按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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；
with my daughter； not at all pleased。 Besides calling much too often
to inquire for Mrs Clennam； Mrs Clennam； who is not just now in
circumstances that are by any means calculated to……to be satisfactory to
all parties； she goes； Mr Pancks； unless I am much deceived； to inquire
for Mr Clennam in jail。 In jail。'
'He's laid up； you know；' said Pancks。 'Perhaps it's kind。'
'Pooh； pooh； Mr Pancks。 She has nothing to do with that； nothing to do
with that。 I can't allow it。 Let him pay his debts and e out； e
out； pay his debts； and e out。'
Although Mr Pancks's hair was standing up like strong wire； he gave it
another double…handed impulse in the perpendicular direction； and smiled
at his proprietor in a most hideous manner。
'You will please to mention to my daughter； Mr Pancks； that I can't
allow it； can't allow it；' said the Patriarch blandly。
'Oh！' said Pancks。 'You couldn't mention it yourself？'
'No； sir； no； you are paid to mention it；' the blundering old booby
could not resist the temptation of trying it again； 'and you must
mention it to pay； mention it to pay。'
'Oh！' said Pancks。 'Anything more？'
'Yes； sir。 It appears to me； Mr Pancks； that you yourself are too often
and too much in that direction； that direction。 I remend you； Mr
Pancks； to dismiss from your attention both your own losses and other
people's losses； and to mind your business； mind your business。'
Mr Pancks acknowledged this remendation with such an extraordinarily
abrupt； short； and loud utterance of the monosyllable 'Oh！' that even
the unwieldy Patriarch moved his blue eyes in something of a hurry； to
look at him。 Mr Pancks； with a sniff of corresponding intensity； then
added； 'Anything more？'
'Not at present； sir； not at present。 I am going；' said the Patriarch；
finishing his mixture； and rising with an amiable air； 'to take a little
stroll； a little stroll。 Perhaps I shall find you here when I e back。
If not； sir； duty； duty； squeeze； squeeze； squeeze； on Monday； squeeze
on Monday！'
Mr Pancks； after another stiffening of his hair； looked on at the
Patriarchal assumption of the broad…brimmed hat； with a momentary
appearance of indecision contending with a sense of injury。 He was also
hotter than at first； and breathed harder。 But he suffered Mr Casby to
go out； without offering any further remark； and then took a peep at
him over the little green window…blinds。 'I thought so；' he observed。 'I
knew where you were bound to。 Good！' He then steamed back to his Dock；
put it carefully in order； took down his hat； looked round the Dock；
said 'Good…bye！' and puffed away on his own account。 He steered straight
for Mrs Plornish's end of Bleeding Heart Yard； and arrived there； at the
top of the steps； hotter than ever。
At the top of the steps； resisting Mrs Plornish's invitations to e
and sit along with father in Happy Cottage……which to his relief were not
so numerous as they would have been on any other night than Saturday；
when the connection who so gallantly supported the business with
everything but money gave their orders freely……at the top of the steps
Mr Pancks remained until he beheld the Patriarch； who always entered
the Yard at the other end； slowly advancing； beaming； and surrounded
by suitors。 Then Mr Pancks descended and bore down upon him； with his
utmost pressure of steam on。
The Patriarch； approaching with his usual benignity； was surprised to
see Mr Pancks； but supposed him to have been stimulated to an immediate
squeeze instead of postponing that operation until Monday。 The
population of the Yard were astonished at the meeting； for the two
powers had never been seen there together； within the memory of the
oldest Bleeding Heart。 But they were overe by unutterable amazement
when Mr Pancks； going close up to the most venerable of men and halting
in front of the bottle…green waistcoat； made a trigger of his right
thumb and forefinger； applied the same to the brim of the broad…brimmed
hat； and； with singular smartness and precision； shot it off the
polished head as if it had been a large marble。
Having taken this little liberty with the Patriarchal person； Mr Pancks
further astounded and attracted the Bleeding Hearts by saying in an
audible voice； 'Now； you sugary swindler； I mean to have it out with
you！'
Mr Pancks and the Patriarch were instantly the centre of a press； all
eyes and ears； windows were thrown open； and door…steps were thronged。
'What do you pretend to be？' said Mr Pancks。 'What's your moral game？
What do you go in for？ Benevolence； an't it？ You benevolent！' Here Mr
Pancks； apparently without the intention of hitting him； but merely to
relieve his mind and expend his superfluous power in wholesome exercise；
aimed a blow at the bumpy head； which the bumpy head ducked to
avoid。 This singular performance was repeated； to the ever…increasing
admiration of the spectators； at the end of every succeeding article of
Mr Pancks's oration。
'I have discharged myself from your service；' said Pancks； 'that I may
tell you what you are。 You're one of a lot of impostors that are the
worst lot of all the lots to be met with。 Speaking as a sufferer by
both； I don't know that I wouldn't as soon have the Merdle lot as your
lot。 You're a driver in disguise； a screwer by deputy； a wringer； and
squeezer； and shaver by substitute。 You're a philanthropic sneak。 You're
a shabby deceiver！' （The repetition of the performance at this point was
received with a burst of laughter。）
'Ask these good people who's the hard man here。 They'll tell you Pancks；
I believe。'
This was confirmed with cries of 'Certainly；' and 'Hear！'
'But I tell you； good people……Casby！ This mound of meekness； this lump
of love； this bottle…green smiler； this is your driver！' said Pancks。
'If you want to see the man who would flay you alive……here he is！ Don't
look for him in me； at thirty shillings a week； but look for him in
Casby； at I don't know how much a year！'
'Good！' cried several voices。 'Hear Mr Pancks！'
'Hear Mr Pancks？' cried that gentleman （after repeating the popular
perf