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faces　and　stood　rooted　to　the　spot。　The　dust　storm；　driving　between　them
and　the　placid　sky；　parted　for　a　moment　and　showed　them　the　stars。　As
they　looked　up；　wildly　crying　for　help；　the　great　pile　of　chimneys；
which　was　then　alone　left　standing　like　a　tower　in　a　whirlwind；　rocked；
broke；　and　hailed　itself　down　upon　the　heap　of　ruin；　as　if　every
tumbling　fragment　were　intent　on　burying　the　crushed　wretch　deeper。

So　blackened　by　the　flying　particles　of　rubbish　as　to　be　unrecognisable；
they　ran　back　from　the　gateway　into　the　street；　crying　and　shrieking。
There；　Mrs　Clennam　dropped　upon　the　stones；　and　she　never　from　that　hour
moved　so　much　as　a　finger　again；　or　had　the　power　to　speak　one　word。
For　upwards　of　three　years　she　reclined　in　a　wheeled　chair；　looking
attentively　at　those　about　her　and　appearing　to　understand　what　they
said；　but　the　rigid　silence　she　had　so　long　held　was　evermore　enforced
upon　her；　and　except　that　she　could　move　her　eyes　and　faintly　express　a
negative　and　affirmative　with　her　head；　she　lived　and　died　a　statue。

Affery　had　been　looking　for　them　at　the　prison；　and　had　caught　sight
of　them　at　a　distance　on　the　bridge。　She　came　up　to　receive　her　old
mistress　in　her　arms；　to　help　to　carry　her　into　a　neighbouring　house；
and　to　be　faithful　to　her。　The　mystery　of　the　noises　was　out　now；
Affery；　like　greater　people；　had　always　been　right　in　her　facts；　and
always　wrong　in　the　theories　she　deduced　from　them。

When　the　storm　of　dust　had　cleared　away　and　the　summer　night　was　calm
again；　numbers　of　people　choked　up　every　avenue　of　access；　and　parties
of　diggers　were　formed　to　relieve　one　another　in　digging　among　the
ruins。　There　had　been　a　hundred　people　in　the　house　at　the　time　of　its
fall；　there　had　been　fifty；　there　had　been　fifteen；　there　had　been
two。　Rumour　finally　settled　the　number　at　two；　the　foreigner　and　Mr
Flintwinch。　The　diggers　dug　all　through　the　short　night　by　flaring　pipes
of　gas；　and　on　a　level　with　the　early　sun；　and　deeper　and　deeper　below
it　as　it　rose　into　its　zenith；　and　aslant　of　it　as　it　declined；　and　on　a
level　with　it　again　as　it　departed。　Sturdy　digging；　and　shovelling；
and　carrying　away；　in　carts；　barrows；　and　baskets；　went　on　without
intermission；　by　night　and　by　day；　but　it　was　night　for　the　second　time
when　they　found　the　dirty　heap　of　rubbish　that　had　been　the　foreigner
before　his　head　had　been　shivered　to　atoms；　like　so　much　glass；　by　the
great　beam　that　lay　upon　him；　crushing　him。

Still；　they　had　not　e　upon　Flintwinch　yet；　so　the　sturdy　digging　and
shovelling　and　carrying　away　went　on　without　intermission　by　night　and
by　day。　It　got　about　that　the　old　house　had　had　famous　cellarage　（which
indeed　was　true）；　and　that　Flintwinch　had　been　in　a　cellar　at　the
moment；　or　had　had　time　to　escape　into　one；　and　that　he　was　safe　under
its　strong　arch；　and　even　that　he　had　been　heard　to　cry；　in　hollow；
subterranean；　suffocated　notes；　'Here　I　am！'　At　the　opposite　extremity
of　the　town　it　was　even　known　that　the　excavators　had　been　able　to　open
a　munication　with　him　through　a　pipe；　and　that　he　had　received　both
soup　and　brandy　by　that　channel；　and　that　he　had　said　with　admirable
fortitude　that　he　was　All　right；　my　lads；　with　the　exception　of　his
collar…bone。　But　the　digging　and　shovelling　and　carrying　away　went　on
without　intermission；　until　the　ruins　were　all　dug　out；　and　the　cellars
opened　to　the　light；　and　still　no　Flintwinch；　living　or　dead；　all　right
or　all　wrong；　had　been　turned　up　by　pick　or　spade。

It　began　then　to　be　perceived　that　Flintwinch　had　not　been　there　at　the
time　of　the　fall；　and　it　began　then　to　be　perceived　that　he　had　been
rather　busy　elsewhere；　converting　securities　into　as　much　money　as　could
be　got　for　them　on　the　shortest　notice；　and　turning　to　his　own　exclusive
account　his　authority　to　act　for　the　Firm。　Affery；　remembering　that　the
clever　one　had　said　he　would　explain　himself　further　in　four…and…twenty
hours'　time；　determined　for　her　part　that　his　taking　himself　off　within
that　period　with　all　he　could　get；　was　the　final　satisfactory　sum　and
substance　of　his　promised　explanation；　but　she　held　her　peace；　devoutly
thankful　to　be　quit　of　him。　As　it　seemed　reasonable　to　conclude　that　a
man　who　had　never　been　buried　could　not　be　unburied；　the　diggers　gave
him　up　when　their　task　was　done；　and　did　not　dig　down　for　him　into　the
depths　of　the　earth。

This　was　taken　in　ill　part　by　a　great　many　people；　who　persisted
in　believing　that　Flintwinch　was　lying　somewhere　among　the　London
geological　formation。　Nor　was　their　belief　much　shaken　by　repeated
intelligence　which　came　over　in　course　of　time；　that　an　old　man　who　wore
the　tie　of　his　neckcloth　under　one　ear；　and　who　was　very　well　known　to
be　an　Englishman；　consorted　with　the　Dutchmen　on　the　quaint　banks　of　the
canals　of　the　Hague　and　in　the　drinking…shops　of　Amsterdam；　under　the
style　and　designation　of　Mynheer　von　Flyntevynge。


CHAPTER　32。　Going


Arthur　continuing　to　lie　very　ill　in　the　Marshalsea；　and　Mr　Rugg
descrying　no　break　in　the　legal　sky　affording　a　hope　of　his　enlargement；
Mr　Pancks　suffered　desperately　from　self…reproaches。　If　it　had　not　been
for　those　infallible　figures　which　proved　that　Arthur；　instead　of　pining
in　imprisonment；　ought　to　be　promenading　in　a　carriage　and　pair；　and
that　Mr　Pancks；　instead　of　being　restricted　to　his　clerkly　wages；　ought
to　have　from　three　to　five　thousand　pounds　of　his　own　at　his　immediate
disposal；　that　unhappy　arithmetician　would　probably　have　taken　to　his
bed；　and　there　have　made　one　of　the　many　obscure　persons　who　turned
their　faces　to　the　wall　and　died；　as　a　last　sacrifice　to　the　late　Mr
Merdle's　greatness。　Solely　supported　by　his　unimpugnable　calculations；
Mr　Pancks　led　an　unhappy　and　restless　life；　constantly　carrying　his
figures　about　with　him　in　his　hat；　and　not　only　going　over　them　himself
on　every　possible　occasion；　but　entreating　every　human　being　he　could
lay　hold　of　to　go　over　them　with　him；　and　observe　what　a　clear　case　it
was。　Down　in　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　there　was　scarcely　an　inhabitant　of
note　to　whom　Mr　Pancks　had　not　imparted　his　demonstration；　and；　as
figures　are　catching；　a　kind　of　cyphering　measles　broke　out　in　that
locality；　under　the　influence　of　which　the　whole　Yard　was　light…headed。

The　more　restless　Mr　Pancks　grew　in　his　mind；　the　more　impatient　he
became　of　the　Patriarch。　In　their　later　conferences　his　snorting　assumed
an　irritable　sound　which　boded　the　Patriarch　no　good；　likewise；　Mr
Pancks　had　on　several　occasions　looked　harder　at　the　Patriarchal　bumps
than　was　quite　reconcilable　with　the　fact　of　his　not　being　a　painter；　or
a　peruke…maker　in　search　of　the　living　model。

However；　he　steamed　in　and　out　of　his　little　back　Dock　according　as　he
was　wanted　or　not　wanted　in　the　Patriarchal　presence；　and　business　had
gone　on　in　its　customary　course。　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　had　been　harrowed
by　Mr　Pancks；　and　cropped　by　Mr　Casby；　at　the　regular　seasons；　Mr　Pancks
had　taken　all　the　drudgery　and　all　the　dirt　of　the　business　as　his
share；　Mr　Casby　had　taken　all　the　profits；　all　the　ethereal　vapour；　and
all　the　moonshine；　as　his　share；　and；　in　the　form　of　words　which　that
benevolent　beamer　generally　employed　on　Saturday　evenings；　when　he
twirled　his　fat　thumbs　after　striking　the　week's　balance；　'everything
had　been　satisfactory　to　all　parties……all　parties……satisfactory；　sir；　to
all　parties。'

The　Dock　of　the　Steam…Tug；　Pancks；　had　a　leaden　roof；　which；　frying　in
the　very　hot　sunshine；　may　have　heated　the　vessel。　Be　that　as　it
may；　one　glowing　Saturday　evening；　on　being　hailed　by　the　lumbering
bottle…green　ship；　the　Tug　instantly　came　working　out　of　the　Dock　in　a
highly　heated　condition。　'Mr　Pancks；'　was　the　Patriarchal　remark；　'you
have　been　remiss；　you　have　been　remiss；　sir。'

'What　do　you　mean　by　that？'　was　the　short　rejoinder。

The　Patriarchal　state；　always　a　state　of　calmness　and　posure；　was
so　particularly　serene　that　evening　as　to　be　provoking。　Everybody　else
within　the　bills　of　mortality　was　hot；　but　the　Patriarch　was　perfectly
cool。　Everybody　was　thirsty；　and　the　Patriarch　was　drinking。　There　was
a　fragrance　of　limes　or　lemons　about　him；　and　he　made　a　drink　of　golden
sherry；　which　shone　in　a　large　tumbler　as　if　he　were　drinking　the
evening　sunshine。　This　was　bad；　but　not　the　worst。　The　worst　was；　that
with　his　big　blue　eyes；　and　his　polished　head；　and　his　long　white　hair；
and　his　bottle…green　legs　stretched　out　before　him；　terminating　in　his
easy　shoes　easily　crossed　at　the　instep；　he　had　a　radiant　appearance
of　having　in　his　extensive　benevolence　made　the　drink　for　the　human
species；　while　he　himself　wanted　nothing　but　his　own　milk　of　human
kindness。

Wherefore；　Mr　Pancks　said；　'What　do　you　mean　by　that？'　and　put　his　hair
up　with　both　hands；　in　a　highly　portentous　manner。

'I　mean；　Mr　Pancks；　that　you　must　be　sharper　with　the　people；　sharper
with　the　people；　much　sharper　with　the　people；　sir。　You　don't　squeeze
them。　You　don't　squeeze　them。　Your　receipts　are　not　up　to　the　mark。　You
must　squeeze　them；　sir；　or　our　connection　will　not　continue　to　be　as
satisfactory　as　I　could　wish　it　to　be　to　all　parties。　All　parties。'

'Don't　I　squeeze　'em？'　retorted　Mr　Pancks。　'What　else　am　I　made　for？'

'You　are　made　for　nothing　else；　Mr　Pancks。　You　are　made　to　do　your
duty；　but　you　don't　do　your　duty。　You　are　paid　to　squeeze；　and　you
must　squeeze　to　pay。'　The　Patriarch　so　much　surprised　himself　by　this
brilliant　turn；　after　Dr　Johnson；　which　he　had　not　in　the　least
expected　or　intended；　that　he　laughed　aloud；　and　repeated　with　great
satisfaction；　as　he　twirled　his　thumbs　and　nodded　at　his　youthful
portrait；　'Paid　to　squeeze；　sir；　and　must　squeeze　to　pay。'

'Oh；'　said　Pancks。　'Anything　more？'

'Yes；　sir；　yes；　sir。　Something　more。　You　will　please；　Mr　Pancks；　to
squeeze　the　Yard　again；　the　first　thing　on　Monday　morning。'

'Oh！'　said　Pancks。　'Ain't　that　too　soon？　I　squeezed　it　dry　to…day。'

'Nonsense；　sir。　Not　near　the　mark；　not　near　the　mark。'

'Oh！'　said　Pancks；　watching　him　as　he　benevolently　gulped　down　a　good
draught　of　his　mixture。　'Anything　more？'

'Yes；　sir；　yes；　sir；　something　more。　I　am　not　at　all　pleased；　Mr　Pancks；