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and wished him good morning； and gracefully made as if she would take
his arm and be escorted into the house。 To this Gowan had no objection。
No； he knew he was too safe。
There was a passing cloud on Mr Meagles's good…humoured face when they
all three （four； counting the dog； and he was the most objectionable
but one of the party） came in to breakfast。 Neither it； nor the touch
of uneasiness on Mrs Meagles as she directed her eyes towards it； was
unobserved by Clennam。
'Well； Gowan；' said Mr Meagles； even suppressing a sigh； 'how goes the
world with you this morning？'
'Much as usual； sir。 Lion and I being determined not to waste anything
of our weekly visit； turned out early； and came over from Kingston； my
present headquarters； where I am making a sketch or two。' Then he told
how he had met Mr Clennam at the ferry； and they had e over together。
'Mrs Gowan is well； Henry？' said Mrs Meagles。 （Clennam became
attentive。）
'My mother is quite well； thank you。' （Clennam became inattentive。） 'I
have taken the liberty of making an addition to your family dinner…party
to…day； which I hope will not be inconvenient to you or to Mr Meagles。 I
couldn't very well get out of it；' he explained； turning to the latter。
'The young fellow wrote to propose himself to me； and as he is well
connected； I thought you would not object to my transferring him here。'
'Who is the young fellow？' asked Mr Meagles with peculiar placency。
'He is one of the Barnacles。 Tite Barnacle's son； Clarence Barnacle； who
is in his father's Department。 I can at least guarantee that the river
shall not suffer from his visit。 He won't set it on fire。'
'Aye； aye？' said Meagles。 'A Barnacle is he？ We know something of that
family； eh； Dan？ By George； they are at the top of the tree； though！ Let
me see。 What relation will this young fellow be to Lord Decimus now？ His
Lordship married； in seventeen niy…seven； Lady Jemima Bilberry； who
was the second daughter by the third marriage……no！ There I am wrong！
That was Lady Seraphina……Lady Jemima was the first daughter by the
second marriage of the fifteenth Earl of Stiltstalking with the
Honourable Clementina Toozellem。 Very well。 Now this young fellow's
father married a Stiltstalking and his father married his cousin who was
a Barnacle。
The father of that father who married a Barnacle； married a Joddleby。……I
am getting a little too far back； Gowan； I want to make out what
relation this young fellow is to Lord Decimus。'
'That's easily stated。 His father is nephew to Lord Decimus。'
'Nephew……to……Lord……Decimus；' Mr Meagles luxuriously repeated with his
eyes shut； that he might have nothing to distract him from the full
flavour of the genealogical tree。 'By George； you are right； Gowan。 So
he is。'
'Consequently； Lord Decimus is his great uncle。'
'But stop a bit！' said Mr Meagles； opening his eyes with a fresh
discovery。 'Then on the mother's side； Lady Stiltstalking is his great
aunt。'
'Of course she is。'
'Aye； aye； aye？' said Mr Meagles with much interest。 'Indeed； indeed？ We
shall be glad to see him。 We'll entertain him as well as we can； in our
humble way； and we shall not starve him； I hope； at all events。'
In the beginning of this dialogue； Clennam had expected some great
harmless outburst from Mr Meagles； like that which had made him burst
out of the Circumlocution Office； holding Doyce by the collar。 But his
good friend had a weakness which none of us need go into the next street
to find； and which no amount of Circumlocution experience could long
subdue in him。 Clennam looked at Doyce； but Doyce knew all about it
beforehand； and looked at his plate； and made no sign； and said no word。
'I am much obliged to you；' said Gowan； to conclude the subject。
'Clarence is a great ass； but he is one of the dearest and best fellows
that ever lived！'
It appeared； before the breakfast was over； that everybody whom this
Gowan knew was either more or less of an ass； or more or less of a
knave； but was； notwithstanding； the most lovable； the most engaging；
the simplest； truest； kindest； dearest； best fellow that ever lived。
The process by which this unvarying result was attained； whatever the
premises； might have been stated by Mr Henry Gowan thus： 'I claim to be
always book…keeping； with a peculiar nicety； in every man's case； and
posting up a careful little account of Good and Evil with him。 I do
this so conscientiously； that I am happy to tell you I find the most
worthless of men to be the dearest old fellow too： and am in a condition
to make the gratifying report； that there is much less difference than
you are inclined to suppose between an honest man and a scoundrel。' The
effect of this cheering discovery happened to be； that while he seemed
to be scrupulously finding good in most men； he did in reality lower
it where it was； and set it up where it was not； but that was its only
disagreeable or dangerous feature。
It scarcely seemed； however； to afford Mr Meagles as much satisfaction
as the Barnacle genealogy had done。 The cloud that Clennam had never
seen upon his face before that morning； frequently overcast it again；
and there was the same shadow of uneasy observation of him on the ely
face of his wife。 More than once or twice when Pet caressed the dog；
it appeared to Clennam that her father was unhappy in seeing her do it；
and； in one particular instance when Gowan stood on the other side of
the dog； and bent his head at the same time； Arthur fancied that he saw
tears rise to Mr Meagles's eyes as he hurried out of the room。 It was
either the fact too； or he fancied further； that Pet herself was not
insensible to these little incidents； that she tried； with a more
delicate affection than usual； to express to her good father how much
she loved him； that it was on this account that she fell behind the
rest； both as they went to church and as they returned from it； and
took his arm。 He could not have sworn but that as he walked alone in
the garden afterwards； he had an instantaneous glimpse of her in
her father's room； clinging to both her parents with the greatest
tenderness； and weeping on her father's shoulder。
The latter part of the day turning out wet； they were fain to keep the
house； look over Mr Meagles's collection； and beguile the time with
conversation。 This Gowan had plenty to say for himself； and said it
in an off…hand and amusing manner。 He appeared to be an artist by
profession； and to have been at Rome some time； yet he had a slight；
careless； amateur way with him……a perceptible limp； both in his devotion
to art and his attainments……which Clennam could scarcely understand。
He applied to Daniel Doyce for help； as they stood together； looking out
of window。
'You know Mr Gowan？' he said in a low voice。
'I have seen him here。 es here every Sunday when they are at home。'
'An artist； I infer from what he says？'
'A sort of a one；' said Daniel Doyce； in a surly tone。
'What sort of a one？' asked Clennam； with a smile。
'Why； he has sauntered into the Arts at a leisurely Pall…Mall pace；'
said Doyce； 'and I doubt if they care to be taken quite so coolly。'
Pursuing his inquiries； Clennam found that the Gowan family were a very
distant ramification of the Barnacles； and that the paternal Gowan；
originally attached to a legation abroad； had been pensioned off as a
missioner of nothing particular somewhere or other； and had died at
his post with his drawn salary in his hand； nobly defending it to the
last extremity。 In consideration of this eminent public service； the
Barnacle then in power had remended the Crown to bestow a pension of
two or three hundred a…year on his widow； to which the next Barnacle in
power had added certain shady and sedate apartments in the Palaces at
Hampton Court； where the old lady still lived； deploring the degeneracy
of the times in pany with several other old ladies of both sexes。 Her
son； Mr Henry Gowan； inheriting from his father； the missioner； that
very questionable help in life； a very small independence； had been
difficult to settle； the rather； as public appointments chanced to
be scarce； and his genius； during his earlier manhood； was of that
exclusively agricultural character which applies itself to the
cultivation of wild oats。 At last he had declared that he would bee
a Painter； partly because he had always had an idle knack that way；
and partly to grieve the souls of the Barnacles…in…chief who had not
provided for him。 So it had e to pass successively； first； that
several distinguished ladies had been frightfully shocked； then； that
portfolios of his performances had been handed about o' nights； and
declared with ecstasy to be perfect Claudes； perfect Cuyps； perfect
phaenomena； then； that Lord Decimus had bought his picture； and had
asked the President and Council to dinner at a blow； and had said； with
his own magnificent gravity； 'Do you know； there appears to me to
be really immense merit in that work？' and； in short； that people of
condition had absolutely taken pains to bring him into fashion。 But；
somehow； it had all failed。 The prejudiced public had stood out against
it obstinately。 They had determined not to admi