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works in a highly effective manner； so that when Clennam produced his
Eastern pipe； and handed Mr Pancks another Eastern pipe； the latter
gentleman was perfectly fortable。
They puffed for a while in silence； Mr Pancks like a steam…vessel
with wind； tide； calm water； and all other sea…going conditions in her
favour。 He was the first to speak； and he spoke thus：
'Yes。 Investments is the word。'
Clennam； with his former look； said 'Ah！'
'I am going back to it； you see；' said Pancks。
'Yes。 I see you are going back to it；' returned Clennam； wondering why。
'Wasn't it a curious thing that they should run in little Altro's head？
Eh？' said Pancks as he smoked。 'Wasn't that how you put it？'
'That was what I said。'
'Ay！ But think of the whole Yard having got it。 Think of their
all meeting me with it； on my collecting days； here and there and
everywhere。 Whether they pay； or whether they don't pay。 Merdle； Merdle；
Merdle。 Always Merdle。'
'Very strange how these runs on an infatuation prevail；' said Arthur。
'An't it？' returned Pancks。 After smoking for a minute or so； more drily
than ported with his recent oiling； he added： 'Because you see these
people don't understand the subject。'
'Not a bit；' assented Clennam。
'Not a bit；' cried Pancks。 'Know nothing of figures。 Know nothing of
money questions。 Never made a calculation。 Never worked it； sir！'
'If they had……' Clennam was going on to say； when Mr Pancks； without
change of countenance； produced a sound so far surpassing all his usual
efforts； nasal or bronchial； that he stopped。
'If they had？' repeated Pancks in an inquiring tone。
'I thought you……spoke；' said Arthur； hesitating what name to give the
interruption。
'Not at all；' said Pancks。 'Not yet。 I may in a minute。 If they had？'
'If they had；' observed Clennam； who was a little at a loss how to take
his friend； 'why； I suppose they would have known better。'
'How so； Mr Clennam？' Pancks asked quickly； and with an odd effect of
having been from the mencement of the conversation loaded with the
heavy charge he now fired off。 'They're right； you know。 They don't mean
to be； but they're right。'
'Right in sharing Cavalletto's inclination to speculate with Mr Merdle？'
'Per…fectly； sir；' said Pancks。 'I've gone into it。 I've made the
calculations。 I've worked it。 They're safe and genuine。' Relieved by
having got to this； Mr Pancks took as long a pull as his lungs would
permit at his Eastern pipe； and looked sagaciously and steadily at
Clennam while inhaling and exhaling too。
In those moments； Mr Pancks began to give out the dangerous infection
with which he was laden。 It is the manner of municating these
diseases； it is the subtle way in which they go about。
'Do you mean； my good Pancks；' asked Clennam emphatically； 'that you
would put that thousand pounds of yours； let us say； for instance； out
at this kind of interest？'
'Certainly；' said Pancks。 'Already done it； sir。'
Mr Pancks took another long inhalation； another long exhalation； another
long sagacious look at Clennam。
'I tell you； Mr Clennam； I've gone into it；' said Pancks。 'He's a man of
immense resources……enormous capital……government influence。 They're the
best schemes afloat。 They're safe。 They're certain。'
'Well！' returned Clennam； looking first at him gravely and then at the
fire gravely。 'You surprise me！'
'Bah！' Pancks retorted。 'Don't say that； sir。 It's what you ought to do
yourself！ Why don't you do as I do？'
Of whom Mr Pancks had taken the prevalent disease； he could no more have
told than if he had unconsciously taken a fever。 Bred at first； as many
physical diseases are； in the wickedness of men； and then disseminated
in their ignorance； these epidemics； after a period； get municated to
many sufferers who are neither ignorant nor wicked。 Mr Pancks might； or
might not； have caught the illness himself from a subject of this class；
but in this category he appeared before Clennam； and the infection he
threw off was all the more virulent。
'And you have really invested；' Clennam had already passed to that word；
'your thousand pounds； Pancks？'
'To be sure； sir！' replied Pancks boldly； with a puff of smoke。 'And
only wish it ten！'
Now； Clennam had two subjects lying heavy on his lonely mind that night；
the one； his partner's long…deferred hope； the other； what he had seen
and heard at his mother's。 In the relief of having this panion；
and of feeling that he could trust him； he passed on to both； and both
brought him round again； with an increase and acceleration of force； to
his point of departure。
It came about in the simplest manner。 Quitting the investment subject；
after an interval of silent looking at the fire through the smoke of his
pipe； he told Pancks how and why he was occupied with the great National
Department。 'A hard case it has been； and a hard case it is on Doyce；'
he finished by saying； with all the honest feeling the topic roused in
him。
'Hard indeed；' Pancks acquiesced。 'But you manage for him； Mr Clennam？'
'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 o