whomwewouldcallawidowlady，therewereplacedinA。B。’shandsthetitle-deedsofafreeholdestate，whichwewouldcallBlinkiterDoddles。Now，thepointwasthis。AlimitedrightoffellingandloppinginthewoodsofBlinkiterDoddles，layinthesonofP。Q。
thenpasthismajority，andwhomwewouldcallX。Y——butreallythiswastoobad!InthepresenceofLordDecimus，todetainthehostwithchoppingourdrychaffoflaw，wasreallytoobad!
Anothertime!Barwastrulyrepentant，andwouldnotsayanothersyllable。WouldBishopfavourhimwithhalf-a-dozenwords？HehadnowsetMrMerdledownonacouch，sidebysidewithLordDecimus，andtoittheymustgo，nowornever。
Andnowtherestofthecompany，highlyexcitedandinterested，alwaysexceptingBishop，whohadnottheslightestideathatanythingwasgoingon，formedinonegrouproundthefireinthenextdrawing-room，andpretendedtobechattingeasilyontheinfinitevarietyofsmalltopics，whileeverybody’sthoughtsandeyesweresecretlystrayingtowardsthesecludedpair。TheChoruswereexcessivelynervous，perhapsaslabouringunderthedreadfulapprehensionthatsomegoodthingwasgoingtobedivertedfromthem!Bishopalonetalkedsteadilyandevenly。HeconversedwiththegreatPhysicianonthatrelaxationofthethroatwithwhichyoungcuratesweretoofrequentlyafflicted，andonthemeansoflesseningthegreatprevalenceofthatdisorderinthechurch。
Physician，asageneralrule，wasofopinionthatthebestwaytoavoiditwastoknowhowtoread，beforeyoumadeaprofessionofreading。Bishopsaiddubiously，didhereallythinkso？AndPhysiciansaid，decidedly，yeshedid。
Ferdinand，meanwhile，wastheonlyoneofthepartywhoskirmishedontheoutsideofthecircle；hekeptaboutmid-waybetweenitandthetwo，asifsomesortofsurgicaloperationwerebeingperformedbyLordDecimusonMrMerdle，orbyMrMerdleonLordDecimus，andhisservicesmightatanymomentberequiredasDresser。Infact，withinaquarterofanhourLordDecimuscalledtohim’Ferdinand!’
andhewent，andtookhisplaceintheconferenceforsomefiveminutesmore。Thenahalf-suppressedgaspbrokeoutamongtheChorus；forLordDecimusrosetotakehisleave。AgaincoachedupbyFerdinandtothepointofmakinghimselfpopular，heshookhandsinthemostbrilliantmannerwiththewholecompany，andevensaidtoBar，’Ihopeyouwerenotboredbymypears？’TowhichBarretorted，’Eton，mylord，orParliamentary？’neatlyshowingthathehadmasteredthejoke，anddelicatelyinsinuatingthathecouldneverforgetitwhilehisliferemained。
AllthegraveimportancethatwasbuttonedupinMrTiteBarnacle，tookitselfawaynext；andFerdinandtookhimselfawaynext，totheopera。Someoftherestlingeredalittle，marryinggoldenliqueurglassestoBuhltableswithstickyrings；onthedesperatechanceofMrMerdle’ssayingsomething。ButMerdle，asusual，oozedsluggishlyandmuddilyabouthisdrawing-room，sayingneveraword。
Inadayortwoitwasannouncedtoallthetown，thatEdmundSparkler，Esquire，son-in-lawoftheeminentMrMerdleofworldwiderenown，wasmadeoneoftheLordsoftheCircumlocutionOffice；andproclamationwasissued，toalltruebelievers，thatthisadmirableappointmentwastobehailedasagracefulandgraciousmarkofhomage，renderedbythegracefulandgraciousDecimus，tothatcommercialinterestwhichmusteverinagreatcommercialcountry——
andalltherestofit，withblastoftrumpet。So，bolsteredbythismarkofGovernmenthomage，thewonderfulBankandalltheotherwonderfulundertakingswentonandwentup；andgaperscametoHarleyStreet，CavendishSquare，onlytolookatthehousewherethegoldenwonderlived。
AndwhentheysawtheChiefButlerlookingoutatthehall-doorinhismomentsofcondescension，thegaperssaidhowrichhelooked，andwonderedhowmuchmoneyhehadinthewonderfulBank。But，iftheyhadknownthatrespectableNemesisbetter，theywouldnothavewonderedaboutit，andmighthavestatedtheamountwiththeutmostprecision。
TheProgressofanEpidemicThatitisatleastasdifficulttostayamoralinfectionasaphysicalone；thatsuchadiseasewillspreadwiththemalignityandrapidityofthePlague；thatthecontagion，whenithasoncemadehead，willsparenopursuitorcondition，butwilllayholdonpeopleinthesoundesthealth，andbecomedevelopedinthemostunlikelyconstitutions：isafactasfirmlyestablishedbyexperienceasthatwehumancreaturesbreatheanatmosphere。A
blessingbeyondappreciationwouldbeconferreduponmankind，ifthetainted，inwhoseweaknessorwickednessthesevirulentdisordersarebred，couldbeinstantlyseizedandplacedincloseconfinementnottosaysummarilysmotheredbeforethepoisoniscommunicable。
Asavastfirewillfilltheairtoagreatdistancewithitsroar，sothesacredflamewhichthemightyBarnacleshadfannedcausedtheairtoresoundmoreandmorewiththenameofMerdle。Itwasdepositedoneverylip，andcarriedintoeveryear。Thereneverwas，thereneverhadbeen，thereneveragainshouldbe，suchamanasMrMerdle。Nobody，asaforesaid，knewwhathehaddone；buteverybodyknewhimtobethegreatestthathadappeared。
DowninBleedingHeartYard，wheretherewasnotoneunappropriatedhalfpenny，aslivelyaninterestwastakeninthisparagonofmenasontheStockExchange。MrsPlornish，nowestablishedinthesmallgroceryandgeneraltradeinasnuglittleshopatthecrackendoftheYard，atthetopofthesteps，withherlittleoldfatherandMaggyactingasassistants，habituallyheldforthabouthimoverthecounterinconversationwithhercustomers。MrPlornish，whohadasmallshareinasmallbuilder’sbusinessintheneighbourhood，said，trowelinhand，onthetopsofscaffoldsandonthetilesofhouses，thatpeopledidtellhimasMrMerdlewastheone，mindyou，toputusalltorightsinrespectsofthatwhichallonuslookedto，andtobringusallsafehomeasmuchasweneeded，mindyou，furtoebebrought。MrBaptist，solelodgerofMrandMrsPlornishwasreputedinwhisperstolaybythesavingswhichweretheresultofhissimpleandmoderatelife，forinvestmentinoneofMrMerdle’scertainenterprises。ThefemaleBleedingHearts，whentheycameforouncesoftea，andhundredweightsoftalk，gaveMrsPlornishtounderstand，Thathow，ma’am，theyhadheardfromtheircousinMaryAnne，whichworkedintheline，thathislady’sdresseswouldfillthreewaggons。Thathowshewasashandsomealady，ma’am，aslived，nomatterwheres，andabusklikemarbleitself。Thathow，accordingtowhattheywastold，ma’am，itwashersonbyaformerhusbandaswastookintotheGovernment；andaGeneralhehadbeen，andarmieshehadmarchedagainandvictorycrowned，ifallyouheardwastobebelieved。ThathowitwasreportedthatMrMerdle’swordshadbeen，thatiftheycouldhavemadeitworthhiswhiletotakethewholeGovernmenthewouldhavetookitwithoutaprofit，butthattakeithecouldnotandstandaloss。Thathowitwasnottobeexpected，ma’am，thatheshouldlosebyit，hiswaysbeing，asyoumightsayandutternofalsehood，pavedwithgold；butthathowitwasmuchtoberegrettedthatsomethinghandsomehadn’tbeengotuptomakeitworthhiswhile；foritwassuchandonlysuchthatknowedtheheighthtowhichthebreadandbutchers’meathadrose，anditwassuchandonlysuchthatbothcouldandwouldbringthatheighthdown。
SorifeandpotentwasthefeverinBleedingHeartYard，thatMrPancks’srent-dayscausednointervalinthepatients。Thediseasetookthesingularform，onthoseoccasions，ofcausingtheinfectedtofindanunfathomableexcuseandconsolationinallusionstothemagicname。
’Now，then!’MrPanckswouldsay，toadefaultinglodger。’Payup!
Comeon!’
’Ihaven’tgotit，MrPancks，’Defaulterwouldreply。’Itellyouthetruth，sir，whenIsayIhaven’tgotsomuchasasinglesixpenceofittoblessmyselfwith。’
’Thiswon’tdo，youknow，’MrPanckswouldretort。’Youdon’texpectitwilldo；doyou？’
Defaulterwouldadmit，withalow-spirited’No，sir，’havingnosuchexpectation。
’Myproprietorisn’tgoingtostandthis，youknow，’MrPanckswouldproceed。’Hedon’tsendmehereforthis。Payup!Come!’
TheDefaulterwouldmakeanswer，’Ah，MrPancks。IfIwastherichgentlemanwhosenameisineverybody’smouth——ifmynamewasMerdle，sir——I’dsoonpayup，andbegladtodoit。’
Dialoguesontherent-questionusuallytookplaceatthehouse-
doorsorintheentries，andinthepresenceofseveraldeeplyinterestedBleedingHearts。Theyalwaysreceivedareferenceofthiskindwithalowmurmurofresponse，asifitwereconvincing；
andtheDefaulter，howeverblackanddiscomfitedbefore，alwayscheeredupalittleinmakingit。
’IfIwasMrMerdle，sir，youwouldn’thavecausetocomplainofmethen。No，believeme!’theDefaulterwouldproceedwithashakeofthehead。’I’dpayupsoquickthen，MrPancks，thatyoushouldn’thavetoaskme。’
Theresponsewouldbeheardagainhere，implyingthatitwasimpossibletosayanythingfairer，andthatthiswasthenextthingtopayingthemoneydown。
MrPanckswouldbenowreducedtosayingashebookedthecase，’Well!You’llhavethebrokerin，andbeturnedout；that’swhat’llhappentoyou。It’snousetalkingtomeaboutMrMerdle。
YouarenotMrMerdle，anymorethanIam。’
’No，sir，’theDefaulterwouldreply。’Ionlywishyouwerehim，sir。’
Theresponsewouldtakethisupquickly；replyingwithgreatfeeling，’Onlywishyouwerehim，sir。’
’You’dbeeasierwithusifyouwereMrMerdle，sir，’theDefaulterwouldgoonwithrisingspirits，’anditwouldbebetterforallparties。Betterforoursakes，andbetterforyours，too。Youwouldn’thavetoworrynoone，then，sir。Youwouldn’thavetoworryus，andyouwouldn’thavetoworryyourself。You’dbeeasierinyourownmind，sir，andyou’dleaveotherseasier，too，youwould，ifyouwereMrMerdle。’
MrPancks，inwhomtheseimpersonalcomplimentsproducedanirresistiblesheepishness，neverralliedaftersuchacharge。HecouldonlybitehisnailsandpuffawaytothenextDefaulter。TheresponsiveBleedingHeartswouldthengatherroundtheDefaulterwhomhehadjustabandoned，andthemostextravagantrumourswouldcirculateamongthem，totheirgreatcomfort，touchingtheamountofMrMerdle’sreadymoney。
Fromoneofthemanysuchdefeatsofoneofmanyrent-days，MrPancks，havingfinishedhisday’scollection，repairedwithhisnote-bookunderhisarmtoMrsPlornish’scorner。MrPancks’sobjectwasnotprofessional，butsocial。Hehadhadatryingday，andwantedalittlebrightening。BythistimehewasonfriendlytermswiththePlornishfamily，havingoftenlookedinuponthematsimilarseasons，andbornehispartinrecollectionsofMissDorrit。
MrsPlornish’sshop-parlourhadbeendecoratedunderherowneye，andpresented，onthesidetowardstheshop，alittlefictioninwhichMrsPlornishunspeakablyrejoiced。Thispoeticalheighteningoftheparlourconsistedinthewallbeingpaintedtorepresenttheexteriorofathatchedcottage；theartisthavingintroducedinaseffectiveamannerashefoundcompatiblewiththeirhighlydisproportionatedimensionstherealdoorandwindow。Themodestsunflowerandhollyhockweredepictedasflourishingwithgreatluxurianceonthisrusticdwelling，whileaquantityofdensesmokeissuingfromthechimneyindicatedgoodcheerwithin，andalso，perhaps，thatithadnotbeenlatelyswept。Afaithfuldogwasrepresentedasflyingatthelegsofthefriendlyvisitor，fromthethreshold；andacircularpigeon-house，envelopedinacloudofpigeons，arosefrombehindthegarden-paling。Onthedoorwhenitwasshut，appearedthesemblanceofabrass-plate，presentingtheinscription，HappyCottage，T。andM。Plornish；thepartnershipexpressingmanandwife。NoPoetryandnoArtevercharmedtheimaginationmorethantheunionofthetwointhiscounterfeitcottagecharmedMrsPlornish。ItwasnothingtoherthatPlornishhadahabitofleaningagainstitashesmokedhispipeafterwork，whenhishatblottedoutthepigeon-houseandallthepigeons，whenhisbackswallowedupthedwelling，whenhishandsinhispocketsuprootedthebloominggardenandlaidwastetheadjacentcountry。
ToMrsPlornish，itwasstillamostbeautifulcottage，amostwonderfuldeception；anditmadenodifferencethatMrPlornish’seyewassomeinchesabovethelevelofthegablebed-roominthethatch。Tocomeoutintotheshopafteritwasshut，andhearherfathersingasonginsidethiscottage，wasaperfectPastoraltoMrsPlornish，theGoldenAgerevived。Andtrulyifthatfamousperiodhadbeenrevived，orhadeverbeenatall，itmaybedoubtedwhetheritwouldhaveproducedmanymoreheartilyadmiringdaughtersthanthepoorwoman。
Warnedofavisitorbythetinklingbellattheshop-door，MrsPlornishcameoutofHappyCottagetoseewhoitmightbe。’I