Крошка Доррит

Chapter 13. The Progress of an Epidemic

           

           Theypuffedforawhileinsilence,MrPanckslikeasteam-vesselwithwind,tide,calmwater,andallothersea-goingconditionsinherfavour.Hewasthefirsttospeak,andhespokethus:

           ‘Yes.Investmentsistheword.’

           Clennam,withhisformerlook,said‘Ah!’

           ‘Iamgoingbacktoit,yousee,’saidPancks.

           ‘Yes.Iseeyouaregoingbacktoit,’returnedClennam,wonderingwhy.

           ‘Wasn’titacuriousthingthattheyshouldruninlittleAltro’shead?Eh?’saidPancksashesmoked.‘Wasn’tthathowyouputit?’

           ‘ThatwaswhatIsaid.’

           ‘Ay!ButthinkofthewholeYardhavinggotit.Thinkoftheirallmeetingmewithit,onmycollectingdays,hereandthereandeverywhere.Whethertheypay,orwhethertheydon’tpay.Merdle,Merdle,Merdle.AlwaysMerdle.’

           ‘Verystrangehowtheserunsonaninfatuationprevail,’saidArthur.

           ‘An’tit?’returnedPancks.Aftersmokingforaminuteorso,moredrilythancomportedwithhisrecentoiling,headded:‘Becauseyouseethesepeopledon’tunderstandthesubject.’

           ‘Notabit,’assentedClennam.

           ‘Notabit,’criedPancks.‘Knownothingoffigures.Knownothingofmoneyquestions.Nevermadeacalculation.Neverworkedit,sir!’

           ‘Iftheyhad—’Clennamwasgoingontosay;whenMrPancks,withoutchangeofcountenance,producedasoundsofarsurpassingallhisusualefforts,nasalorbronchial,thathestopped.

           ‘Iftheyhad?’repeatedPancksinaninquiringtone.

           ‘Ithoughtyou—spoke,’saidArthur,hesitatingwhatnametogivetheinterruption.

           ‘Notatall,’saidPancks.‘Notyet.

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