’MrsMerdle’smaidmustbecalled，andtoldtogetMrsMerdleup，andprepareherasgentlyasshecantoseeme。Ihavedreadfulnewstobreaktoher。’
ThusPhysiciantotheChiefButler。Thelatter，whohadacandleinhishand，calledhismantotakeitaway。Thenheapproachedthewindowwithdignity；lookingonatPhysician’snewsexactlyashehadlookedonatthedinnersinthatveryroom。
’MrMerdleisdead。’
’Ishouldwish，’saidtheChiefButler，’togiveamonth’snotice。’
’MrMerdlehasdestroyedhimself。’
’Sir，’saidtheChiefButler，’thatisveryunpleasanttothefeelingsofoneinmyposition，ascalculatedtoawakenprejudice；
andIshouldwishtoleaveimmediately。’
’Ifyouarenotshocked，areyounotsurprised，man？’demandedthePhysician，warmly。
TheChiefButler，erectandcalm，repliedinthesememorablewords。
’Sir，MrMerdleneverwasthegentleman，andnoungentlemanlyactonMrMerdle’spartwouldsurpriseme。IsthereanybodyelseIcansendtoyou，oranyotherdirectionsIcangivebeforeIleave，respectingwhatyouwouldwishtobedone？’
WhenPhysician，afterdischarginghimselfofhistrustup-stairs，rejoinedBarinthestreet，hesaidnomoreofhisinterviewwithMrsMerdlethanthathehadnotyettoldherall，butthatwhathehadtoldhershehadborneprettywell。Barhaddevotedhisleisureinthestreettotheconstructionofamostingeniousman-
trapforcatchingthewholeofhisjuryatablow；havinggotthatmattersettledinhismind，itwaslucidonthelatecatastrophe，andtheywalkedhomeslowly，discussingitineverybearing。
BeforepartingatthePhysician’sdoor，theybothlookedupatthesunnymorningsky，intowhichthesmokeofafewearlyfiresandthebreathandvoicesofafewearlystirrerswerepeacefullyrising，andthenlookedroundupontheimmensecity，andsaid，ifallthosehundredsandthousandsofbeggaredpeoplewhowereyetasleepcouldonlyknow，astheytwospoke，theruinthatimpendedoverthem，whatafearfulcryagainstonemiserablesoulwouldgouptoHeaven!
Thereportthatthegreatmanwasdead，gotaboutwithastonishingrapidity。Atfirst，hewasdeadofallthediseasesthateverwereknown，andofseveralbran-newmaladiesinventedwiththespeedofLighttomeetthedemandoftheoccasion。Hehadconcealedadropsyfrominfancy，hehadinheritedalargeestateofwateronthechestfromhisgrandfather，hehadhadanoperationperformeduponhimeverymorningofhislifeforeighteenyears，hehadbeensubjecttotheexplosionofimportantveinsinhisbodyafterthemanneroffireworks，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhislungs，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisheart，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisbrain。Fivehundredpeoplewhosatdowntobreakfastentirelyuninformedonthewholesubject，believedbeforetheyhaddonebreakfast，thattheyprivatelyandpersonallyknewPhysiciantohavesaidtoMrMerdle，’Youmustexpecttogoout，someday，likethesnuffofacandle；’andthattheyknewMrMerdletohavesaidtoPhysician，’Amancandiebutonce。’Byabouteleveno’clockintheforenoon，somethingthematterwiththebrain，becamethefavouritetheoryagainstthefield；andbytwelvethesomethinghadbeendistinctlyascertainedtobe’Pressure。’
Pressurewassoentirelysatisfactorytothepublicmind，andseemedtomakeeverybodysocomfortable，thatitmighthavelastedalldaybutforBar’shavingtakentherealstateofthecaseintoCourtathalf-pastnine。ThisledtoitsbeginningtobecurrentlywhisperedalloverLondonbyaboutone，thatMrMerdlehadkilledhimself。Pressure，however，sofarfrombeingoverthrownbythediscovery，becameagreaterfavouritethanever。TherewasageneralmoralisinguponPressure，ineverystreet。Allthepeoplewhohadtriedtomakemoneyandhadnotbeenabletodoit，said，Thereyouwere!YounosoonerbegantodevoteyourselftothepursuitofwealththanyougotPressure。Theidlepeopleimprovedtheoccasioninasimilarmanner。See，saidthey，whatyoubroughtyourselftobywork，work，work!Youpersistedinworking，youoverdidit。Pressurecameon，andyouweredonefor!Thisconsiderationwasverypotentinmanyquarters，butnowheremoresothanamongtheyoungclerksandpartnerswhohadneverbeenintheslightestdangerofoverdoingit。These，oneandall，declared，quitepiously，thattheyhopedtheywouldneverforgetthewarningaslongastheylived，andthattheirconductmightbesoregulatedastokeepoffPressure，andpreservethem，acomforttotheirfriends，formanyyears。
But，ataboutthetimeofHigh’Change，Pressurebegantowane，andappallingwhisperstocirculate，east，west，north，andsouth。Atfirsttheywerefaint，andwentnofurtherthanadoubtwhetherMrMerdle’swealthwouldbefoundtobeasvastashadbeensupposed；
whethertheremightnotbeatemporarydifficultyin’realising’
it；whethertheremightnotevenbeatemporarysuspensionsayamonthorso，onthepartofthewonderfulBank。Asthewhispersbecamelouder，whichtheydidfromthattimeeveryminute，theybecamemorethreatening。Hehadsprungfromnothing，bynonaturalgrowthorprocessthatanyonecouldaccountfor；hehadbeen，afterall，alow，ignorantfellow；hehadbeenadown-lookingman，andnoonehadeverbeenabletocatchhiseye；hehadbeentakenupbyallsortsofpeopleinquiteanunaccountablemanner；hehadneverhadanymoneyofhisown，hisventureshadbeenutterlyreckless，andhisexpenditurehadbeenmostenormous。Insteadyprogression，asthedaydeclined，thetalkroseinsoundandpurpose。HehadleftaletterattheBathsaddressedtohisphysician，andhisphysicianhadgottheletter，andtheletterwouldbeproducedattheInquestonthemorrow，anditwouldfalllikeathunderboltuponthemultitudehehaddeluded。Numbersofmenineveryprofessionandtradewouldbeblightedbyhisinsolvency；oldpeoplewhohadbeenineasycircumstancesalltheirliveswouldhavenoplaceofrepentancefortheirtrustinhimbuttheworkhouse；legionsofwomenandchildrenwouldhavetheirwholefuturedesolatedbythehandofthismightyscoundrel。Everypartakerofhismagnificentfeastswouldbeseentohavebeenasharerintheplunderofinnumerablehomes；everyservileworshipperofricheswhohadhelpedtosethimonhispedestal，wouldhavedonebettertoworshiptheDevilpoint-blank。So，thetalk，lashedlouderandhigherbyconfirmationonconfirmation，andbyeditionaftereditionoftheeveningpapers，swelledintosucharoarwhennightcame，asmighthavebroughtonetobelievethatasolitarywatcheronthegalleryabovetheDomeofStPaul’swouldhaveperceivedthenightairtobeladenwithaheavymutteringofthenameofMerdle，coupledwitheveryformofexecration。
ForbythattimeitwasknownthatthelateMrMerdle’scomplainthadbeensimplyForgeryandRobbery。He，theuncouthobjectofsuchwide-spreadadulation，thesitteratgreatmen’sfeasts，theroc’seggofgreatladies’assemblies，thesubduerofexclusiveness，thelevellerofpride，thepatronofpatrons，thebargain-driverwithaMinisterforLordshipsoftheCircumlocutionOffice，therecipientofmoreacknowledgmentwithinsometenorfifteenyears，atmost，thanhadbeenbestowedinEnglanduponallpeacefulpublicbenefactors，anduponalltheleadersofalltheArtsandSciences，withalltheirworkstotestifyforthem，duringtwocenturiesatleast——he，theshiningwonder，thenewconstellationtobefollowedbythewisemenbringinggifts，untilitstoppedoveracertaincarrionatthebottomofabathanddisappeared——wassimplythegreatestForgerandthegreatestThiefthatevercheatedthegallows。
ReapingtheWhirlwindWithaprecursorysoundofhurriedbreathandhurriedfeet，MrPancksrushedintoArthurClennam’sCounting-house。TheInquestwasover，theletterwaspublic，theBankwasbroken，theothermodelstructuresofstrawhadtakenfireandwereturnedtosmoke。
Theadmiredpiraticalshiphadblownup，inthemidstofavastfleetofshipsofallrates，andboatsofallsizes；andonthedeepwasnothingbutruin；nothingbutburninghulls，burstingmagazines，greatgunsself-explodedtearingfriendsandneighbourstopieces，drowningmenclingingtounseaworthysparsandgoingdowneveryminute，spentswimmersfloatingdead，andsharks。
TheusualdiligenceandorderoftheCounting-houseattheWorkswereoverthrown。Unopenedlettersandunsortedpaperslaystrewnaboutthedesk。Inthemidstofthesetokensofprostratedenergyanddismissedhope，themasteroftheCounting-housestoodidleinhisusualplace，withhisarmscrossedonthedesk，andhisheadboweddownuponthem。
MrPancksrushedinandsawhim，andstoodstill。Inanotherminute，MrPancks’sarmswereonthedesk，andMrPancks’sheadwasboweddownuponthem；andforsometimetheyremainedintheseattitudes，idleandsilent，withthewidthofthelittleroombetweenthem。MrPanckswasthefirsttoliftuphisheadandspeak。
’Ipersuadedyoutoit，MrClennam。Iknowit。Saywhatyouwill。
Youcan’tsaymoretomethanIsaytomyself。Youcan’tsaymorethanIdeserve。’
’O，Pancks，Pancks!’returnedClennam，’don’tspeakofdeserving。
WhatdoImyselfdeserve!’
’Betterluck，’saidPancks。
’I，’pursuedClennam，withoutattendingtohim，’whohaveruinedmypartner!Pancks，Pancks，IhaveruinedDoyce!Thehonest，self-
helpful，indefatigableoldmanwhohasworkedhiswayallthroughhislife；themanwhohascontendedagainstsomuchdisappointment，andwhohasbroughtoutofitsuchagoodandhopefulnature；themanIhavefeltsomuchfor，andmeanttobesotrueandusefulto；
Ihaveruinedhim——broughthimtoshameanddisgrace——ruinedhim，ruinedhim!’
Theagonyintowhichthereflectionwroughthismindwassodistressingtosee，thatMrPanckstookholdofhimselfbythehairofhishead，andtoreitindesperationatthespectacle。
’Reproachme!’criedPancks。’Reproachme，sir，orI’lldomyselfaninjury。Say，——Youfool，youvillain。Say，——Ass，howcouldyoudoit；Beast，whatdidyoumeanbyit!Catchholdofmesomewhere。
Saysomethingabusivetome!’Allthetime，MrPanckswastearingathistoughhairinamostpitilessandcruelmanner。
’Ifyouhadneveryieldedtothisfatalmania，Pancks，’saidClennam，moreincommiserationthanretaliation，’itwouldhavebeenhowmuchbetterforyou，andhowmuchbetterforme!’
’Atmeagain，sir!’criedPancks，grindinghisteethinremorse。
’Atmeagain!’
’Ifyouhadnevergoneintothoseaccursedcalculations，andbroughtoutyourresultswithsuchabominableclearness，’groanedClennam，’itwouldhavebeenhowmuchbetterforyou，Pancks，andhowmuchbetterforme!’
’Atmeagain，sir!’exclaimedPancks，looseninghisholdofhishair；’atmeagain，andagain!’
Clennam，however，findinghimalreadybeginningtobepacified，hadsaidallhewantedtosay，andmore。Hewrunghishand，onlyadding，’Blindleadersoftheblind，Pancks!Blindleadersoftheblind!ButDoyce，Doyce，Doyce；myinjuredpartner!’Thatbroughthisheaddownonthedeskoncemore。
TheirformerattitudesandtheirformersilencewereoncemorefirstencroacheduponbyPancks。
’Notbeentobed，sir，sinceitbegantogetabout。Beenhighandlow，onthechanceoffindingsomehopeofsavinganycindersfromthefire。Allinvain。Allgone。Allvanished。’
’Iknowit，’returnedClennam，’toowell。’
MrPancksfilledupapausewithagroanthatcameoutoftheverydepthsofhissoul。
’Onlyyesterday，Pancks，’saidArthur；’onlyyesterday，Monday，I
hadthefixedintentionofselling，realising，andmakinganendofit。’
’Ican’tsayasmuchformyself，sir，’returnedPancks。’Thoughit’swonderfulhowmanypeopleI’veheardof，whoweregoingtorealiseyesterday，ofalldaysinthethreehundredandsixty-five，ifithadn’tbeentoolate!’
Hissteam-likebreathings，usuallydrollintheireffect，weremoretragicthansomanygroans：whilefromheadtofoot，hewasinthatbegrimed，besmeared，neglectedstate，thathemighthavebeenanauthenticportraitofMisfortunewhichcouldscarcelybediscernedthroughitswantofcleaning。