involuntarily； 'Look here！ upon my soul； you know！' before his presence
of mind returned。
Even then； he was obliged to embrace the earliest opportunity of taking
his friend into a window； and saying； in a nasal way that was a part of
his general debility：
'I want to speak to you； Gowan。 I say。 Look here。 Who is that fellow？'
'A friend of our host's。 None of mine。'
'He's a most ferocious Radical； you know；' said Young Barnacle。
'Is he？ How do you know？'
'Ecod； sir； he was Pitching into our people the other day in the most
tremendous manner。 Went up to our place and Pitched into my father to
that extent that it was necessary to order him out。 Came back to
our Department； and Pitched into me。 Look here。 You never saw such a
fellow。'
'What did he want？'
'Ecod； sir；' returned Young Barnacle； 'he said he wanted to know； you
know！ Pervaded our Department……without an appointment……and said he
wanted to know！'
The stare of indignant wonder with which Young Barnacle acpanied
this disclosure； would have strained his eyes injuriously but for
the opportune relief of dinner。 Mr Meagles （who had been extremely
solicitous to know how his uncle and aunt were） begged him to conduct
Mrs Meagles to the dining…room。 And when he sat on Mrs Meagles's right
hand； Mr Meagles looked as gratified as if his whole family were there。
All the natural charm of the previous day was gone。 The eaters of the
dinner； like the dinner itself； were lukewarm； insipid； overdone……and
all owing to this poor little dull Young Barnacle。 Conversationless at
any time； he was now the victim of a weakness special to the occasion；
and solely referable to Clennam。 He was under a pressing and continual
necessity of looking at that gentleman； which occasioned his eye…glass
to get into his soup； into his wine…glass； into Mrs Meagles's plate； to
hang down his back like a bell…rope； and be several times disgracefully
restored to his bosom by one of the dingy men。 Weakened in mind by his
frequent losses of this instrument； and its determination not to stick
in his eye； and more and more enfeebled in intellect every time he
looked at the mysterious Clennam； he applied spoons to his eyes；
forks； and other foreign matters connected with the furniture of the
dinner…table。 His discovery of these mistakes greatly increased his
difficulties； but never released him from the necessity of looking at
Clennam。 And whenever Clennam spoke； this ill…starred young man was
clearly seized with a dread that he was ing； by some artful device；
round to that point of wanting to know； you know。
It may be questioned； therefore； whether any one but Mr Meagles had much
enjoyment of the time。 Mr Meagles； however； thoroughly enjoyed Young
Barnacle。 As a mere flask of the golden water in the tale became a full
fountain when it was poured out； so Mr Meagles seemed to feel that this
small spice of Barnacle imparted to his table the flavour of the whole
family…tree。 In its presence； his frank； fine； genuine qualities
paled； he was not so easy； he was not so natural； he was striving after
something that did not belong to him； he was not himself。 What a strange
peculiarity on the part of Mr Meagles； and where should we find another
such case！
At last the wet Sunday wore itself out in a wet night； and Young
Barnacle went home in a cab； feebly smoking； and the objectionable Gowan
went away on foot； acpanied by the objectionable dog。 Pet had taken
the most amiable pains all day to be friendly with Clennam； but Clennam
had been a little reserved since breakfast……that is to say； would have
been； if he had loved her。
When he had gone to his own room； and had again thrown himself into the
chair by the fire； Mr Doyce knocked at the door； candle in hand； to
ask him how and at what hour he proposed returning on the morrow？ After
settling this question； he said a word to Mr Doyce about this Gowan……who
would have run in his head a good deal； if he had been his rival。
'Those are not good prospects for a painter；' said Clennam。
'No；' returned Doyce。
Mr Doyce stood； chamber…candlestick in hand； the other hand in his
pocket； looking hard at the flame of his candle； with a certain quiet
perception in his face that they were going to say something more。 'I
thought our good friend a little changed； and out of spirits； after he
came this morning？' said Clennam。
'Yes；' returned Doyce。
'But not his daughter？' said Clennam。
'No；' said Doyce。
There was a pause on both sides。 Mr Doyce； still looking at the flame of
his candle； slowly resumed：
'The truth is； he has twice taken his daughter abroad in the hope of
separating her from Mr Gowan。 He rather thinks she is disposed to like
him； and he has painful doubts （I quite agree with him； as I dare say
you do） of the hopefulness of such a marriage。'
'There……' Clennam choked； and coughed； and stopped。
'Yes； you have taken cold；' said Daniel Doyce。 But without looking at
him。
'There is an engagement between them； of course？' said Clennam airily。
'No。 As I am told； certainly not。 It has been solicited on the
gentleman's part； but none has been made。 Since their recent return；
our friend has yielded to a weekly visit； but that is the utmost。 Minnie
would not deceive her father and mother。 You have travelled with them；
and I believe you know what a bond there is among them； extending even
beyond this present life。 All that there is between Miss Minnie and Mr
Gowan； I have no doubt we see。'
'Ah！ We see enough！' cried Arthur。
Mr Doyce wished him Good Night in the tone of a man who had heard a
mournful； not to say despairing； exclamation； and who sought to infuse
some encouragement and hope into the mind of the person by whom it had
been uttered。 Such tone was probably a part of his oddity； as one of
a crotchety band； for how could he have heard anything of that kind；
without Clennam's hearing it too？
The rain fell heavily on the roof； and pattered on the ground； and
dripped among the evergreens and the leafless branches of the trees。 The
rain fell heavily； drearily。 It was a night of tears。
If Clennam had not decided against falling in love with Pet； if he
had had the weakness to do it； if he had； little by little； persuaded
himself to set all the earnestness of his nature； all the might of his
hope； and all the wealth of his matured character； on that cast； if
he had done this and found that all was lost； he would have been；
that night； unutterably miserable。 As it was……As it was； the rain fell
heavily； drearily。
CHAPTER 18。 Little Dorrit's Lover
Little Dorrit had not attained her twenty…second birthday without
finding a lover。 Even in the shallow Marshalsea； the ever young Archer
shot off a few featherless arrows now and then from a mouldy bow； and
winged a Collegian or two。
Little Dorrit's lover； however； was not a Collegian。 He was the
sentimental son of a turnkey。 His father hoped； in the fulness of time；
to leave him the inheritance of an unstained key； and had from his
early youth familiarised him with the duties of his office； and with an
ambition to retain the prison…lock in the family。 While the succession
was y