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disclosure she made might rouse his spirit and induce him to run away to
the workhouse； was thus left free to be confidential with Mr Pancks。
'It's quite true that the business is very steady indeed；' said Mrs
Plornish； lowering her voice； 'and has a excellent connection。 The only
thing that stands in its way； sir； is the Credit。'
This drawback； rather severely felt by most people who engaged in
mercial transactions with the inhabitants of Bleeding Heart Yard；
was a large stumbling…block in Mrs Plornish's trade。 When Mr Dorrit had
established her in the business； the Bleeding Hearts had shown an amount
of emotion and a determination to support her in it； that did honour to
human nature。 Recognising her claim upon their generous feelings as one
who had long been a member of their munity； they pledged themselves；
with great feeling； to deal with Mrs Plornish； e what would and
bestow their patronage on no other establishment。 Influenced by these
noble sentiments； they had even gone out of their way to purchase little
luxuries in the grocery and butter line to which they were unaccustomed；
saying to one another； that if they did stretch a point； was it not for
a neighbour and a friend； and for whom ought a point to be stretched if
not for such？ So stimulated； the business was extremely brisk； and the
articles in stock went off with the greatest celerity。 In short； if the
Bleeding Hearts had but paid； the undertaking would have been a plete
success； whereas； by reason of their exclusively confining themselves to
owing； the profits actually realised had not yet begun to appear in the
books。
Mr Pancks was making a very porcupine of himself by sticking his hair
up in the contemplation of this state of accounts； when old Mr Nandy；
re…entering the cottage with an air of mystery； entreated them to e
and look at the strange behaviour of Mr Baptist； who seemed to have met
with something that had scared him。 All three going into the shop； and
watching through the window； then saw Mr Baptist； pale and agitated； go
through the following extraordinary performances。 First； he was observed
hiding at the top of the steps leading down into the Yard； and peeping
up and down the street with his head cautiously thrust out close to the
side of the shop…door。 After very anxious scrutiny； he came out of
his retreat； and went briskly down the street as if he were going away
altogether； then； suddenly turned about； and went； at the same pace； and
with the same feint； up the street。 He had gone no further up the street
than he had gone down； when he crossed the road and disappeared。 The
object of this last manoeuvre was only apparent； when his entering the
shop with a sudden twist； from the steps again； explained that he
had made a wide and obscure circuit round to the other； or Doyce and
Clennam； end of the Yard； and had e through the Yard and bolted in。
He was out of breath by that time； as he might well be； and his heart
seemed to jerk faster than the little shop…bell； as it quivered and
jingled behind him with his hasty shutting of the door。
'Hallo； old chap！' said Mr Pancks。 'Altro； old boy！ What's the matter？'
Mr Baptist； or Signor Cavalletto； understood English now almost as well
as Mr Pancks himself； and could speak it very well too。 Nevertheless；
Mrs Plornish； with a pardonable vanity in that acplishment of hers
which made her all but Italian； stepped in as interpreter。
'E ask know；' said Mrs Plornish； 'What go wrong？'
'e into the happy little cottage； Padrona；' returned Mr Baptist；
imparting great stealthiness to his flurried back…handed shake of his
right forefinger。 'e there！'
Mrs Plornish was proud of the title Padrona； which she regarded as
signifying： not so much Mistress of the house； as Mistress of the
Italian tongue。 She immediately plied with Mr Baptist's request； and
they all went into the cottage。
'E ope you no fright；' said Mrs Plornish then； interpreting Mr Pancks
in a new way with her usual fertility of resource。 'What appen？ Peaka
Padrona！'
'I have seen some one；' returned Baptist。 'I have rincontrato him。'
'Im？ Oo him？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'A bad man。 A baddest man。 I have hoped that I should never see him
again。' 'Ow you know him bad？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'It does not matter； Padrona。 I know it too well。'
''E see you？' asked Mrs Plornish。
'No。 I hope not。 I believe not。'
'He says；' Mrs Plornish then interpreted； addressing her father and
Pancks with mild condescension； 'that he has met a bad man； but he hopes
the bad man didn't see him……rs Plornish； reverting to
the Italian language； 'why ope bad man no see？'
'Padrona； dearest；' returned the little foreigner whom she so
considerately protected； 'do not ask； I pray。 Once again I say it
matters not。 I have fear of this man。 I do not wish to see him； I do not
wish to be known of him……never again！ Enough； most beautiful。 Leave it。'
The topic was so disagreeable to him； and so put his usual liveliness to
the rout； that Mrs Plornish forbore to press him further： the rather as
the tea had been drawing for some time on the hob。 But she was not the
less surprised and curious for asking no more questions； neither was
Mr Pancks； whose expressive breathing had been labouring hard since the
entrance of the little man； like a lootive engine with a great load
getting up a steep incline。 Maggy； now better dressed than of yore；
though still faithful to the monstrous character of her cap； had been
in the background from the first with open mouth and eyes； which staring
and gaping features were not diminished in breadth by the untimely
suppression of the subject。 However； no more was said about it； though
much appeared to be thought on all sides： by no means excepting the two
young Plornishes； who partook of the evening meal as if their eating
the bread and butter were rendered almost superfluous by the painful
probability of the worst of men shortly presenting himself for the
purpose of eating them。 Mr Baptist； by degrees began to chirp a little；
but never stirred from the seat he had taken behind the door and close
to the window； though it was not his usual place。 As often as the little
bell rang； he started and peeped out secretly； with the end of the
little curtain in his hand and the rest before his face； evidently not
at all satisfied but that the man he dreaded had tracked him through all
his doublings and turnings； with the certainty of a terrible bloodhound。
The entrance； at various times； of two or three customers and of Mr
Plornish； gave Mr Baptist just enough of this employment to keep the
attention of the pany fixed upon him。 Tea was over； and the children
were abed； and Mrs Plornish was feeling her way to the dutiful proposal
that her father should favour them with Chloe； when the bell rang again；
and Mr Clennam came in。
Clennam had been poring late over his books and letters； for the
waiting…rooms of the Circumlocution Office ravaged his time sorely。
Over and above that； he was depressed and made uneasy by the late
occurrence at his mother's。 He looked worn and solitary。 He felt so；
too； but； nevertheless； was returning home from his counting…house by
that end of the Yard to give them the intelligence that he had received
another letter from Miss Dorrit。
The news made a sensation in the cottage which drew off the general
attention from Mr Baptist。 Maggy； who pushed her way into the foreground
immediately； would have seemed to draw in the tidings of her Little
Mother equally at her ears； nose； mouth； and eyes； but that the last
were obstructed by tears。 She was particularly delighted when Clennam
assured her that there were hospitals； and very kindly conducted
hospitals； in Rome。 Mr Pancks rose into new distinction in virtue of
being specially remembered in the letter。 Everybody was pleased and
interested； and Clennam was well repaid for his trouble。 'But you are
tired； sir。 Let me make you a cup of tea；' said Mrs Plornish； 'if you'd
condescend to take such a thing in the cottage； and many thanks to you；
too； I am sure； for bearing us in mind so kindly。'
Mr Plornish deeming it incumbent on him； as host； to add his personal
ac