDoyce，asheentered，’andthoughtyoumightnotcaretobedisturbed。’
Butforthenotableresolutionhehadmade，Clennamreallymightnothaveknownwhathehadbeenreading；reallymightnothavehadhiseyesuponthebookforanhourpast，thoughitlayopenbeforehim。Heshutitup，ratherquickly。
’Aretheywell？’heasked。
’Yes，’saidDoyce；’theyarewell。Theyareallwell。’
Danielhadanoldworkmanlikehabitofcarryinghispocket-
handkerchiefinhishat。Hetookitoutandwipedhisforeheadwithit，slowlyrepeating，’Theyareallwell。MissMinnielookingparticularlywell，Ithought。’
’Anycompanyatthecottage？’
’No，nocompany。’
’Andhowdidyougeton，youfour？’askedClennamgaily。
’Therewerefiveofus，’returnedhispartner。’TherewasWhat’s-
his-name。Hewasthere。’
’Whoishe？’saidClennam。
’MrHenryGowan。’
’Ah，tobesure!’criedClennamwithunusualvivacity，’Yes!——I
forgothim。’
’AsImentioned，youmayremember，’saidDanielDoyce，’heisalwaysthereonSunday。’
’Yes，yes，’returnedClennam；’Iremembernow。’
DanielDoyce，stillwipinghisforehead，ploddinglyrepeated。
’Yes。Hewasthere，hewasthere。Ohyes，hewasthere。Andhisdog。Hewastheretoo。’
’MissMeaglesisquiteattachedto——the——dog，’observedClennam。
’Quiteso，’assentedhispartner。’MoreattachedtothedogthanIamtotheman。’
’YoumeanMr——？’
’ImeanMrGowan，mostdecidedly，’saidDanielDoyce。
Therewasagapintheconversation，whichClennamdevotedtowindinguphiswatch。
’Perhapsyouarealittlehastyinyourjudgment，’hesaid。’Ourjudgments——Iamsupposingageneralcase——’
’Ofcourse，’saidDoyce。
’Aresoliabletobeinfluencedbymanyconsiderations，which，almostwithoutourknowingit，areunfair，thatitisnecessarytokeepaguarduponthem。Forinstance，Mr——’
’Gowan，’quietlysaidDoyce，uponwhomtheutteranceofthenamealmostalwaysdevolved。
’Isyoungandhandsome，easyandquick，hastalent，andhasseenagooddealofvariouskindsoflife。Itmightbedifficulttogiveanunselfishreasonforbeingprepossessedagainsthim。’
’Notdifficultforme，Ithink，Clennam，’returnedhispartner。’I
seehimbringingpresentanxiety，and，Ifear，futuresorrow，intomyoldfriend’shouse。Iseehimwearingdeeperlinesintomyoldfriend’sface，thenearerhedrawsto，andtheoftenerhelooksat，thefaceofhisdaughter。Inshort，Iseehimwithanetabouttheprettyandaffectionatecreaturewhomhewillnevermakehappy。’
’Wedon’tknow，’saidClennam，almostinthetoneofamaninpain，’thathewillnotmakeherhappy。’
’Wedon’tknow，’returnedhispartner，’thattheearthwilllastanotherhundredyears，butwethinkithighlyprobable。’
’Well，well!’saidClennam，’wemustbehopeful，andwemustatleasttrytobe，ifnotgenerouswhich，inthiscase，wehavenoopportunityofbeing，just。Wewillnotdisparagethisgentleman，becauseheissuccessfulinhisaddressestothebeautifulobjectofhisambition；andwewillnotquestionhernaturalrighttobestowherloveononewhomshefindsworthyofit。’
’Maybe，myfriend，’saidDoyce。’Maybealso，thatsheistooyoungandpetted，tooconfidingandinexperienced，todiscriminatewell。’
’That，’saidClennam，’wouldbefarbeyondourpowerofcorrection。’
DanielDoyceshookhisheadgravely，andrejoined，’Ifearso。’
’Therefore，inaword，’saidClennam，’weshouldmakeupourmindsthatitisnotworthyofustosayanyillofMrGowan。Itwouldbeapoorthingtogratifyaprejudiceagainsthim。AndIresolve，formypart，nottodepreciatehim。’
’Iamnotquitesosureofmyself，andthereforeIreservemyprivilegeofobjectingtohim，’returnedtheother。’But，ifIamnotsureofmyself，Iamsureofyou，Clennam，andIknowwhatanuprightmanyouare，andhowmuchtoberespected。Goodnight，MY
friendandpartner!’Heshookhishandinsayingthis，asiftherehadbeensomethingseriousatthebottomoftheirconversation；andtheyseparated。
Bythistimetheyhadvisitedthefamilyonseveraloccasions，andhadalwaysobservedthatevenapassingallusiontoMrHenryGowanwhenhewasnotamongthem，broughtbackthecloudwhichhadobscuredMrMeagles’ssunshineonthemorningofthechanceencounterattheFerry。IfClennamhadeveradmittedtheforbiddenpassionintohisbreast，thisperiodmighthavebeenaperiodofrealtrial；undertheactualcircumstances，doubtlessitwasnothing——nothing。
Equally，ifhishearthadgivenentertainmenttothatprohibitedguest，hissilentfightingofhiswaythroughthementalconditionofthisperiodmighthavebeenalittlemeritorious。Intheconstanteffortnottobebetrayedintoanewphaseofthebesettingsinofhisexperience，thepursuitofselfishobjectsbylowandsmallmeans，andtoholdinsteadtosomehighprincipleofhonourandgenerosity，theremighthavebeenalittlemerit。IntheresolutionnoteventoavoidMrMeagles’shouse，lest，intheselfishsparingofhimself，heshouldbringanyslightdistressuponthedaughterthroughmakingherthecauseofanestrangementwhichhebelievedthefatherwouldregret，theremighthavebeenalittlemerit。InthemodesttruthfulnessofalwayskeepinginviewthegreaterequalityofMrGowan’syearsandthegreaterattractionsofhispersonandmanner，theremighthavebeenalittlemerit。Indoingallthisandmuchmore，inaperfectlyunaffectedwayandwithamanfulandcomposedconstancy，whilethepainwithinhimpeculiarashislifeandhistorywasverysharp，theremighthavebeensomequietstrengthofcharacter。But，aftertheresolutionhehadmade，ofcoursehecouldhavenosuchmeritsasthese；andsuchastateofmindwasnobody’s——nobody’s。
MrGowanmadeitnoconcernofhiswhetheritwasnobody’sorsomebody’s。Hepreservedhisperfectserenityofmanneronalloccasions，asifthepossibilityofClennam’spresumingtohavedebatedthegreatquestionweretoodistantandridiculoustobeimagined。HehadalwaysanaffabilitytobestowonClennamandaneasetotreathimwith，whichmightofitselfinthesupposititiouscaseofhisnothavingtakenthatsagaciouscourse
havebeenaveryuncomfortableelementinhisstateofmind。
’Iquiteregretyouwerenotwithusyesterday，’saidMrHenryGowan，callingonClennamthenextmorning。’Wehadanagreeabledayuptheriverthere。’
Sohehadheard，Arthursaid。
’Fromyourpartner？’returnedHenryGowan。’Whatadearoldfellowheis!’
’Ihaveagreatregardforhim。’
’ByJove，heisthefinestcreature!’saidGowan。’Sofresh，sogreen，trustsinsuchwonderfulthings!’
HerewasoneofthemanylittleroughpointsthathadatendencytograteonClennam’shearing。HeputitasidebymerelyrepeatingthathehadahighregardforMrDoyce。
’Heischarming!Toseehimmooningalongtothattimeoflife，layingdownnothingbythewayandpickingupnothingbytheway，isdelightful。Itwarmsaman。Sounspoilt，sosimple，suchagoodsoul!UponmylifeMrClennam，onefeelsdesperatelyworldlyandwickedincomparisonwithsuchaninnocentcreature。Ispeakformyself，letmeadd，withoutincludingyou。Youaregenuinealso。’
’Thankyouforthecompliment，’saidClennam，illatease；’youaretoo，Ihope？’
’Soso，’rejoinedtheother。’Tobecandidwithyou，tolerably。
Iamnotagreatimpostor。Buyoneofmypictures，andIassureyou，inconfidence，itwillnotbeworththemoney。Buyoneofanotherman’s——anygreatprofessorwhobeatsmehollow——andthechancesarethatthemoreyougivehim，themorehe’llimposeuponyou。Theyalldoit。’
’Allpainters？’
’Painters，writers，patriots，alltherestwhohavestandsinthemarket。GivealmostanymanIknowtenpounds，andhewillimposeuponyoutoacorrespondingextent；athousandpounds——toacorrespondingextent；tenthousandpounds——toacorrespondingextent。Sogreatthesuccess，sogreattheimposition。Butwhatacapitalworlditis!’criedGowanwithwarmenthusiasm。’Whatajolly，excellent，lovableworlditis!’
’Ihadratherthought，’saidClennam，’thattheprincipleyoumentionwaschieflyactedonby——’
’BytheBarnacles？’interruptedGowan，laughing。
’BythepoliticalgentlemenwhocondescendtokeeptheCircumlocutionOffice。’
’Ah!Don’tbehardupontheBarnacles，’saidGowan，laughingafresh，’theyaredarlingfellows!EvenpoorlittleClarence，thebornidiotofthefamily，isthemostagreeableandmostendearingblockhead!AndbyJupiter，withakindofclevernessinhimtoothatwouldastonishyou!’
’Itwould。Verymuch，’saidClennam，drily。
’Andafterall，’criedGowan，withthatcharacteristicbalancingofhiswhichreducedeverythinginthewideworldtothesamelightweight，’thoughIcan’tdenythattheCircumlocutionOfficemayultimatelyshipwreckeverybodyandeverything，still，thatwillprobablynotbeinourtime——andit’saschoolforgentlemen。’