TheybothappearedtoderivealargeramountofsatisfactionfromthecautiouscharacterofMrPancks，thanwasquiteintelligible，judgedbythesurfaceoftheirconversation。
’Andnow，’saidDaniel，lookingathiswatch，’astimeandtidewaitfornoman，mytrustypartner，andasIamreadyforstarting，bagandbaggage，atthegatebelow，letmesayalastword。Iwantyoutograntarequestofmine。’
’Anyrequestyoucanmake——Except，’Clennamwasquickwithhisexception，forhispartner’sfacewasquickinsuggestingit，’exceptthatIwillabandonyourinvention。’
’That’stherequest，andyouknowitis，’saidDoyce。
’Isay，No，then。Isaypositively，No。NowthatIhavebegun，I
willhavesomedefinitereason，someresponsiblestatement，somethinginthenatureofarealanswer，fromthosepeople。’
’Youwillnot，’returnedDoyce，shakinghishead。’Takemywordforit，youneverwill。’
’Atleast，I’lltry，’saidClennam。’Itwilldomenoharmtotry。’
’Iamnotcertainofthat，’rejoinedDoyce，layinghishandpersuasivelyonhisshoulder。’Ithasdonemeharm，myfriend。Ithasagedme，tiredme，vexedme，disappointedme。Itdoesnomananygoodtohavehispatiencewornout，andtothinkhimselfill-
used。Ifancy，evenalready，thatunavailingattendanceondelaysandevasionshasmadeyousomethinglesselasticthanyouusedtobe。’
’Privateanxietiesmayhavedonethatforthemoment，’saidClennam，’butnotofficialharrying。Notyet。Iamnothurtyet。’
’Thenyouwon’tgrantmyrequest？’
’Decidedly，No，’saidClennam。’IshouldbeashamedifIsubmittedtobesosoondrivenoutofthefield，whereamucholderandamuchmoresensitivelyinterestedmancontendedwithfortitudesolong。’
Astherewasnomovinghim，DanielDoycereturnedthegraspofhishand，and，castingafarewelllookroundthecounting-house，wentdown-stairswithhim。DoycewastogotoSouthamptontojointhesmallstaffofhisfellow-travellers；andacoachwasatthegate，wellfurnishedandpacked，andreadytotakehimthere。Theworkmenwereatthegatetoseehimoff，andweremightilyproudofhim。’Goodlucktoyou，MrDoyce!’saidoneofthenumber。
’Whereveryougo，they’llfindasthey’vegotamanamong’emamanasknowshistoolsandashistoolsknows，amanasiswillingandamanasisable，andifthat’snotaman，whereisaman!’
Thisorationfromagruffvolunteerintheback-ground，notpreviouslysuspectedofanypowersinthatway，wasreceivedwiththreeloudcheers；andthespeakerbecameadistinguishedcharacterforeverafterwards。Inthemidstofthethreeloudcheers，Danielgavethemallahearty’GoodBye，Men!’andthecoachdisappearedfromsight，asiftheconcussionoftheairhadblownitoutofBleedingHeartYard。
MrBaptist，asagratefullittlefellowinapositionoftrust，wasamongtheworkmen，andhaddoneasmuchtowardsthecheeringasamereforeignercould。Intruth，nomenonearthcancheerlikeEnglishmen，whodosorallyoneanother’sbloodandspiritwhentheycheerinearnest，thatthestirisliketherushoftheirwholehistory，withallitsstandardswavingatonce，fromSaxonAlfred’sdownwards。MrBaptisthadbeeninamannerwhirledawaybeforetheonset，andwastakinghisbreathinquiteascaredconditionwhenClennambeckonedhimtofollowup-stairs，andreturnthebooksandpaperstotheirplaces。
Inthelullconsequentonthedeparture——inthatfirstvacuitywhichensuesoneveryseparation，foreshadowingthegreatseparationthatisalwaysoverhangingallmankind——Arthurstoodathisdesk，lookingdreamilyoutatagleamofsun。Buthisliberatedattentionsoonrevertedtothethemethatwasforemostinhisthoughts，andbegan，forthehundredthtime，todwelluponeverycircumstancethathadimpresseditselfuponhismindonthemysteriousnightwhenhehadseenthemanathismother’s。Againthemanjostledhiminthecrookedstreet，againhefollowedthemanandlosthim，againhecameuponthemaninthecourt-yardlookingatthehouse，againhefollowedthemanandstoodbesidehimonthedoor-steps。
’Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
CompagnondelaMajolaine；
Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
Alwaysgay!’
Itwasnotthefirsttime，bymany，thathehadrecalledthesongofthechild’sgame，ofwhichthefellowhadhummed@versewhiletheystoodsidebyside；buthewassounconsciousofhavingrepeateditaudibly，thathestartedtohearthenextverse。
’Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，CompagnondelaMajolaine；
Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，Alwaysgay!’
Cavallettohaddeferentiallysuggestedthewordsandtune，supposinghimtohavestoppedshortforwantofmore。
’Ah!Youknowthesong，Cavalletto？’
’ByBacchus，yes，sir!TheyallknowitinFrance。Ihavehearditmanytimes，sungbythelittlechildren。ThelasttimewhenitIhaveheard，’saidMrBaptist，formerlyCavalletto，whousuallywentbacktohisnativeconstructionofsentenceswhenhismemorywentnearhome，’isfromasweetlittlevoice。Alittlevoice，verypretty，veryinnocent。Altro!’
’ThelasttimeIheardit，’returnedArthur，’wasinavoicequitethereverseofpretty，andquitethereverseofinnocent。’Hesaiditmoretohimselfthantohiscompanion，andaddedtohimself，repeatingtheman’snextwords。’Deathofmylife，sir，it’smycharactertobeimpatient!’
’EH!’criedCavalletto，astounded，andwithallhiscolourgoneinamoment。
’Whatisthematter？’
’Sir!YouknowwhereIhaveheardthatsongthelasttime？’
Withhisrapidnativeaction，hishandsmadetheoutlineofahighhooknose，pushedhiseyesneartogether，dishevelledhishair，puffedouthisupperliptorepresentathickmoustache，andthrewtheheavyendofanidealcloakoverhisshoulder。Whiledoingthis，withaswiftnessincredibletoonewhohasnotwatchedanItalianpeasant，heindicatedaveryremarkableandsinistersmile。
Thewholechangepassedoverhimlikeaflashoflight，andhestoodinthesameinstant，paleandastonished，beforehispatron。
’InthenameofFateandwonder，’saidClennam，’whatdoyoumean？
DoyouknowamanofthenameofBlandois？’
’No!’saidMrBaptist，shakinghishead。
’Youhavejustnowdescribedamanwhowasbywhenyouheardthatsong；haveyounot？’
’Yes!’saidMrBaptist，noddingfiftytimes。
’AndwashenotcalledBlandois？’
’No!’saidMrBaptist。’Altro，Altro，Altro，Altro!’Hecouldnotrejectthenamesufficiently，withhisheadandhisrightforefingergoingatonce。
’Stay!’criedClennam，spreadingoutthehandbillonhisdesk。
’Wasthistheman？YoucanunderstandwhatIreadaloud？’
’Altogether。Perfectly。’
’Butlookatit，too。Comehereandlookoverme，whileIread。’
MrBaptistapproached，followedeverywordwithhisquickeyes，sawandhearditalloutwiththegreatestimpatience，thenclappedhistwohandsflatuponthebillasifhehadfiercelycaughtsomenoxiouscreature，andcried，lookingeagerlyatClennam，’Itistheman!Beholdhim!’
’Thisisoffargreatermomenttome’saidClennam，ingreatagitation，’thanyoucanimagine。Tellmewhereyouknewtheman。’
MrBaptist，releasingthepaperveryslowlyandwithmuchdiscomfiture，anddrawinghimselfbacktwoorthreepaces，andmakingasthoughhedustedhishands，returned，verymuchagainsthiswill：
’AtMarsiglia——Marseilles。’
’Whatwashe？’
’Aprisoner，and——Altro!Ibelieveyes!——an，’MrBaptistcreptcloseragaintowhisperit，’Assassin!’
Clennamfellbackasifthewordhadstruckhimablow：soterriblediditmakehismother’scommunicationwiththemanappear。
Cavallettodroppedononeknee，andimploredhim，witharedundancyofgesticulation，tohearwhathadbroughthimselfintosuchfoulcompany。
Hetoldwithperfecttruthhowithadcomeofalittlecontrabandtrading，andhowhehadintimebeenreleasedfromprison，andhowhehadgoneawayfromthoseantecedents。How，atthehouseofentertainmentcalledtheBreakofDayatChalonsontheSaone，hehadbeenawakenedinhisbedatnightbythesameassassin，thenassumingthenameofLagnier，thoughhisnamehadformerlybeenRigaud；howtheassassinhadproposedthattheyshouldjointheirfortunestogether；howheheldtheassassininsuchdreadandaversionthathehadfledfromhimatdaylight，andhowhehadeversincebeenhauntedbythefearofseeingtheassassinagainandbeingclaimedbyhimasanacquaintance。Whenhehadrelatedthis，withanemphasisandpoiseontheword，’assassin，’peculiarlybelongingtohisownlanguage，andwhichdidnotservetorenderitlessterribletoClennam，hesuddenlysprangtohisfeet，pounceduponthebillagain，andwithavehemencethatwouldhavebeenabsolutemadnessinanymanofNorthernorigin，cried’Beholdthesameassassin!Hereheis!’
Inhispassionateraptures，heatfirstforgotthefactthathehadlatelyseentheassassininLondon。Onhisrememberingit，itsuggestedhopetoClennamthattherecognitionmightbeoflaterdatethanthenightofthevisitathismother’s；butCavallettowastooexactandclearabouttimeandplace，toleaveanyopeningfordoubtthatithadprecededthatoccasion。
’Listen，’saidArthur，veryseriously。’Thisman，aswehavereadhere，haswhollydisappeared。’
’OfitIamwellcontent!’saidCavalletto，raisinghiseyespiously。’AthousandthankstoHeaven!Accursedassassin!’
’Notso，’returnedClennam；’foruntilsomethingmoreisheardofhim，Icanneverknowanhour’speace。’
’Enough，Benefactor；thatisquiteanotherthing。Amillionofexcuses!’
’Now，Cavalletto，’saidClennam，gentlyturninghimbythearm，sothattheylookedintoeachother’seyes。’IamcertainthatforthelittleIhavebeenabletodoforyou，youarethemostsincerelygratefulofmen。’
’Iswearit!’criedtheother。
’Iknowit。Ifyoucouldfindthisman，ordiscoverwhathasbecomeofhim，orgainanylaterintelligencewhateverofhim，youwouldrendermeaserviceaboveanyotherserviceIcouldreceiveintheworld，andwouldmakemewithfargreaterreasonasgratefultoyouasyouaretome。’
’Iknownotwheretolook，’criedthelittleman，kissingArthur’shandinatransport。’Iknownotwheretobegin。Iknownotwheretogo。But，courage!Enough!Itmattersnot!Igo，inthisinstantoftime!’