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'How do you mean？'
'Manage the money part of the business？'
'Yes。 As well as I can。'
'Manage it better； sir；' said Pancks。 'Repense him for his toils and
disappointments。 Give him the chances of the time。 He'll never benefit
himself in that way； patient and preoccupied workman。 He looks to you；
sir。'
'I do my best； Pancks；' returned Clennam； uneasily。 'As to duly weighing
and considering these new enterprises of which I have had no experience；
I doubt if I am fit for it； I am growing old。'
'Growing old？' cried Pancks。 'Ha； ha！'
There was something so indubitably genuine in the wonderful laugh； and
series of snorts and puffs； engendered in Mr Pancks's astonishment at；
and utter rejection of； the idea； that his being quite in earnest could
not be questioned。
'Growing old？' cried Pancks。 'Hear； hear； hear！ Old？ Hear him； hear
him！'
The positive refusal expressed in Mr Pancks's continued snorts； no less
than in these exclamations； to entertain the sentiment for a single
instant； drove Arthur away from it。 Indeed； he was fearful of something
happening to Mr Pancks in the violent conflict that took place between
the breath he jerked out of himself and the smoke he jerked into
himself。 This abandonment of the second topic threw him on the third。
'Young； old； or middle…aged； Pancks；' he said； when there was a
favourable pause； 'I am in a very anxious and uncertain state； a state
that even leads me to doubt whether anything now seeming to belong to
me； may be really mine。 Shall I tell you how this is？ Shall I put a
great trust in you？'
'You shall； sir；' said Pancks； 'if you believe me worthy of it。'
'I do。'
'You may！' Mr Pancks's short and sharp rejoinder； confirmed by the
sudden outstretching of his coaly hand； was most expressive and
convincing。 Arthur shook the hand warmly。
He then； softening the nature of his old apprehensions as much as was
possible consistently with their being made intelligible and never
alluding to his mother by name； but speaking vaguely of a relation
of his； confided to Mr Pancks a broad outline of the misgivings he
entertained； and of the interview he had witnessed。 Mr Pancks listened
with such interest that； regardless of the charms of the Eastern pipe；
he put it in the grate among the fire…irons； and occupied his hands
during the whole recital in so erecting the loops and hooks of hair
all over his head； that he looked； when it came to a conclusion； like a
journeyman Hamlet in conversation with his father's spirit。
'Brings me back； sir；' was his exclamation then； with a startling touch
on Clennam's knee； 'brings me back； sir； to the Investments！ I don't
say anything of your making yourself poor to repair a wrong you never
mitted。 That's you。 A man must be himself。 But I say this；
fearing you may want money to save your own blood from exposure and
disgrace……make as much as you can！'
Arthur shook his head； but looked at him thoughtfully too。
'Be as rich as you can； sir；' Pancks adjured him with a powerful
concentration of all his energies on the advice。 'Be as rich as you
honestly can。 It's your duty。 Not for your sake； but for the sake of
others。 Take time by the forelock。 Poor Mr Doyce （who really is growing
old） depends upon you。 Your relative depends upon you。 You don't know
what depends upon you。'
'Well； well； well！' returned Arthur。 'Enough for to…night。'
'One word more； Mr Clennam；' retorted Pancks； 'and then enough for
to…night。 Why should you leave all the gains to the gluttons； knaves；
and impostors？ Why should you leave all the gains that are to be got to
my proprietor and the like of him？ Yet you're always doing it。 When I
say you； I mean such men as you。 You know you are。 Why； I see it
every day of my life。 I see nothing else。 It's my business to see it。
Therefore I say；' urged Pancks； 'Go in and win！'
'But what of Go in and lose？' said Arthur。
'Can't be done； sir；' returned Pancks。 'I have looked into it。 Name up
everywhere……immense resources……enormous capital……great position……high
connection……government influence。 Can't be done！'
Gradually； after this closing exposition； Mr Pancks subsided； allowed
his hair to droop as much as it ever would droop on the utmost
persuasion； reclaimed the pipe from the fire…irons； filled it anew； and
smoked it out。 They said little more； but were pany to one another in
silently pursuing the same subjects； and did not part until midnight。
On taking his leave； Mr Pancks； when he had shaken hands with Clennam；
worked pletely round him before he steamed out at the door。 This；
Arthur received as an assurance that he might implicitly rely on Pancks；
if he ever should e to need assistance； either in any of the matters
of which they had spoken that night； or any other subject that could in
any way affect himself。
At intervals all next day； and even while his attention was fixed on
other things； he thought of Mr Pancks's investment of his thousand
pounds； and of his having 'looked into it。' He thought of Mr Pancks's
being so sanguine in this matter； and of his not being usually of a
sanguine character。 He thought of the great National Department； and of
the delight it would be to him to see Doyce better off。 He thought
of the darkly threatening place that went by the name of Home in his
remembrance； and of the gathering shadows which made it yet more darkly
threatening than of old。 He observed anew that wherever he went； he
saw； or heard； or touched； the celebrated name of Merdle； he found it
difficult even to remain at his desk a couple of hours； without having
it presented to one of his bodily senses through some agency or other。
He began to think it was curious too that it should be everywhere； and
that nobody but he should seem to have any mistrust of it。 Though indeed
he began to remember； when he got to this； even he did not mistrust it；
he had only happened to keep aloof from it。
Such symptoms； when a disease of the kind is rife； are usually the signs
of sickening。
CHAPTER 14。 Taking Advice
When it became known to the Britons on the shore of the yellow Tiber
that their intelligent patriot； Mr Sparkler； was made one of the
Lords of their Circumlocution Office； they took it as a piece of news
with which they had no nearer concern than with any other piece of
news……any other Accident or Offence……in the English papers。 Some
laughed； some said； by way of plete excuse； that the post was
virtually a sinecure； and any fool who could spell his name was good
enough for it； some； and these the more solemn political oracles；
said that Decimus did wisely to strengthen himself； and that the sole
constitutional purpose of all places within the gift of Decimus； was；
that Decimus should strengthen himself。 A few bilious Britons there were
who would not subscribe to this article of faith； but their objection
was purely theoretical。 In a practical point of view； they listlessly
abandoned the matter； as being the business of some other Britons
unknown； somewhere； or nowhere。 In like manner； at home； great numbers
of Britons maintained； for as long as four…and…twenty consecutive hours；
that those invisible and anonymous Britons 'ought to take it up；' and
that if they quietly acquiesced in it； they deserved it。 But of what
class the remiss Britons were posed； and where the unlucky creatures
hid themselves； and why they hid themselves； and how it constantly
happened that they neglected their interests； when so many other Britons
were quite at a loss to account for their not looking after those
interests； was not； either upon the shore of the yellow Tiber or the
shore of the black Thames； made apparent to men。
Mrs Merdle circulated the news； as she received congratulations on it；
with a careless grace that displayed it to advantage； as the setting
displays the jewel。 Yes； she said； Edmund had taken the place。 Mr Merdle
wished him to take it； and he had taken it。 She hoped Edmund might like
it； but really she didn't know。 It would keep him in town a good
deal； and he preferred the country。 Still； it was not a disagreeable
position……and it was a position。 There was no denying that the thing
was a pliment to Mr Merdle； and was not a bad thing for Edmund if he
liked it。 It was just as well that he should have something to do； and
it was just as well that he should have something for doing it。 Whether
it would be more agreeable to Edmund than the army； remained to be seen。
Thus the Bosom； acplished in the art of seeming to make things of
small account； and really enhancing them in the process。 While Henry
Gowan； whom Decimus had thrown away； went through the whole round of
his acquaintance between the Gate of the People and the town of Albano；
vowing； almost （but not quite） with tears in his eyes； that Sparkler was
the sweetest…tempered； simplest…hearted； altogether most lovable jackass
that ever grazed on the public mon； and that only one circumstance
could have delighted him （Gowan） more； than his （the beloved jackass's）
getting this post； and that would have been his （Gowan's） getting it
himself。 He said it was the very thing for Sparkler。 There was nothing
to do； and he would do it charmingly； th