Don't you see？'
'I do not；' said Clennam。
'You don't regard it from the right point of view。 It is the point of
view that is the essential thing。 Regard our place from the point of
view that we only ask you to leave us alone； and we are as capital a
Department as you'll find anywhere。'
'Is your place there to be left alone？' asked Clennam。
'You exactly hit it；' returned Ferdinand。 'It is there with the express
intention that everything shall be left alone。 That is what it means。
That is what it's for。 No doubt there's a certain form to be kept up
that it's for something else； but it's only a form。 Why； good Heaven；
we are nothing but forms！ Think what a lot of our forms you have gone
through。 And you have never got any nearer to an end？'
'Never；' said Clennam。
'Look at it from the right point of view； and there you have
us……official and effectual。 It's like a limited game of cricket。 A field
of outsiders are always going in to bowl at the Public Service； and we
block the balls。'
Clennam asked what became of the bowlers？ The airy young Barnacle
replied that they grew tired； got dead beat； got lamed； got their backs
broken； died off； gave it up； went in for other games。
'And this occasions me to congratulate myself again；' he pursued；
'on the circumstance that our place has had nothing to do with your
temporary retirement。 It very easily might have had a hand in it；
because it is undeniable that we are sometimes a most unlucky place； in
our effects upon people who will not leave us alone。 Mr Clennam； I am
quite unreserved with you。 As between yourself and myself； I know I may
be。 I was so； when I first saw you making the mistake of not leaving us
alone； because I perceived that you were inexperienced and sanguine； and
had……I hope you'll not object to my saying……some simplicity。'
'Not at all。'
'Some simplicity。 Therefore I felt what a pity it was； and I went out
of my way to hint to you （which really was not official； but I never am
official when I can help it） something to the effect that if I were you；
I wouldn't bother myself。 However； you did bother yourself； and you have
since bothered yourself。 Now； don't do it any more。'
'I am not likely to have the opportunity；' said Clennam。
'Oh yes； you are！ You'll leave here。 Everybody leaves here。 There are no
ends of ways of leaving here。 Now； don't e back to us。 That entreaty
is the second object of my call。 Pray； don't e back to us。 Upon my
honour；' said Ferdinand in a very friendly and confiding way； 'I shall
be greatly vexed if you don't take warning by the past and keep away
from us。'
'And the invention？' said Clennam。
'My good fellow；' returned Ferdinand； 'if you'll excuse the freedom of
that form of address； nobody wants to know of the invention； and nobody
cares twopence…halfpenny about it。'
'Nobody in the Office； that is to say？'
'Nor out of it。 Everybody is ready to dislike and ridicule any
invention。 You have no idea how many people want to be left alone。
You have no idea how the Genius of the country （overlook the
Parliamentary nature of the phrase； and don't be bored by it） tends
to being left alone。 Believe me； Mr Clennam；' said the sprightly young
Barnacle in his pleasantest manner； 'our place is not a wicked Giant to
be charged at full tilt； but only a windmill showing you； as it grinds
immense quantities of chaff； which way the country wind blows。'
'If I could believe that；' said Clennam； 'it would be a dismal prospect
for all of us。'
'Oh！ Don't say so！' returned Ferdinand。 'It's all right。 We must have
humbug； we all like humbug； we couldn't get on without humbug。
A little humbug； and a groove； and everything goes on admirably； if you
leave it alone。'
With this hopeful confession of his faith as the head of the rising
Barnacles who were born of woman； to be followed under a variety of
watchwords which they utterly repudiated and disbelieved； Ferdinand
rose。 Nothing could be more agreeable than his frank and courteous
bearing； or adapted with a more gentlemanly instinct to the
circumstances of his visit。
'Is it fair to ask；' he said； as Clennam gave him his hand with a real
feeling of thankfulness for his candour and good…humour； 'whether it
is true that our late lamented Merdle is the cause of this passing
inconvenience？'
'I am one of the many he has ruined。 Yes。'
'He must have been an exceedingly clever fellow；' said Ferdinand
Barnacle。
Arthur； not being in the mood to extol the memory of the deceased； was
silent。
'A consummate rascal； of course；' said Ferdinand； 'but remarkably
clever！ One cannot help admiring the fellow。 Must have been such a
master of humbug。 Knew people so well……got over them so pletely……did
so much with them！' In his easy way； he was really moved to genuine
admiration。
'I hope；' said Arthur； 'that he and his dupes may be a warning to people
not to have so much done with them again。'
'My dear Mr Clennam；' returned Ferdinand； laughing； 'have you really
such a verdant hope？ The next man who has as large a capacity and as
genuine a taste for swindling； will succeed as well。 Pardon me； but
I think you really have no idea how the human bees will swarm to the
beating of any old tin kettle； in that fact lies the plete manual of
governing them。 When they can be got to believe that the kettle is made
of the precious metals； in that fact lies the whole power of men like
our late lamented。 No doubt there are here and there；' said Ferdinand
politely； 'exceptional cases； where people have been taken in for what
appeared to them to be much better reasons； and I need not go far to
find such a case； but they don't invalidate the rule。 Good day！ I hope
that when I have the pleasure of seeing you； next； this passing cloud
will have given place to sunshine。 Don't e a step beyond the door。 I
know the way out perfectly。 Good day！'
With those words； the best and brightest of the Barnacles went
down…stairs； hummed his way through the Lodge； mounted his horse in the
front court…yard； and rode off to keep an appointment with his noble
kinsman； who wanted a little coaching before he could triumphantly
answer certain infidel Snobs who were going to question the Nobs about
their statesmanship。
He must have passed Mr Rugg on his way out； for； a minute or two
afterwards； that ruddy…headed gentleman shone in at the door； like an
elderly Phoebus。
'How do you do to…day； sir？' said Mr Rugg。 'Is there any little thing I
can do for you to…day； sir？'
'No； I thank you。'
Mr Rugg's enjoyment of embarrassed affairs was like a housekeeper's
enjoyment in pickling and preserving； or a washerwoman's enjoyment of a
heavy wash； or a dustman's enjoyment of an overflowing dust…bin； or any
other professional enjoyment of a mess in the way of business。
'I still look round； from time to time； sir；' said Mr Rugg； cheerfully；
'to see whether any lingering Detainers are accumulating at the gate。
They have fallen in pretty thick； sir； as thick as we could have
expected。'
He remarked upon the circumstance as if it were matter of
congratulation： rubbing his hands briskly； and rolling his head a
little。
'As thick；' repeated Mr Rugg； 'as we could reasonably have expected。
Quite a shower…bath of 'em。 I don't often intrude upon you now； when I
look round； because I know you are not inclined for pany； and that if
you wished to see me； you would leave word in the Lodge。 But I am here
pretty well every day； sir。 Would this be an unseasonable time； sir；'
asked Mr Rugg； coaxingly； 'for me to offer an observation？'
'As seasonable a time as any other。'
'Hum！ Public opinion； sir；' said Mr Rugg； 'has been busy with you。'
'I don't doubt it。'
'Might it not be advisable； sir；' said Mr Rugg； more coaxingly yet； 'now
to make； at last and after all； a trifling concession to public opinion？
We all do it in one way or another。 The fact is； we must do it。'
'I cannot set myself right with it； Mr Rugg； and have no business to
expect that I ever shall。'
'Don't say that； sir； don't say that。 The cost of being moved to the
Bench is almost insignificant； and if the general feeling is strong that
you ought to be there； why……really……'
'I thought you had settled； Mr Rugg；' said Arthur； 'that my
determination to remain here was a matter of taste。'
'Well； sir； well！ But is it good taste； is it good taste？ That's the
Question。' Mr Rugg was so soothingly persuasive as to be quite pathetic。
'I was almost going to say； is it good feeling？ This is an extensive
affair of yours； and your remaining here where a man can e for a
pound or two； is remarked upon as not in keeping。 It is not in keeping。
I can't tell you； sir； in hoentioned。 I
heard ments made upon it last night in a Parlour frequented by what
I should call； if I did not look in there now and then myself； the best
legal pany……I heard； there； ments on it that I was sorry to hear。
They hurt me on your account。 Again； only this morning at breakfast。 My
daughter （but a woman； you'll say： yet still with a feeling for these
things； and even with some little personal experience； as the plaintiff
in Rugg and Bawkins） was expressing her great surprise； her great
surprise。
Now under these circumstances； and considering that none of us can quite
set ourselves above public opinion； wouldn't a trifling concession to
that opinion be……e； sir；' said Rugg； 'I will put it on the lowest
ground of argument； and say； amiable？'
Arthur's thoughts had once more wandered away to Little Dorrit； and the
question remained unanswered。
'As to myself； sir；' said Mr Rugg； hoping that his eloquence had reduced
him to a state of indecision； 'it is a principle of mine not to consider
myself when a client's inclinations are in the scale。 But； knowing your
considerate character and general wish to oblige； I will repeat that I
should prefer your being in the Bench。
Your case has made a noise； it is a creditable case to be professionally
concerned in； I should feel on a better standing with my connection； if
you went to the Bench。 Don't let that influence you； sir。 I merely state
the fact。'
So errant had the prisoner's attention already grown in solitude and
dejection； and