’HeisawaywithMrsMerdle，’returnedthatgentleman，slowlycomingoutofalongabstraction，inthecourseofwhichhehadbeenfittingatablespoonuphissleeve。’Itisnotindispensableforhimtobeonthespot。’
’ThemagicnameofMerdle，’saidBar，withthejurydroop，’nodoubtwillsufficeforall。’
’Why——yes——Ibelieveso，’assentedMrMerdle，puttingthespoonaside，andclumsilyhidingeachofhishandsinthecoat-cuffoftheotherhand。’Ibelievethepeopleinmyinterestdowntherewillnotmakeanydifficulty。’
’Modelpeople!’saidBar。
’Iamgladyouapproveofthem，’saidMrMerdle。
’Andthepeopleofthoseothertwoplaces，now，’pursuedBar，withabrighttwinkleinhiskeeneye，asitslightlyturnedinthedirectionofhismagnificentneighbour；’welawyersarealwayscurious，alwaysinquisitive，alwayspickingupoddsandendsforourpatchworkminds，sincethereisnoknowingwhenandwheretheymayfitintosomecorner；——thepeopleofthoseothertwoplacesnow？Dotheyyieldsolaudablytothevastandcumulativeinfluenceofsuchenterpriseandsuchrenown；dothoselittlerillsbecomeabsorbedsoquietlyandeasily，and，asitwerebytheinfluenceofnaturallaws，sobeautifully，intheswoopofthemajesticstreamasitflowsuponitswondrouswayenrichingthesurroundinglands；thattheircourseisperfectlytobecalculated，anddistinctlytobepredicated？’
MrMerdle，alittletroubledbyBar’seloquence，lookedfitfullyaboutthenearestsalt-cellarforsomemoments，andthensaidhesitating：
’Theyareperfectlyaware，sir，oftheirdutytoSociety。TheywillreturnanybodyIsendtothemforthatpurpose。’
’Cheeringtoknow，’saidBar。’Cheeringtoknow。’
ThethreeplacesinquestionwerethreelittlerottenholesinthisIsland，containingthreelittleignorant，drunken，guzzling，dirty，out-of-the-wayconstituencies，thathadreeledintoMrMerdle’spocket。FerdinandBarnaclelaughedinhiseasyway，andairilysaidtheywereanicesetoffellows。Bishop，mentallyperambulatingamongpathsofpeace，wasaltogetherswallowedupinabsenceofmind。
’Pray，’askedLordDecimus，castinghiseyesaroundthetable，’whatisthisstoryIhaveheardofagentlemanlongconfinedinadebtors’prisonprovingtobeofawealthyfamily，andhavingcomeintotheinheritanceofalargesumofmoney？Ihavemetwithavarietyofallusionstoit。Doyouknowanythingofit，Ferdinand？’
’Ionlyknowthismuch，’saidFerdinand，’thathehasgiventheDepartmentwithwhichIhavethehonourtobeassociated；’thissparklingyoungBarnaclethrewoffthephrasesportively，aswhoshouldsay，Weknowallabouttheseformsofspeech，butwemustkeepitup，wemustkeepthegamealive；’noendoftrouble，andhasputusintoinnumerablefixes。’
’Fixes？’repeatedLordDecimus，withamajesticpausingandponderingonthewordthatmadethebashfulMembershuthiseyesquitetight。’Fixes？’
’Averyperplexingbusinessindeed，’observedMrTiteBarnacle，withanairofgraveresentment。
’What，’saidLordDecimus，’wasthecharacterofhisbusiness；whatwasthenatureofthese——a——Fixes，Ferdinand？’
’Oh，it’sagoodstory，asastory，’returnedthatgentleman；’asgoodathingofitskindasneedbe。ThisMrDorrithisnameisDorrithadincurredaresponsibilitytous，agesbeforethefairycameoutoftheBankandgavehimhisfortune，underabondhehadsignedfortheperformanceofacontractwhichwasnotatallperformed。Hewasapartnerinahouseinsomelargeway——spirits，orbuttons，orwine，orblacking，oroatmeal，orwoollen，orpork，orhooksandeyes，oriron，ortreacle，orshoes，orsomethingorotherthatwaswantedfortroops，orseamen，orsomebody——andthehouseburst，andwebeingamongthecreditors，detaineeswerelodgedonthepartoftheCrowninascientificmanner，andalltherestOfit。Whenthefairyhadappearedandhewantedtopayusoff，Egadwehadgotintosuchanexemplarystateofcheckingandcounter-checking，signingandcounter-signing，thatitwassixmonthsbeforeweknewhowtotakethemoney，orhowtogiveareceiptforit。Itwasatriumphofpublicbusiness，’saidthishandsomeyoungBarnacle，laughingheartily，’Youneversawsuchalotofformsinyourlife。“Why，“theattorneysaidtomeoneday，“ifIwantedthisofficetogivemetwoorthreethousandpoundsinsteadoftakeit，Icouldn’thavemoretroubleaboutit。““Youareright，oldfellow，“Itoldhim，“andinfutureyou’llknowthatwehavesomethingtodohere。“’ThepleasantyoungBarnaclefinishedbyoncemorelaughingheartily。Hewasaveryeasy，pleasantfellowindeed，andhismannerswereexceedinglywinning。
MrTiteBarnacle’sviewofthebusinesswasofalessairycharacter。HetookitillthatMrDorrithadtroubledtheDepartmentbywantingtopaythemoney，andconsidereditagrosslyinformalthingtodoaftersomanyyears。ButMrTiteBarnaclewasabuttoned-upman，andconsequentlyaweightyone。Allbuttoned-upmenareweighty。Allbuttoned-upmenarebelievedin。Whetherornothereservedandnever-exercisedpowerofunbuttoning，fascinatesmankind；whetherornowisdomissupposedtocondenseandaugmentwhenbuttonedup，andtoevaporatewhenunbuttoned；itiscertainthatthemantowhomimportanceisaccordedisthebuttoned-upman。MrTiteBarnacleneverwouldhavepassedforhalfhiscurrentvalue，unlesshiscoathadbeenalwaysbuttoned-uptohiswhitecravat。
’MayIask，’saidLordDecimus，’ifMrDarrit——orDorrit——hasanyfamily？’
Nobodyelsereplying，thehostsaid，’Hehastwodaughters，mylord。’
’Oh!youareacquaintedwithhim？’askedLordDecimus。
’MrsMerdleis。MrSparkleris，too。Infact，’saidMrMerdle，’I
ratherbelievethatoneoftheyoungladieshasmadeanimpressiononEdmundSparkler。Heissusceptible，and——I——think——theconquest——’HereMrMerdlestopped，andlookedatthetable-cloth，asheusuallydidwhenhefoundhimselfobservedorlistenedto。
BarwasuncommonlypleasedtofindthattheMerdlefamily，andthisfamily，hadalreadybeenbroughtintocontact。Hesubmitted，inalowvoiceacrossthetabletoBishop，thatitwasakindofanalogicalillustrationofthosephysicallaws，invirtueofwhichLikefliestoLike。Heregardedthispowerofattractioninwealthtodrawwealthtoit，assomethingremarkablyinterestingandcurious——somethingindefinablyalliedtotheloadstoneandgravitation。Bishop，whohadambledbacktoearthagainwhenthepresentthemewasbroached，acquiesced。HesaiditwasindeedhighlyimportanttoSocietythatoneinthetryingsituationofunexpectedlyfindinghimselfinvestedwithapowerforgoodorforevilinSociety，shouldbecome，asitwere，mergedinthesuperiorpowerofamorelegitimateandmoregiganticgrowth，theinfluenceofwhichasinthecaseofourfriendatwhoseboardwesatwashabituallyexercisedinharmonywiththebestinterestsofSociety。
Thus，insteadoftworivalandcontendingflames，alargerandalesser，eachburningwithaluridanduncertainglare，wehadablendedandasoftenedlightwhosegenialraydiffusedanequablewarmththroughouttheland。Bishopseemedtolikehisownwayofputtingthecaseverymuch，andratherdweltuponit；Bar，meanwhilenottothrowawayajury-man，makingashowofsittingathisfeetandfeedingonhisprecepts。
Thedinneranddessertbeingthreehourslong，thebashfulMembercooledintheshadowofLordDecimusfasterthanhewarmedwithfoodanddrink，andhadbutachillytimeofit。LordDecimus，likeatalltowerinaflatcountry，seemedtoprojecthimselfacrossthetable-cloth，hidethelightfromthehonourableMember，coolthehonourableMember’smarrow，andgivehimawoefulideaofdistance。Whenheaskedthisunfortunatetravellertotakewine，heencompassedhisfalteringstepswiththegloomiestofshades；
andwhenhesaid，’Yourhealthsir!’allaroundhimwasbarrennessanddesolation。
AtlengthLordDecimus，withacoffee-cupinhishand，begantohoveraboutamongthepictures，andtocauseaninterestingspeculationtoariseinallmindsastotheprobabilitiesofhisceasingtohover，andenablingthesmallerbirdstoflutterup-
stairs；whichcouldnotbedoneuntilhehadurgedhisnoblepinionsinthatdirection。Aftersomedelay，andseveralstretchesofhiswingswhichcametonothing，hesoaredtothedrawing-rooms。
Andhereadifficultyarose，whichalwaysdoesarisewhentwopeoplearespeciallybroughttogetheratadinnertoconferwithoneanother。EverybodyexceptBishop，whohadnosuspicionofit
knewperfectlywellthatthisdinnerhadbeeneatenanddrunk，specificallytotheendthatLordDecimusandMrMerdleshouldhavefiveminutes’conversationtogether。Theopportunitysoelaboratelypreparedwasnowarrived，anditseemedfromthatmomentthatnomerehumaningenuitycouldsomuchasgetthetwochieftainsintothesameroom。MrMerdleandhisnobleguestpersistedinprowlingaboutatoppositeendsoftheperspective。
ItwasinvainfortheengagingFerdinandtobringLordDecimustolookatthebronzehorsesnearMrMerdle。ThenMrMerdleevaded，andwanderedaway。ItwasinvainforhimtobringMrMerdletoLordDecimustotellhimthehistoryoftheuniqueDresdenvases。
ThenLordDecimusevadedandwanderedaway，whilehewasgettinghismanuptothemark。
’Didyoueverseesuchathingasthis？’saidFerdinandtoBarwhenhehadbeenbaffledtwentytimes。
’Often，’returnedBar。
’UnlessIbuttoneofthemintoanappointedcorner，andyoubutttheother，’saidFerdinand，’itwillnotcomeoffafterall。’
’Verygood，’saidBar。’I’llbuttMerdle，ifyoulike；butnotmylord。’
Ferdinandlaughed，inthemidstofhisvexation。’Confoundthemboth!’saidhe，lookingathiswatch。’Iwanttogetaway。Whythedeucecan’ttheycometogether!Theybothknowwhattheywantandmeantodo。Lookatthem!’
Theywerestillloomingatoppositeendsoftheperspective，eachwithanabsurdpretenceofnothavingtheotheronhismind，whichcouldnothavebeenmoretransparentlyridiculousthoughhisrealmindhadbeenchalkedonhisback。Bishop，whohadjustnowmadeathirdwithBarandFerdinand，butwhoseinnocencehadagaincuthimoutofthesubjectandwashedhiminsweetoil，wasseentoapproachLordDecimusandglideintoconversation。
’ImustgetMerdle’sdoctortocatchandsecurehim，Isuppose，’
saidFerdinand；’andthenImustlayholdofmyillustriouskinsman，anddecoyhimifIcan——draghimifIcan’t——totheconference。’
’Sinceyoudomethehonour，’saidBar，withhisslyestsmile，toaskformypooraid，itshallbeyourswiththegreatestpleasure。
Idon’tthinkthisistobedonebyoneman。Butifyouwillundertaketopenmylordintothatfurthestdrawing-roomwhereheisnowsoprofoundlyengaged，IwillundertaketobringourdearMerdleintothepresence，withoutthepossibilityofgettingaway。’
’Done!’saidFerdinand。
’Done!’saidBar。
Barwasasightwondroustobehold，andfullofmatter，when，jauntilywavinghisdoubleeye-glassbyitsribbon，andjauntilydroopingtoanUniverseofjurymen，he，inthemostaccidentalmannereverseen，foundhimselfatMrMerdle’sshoulder，andembracedthatopportunityofmentioningalittlepointtohim，onwhichheparticularlywishedtobeguidedbythelightofhispracticalknowledge。HerehetookMrMerdle’sarmandwalkedhimgentlyaway。Abanker，whomwewouldcallA。B。，advancedaconsiderablesumofmoney，whichwewouldcallfifteenthousandpounds，toaclientorcustomerofhis，whomhewouldcallP。q。
Here，astheyweregettingtowardsLordDecimus，heheldMrMerdletight。AsasecurityfortherepaymentofthisadvancetoP。Q。