Hehadthepower，oftentobefoundinunionwithsuchacharacter，ofexplainingwhathehimselfperceived，andmeant，withthedirectforceanddistinctnesswithwhichitstruckhisownmind。Hismannerofdemonstrationwassoorderlyandneatandsimple，thatitwasnoteasytomistakehim。Therewassomethingalmostludicrousinthecompleteirreconcilabilityofavagueconventionalnotionthathemustbeavisionaryman，withtheprecise，sagacioustravellingofhiseyeandthumbovertheplans，theirpatientstoppagesatparticularpoints，theircarefulreturnstootherpointswhencelittlechannelsofexplanationhadtobetracedup，andhissteadymannerofmakingeverythinggoodandeverythingsoundateachimportantstage，beforetakinghisheareronaline’s-breadthfurther。Hisdismissalofhimselffromhisdescription，washardlylessremarkable。Heneversaid，I
discoveredthisadaptationorinventedthatcombination；butshowedthewholethingasiftheDivineartificerhadmadeit，andhehadhappenedtofindit；somodesthewasaboutit，suchapleasanttouchofrespectwasmingledwithhisquietadmirationofit，andsocalmlyconvincedhewasthatitwasestablishedonirrefragablelaws。
Notonlythatevening，butforseveralsucceedingevenings，Clennamwasquitecharmedbythisinvestigation。Themorehepursuedit，andtheoftenerheglancedatthegreyheadbendingoverit，andtheshrewdeyekindlingwithpleasureinitandloveofit——
instrumentforprobinghisheartthoughithadbeenmadefortwelvelongyears——thelesshecouldreconcileittohisyoungerenergytoletitgowithoutoneeffortmore。Atlengthhesaid：
’Doyce，itcametothisatlast——thatthebusinesswastobesunkwithHeavenknowshowmanymorewrecks，orbegunalloveragain？’
’Yes，’returnedDoyce，’that’swhatthenoblemenandgentlemenmadeofitafteradozenyears。’
’Andprettyfellowstoo!’saidClennam，bitterly。
’Theusualthing!’observedDoyce。’Imustnotmakeamartyrofmyself，whenIamoneofsolargeacompany。’
’Relinquishit，orbeginitalloveragain？’musedClennam。
’Thatwasexactlythelongandtheshortofit，’saidDoyce。
’Then，myfriend，’criedClennam，startingupandtakinghiswork-
roughenedhand，’itshallbebegunalloveragain!’
Doycelookedalarmed，andrepliedinahurry——forhim，’No，no。
Betterputitby。Farbetterputitby。Itwillbeheardof，oneday。Icanputitby。Youforget，mygoodClennam；IHAVEputitby。It’sallatanend。’
’Yes，Doyce，’returnedClennam，’atanendasfarasyoureffortsandrebuffsareconcerned，Iadmit，butnotasfarasmineare。I
amyoungerthanyou：Ihaveonlyoncesetfootinthatpreciousoffice，andIamfreshgameforthem。Come!I’lltrythem。Youshalldoexactlyasyouhavebeendoingsincewehavebeentogether。IwilladdasIeasilycantowhatIhavebeendoing，theattempttogetpublicjusticedonetoyou；and，unlessIhavesomesuccesstoreport，youshallhearnomoreofit。’
DanielDoycewasstillreluctanttoconsent，andagainandagainurgedthattheyhadbetterputitby。Butitwasnaturalthatheshouldgraduallyallowhimselftobeover-persuadedbyClennam，andshouldyield。Yieldhedid。SoArthurresumedthelongandhopelesslabourofstrivingtomakewaywiththeCircumlocutionOffice。
Thewaiting-roomsofthatDepartmentsoonbegantobefamiliarwithhispresence，andhewasgenerallyusheredintothembyitsjanitorsmuchasapickpocketmightbeshownintoapolice-office；
theprincipaldifferencebeingthattheobjectofthelatterclassofpublicbusinessistokeepthepickpocket，whiletheCircumlocutionobjectwastogetridofClennam。However，hewasresolvedtosticktotheGreatDepartment；andsotheworkofform-
filling，corresponding，minuting，memorandum-making，signing，counter-signing，counter-counter-signing，referringbackwardsandforwards，andreferringsideways，crosswise，andzig-zag，recommenced。
HerearisesafeatureoftheCircumlocutionOffice，notpreviouslymentionedinthepresentrecord。WhenthatadmirableDepartmentgotintotrouble，andwas，bysomeinfuriatedmembersofParliamentwhomthesmallerBarnaclesalmostsuspectedoflabouringunderdiabolicpossession，attackedonthemeritsofnoindividualcase，butasanInstitutionwhollyabominableandBedlamite；thenthenobleorrighthonourableBarnaclewhorepresenteditintheHouse，wouldsmitethatmemberandcleavehimasunder，withastatementofthequantityofbusinessforthepreventionofbusinessdonebytheCircumlocutionOffice。ThenwouldthatnobleorrighthonourableBarnacleholdinhishandapapercontainingafewfigures，towhich，withthepermissionoftheHouse，hewouldentreatitsattention。ThenwouldtheinferiorBarnaclesexclaim，obeyingorders，’Hear，Hear，Hear!’and’Read!’ThenwouldthenobleorrighthonourableBarnacleperceive，sir，fromthislittledocument，whichhethoughtmightcarryconvictioneventotheperversestmindDerisivelaughterandcheeringfromtheBarnaclefry，thatwithintheshortcompassofthelastfinancialhalf-
year，thismuch-malignedDepartmentCheershadwrittenandreceivedfifteenthousandlettersLoudcheers，hadwrittentwenty-fourthousandminutesLoudercheers，andthirty-twothousandfivehundredandseventeenmemorandaVehementcheering。
Nay，aningeniousgentlemanconnectedwiththeDepartment，andhimselfavaluablepublicservant，haddonehimthefavourtomakeacuriouscalculationoftheamountofstationeryconsumedinitduringthesameperiod。Itformedapartofthissameshortdocument；andhederivedfromittheremarkablefactthatthesheetsoffoolscappaperithaddevotedtothepublicservicewouldpavethefootwaysonbothsidesofOxfordStreetfromendtoend，andleavenearlyaquarterofamiletosparefortheparkImmensecheeringandlaughter；whileoftape——redtape——ithadusedenoughtostretch，ingracefulfestoons，fromHydeParkCornertotheGeneralPostOffice。Then，amidstaburstofofficialexultation，wouldthenobleorrighthonourableBarnaclesitdown，leavingthemutilatedfragmentsoftheMemberonthefield。Noone，afterthatexemplarydemolitionofhim，wouldhavethehardihoodtohintthatthemoretheCircumlocutionOfficedid，thelesswasdone，andthatthegreatestblessingitcouldconferonanunhappypublicwouldbetodonothing。
Withsufficientoccupationonhishands，nowthathehadthisadditionaltask——suchataskhadmanyandmanyaserviceablemandiedofbeforehisday——ArthurClennamledalifeofslightvariety。Regularvisitstohismother’sdullsickroom，andvisitsscarcelylessregulartoMrMeaglesatTwickenham，wereitsonlychangesduringmanymonths。
HesadlyandsorelymissedLittleDorrit。Hehadbeenpreparedtomissherverymuch，butnotsomuch。Heknewtothefullextentonlythroughexperience，whatalargeplaceinhislifewasleftblankwhenherfamiliarlittlefigurewentoutofit。Hefelt，too，thathemustrelinquishthehopeofitsreturn，understandingthefamilycharactersufficientlywelltobeassuredthatheandsheweredividedbyabroadgroundofseparation。Theoldinteresthehadhadinher，andheroldtrustingrelianceonhim，weretingedwithmelancholyinhismind：sosoonhadchangestolenoverthem，andsosoonhadtheyglidedintothepastwithothersecrettendernesses。
Whenhereceivedherletterhewasgreatlymoved，butdidnotthelesssensiblyfeelthatshewasfardividedfromhimbymorethandistance。Ithelpedhimtoaclearerandkeenerperceptionoftheplaceassignedhimbythefamily。Hesawthathewascherishedinhergratefulremembrancesecretly，andthattheyresentedhimwiththejailandtherestofitsbelongings。
Throughallthesemeditationswhicheverydayofhislifecrowdedabouther，hethoughtofherotherwiseintheoldway。Shewashisinnocentfriend，hisdelicatechild，hisdearLittleDorrit。Thisverychangeofcircumstancesfittedcuriouslyinwiththehabit，begunonthenightwhentherosesfloatedaway，ofconsideringhimselfasamucholdermanthanhisyearsreallymadehim。Heregardedherfromapointofviewwhichinitsremoteness，tenderasitwas，helittlethoughtwouldhavebeenunspeakableagonytoher。Hespeculatedaboutherfuturedestiny，andaboutthehusbandshemighthave，withanaffectionforherwhichwouldhavedrainedherheartofitsdearestdropofhope，andbrokenit。
Everythingabouthimtendedtoconfirmhiminthecustomoflookingonhimselfasanelderlyman，fromwhomsuchaspirationsashehadcombatedinthecaseofMinnieGowanthoughthatwasnotsolongagoeither，reckoningbymonthsandseasons，werefinallydeparted。Hisrelationswithherfatherandmotherwerelikethoseonwhichawidowerson-in-lawmighthavestood。Ifthetwinsisterwhowasdeadhadlivedtopassawayinthebloomofwomanhood，andhehadbeenherhusband，thenatureofhisintercoursewithMrandMrsMeagleswouldprobablyhavebeenjustwhatitwas。Thisimperceptiblyhelpedtorenderhabitualtheimpressionwithinhim，thathehaddonewith，anddismissedthatpartoflife。
HeinvariablyheardofMinniefromthem，astellingtheminherlettershowhappyshewas，andhowshelovedherhusband；butinseparablefromthatsubject，heinvariablysawtheoldcloudonMrMeagles’sface。MrMeagleshadneverbeenquitesoradiantsincethemarriageasbefore。HehadneverquiterecoveredtheseparationfromPet。Hewasthesamegood-humoured，opencreature；
butasifhisface，frombeingmuchturnedtowardsthepicturesofhistwochildrenwhichcouldshowhimonlyonelook，unconsciouslyadoptedacharacteristicfromthem，italwayshadnow，throughallitschangesofexpression，alookoflossinit。
OnewintrySaturdaywhenClennamwasatthecottage，theDowagerMrsGowandroveup，intheHamptonCourtequipagewhichpretendedtobetheexclusiveequipageofsomanyindividualproprietors。
Shedescended，inhershadyambuscadeofgreenfan，tofavourMrandMrsMeagleswithacall。
’Andhowdoyoubothdo，PapaandMamaMeagles？’saidshe，encouragingherhumbleconnections。’Andwhendidyoulasthearfromoraboutmypoorfellow？’
Mypoorfellowwasherson；andthismodeofspeakingofhimpolitelykeptalive，withoutanyoffenceintheworld，thepretencethathehadfallenavictimtotheMeagles’wiles。
’Andthedearprettyone？’saidMrsGowan。’HaveyoulaternewsofherthanIhave？’
Whichalsodelicatelyimpliedthathersonhadbeencapturedbymerebeauty，andunderitsfascinationhadforgoneallsortsofworldlyadvantages。
’Iamsure，’saidMrsGowan，withoutstrainingherattentionontheanswersshereceived，’it’sanunspeakablecomforttoknowtheycontinuehappy。Mypoorfellowisofsucharestlessdisposition，andhasbeensousedtorovingabout，andtobeinginconstantandpopularamongallmannerofpeople，thatit’sthegreatestcomfortinlife。Isupposethey’reaspoorasmice，PapaMeagles？’
MrMeagles，fidgetyunderthequestion，replied，’Ihopenot，ma’am。Ihopetheywillmanagetheirlittleincome。’
’Oh!mydearestMeagles!’returnedthelady，tappinghimonthearmwiththegreenfanandthenadroitlyinterposingitbetweenayawnandthecompany，’howcanyou，asamanoftheworldandoneofthemostbusiness-likeofhumanbeings——foryouknowyouarebusiness-like，andagreatdealtoomuchforuswhoarenot——’
Whichwenttotheformerpurpose，bymakingMrMeaglesouttobeanartfulschemer。
’——Howcanyoutalkabouttheirmanagingtheirlittlemeans？Mypoordearfellow!Theideaofhismanaginghundreds!Andthesweetprettycreaturetoo。Thenotionofhermanaging!PapaMeagles!Don’t!’
’Well，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，gravely，’Iamsorrytoadmit，then，thatHenrycertainlydoesanticipatehismeans。’
’Mydeargoodman——Iusenoceremonywithyou，becauseweareakindofrelations；——positively，MamaMeagles，’exclaimedMrsGowancheerfully，asiftheabsurdcoincidencethenflasheduponherforthefirsttime，’akindofrelations!Mydeargoodman，inthisworldnoneofuscanhaveeverythingourownway。’
Thisagainwenttotheformerpoint，andshowedMrMeagleswithallgoodbreedingthat，sofar，hehadbeenbrilliantlysuccessfulinhisdeepdesigns。MrsGowanthoughtthehitsogoodaone，thatshedweltuponit；repeating’Noteverything。No，no；inthisworldwemustnotexpecteverything，PapaMeagles。’