her nose and a certain impossible bloom under each eye。 She was a little
lofty with him； so was another old lady； dark…browed and high…nosed；
and who must have had something real about her or she could not have
existed； but it was certainly not her hair or her teeth or her figure
or her plexion； so was a grey old gentleman of dignified and sullen
appearance； both of whom had e to dinner。 But； as they had all
been in the British Embassy way in sundry parts of the earth； and as
a British Embassy cannot better establish a character with the
Circumlocution Office than by treating its patriots with illimitable
contempt （else it would bee like the Embassies of other countries）；
Clennam felt that on the whole they let him off lightly。
The dignified old gentleman turned out to be Lord Lancaster
Stiltstalking； who had been maintained by the Circumlocution Office for
many years as a representative of the Britannic Majesty abroad。
This noble Refrigerator had iced several European courts in his time；
and had done it with such plete success that the very name of
Englishman yet struck cold to the stomachs of foreigners who had the
distinguished honour of remembering him at a distance of a quarter of a
century。
He was now in retirement； and hence （in a ponderous white cravat； like
a stiff snow…drift） was so obliging as to shade the dinner。 There was a
whisper of the pervading Bohemian character in the nomadic nature of
the service and its curious races of plates and dishes； but the noble
Refrigerator； infinitely better than plate or porcelain； made it superb。
He shaded the dinner； cooled the wines； chilled the gravy； and blighted
the vegetables。
There was only one other person in the room： a microscopically small
footboy； who waited on the malevolent man who hadn't got into the
Post…Office。 Even this youth； if his jacket could have been unbuttoned
and his heart laid bare； would have been seen； as a distant adherent of
the Barnacle family； already to aspire to a situation under Government。
Mrs Gowan with a gentle melancholy upon her； occasioned by her son's
being reduced to court the swinish public as a follower of the low Arts；
instead of asserting his birthright and putting a ring through its nose
as an acknowledged Barnacle； headed the conversation at dinner on the
evil days。 It was then that Clennam learned for the first time what
little pivots this great world goes round upon。
'If John Barnacle；' said Mrs Gowan； after the degeneracy of the times
had been fully ascertained； 'if John Barnacle had but abandoned his most
unfortunate idea of conciliating the mob； all would have been well； and
I think the country would have been preserved。' The old lady with the
high nose assented； but added that if Augustus Stiltstalking had in a
general way ordered the cavalry out with instructions to charge； she
thought the country would have been preserved。
The noble Refrigerator assented； but added that if William Barnacle and
Tudor Stiltstalking； when they came over to one another and formed
their ever…memorable coalition； had boldly muzzled the newspapers；
and rendered it penal for any Editor…person to presume to discuss the
conduct of any appointed authority abroad or at home； he thought the
country would have been preserved。
It was agreed that the country （another word for the Barnacles and
Stiltstalkings） wanted preserving； but how it came to want preserving
was not so clear。 It was only clear that the question was all about
John Barnacle； Augustus Stiltstalking； William Barnacle and Tudor
Stiltstalking； Tom； Dick； or Harry Barnacle or Stiltstalking； because
there was nobody else but mob。 And this was the feature of the
conversation which impressed Clennam； as a man not used to it； very
disagreeably： making him doubt if it were quite right to sit there；
silently hearing a great nation narrowed to such little bounds。
Remembering； however； that in the Parliamentary debates； whether on the
life of that nation's body or the life of its soul； the question was
usually all about and between John Barnacle； Augustus Stiltstalking；
William Barnacle and Tudor Stiltstalking； Tom； Dick； or Harry Barnacle
or Stiltstalking； and nobody else； he said nothing on the part of mob；
bethinking himself that mob was used to it。
Mr Henry Gowan seemed to have a malicious pleasure in playing off the
three talkers against each other； and in seeing Clennam startled by what
they said。 Having as supreme a contempt for the class that had thrown
him off as for the class that had not taken him on； he had no personal
disquiet in anything that passed。 His healthy state of mind appeared
even to derive a gratification from Clennam's position of embarrassment
and isolation among the good pany； and if Clennam had been in that
condition with which Nobody was incessantly contending； he would have
suspected it； and would have struggled with the suspicion as a meanness；
even while he sat at the table。
In the course of a couple of hours the noble Refrigerator； at no time
less than a hundred years behind the period； got about five centuries
in arrears； and delivered solemn political oracles appropriate to that
epoch。 He finished by freezing a cup of tea for his own drinking；
and retiring at his lowest temperature。 Then Mrs Gowan； who had been
accustomed in her days of a vacant arm…chair beside her to which
to summon state to retain her devoted slaves； one by one； for short
audiences as marks of her especial favour； invited Clennam with a turn
of her fan to approach the presence。 He obeyed； and took the tripod
recently vacated by Lord Lancaster Stiltstalking。
'Mr Clennam；' said Mrs Gowan； 'apart from the happiness I have in
being known to you； though in this odiously inconvenient place……a
mere barrack……there is a subject on which I am dying to speak to you。 It
is the subject in connection with which my son first had； I believe； the
pleasure of cultivating your acquaintance。'
Clennam inclined his head； as a generally suitable reply to what he did
not yet quite understand。
'First；' said Mrs Gowan； 'now； is she really pretty？'
In nobody's difficulties； he would have found it very difficult to
answer； very difficult indeed to smile； and say 'Who？'
'Oh！ You know！' she returned。 'This flame of Henry's。 This unfortunate
fancy。 There！ If it is a point of honour that I should originate the
name……Miss Mickles……Miggles。'
'Miss Meagles；' said Clennam； 'is very beautiful。'
'Men are so often mistaken on those points；' returned Mrs Gowan； shaking
her head； 'that I candidly confess to you I feel anything but sure of
it； even now； though it is something to have Henry corroborated with so
much gravity and emphasis。 He picked the people up at Rome； I think？'
The phrase would have given nobody mortal offence。 Clennam replied；
'Excuse me； I doubt if I understand your expression。'
'Picked the people up；' said Mrs Gowan； tapping the sticks of her closed
fan （a large green one； which she used as a hand…screen） on her little
table。 'Came upon them。 Found them out。 Stumbled UP against them。'
'The people？'
'Yes。 The Miggles people。'
'I really cannot say；' said Clennam； 'where