andthathehadsaidwithadmirablefortitudethathewasAllright，mylads，withtheexceptionofhiscollar-bone。Butthediggingandshovellingandcarryingawaywentonwithoutintermission，untiltheruinswerealldugout，andthecellarsopenedtothelight；andstillnoFlintwinch，livingordead，allrightorallwrong，hadbeenturnedupbypickorspade。
ItbeganthentobeperceivedthatFlintwinchhadnotbeenthereatthetimeofthefall；anditbeganthentobeperceivedthathehadbeenratherbusyelsewhere，convertingsecuritiesintoasmuchmoneyascouldbegotforthemontheshortestnotice，andturningtohisownexclusiveaccounthisauthoritytoactfortheFirm。
Affery，rememberingthatthecleveronehadsaidhewouldexplainhimselffurtherinfour-and-twentyhours’time，determinedforherpartthathistakinghimselfoffwithinthatperiodwithallhecouldget，wasthefinalsatisfactorysumandsubstanceofhispromisedexplanation；butsheheldherpeace，devoutlythankfultobequitofhim。Asitseemedreasonabletoconcludethatamanwhohadneverbeenburiedcouldnotbeunburied，thediggersgavehimupwhentheirtaskwasdone，anddidnotdigdownforhimintothedepthsoftheearth。
Thiswastakeninillpartbyagreatmanypeople，whopersistedinbelievingthatFlintwinchwaslyingsomewhereamongtheLondongeologicalformation。Norwastheirbeliefmuchshakenbyrepeatedintelligencewhichcameoverincourseoftime，thatanoldmanwhoworethetieofhisneckclothunderoneear，andwhowasverywellknowntobeanEnglishman，consortedwiththeDutchmenonthequaintbanksofthecanalsoftheHagueandinthedrinking-shopsofAmsterdam，underthestyleanddesignationofMynheervonFlyntevynge。
GoingArthurcontinuingtolieveryillintheMarshalsea，andMrRuggdescryingnobreakinthelegalskyaffordingahopeofhisenlargement，MrPanckssuffereddesperatelyfromself-reproaches。
IfithadnotbeenforthoseinfalliblefigureswhichprovedthatArthur，insteadofpininginimprisonment，oughttobepromenadinginacarriageandpair，andthatMrPancks，insteadofbeingrestrictedtohisclerklywages，oughttohavefromthreetofivethousandpoundsofhisownathisimmediatedisposal，thatunhappyarithmeticianwouldprobablyhavetakentohisbed，andtherehavemadeoneofthemanyobscurepersonswhoturnedtheirfacestothewallanddied，asalastsacrificetothelateMrMerdle’sgreatness。Solelysupportedbyhisunimpugnablecalculations，MrPancksledanunhappyandrestlesslife；constantlycarryinghisfiguresaboutwithhiminhishat，andnotonlygoingoverthemhimselfoneverypossibleoccasion，butentreatingeveryhumanbeinghecouldlayholdoftogooverthemwithhim，andobservewhataclearcaseitwas。DowninBleedingHeartYardtherewasscarcelyaninhabitantofnotetowhomMrPanckshadnotimpartedhisdemonstration，and，asfiguresarecatching，akindofcypheringmeaslesbrokeoutinthatlocality，undertheinfluenceofwhichthewholeYardwaslight-headed。
ThemorerestlessMrPancksgrewinhismind，themoreimpatienthebecameofthePatriarch。IntheirlaterconferenceshissnortingassumedanirritablesoundwhichbodedthePatriarchnogood；
likewise，MrPanckshadonseveraloccasionslookedharderatthePatriarchalbumpsthanwasquitereconcilablewiththefactofhisnotbeingapainter，oraperuke-makerinsearchofthelivingmodel。
However，hesteamedinandoutofhislittlebackDockaccordingashewaswantedornotwantedinthePatriarchalpresence，andbusinesshadgoneoninitscustomarycourse。BleedingHeartYardhadbeenharrowedbyMrPancks，andcroppedbyMrCasby，attheregularseasons；MrPanckshadtakenallthedrudgeryandallthedirtofthebusinessashisshare；MrCasbyhadtakenalltheprofits，alltheetherealvapour，andallthemoonshine，ashisshare；and，intheformofwordswhichthatbenevolentbeamergenerallyemployedonSaturdayevenings，whenhetwirledhisfatthumbsafterstrikingtheweek’sbalance，’everythinghadbeensatisfactorytoallparties——allparties——satisfactory，sir，toallparties。’
TheDockoftheSteam-Tug，Pancks，hadaleadenroof，which，fryingintheveryhotsunshine，mayhaveheatedthevessel。Bethatasitmay，oneglowingSaturdayevening，onbeinghailedbythelumberingbottle-greenship，theTuginstantlycameworkingoutoftheDockinahighlyheatedcondition。
’MrPancks，’wasthePatriarchalremark，’youhavebeenremiss，youhavebeenremiss，sir。’
’Whatdoyoumeanbythat？’wastheshortrejoinder。
ThePatriarchalstate，alwaysastateofcalmnessandcomposure，wassoparticularlyserenethateveningastobeprovoking。
Everybodyelsewithinthebillsofmortalitywashot；butthePatriarchwasperfectlycool。Everybodywasthirsty，andthePatriarchwasdrinking。Therewasafragranceoflimesorlemonsabouthim；andhemadeadrinkofgoldensherry，whichshoneinalargetumblerasifheweredrinkingtheeveningsunshine。thiswasbad，butnottheworst。Theworstwas，thatwithhisbigblueeyes，andhispolishedhead，andhislongwhitehair，andhisbottle-greenlegsstretchedoutbeforehim，terminatinginhiseasyshoeseasilycrossedattheinstep，hehadaradiantappearanceofhavinginhisextensivebenevolencemadethedrinkforthehumanspecies，whilehehimselfwantednothingbuthisownmilkofhumankindness。
Wherefore，MrPanckssaid，’Whatdoyoumeanbythat？’andputhishairupwithbothhands，inahighlyportentousmanner。
’Imean，MrPancks，thatyoumustbesharperwiththepeople，sharperwiththepeople，muchsharperwiththepeople，sir。Youdon’tsqueezethem。Youdon’tsqueezethem。Yourreceiptsarenotuptothemark。Youmustsqueezethem，sir，orourconnectionwillnotcontinuetobeassatisfactoryasIcouldwishittobetoallparties。Allparties。’
’Don’tIsqueeze’em？’retortedMrPancks。’WhatelseamImadefor？’
’Youaremadefornothingelse，MrPancks。Youaremadetodoyourduty，butyoudon’tdoyourduty。Youarepaidtosqueeze，andyoumustsqueezetopay。’ThePatriarchsomuchsurprisedhimselfbythisbrilliantturn，afterDrJohnson，whichhehadnotintheleastexpectedorintended，thathelaughedaloud；andrepeatedwithgreatsatisfaction，ashetwirledhisthumbsandnoddedathisyouthfulportrait，’Paidtosqueeze，sir，andmustsqueezetopay。’
’Oh，’saidPancks。’Anythingmore？’
’Yes，sir，yes，sir。Somethingmore。Youwillplease，MrPancks，tosqueezetheYardagain，thefirstthingonMondaymorning。’
’Oh!’saidPancks。’Ain’tthattoosoon？Isqueezeditdryto-
day。’
’Nonsense，sir。Notnearthemark，notnearthemark。’
’Oh!’saidPancks，watchinghimashebenevolentlygulpeddownagooddraughtofhismixture。’Anythingmore？’
’Yes，sir，yes，sir，somethingmore。Iamnotatallpleased，MrPancks，withmydaughter；notatallpleased。BesidescallingmuchtoooftentoinquireforMrsClennam，MrsClennam，whoisnotjustnowincircumstancesthatarebyanymeanscalculatedto——tobesatisfactorytoallparties，shegoes，MrPancks，unlessIammuchdeceived，toinquireforMrClennaminjail。Injail。’
’He’slaidup，youknow，’saidPancks。’Perhapsit’skind。’
’Pooh，pooh，MrPancks。Shehasnothingtodowiththat，nothingtodowiththat。Ican’tallowit。Lethimpayhisdebtsandcomeout，comeout；payhisdebts，andcomeout。’
AlthoughMrPancks’shairwasstandinguplikestrongwire，hegaveitanotherdouble-handedimpulseintheperpendiculardirection，andsmiledathisproprietorinamosthideousmanner。
’Youwillpleasetomentiontomydaughter，MrPancks，thatIcan’tallowit，can’tallowit，’saidthePatriarchblandly。
’Oh!’saidPancks。’Youcouldn’tmentionityourself？’
’No，sir，no；youarepaidtomentionit，’theblunderingoldboobycouldnotresistthetemptationoftryingitagain，’andyoumustmentionittopay，mentionittopay。’
’Oh!’saidPancks。’Anythingmore？’
’Yes，sir。Itappearstome，MrPancks，thatyouyourselfaretoooftenandtoomuchinthatdirection，thatdirection。Irecommendyou，MrPancks，todismissfromyourattentionbothyourownlossesandotherpeople’slosses，andtomindyourbusiness，mindyourbusiness。’
MrPancksacknowledgedthisrecommendationwithsuchanextraordinarilyabrupt，short，andloudutteranceofthemonosyllable’Oh!’thateventheunwieldyPatriarchmovedhisblueeyesinsomethingofahurry，tolookathim。MrPancks，withasniffofcorrespondingintensity，thenadded，’Anythingmore？’
’Notatpresent，sir，notatpresent。Iamgoing，’saidthePatriarch，finishinghismixture，andrisingwithanamiableair，’totakealittlestroll，alittlestroll。PerhapsIshallfindyouherewhenIcomeback。Ifnot，sir，duty，duty；squeeze，squeeze，squeeze，onMonday；squeezeonMonday!’
MrPancks，afteranotherstiffeningofhishair，lookedonatthePatriarchalassumptionofthebroad-brimmedhat，withamomentaryappearanceofindecisioncontendingwithasenseofinjury。Hewasalsohotterthanatfirst，andbreathedharder。ButhesufferedMrCasbytogoout，withoutofferinganyfurtherremark，andthentookapeepathimoverthelittlegreenwindow-blinds。’Ithoughtso，’
heobserved。’Iknewwhereyouwereboundto。Good!’HethensteamedbacktohisDock，putitcarefullyinorder，tookdownhishat，lookedroundtheDock，said’Good-bye!’andpuffedawayonhisownaccount。HesteeredstraightforMrsPlornish’sendofBleedingHeartYard，andarrivedthere，atthetopofthesteps，hotterthanever。
Atthetopofthesteps，resistingMrsPlornish’sinvitationstocomeandsitalongwithfatherinHappyCottage——whichtohisreliefwerenotsonumerousastheywouldhavebeenonanyothernightthanSaturday，whentheconnectionwhosogallantlysupportedthebusinesswitheverythingbutmoneygavetheirordersfreely——atthetopofthestepsMrPancksremaineduntilhebeheldthePatriarch，whoalwaysenteredtheYardattheotherend，slowlyadvancing，beaming，andsurroundedbysuitors。ThenMrPancksdescendedandboredownuponhim，withhisutmostpressureofsteamon。
ThePatriarch，approachingwithhisusualbenignity，wassurprisedtoseeMrPancks，butsupposedhimtohavebeenstimulatedtoanimmediatesqueezeinsteadofpostponingthatoperationuntilMonday。ThepopulationoftheYardwereastonishedatthemeeting，forthetwopowershadneverbeenseentheretogether，withinthememoryoftheoldestBleedingHeart。ButtheywereovercomebyunutterableamazementwhenMrPancks，goingcloseuptothemostvenerableofmenandhaltinginfrontofthebottle-greenwaistcoat，madeatriggerofhisrightthumbandforefinger，appliedthesametothebrimofthebroad-brimmedhat，and，withsingularsmartnessandprecision，shotitoffthepolishedheadasifithadbeenalargemarble。
HavingtakenthislittlelibertywiththePatriarchalperson，MrPancksfurtherastoundedandattractedtheBleedingHeartsbysayinginanaudiblevoice，’Now，yousugaryswindler，Imeantohaveitoutwithyou!’
MrPancksandthePatriarchwereinstantlythecentreofapress，alleyesandears；windowswerethrownopen，anddoor-stepswerethronged。
’Whatdoyoupretendtobe？’saidMrPancks。’What’syourmoralgame？Whatdoyougoinfor？Benevolence，an’tit？Youbenevolent!’HereMrPancks，apparentlywithouttheintentionofhittinghim，butmerelytorelievehismindandexpendhissuperfluouspowerinwholesomeexercise，aimedablowatthebumpyhead，whichthebumpyheadduckedtoavoid。Thissingularperformancewasrepeated，totheever-increasingadmirationofthespectators，attheendofeverysucceedingarticleofMrPancks’soration。
’Ihavedischargedmyselffromyourservice，’saidPancks，’thatI
maytellyouwhatyouare。You’reoneofalotofimpostorsthataretheworstlotofallthelotstobemetwith。Speakingasasuffererbyboth，Idon’tknowthatIwouldn’tassoonhavetheMerdlelotasyourlot。You’readriverindisguise，ascrewerbydeputy，awringer，andsqueezer，andshaverbysubstitute。You’reaphilanthropicsneak。You’reashabbydeceiver!’
Therepetitionoftheperformanceatthispointwasreceivedwithaburstoflaughter。
’Askthesegoodpeoplewho’sthehardmanhere。They’lltellyouPancks，Ibelieve。’