are going to receive； may we （and Miss Dorrit） be truly thankful！'
But for a grave waggishness in Mr Rugg's manner of delivering this
introduction to the feast； it might have appeared that Miss Dorrit was
expected to be one of the pany。 Pancks recognised the sally in
his usual way； and took in his provender in his usual way。 Miss Rugg；
perhaps making up some of her arrears； likewise took very kindly to
the mutton； and it rapidly diminished to the bone。 A bread…and…butter
pudding entirely disappeared； and a considerable amount of cheese and
radishes vanished by the same means。 Then came the dessert。
Then also； and before the broaching of the rum and water； came Mr
Pancks's note…book。 The ensuing business proceedings were brief but
curious； and rather in the nature of a conspiracy。 Mr Pancks looked over
his note…book； which was now getting full； studiously； and picked out
little extracts； which he wrote on separate slips of paper on the table；
Mr Rugg； in the meanwhile； looking at him with close attention； and
Young John losing his uncollected eye in mists of meditation。 When Mr
Pancks； who supported the character of chief conspirator； had pleted
his extracts； he looked them over； corrected them； put up his note…book；
and held them like a hand at cards。
'Now； there's a churchyard in Bedfordshire；' said Pancks。 'Who takes
it？'
'I'll take it； sir；' returned Mr Rugg； 'if no one bids。'
Mr Pancks dealt him his card； and looked at his hand again。
'Now； there's an Enquiry in York；' said Pancks。 'Who takes it？'
'I'm not good for York；' said Mr Rugg。
'Then perhaps；' pursued Pancks； 'you'll be so obliging； John Chivery？'
Young John assenting； Pancks dealt him his card； and consulted his hand
again。
'There's a Church in London； I may as well take that。 And a Family
Bible； I may as well take that； too。 That's two to me。 Two to me；'
repeated Pancks； breathing hard over his cards。 'Here's a Clerk at
Durham for you； John； and an old seafaring gentleman at Dunstable for
you； Mr Rugg。 Two to me； was it？ Yes； two to me。 Here's a Stone； three
to me。 And a Still…born Baby； four to me。 And all； for the present；
told。' When he had thus disposed of his cards； all being done very
quietly and in a suppressed tone； Mr Pancks puffed his way into his own
breast…pocket and tugged out a canvas bag； from which； with a sparing
hand； he told forth money for travelling expenses in two little
portions。 'Cash goes out fast；' he said anxiously； as he pushed a
portion to each of his male panions； 'very fast。'
'I can only assure you； Mr Pancks；' said Young John； 'that I deeply
regret my circumstances being such that I can't afford to pay my own
charges； or that it's not advisable to allow me the time necessary for
my doing the distances on foot； because nothing would give me greater
satisfaction than to walk myself off my legs without fee or reward。'
This young man's disinterestedness appeared so very ludicrous in
the eyes of Miss Rugg； that she was obliged to effect a precipitate
retirement from the pany； and to sit upon the stairs until she had
had her laugh out。 Meanwhile Mr Pancks； looking； not without some pity；
at Young John； slowly and thoughtfully twisted up his canvas bag as if
he were wringing its neck。 The lady； returning as he restored it to his
pocket； mixed rum and water for the party； not forgetting her fair self；
and handed to every one his glass。 When all were supplied； Mr Rugg rose；
and silently holding out his glass at arm's length above the centre of
the table； by that gesture invited the other three to add theirs； and to
unite in a general conspiratorial clink。 The ceremony was effective up
to a certain point； and would have been wholly so throughout； if Miss
Rugg； as she raised her glass to her lips in pletion of it； had not
happened to look at Young John； when she was again so overe by the
contemptible icality of his disinterestedness as to splutter some
ambrosial drops of rum and water around； and withdraw in confusion。
Such was the dinner without precedent； given by Pancks at Pentonville；
and such was the busy and strange life Pancks led。 The only waking
moments at which he appeared to relax from his cares； and to recreate
himself by going anywhere or saying anything without a pervading object；
were when he showed a dawning interest in the lame foreigner with the
stick； down Bleeding Heart Yard。
The foreigner； by name John Baptist Cavalletto……they called him Mr
Baptist in the Yard……was such a chirping； easy； hopeful little fellow；
that his attraction for Pancks was probably in the force of contrast。
Solitary； ost necessary words
of the only language in which he could municate with the people about
him； he went with the stream of his fortunes； in a brisk way that was
new in those parts。 With little to eat； and less to drink； and nothing
to wear but what he wore upon him； or had brought tied up in one of the
smallest bundles that ever were seen； he put as bright a face upon it as
if he were in the most flourishing circumstances when he first hobbled
up and down the Yard； humbly propitiating the general good…will with his
white teeth。
It was uphill work for a foreigner； lame or sound； to make his way with
the Bleeding Hearts。 In the first place； they were vaguely persuaded
that every foreigner had a knife about him； in the second； they held it
to be a sound constitutional national axiom that he ought to go home to
his own country。 They never thought of inquiring how many of their own
countrymen would be returned upon their hands from divers parts of the
world； if the principle were generally recognised； they considered it
particularly and peculiarly British。 In the third place； they had a
notion that it was a sort of Divine visitation upon a foreigner that he
was not an Englishman； and that all kinds of calamities happened to
his country because it did things that England did not； and did not do
things that England did。 In this belief； to be sure； they had long been
carefully trained by the Barnacles and Stiltstalkings； who were always
proclaiming to them； officially； that no country which failed to submit
itself to those two large families could possibly hope to be under the
protection of Providence； and who； when they believed it； disparaged
them in private as the most prejudiced people under the sun。
This； therefore； might be called a political position of the Bleeding
Hearts； but they entertained other objections to having foreigners
in the Yard。 They believed that foreigners were always badly off； and
though they were as ill off themselves as they could desire to be；
that did not diminish the force of the objection。 They believed that
foreigners were dragooned and bayoed； and though they certainly got
their own skulls promptly fractured if they showed any ill…humour； still
it was with a blunt instrument； and that didn't count。 They believed
that foreigners were always immoral； and though they had an occasional
assize at home； and now and then a divorce case or so； that had nothing
to do with it。 They believed that foreigners had no independent spirit；
as never being escorted to the poll in droves by Lord Decim