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if you don't like it。 You had better take a lot of forms away with you。
Give him a lot of forms！' With which instruction to number two； this
sparkling young Barnacle took a fresh handful of papers from numbers one
and three； and carried them into the sanctuary to offer to the presiding
Idol of the Circumlocution Office。
Arthur Clennam put his forms in his pocket gloomily enough； and went
his way down the long stone passage and the long stone staircase。 He had
e to the swing doors leading into the street； and was waiting； not
over patiently； for two people who were between him and them to pass out
and let him follow； when the voice of one of them struck familiarly on
his ear。 He looked at the speaker and recognised Mr Meagles。 Mr Meagles
was very red in the face……redder than travel could have made him……and
collaring a short man who was with him； said； 'e out； you rascal；
e Out！'
It was such an unexpected hearing； and it was also such an unexpected
sight to see Mr Meagles burst the swing doors open； and emerge into the
street with the short man； who was of an unoffending appearance； that
Clennam stood still for the moment exchanging looks of surprise with the
porter。 He folloeagles going down
the street with his enemy at his side。 He soon came up with his old
travelling panion； and touched him on the back。 The choleric face
which Mr Meagles turned upon him smoothed when he saw who it was； and he
put out his friendly hand。
'How are you？' said Mr Meagles。 'How d'ye do？ I have only just e over
from abroad。 I am glad to see you。'
'And I am rejoiced to see you。'
'Thank'ee。 Thank'ee！'
'Mrs Meagles and your daughter……？'
'Are as well as possible；' said Mr Meagles。 'I only wish you had e
upon me in a more prepossessing condition as to coolness。'
Though it was anything but a hot day； Mr Meagles was in a heated state
that attracted the attention of the passersby； more particularly as
he leaned his back against a railing； took off his hat and cravat； and
heartily rubbed his steaming head and face； and his reddened ears and
neck； without the least regard for public opinion。
'Whew！' said Mr Meagles； dressing again。 'That's fortable。 Now I am
cooler。'
'You have been ruffled； Mr Meagles。 What is the matter？'
'Wait a bit； and I'll tell you。 Have you leisure for a turn in the
Park？'
'As much as you please。'
'e along then。 Ah！ you may well look at him。' He happened to have
turned his eyes towards the offender whom Mr Meagles had so angrily
collared。 'He's something to look at； that fellow is。'
He was not much to look at； either in point of size or in point of
dress； being merely a short； square； practical looking man； whose hair
had turned grey； and in whose face and forehead there were deep lines of
cogitation； which looked as though they were carved in hard wood。 He
was dressed in decent black； a little rusty； and had the appearance of
a sagacious master in some handicraft。 He had a spectacle…case in his
hand； which he turned over and over while he was thus in question；
with a certain free use of the thumb that is never seen but in a hand
accustomed to tools。
'You keep with us；' said Mr Meagles； in a threatening kind of Way； 'and
I'll introduce you presently。 Now then！'
Clennam wondered within himself； as they took the nearest way to the
Park； what this unknown （who plied in the gentlest manner） could have
been doing。 His appearance did not at all justify the suspicion that he
had been detected in designs on Mr Meagles's pocket…handkerchief； nor
had he any appearance of being quarrelsome or violent。 He was a quiet；
plain； steady man； made no attempt to escape； and seemed a little
depressed； but neither ashamed nor repentant。 If he were a criminal
offender； he must surely be an incorrigible hypocrite； and if he were no
offender； why should Mr Meagles have collared him in the Circumlocution
Office？ He perceived that the man was not a difficulty in his own
mind alone； but in Mr Meagles's too； for such conversation as they had
together on the short way to the Park was by no means well sustained；
and Mr Meagles's eye always wandered back to the man； even when he spoke
of something very different。
At length they being among the trees； Mr Meagles stopped short； and
said：
'Mr Clennam； will you do me the favour to look at this man？ His name
is Doyce； Daniel Doyce。 You wouldn't suppose this man to be a notorious
rascal； would you？'
'I certainly should not。' It was really a disconcerting question； with
the man there。
'No。 You would not。 I know you would not。 You wouldn't suppose him to be
a public offender； would you？'
'No。'
'No。 But he is。 He is a public offender。 What has he been guilty of？
Murder； manslaughter； arson； forgery； swindling； house…breaking； highway
robbery； larceny； conspiracy； fraud？ Which should you say； now？'
'I should say；' returned Arthur Clennam； observing a faint smile in
Daniel Doyce's face； 'not one of them。'
'You are right；' said Mr Meagles。 'But he has been ingenious； and he has
been trying to turn his ingenuity to his country's service。 That makes
him a public offender directly； sir。'
Arthur looked at the man himself； who only shook his head。
'This Doyce；' said Mr Meagles； 'is a smith and engineer。 He is not in a
large way； but he is well known as a very ingenious man。 A dozen years
ago； he perfects an invention （involving a very curious secret process）
of great importance to his country and his fellow…creatures。 I won't say
how much money it cost him； or how many years of his life he had been
about it； but he brought it to perfection a dozen years ago。 Wasn't it a
dozen？' said Mr Meagles； addressing Doyce。 'He is the most exasperating
man in the world； he never plains！'
'Yes。 Rather better than twelve years ago。'
'Rather better？' said Mr Meagles； 'you mean rather worse。 Well； Mr
Clennam； he addresses himself to the Government。 The moment he addresses
himself to the Government； he bees a public offender！ Sir；' said Mr
Meagles； in danger of making himself excessively hot again； 'he ceases
to be an innocent citizen； and bees a culprit。
He is treated from that instant as a man who has done some infernal
action。 He is a man to be shirked； put off； brow…beaten； sneered at；
handed over by this highly…connected young or old gentleman； to that
highly…connected young or old gentleman； and dodged back again； he is a
man with no rights in his own time； or his own property； a mere outlaw；
whom it is justifiable to get rid of anyhow； a man to be worn out by all
possible means。'
It was not so difficult to believe； after the morning's experience； as
Mr Meagles supposed。
'Don't stand there； Doyce； turning your spectacle…case over and over；'
cried Mr Meagles； 'but tell Mr Clennam what you confessed to me。'
'I undoubtedly was made to feel；' said the inventor； 'as if I had
mitted an offence。 In dancing attendance at the various offices； I
was always treated； more or less； as if it was a very bad offence。 I
have frequently found it necessary to reflect； for my own self…support；
that I really had not done anything to bring myself into the Newgate
Calendar； but only wanted to effect a great saving and a great
improvement。'
'There！' said Mr Meagles。 'Judge whether I exaggerate。 Now you'll be
able to believe me when I tell you the rest of the case。'
With this prelude； Mr Meagles went through the narrative； the
established narrative； which has bee tiresome； the matter…of…course
narrative which we all know by heart。 How； after interminable attendance
and correspondence； after infinite impertinences； ignorances； and
insults； my lords made a Minute； number three thousand four hundred
and seventy…two； allowing the culprit to make certain trials of his
invention at his own expense。
How the trials were made in the presence of a board of six； of whom two
ancient members were too blind to see it； two other ancient members were
too deaf to hear it； one other ancient member was too lame to get near
it； and the final ancient member was too pig…headed to look at it。 How
there were more years； more impertinences； ignorances； and insults。 How
my lords then made a Minute； number five thousand one hundred and three；
whereby they resigned the business to the Circumlocution Office。 How the
Circumlocution Office； in course of time； took up the business as if
it were a bran new thing of yesterday； which had never been heard of
before； muddled the business； addled the business； tossed the business
in a wet blanket。 How the impertinences； ignorances； and insults went
through the multiplication table。 How there was a reference of the
invention to three Barnacles and a Stiltstalking； who knew nothing about
it； into whose heads nothing could be hammered about it； who got bored
about it； and reported physical impossibilities about it。 How the
Circumlocution Office； in a Minute； number eight thousand seven hundred
and forty； 'saw no reason to reverse the decision at which my lords had
arrived。' How the Circumlocution Office； being reminded that my lords
had arrived at no decision； shelved the business。 How there had been
a final interview with the head of the Circumlocution Office that very
morning； and how the Brazen Head had spoken； and had been； upon the
whole； and under all the circumstances； and looking at it from the
various points of view； of opinion that one of two courses was to be
pursued in respect of the business： that was to say； either to leave it
alone for evermore； or to begin it all over again。
'Upon which；' said Mr Meagles； 'as a practical man； I then and there； in
that presence； took Doyce by the collar； and told him it was plain to
me that he was an infamous rascal and treasonable disturber of the
government peace； and took him away。 I brought him out of the office
door by the collar； that the very porter might know I was a practical
man who appreciated the official estimate of such characters； and here
we are！'
If that airy young Barnacle had been there； he would have frankly told
them perhaps that the Circumlocution Office had achieved its function。
That what the Barnacles had to do； was to stick on to the national ship
as long as they could。 That to trim the ship； lighten the ship； clean
the ship； would be to knock them off； that they could but be knocked off
once； and that if the ship went down with them yet sticking to it； that
was the ship's look out； and not theirs。
'There！' said Mr Meagles； 'now you know all about Doyce。 Except； which I
own does not improve my state of mind； that even now you don't hear him
plain。'
'You must have great patience；' said Arthur Clennam； looking at him with
some wonder； 'great forbearance。'
'No；' he returned； 'I don't know that I have more than another man。'
'By the Lord； you have more than I have； though！' cried Mr Meagles。
Doyce smiled； as he said to Clennam； 'You see； my experience of these
things does not begin with myself。 It has been in my way to know a
little about them from time to time。 Mine is not a particular case。 I am
not worse used than a hundred others who have put themselves in the same
position……than all the others； I was going to say。'
'I don't know that I should find that a consolation； if it were my case；
but I am very glad that you do。'
'Understand me！ I don't say；' he replied in his steady； planning
way； and looking into the distance before him as if his grey eye were
measuring it； 'that it's repense for a man's toil and hope； but it's
a certain sort of relief to know that I might have counted on this。'
He spoke in that quiet deliberate manner； and in that undertone； which
is often observable in mechanics who consider and adjust with great
nicety。 It belonged to him like his suppleness of thumb； or his peculiar
way of tilting up his hat at the back every now and then； as if he were
contemplating some half…finished work of his hand and thinking about it。
'Disappointed？' he went on； as he walked between them under the trees。
'Yes。 No doubt I am disappointed。 Hurt？ Yes。 No doubt I am hurt。 That's
only natural。 But what I mean when I say that people who put themselves
in the same position are mostly used in the same way……'
'In England；' said Mr