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Arthur Clenna expedition to Calais in the reat pressure of business

A certain barbaric Poith valuable

possessions on the map of the world, had occasion for the services of

one or two engineers, quick in invention and determined in execution:

practical enuity

perceived to be wanted out of the best materials they could find

at hand; and ere as bold and fertile in the adaptation of such

materials to their purpose, as in the conception of their purpose

itself

This Power, being a barbaric one, had no idea of stowing away

a great national object in a Circuht in a cellar until its fire and youth are gone,

and the labourers orked in the vineyard and pressed the grapes are

dust

With characteristic ignorance, it acted on the etic notions of How to do it; and never showed the least respect

for, or gave any quarter to, the great political science, How not to do

it Indeed it had a barbarous way of striking the latter art and htened subject who practised it

Accordingly, the ht out and found; which

was in itself a

found, they were treated with great confidence and honour (which again

showed dense political ignorance), and were invited to come at once and

do what they had to do In short, they were regarded aswith other men who meant it to be done

Daniel Doyce was one of the chosen There was no foreseeing at that time

whether he would be absent months or years The preparations for his

departure, and the conscientious arrangement for him of all the details

and results of their joint business, had necessitated labour within a

short coht He

had slipped across the water in his first leisure, and had slipped as

quickly back again for his farewell intervieith Doyce

Hiains and

losses, responsibilities and prospects Daniel went through it all

in his patient ly He audited the

accounts, as if they were a far enious piece of mechanis at the

his hat over his head by the brims, as if he were absorbed in the

conteine

'It's all beautiful, Clenna can

be plainer Nothing can be better'

'I aement of your capital

while you are away, and as to the conversion of so much of it as the

business may need from time to time--' His partner stopped hi else of that kind, all rests with you

You will continue in all such matters to act for both of us, as you

have done hitherto, and to lighten h, as I often tell you,' returned Clennam, 'you unreasonably

depreciate your business qualities'

'Perhaps so,' said Doyce, s that I have studied more than such matters, and that I am better

fitted for I have perfect confidence in my partner, and I am satisfied

that he will do what is best If I have a prejudice connected withthat plastic workman's thuainst speculating

I don't think I have any other I dare say I entertain that prejudice,

only because I have never given my mind fully to the subject'

'But you shouldn't call it a prejudice,' said Clennalad you think so,' returned Doyce, with his grey eye looking kind

and bright

'It so happens,' said Clennam, 'that just now, not half an hour before

you ca to Pancks, who looked in

here We both agreed that to travel out of safe investerous, as it is one of the most common, of those follies

which often deserve the na up his hat at the back, and nodding with

an air of confidence 'Aye, aye, aye! That's a cautious fellow'

'He is a very cautious fellow indeed,' returned Arthur 'Quite a

specier amount of satisfaction from the

cautious character of Mr Pancks, than was quite intelligible, judged by

the surface of their conversation

'And now,' said Daniel, looking at his watch, 'as time and tide wait

for noand

baggage, at the gate below, let rant

a request of mine'

'Any request you can make--Except,' Clennam was quick with his

exception, for his partner's face was quick in suggesting it, 'except

that I will abandon your invention'

'That's the request, and you know it is,' said Doyce

'I say, No, then I say positively, No Now that I have begun, I will

have so in the

nature of a real answer, fro his head 'Take my word for it,

you never will'

'At least, I'll try,' said Clennam 'It will do me no harm to try'

'I a his hand persuasively

on his shoulder 'It has done ed me, tired

ood to have his

patience worn out, and to think hi attendance on delays and evasions has

less elastic than you used to be'

'Private anxieties may have done that for theNot yet I arant my request?'

'Decidedly, No,' said Clennam 'I should be ashamed if I submitted to

be so soon driven out of the field, where a much older and a much more

sensitively interested '

As there was no rasp of his hand,

and, casting a farewell look round the counting-house, went down-stairs

with hio to Southampton to join the small staff of

his fellow-travellers; and a coach was at the gate, well furnished and

packed, and ready to take hiate to see

hihtily proud of him 'Good luck to you, Mr Doyce!'

said one of the nuot a

'em, a man as knows his tools and as his tools knows, aand a man as is able, and if that's not a ruff volunteer in the back-ground, not

previously suspected of any powers in that as received with three

loud cheers; and the speaker becauished character for ever

afterwards In the ave them all

a hearty 'Good Bye, Men!' and the coach disappeared froht, as if

the concussion of the air had blown it out of Bleeding Heart Yard

Mr Baptist, as a grateful little fellow in a position of trust, was

a as a ner could In truth, no lishmen,

who do so rally one another's blood and spirit when they cheer in

earnest, that the stir is like the rush of their whole history, with all