Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 23. Machinery in Motion

           Whatwouldbethegoodofletting‘em?It’snosatisfactiontobedonebytwomeninsteadofone.One’senough.Apersonwhocan’tpay,getsanotherpersonwhocan’tpay,toguaranteethathecanpay.Likeapersonwithtwowoodenlegsgettinganotherpersonwithtwowoodenlegs,toguaranteethathehasgottwonaturallegs.Itdon’tmakeeitherofthemabletodoawalkingmatch.Andfourwoodenlegsaremoretroublesometoyouthantwo,whenyoudon’twantany.’MrPancksconcludedbyblowingoffthatsteamofhis.

           AmomentarysilencethatensuedwasbrokenbyMrF.‘sAunt,whohadbeensittinguprightinacatalepticstatesinceherlastpublicremark.Shenowunderwentaviolenttwitch,calculatedtoproduceastartlingeffectonthenervesoftheuninitiated,andwiththedeadliestanimosityobserved:

           ‘Youcan’tmakeaheadandbrainsoutofabrassknobwithnothinginit.Youcouldn’tdoitwhenyourUncleGeorgewasliving;muchlesswhenhe’sdead.’

           MrPanckswasnotslowtoreply,withhisusualcalmness,‘Indeed,ma’am!Blessmysoul!I’msurprisedtohearit.’Despitehispresenceofmind,however,thespeechofMrF.‘sAuntproducedadepressingeffectonthelittleassembly;firstly,becauseitwasimpossibletodisguisethatClennam’sunoffendingheadwastheparticulartempleofreasondepreciated;andsecondly,becausenobodyeverknewontheseoccasionswhoseUncleGeorgewasreferredto,orwhatspectralpresencemightbeinvokedunderthatappellation.

           ThereforeFlorasaid,thoughstillnotwithoutacertainboastfulnessandtriumphinherlegacy,thatMrF.

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