what depends upon you.'

'Well, well, well!' returned Arthur. 'Enough for to-night.'

'One word more, Mr Clennam,' retorted Pancks, 'and then enough for
to-night. Why should you leave all the gains to the gluttons, knaves,
and impostors? Why should you leave all the gains that are to be got to
my proprietor and the like of him? Yet you're always doing it. When I
say you, I mean such men as you. You know you are. Why, I see it
every day of my life. I see nothing else. It's my business to see it.
Therefore I say,' urged Pancks, 'Go in and win!'

'But what of Go in and lose?' said Arthur.

'Can't be done, sir,' returned Pancks. 'I have looked into it. Name up
everywhere--immense resources--enormous capital--great position--high
connection--government influence. Can't be done!'

Gradually, after this closing exposition, Mr Pancks subsided; allowed
his hair to droop as much as it ever would droop on the utmost
persuasion; reclaimed the pipe from the fire-irons, filled it anew, and
smoked it out. They said little more; but were company to one another in
silently pursuing the same subjects, and did not part until midnight.
On taking his leave, Mr Pancks, when he had shaken hands with Clennam,
worked completely round him before he steamed out at the door. This,
Arthur received as an assurance that he might implicitly rely on Pancks,
if he ever should come to need assistance; either in any of the matters
of which they had spoken that night, or any other subject that could in
any way affect himself.

At intervals all next day, and even while his attention was fixed on
other things, he thought of Mr Pancks's investment of his thousand
pounds, and of his having 'looked into it.' He thought of Mr Pancks's
being so sanguine in this matter, and of his not being usually of a
sanguine character. He thought of the great National Department, and of
the delight it would be to him to see Doyce better off. He thought
of the darkly threatening place that went by the name of Home in his
remembrance, and of the gathering shadows which made it yet more darkly
threatening than of old. He observed anew that wherever he went, he
saw, or heard, or touched, the celebrated name of Merdle; he found it
difficult even to remain at his desk a couple of hours, without having
it presented to one of his bodily senses through some agency or other.
He began to think it was curious too that it should be everywhere, and
that nobody but he should seem to h