Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 10. Containing the whole Science of Government

           

           ‘AllowmetoobservethatIhavebeenforsomeyearsinChina,amquiteastrangerathome,andhavenopersonalmotiveorinterestintheinquiryIamabouttomake.’

           MrBarnacletappedhisfingersonthetable,and,asifhewerenowsittingforhisportraittoanewandstrangeartist,appearedtosaytohisvisitor,‘Ifyouwillbegoodenoughtotakemewithmypresentloftyexpression,Ishallfeelobliged.’

           ‘IhavefoundadebtorintheMarshalseaPrisonofthenameofDorrit,whohasbeentheremanyyears.Iwishtoinvestigatehisconfusedaffairssofarastoascertainwhetheritmaynotbepossible,afterthislapseoftime,toamelioratehisunhappycondition.ThenameofMrTiteBarnaclehasbeenmentionedtomeasrepresentingsomehighlyinfluentialinterestamonghiscreditors.AmIcorrectlyinformed?’

           ItbeingoneoftheprinciplesoftheCircumlocutionOfficenever,onanyaccountwhatever,togiveastraightforwardanswer,MrBarnaclesaid,‘Possibly.’

           ‘OnbehalfoftheCrown,mayIask,orasprivateindividual?’

           ‘TheCircumlocutionDepartment,sir,’MrBarnaclereplied,‘mayhavepossiblyrecommended—possibly—Icannotsay—thatsomepublicclaimagainsttheinsolventestateofafirmorcopartnershiptowhichthispersonmayhavebelonged,shouldbeenforced.Thequestionmayhavebeen,inthecourseofofficialbusiness,referredtotheCircumlocutionDepartmentforitsconsideration.TheDepartmentmayhaveeitheroriginated,orconfirmed,aMinutemakingthatrecommendation.’

           ‘Iassumethistobethecase,then.

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