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！
though he had never heard of the words Little mother； though he had
never seen the fondling of the small spare hand； though he had had no
sight for the tears now standing in the colourless eyes； though he had
had no hearing for the sob that checked the clumsy laugh。 The dirty
gateway with the wind and rain whistling through it； and the basket of
muddy potatoes waiting to be spilt again or taken up； never seemed the
mon hole it really was； when he looked back to it by these lights。
Never； never！
They were very near the end of their walk； and they now came out of the
gateway to finish it。 Nothing would serve Maggy but that they must stop
at a grocer's window； short of their destination； for her to show her
learning。 She could read after a sort； and picked out the fat figures in
the tickets of prices； for the most part correctly。 She also stumbled；
with a large balance of success against her failures； through various
philanthropic remendations to Try our Mixture； Try our Family Black；
Try our Orange…flavoured Pekoe； challenging petition at the head
of Flowery Teas； and various cautions to the public against spurious
establishments and adulterated articles。 When he saw how pleasure
brought a rosy tint into Little Dorrit's face when Maggy made a hit；
he felt that he could have stood there making a library of the grocer's
window until the rain and wind were tired。
The court…yard received them at last； and there he said goodbye to
Little Dorrit。 Little as she had always looked； she looked less than
ever when he saw her going into the Marshalsea lodge passage； the little
mother attended by her big child。 The cage door opened； and when the
small bird； reared in captivity； had tamely fluttered in； he saw it shut
again； and then he came away。
CHAPTER 10。 Containing the whole Science of Government
The Circumlocution Office was （as everybody knows without being told）
the most important Department under Government。 No public business of
any kind could possibly be done at any time without the acquiescence of
the Circumlocution Office。 Its finger was in the largest public pie；
and in the smallest public tart。 It possible to do the
plainest right and to undo the plainest wrong without the express
authority of the Circumlocution Office。 If another Gunpowder Plot had
been discovered half an hour before the lighting of the match； nobody
would have been justified in saving the parliament until there had
been half a score of boards； half a bushel of minutes； several sacks
of official memoranda； and a family…vault full of ungrammatical
correspondence； on the part of the Circumlocution Office。
This glorious establishment had been early in the field； when the one
sublime principle involving the difficult art of governing a country；
was first distinctly revealed to statesmen。 It had been foremost to
study that bright revelation and to carry its shining influence through
the whole of the official proceedings。 Whatever was required to be done；
the Circumlocution Office was beforehand with all the public departments
in the art of perceiving……HOW NOT TO DO IT。
Through this delicate perception； through the tact with which it
invariably seized it； and through the genius with which it always acted
on it； the Circumlocution Office had risen to overtop all the public
departments； and the public condition had risen to be……what it was。
It is true that How not to do it was the great study and object of
all public departments and professional politicians all round the
Circumlocution Office。 It is true that every new premier and every
new government； ing in because they had upheld a certain thing as
necessary to be done； were no sooner e in than they applied their
utmost faculties to discovering How not to do it。 It is true that from
the moment when a general election was over； every returned man who had
been raving on hustings because it hadn't been done； and who had been
asking the friends of the honourable gentleman in the opposite interest
on pain of impeachment to tell him why it hadn't been done； and who had
been asserting that it must be done； and who had been pledging himself
that it should be done； began to devise； How it was not to be done。 It
is true that the debates of both Houses of Parliament the whole session
through； uniformly tended to the protracted deliberation； How not to
do it。 It is true that the royal speech at the opening of such session
virtually said； My lords and gentlemen； you have a considerable
stroke of work to do； and you will please to retire to your respective
chambers； and discuss； How not to do it。 It is true that the royal
speech； at the close of such session； virtually said； My lords and
gentlemen； you have through several laborious months been considering
with great loyalty and patriotism； How not to do it； and you have found
out； and with the blessing of Providence upon the harvest （natural； not
political）； I now dismiss you。 All this is true； but the Circumlocution
Office went beyond it。
Because the Circumlocution Office went on mechanically； every day；
keeping this wonderful； all…sufficient wheel of statesmanship； How not
to do it； in motion。 Because the Circumlocution Office was down upon any
ill…advised public servant who was going to do it； or who appeared to be
by any surprising accident in remote danger of doing it； with a minute；
and a memorandum； and a letter of instructions that extinguished him。 It
was this spirit of national efficiency in the Circumlocution Office
that had gradually led to its having something to do with everything。
Mechanicians； natural philosophers； soldiers； sailors； petitioners；
memorialists； people with grievances； people who wanted to prevent
grievances； people who wanted to redress grievances； jobbing people；
jobbed people； people who couldn't get rewarded for merit； and people
who couldn't get punished for demerit； were all indiscriminately tucked
up under the foolscap paper of the Circumlocution Office。
Numbers of people were lost in the Circumlocution Office。 Unfortunates
with wrongs； or with projects for the general welfare （and they had
better have had wrongs at first； than have taken that bitter English
recipe for certainly getting them）； who in slow lapse of time and agony
had passed safely through other public departments； who； according to
rule； had been bullied in this； over…reached by that； and evaded by
the other； got referred at last to the Circumlocution Office； and
never reappeared in the light of day。 Boards sat upon them； secretaries
minuted upon them； missioners gabbled about them； clerks registered；
entered； checked； and ticked them off； and they melted away。 In short；
all the business of the country went through the Circumlocution Office；
except the business that never came out of it； and its name was Legion。
Sometimes； angry spirits attacked the Circumlocution Office。 Sometimes；
parliamentary questions were asked about it； and even parliamentary
motions made or threatened about it by demagogues so low and ignorant as
to hold that the real recipe of government was； How to do it。 Then would
the noble lord； or right honourable gentleman； in whose department it
was to defend the Circumlocution Office； put an orange in his pocket；
and make a regular field…day of the occasion。 Then would he e down to
that house with a slap upon the table； and meet the honourable gentleman
foot to foot。 Then would he be there to tell that honourable gentleman
that the Circumlocution Office not only was blameless in this matter；
but was mendable in this matter； was extollable to the skies in this
matter。 Then would he be there to tell that honourable gentleman that；
although the Circumlocution Office was invariably right and wholly
right； it never was so right as in this matter。 Then would he be there
to tell that honourable gentleman that it would have been more to his
honour； more to his credit； more to his good taste； more to his good
sense； more to half the dictionary of monplaces； if he had left the
Circumlocution Office alone； and never approached this matter。 Then
would he keep one eye upon a coach or crammer from the Circumlocution
Office sitting bel