’MrsMerdle’smaidmustbecalled，andtoldtogetMrsMerdleup，andprepareherasgentlyasshecantoseeme。Ihavedreadfulnewstobreaktoher。’
　　ThusPhysiciantotheChiefButler。Thelatter，whohadacandleinhishand，calledhismantotakeitaway。Thenheapproachedthewindowwithdignity；lookingonatPhysician’snewsexactlyashehadlookedonatthedinnersinthatveryroom。
　　’MrMerdleisdead。’
　　’Ishouldwish，’saidtheChiefButler，’togiveamonth’snotice。’
　　’MrMerdlehasdestroyedhimself。’
　　’Sir，’saidtheChiefButler，’thatisveryunpleasanttothefeelingsofoneinmyposition，ascalculatedtoawakenprejudice；
　　andIshouldwishtoleaveimmediately。’
　　’Ifyouarenotshocked，areyounotsurprised，man？’demandedthePhysician，warmly。
　　TheChiefButler，erectandcalm，repliedinthesememorablewords。
　　’Sir，MrMerdleneverwasthegentleman，andnoungentlemanlyactonMrMerdle’spartwouldsurpriseme。IsthereanybodyelseIcansendtoyou，oranyotherdirectionsIcangivebeforeIleave，respectingwhatyouwouldwishtobedone？’
　　WhenPhysician，afterdischarginghimselfofhistrustup-stairs，rejoinedBarinthestreet，hesaidnomoreofhisinterviewwithMrsMerdlethanthathehadnotyettoldherall，butthatwhathehadtoldhershehadborneprettywell。Barhaddevotedhisleisureinthestreettotheconstructionofamostingeniousman-
　　trapforcatchingthewholeofhisjuryatablow；havinggotthatmattersettledinhismind，itwaslucidonthelatecatastrophe，andtheywalkedhomeslowly，discussingitineverybearing。
　　BeforepartingatthePhysician’sdoor，theybothlookedupatthesunnymorningsky，intowhichthesmokeofafewearlyfiresandthebreathandvoicesofafewearlystirrerswerepeacefullyrising，andthenlookedroundupontheimmensecity，andsaid，ifallthosehundredsandthousandsofbeggaredpeoplewhowereyetasleepcouldonlyknow，astheytwospoke，theruinthatimpendedoverthem，whatafearfulcryagainstonemiserablesoulwouldgouptoHeaven!
　　Thereportthatthegreatmanwasdead，gotaboutwithastonishingrapidity。Atfirst，hewasdeadofallthediseasesthateverwereknown，andofseveralbran-newmaladiesinventedwiththespeedofLighttomeetthedemandoftheoccasion。Hehadconcealedadropsyfrominfancy，hehadinheritedalargeestateofwateronthechestfromhisgrandfather，hehadhadanoperationperformeduponhimeverymorningofhislifeforeighteenyears，hehadbeensubjecttotheexplosionofimportantveinsinhisbodyafterthemanneroffireworks，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhislungs，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisheart，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisbrain。Fivehundredpeoplewhosatdowntobreakfastentirelyuninformedonthewholesubject，believedbeforetheyhaddonebreakfast，thattheyprivatelyandpersonallyknewPhysiciantohavesaidtoMrMerdle，’Youmustexpecttogoout，someday，likethesnuffofacandle；’andthattheyknewMrMerdletohavesaidtoPhysician，’Amancandiebutonce。’Byabouteleveno’clockintheforenoon，somethingthematterwiththebrain，becamethefavouritetheoryagainstthefield；andbytwelvethesomethinghadbeendistinctlyascertainedtobe’Pressure。’
　　Pressurewassoentirelysatisfactorytothepublicmind，andseemedtomakeeverybodysocomfortable，thatitmighthavelastedalldaybutforBar’shavingtakentherealstateofthecaseintoCourtathalf-pastnine。ThisledtoitsbeginningtobecurrentlywhisperedalloverLondonbyaboutone，thatMrMerdlehadkilledhimself。Pressure，however，sofarfrombeingoverthrownbythediscovery，becameagreaterfavouritethanever。TherewasageneralmoralisinguponPressure，ineverystreet。Allthepeoplewhohadtriedtomakemoneyandhadnotbeenabletodoit，said，Thereyouwere!YounosoonerbegantodevoteyourselftothepursuitofwealththanyougotPressure。Theidlepeopleimprovedtheoccasioninasimilarmanner。See，saidthey，whatyoubroughtyourselftobywork，work，work!Youpersistedinworking，youoverdidit。Pressurecameon，andyouweredonefor!Thisconsiderationwasverypotentinmanyquarters，butnowheremoresothanamongtheyoungclerksandpartnerswhohadneverbeenintheslightestdangerofoverdoingit。These，oneandall，declared，quitepiously，thattheyhopedtheywouldneverforgetthewarningaslongastheylived，andthattheirconductmightbesoregulatedastokeepoffPressure，andpreservethem，acomforttotheirfriends，formanyyears。
　　But，ataboutthetimeofHigh’Change，Pressurebegantowane，andappallingwhisperstocirculate，east，west，north，andsouth。Atfirsttheywerefaint，andwentnofurtherthanadoubtwhetherMrMerdle’swealthwouldbefoundtobeasvastashadbeensupposed；
　　whethertheremightnotbeatemporarydifficultyin’realising’
　　it；whethertheremightnotevenbeatemporarysuspensionsayamonthorso，onthepartofthewonderfulBank。Asthewhispersbecamelouder，whichtheydidfromthattimeeveryminute，theybecamemorethreatening。Hehadsprungfromnothing，bynonaturalgrowthorprocessthatanyonecouldaccountfor；hehadbeen，afterall，alow，ignorantfellow；hehadbeenadown-lookingman，andnoonehadeverbeenabletocatchhiseye；hehadbeentakenupbyallsortsofpeopleinquiteanunaccountablemanner；hehadneverhadanymoneyofhisown，hisventureshadbeenutterlyreckless，andhisexpenditurehadbeenmostenormous。Insteadyprogression，asthedaydeclined，thetalkroseinsoundandpurpose。HehadleftaletterattheBathsaddressedtohisphysician，andhisphysicianhadgottheletter，andtheletterwouldbeproducedattheInquestonthemorrow，anditwouldfalllikeathunderboltuponthemultitudehehaddeluded。Numbersofmenineveryprofessionandtradewouldbeblightedbyhisinsolvency；oldpeoplewhohadbeenineasycircumstancesalltheirliveswouldhavenoplaceofrepentancefortheirtrustinhimbuttheworkhouse；legionsofwomenandchildrenwouldhavetheirwholefuturedesolatedbythehandofthismightyscoundrel。Everypartakerofhismagnificentfeastswouldbeseentohavebeenasharerintheplunderofinnumerablehomes；everyservileworshipperofricheswhohadhelpedtosethimonhispedestal，wouldhavedonebettertoworshiptheDevilpoint-blank。So，thetalk，lashedlouderandhigherbyconfirmationonconfirmation，andbyeditionaftereditionoftheeveningpapers，swelledintosucharoarwhennightcame，asmighthavebroughtonetobelievethatasolitarywatcheronthegalleryabovetheDomeofStPaul’swouldhaveperceivedthenightairtobeladenwithaheavymutteringofthenameofMerdle，coupledwitheveryformofexecration。
　　ForbythattimeitwasknownthatthelateMrMerdle’scomplainthadbeensimplyForgeryandRobbery。He，theuncouthobjectofsuchwide-spreadadulation，thesitteratgreatmen’sfeasts，theroc’seggofgreatladies’assemblies，thesubduerofexclusiveness，thelevellerofpride，thepatronofpatrons，thebargain-driverwithaMinisterforLordshipsoftheCircumlocutionOffice，therecipientofmoreacknowledgmentwithinsometenorfifteenyears，atmost，thanhadbeenbestowedinEnglanduponallpeacefulpublicbenefactors，anduponalltheleadersofalltheArtsandSciences，withalltheirworkstotestifyforthem，duringtwocenturiesatleast——he，theshiningwonder，thenewconstellationtobefollowedbythewisemenbringinggifts，untilitstoppedoveracertaincarrionatthebottomofabathanddisappeared——wassimplythegreatestForgerandthegreatestThiefthatevercheatedthegallows。
　　ReapingtheWhirlwindWithaprecursorysoundofhurriedbreathandhurriedfeet，MrPancksrushedintoArthurClennam’sCounting-house。TheInquestwasover，theletterwaspublic，theBankwasbroken，theothermodelstructuresofstrawhadtakenfireandwereturnedtosmoke。
　　Theadmiredpiraticalshiphadblownup，inthemidstofavastfleetofshipsofallrates，andboatsofallsizes；andonthedeepwasnothingbutruin；nothingbutburninghulls，burstingmagazines，greatgunsself-explodedtearingfriendsandneighbourstopieces，drowningmenclingingtounseaworthysparsandgoingdowneveryminute，spentswimmersfloatingdead，andsharks。
　　TheusualdiligenceandorderoftheCounting-houseattheWorkswereoverthrown。Unopenedlettersandunsortedpaperslaystrewnaboutthedesk。Inthemidstofthesetokensofprostratedenergyanddismissedhope，themasteroftheCounting-housestoodidleinhisusualplace，withhisarmscrossedonthedesk，andhisheadboweddownuponthem。
　　MrPancksrushedinandsawhim，andstoodstill。Inanotherminute，MrPancks’sarmswereonthedesk，andMrPancks’sheadwasboweddownuponthem；andforsometimetheyremainedintheseattitudes，idleandsilent，withthewidthofthelittleroombetweenthem。MrPanckswasthefirsttoliftuphisheadandspeak。
　　’Ipersuadedyoutoit，MrClennam。Iknowit。Saywhatyouwill。
　　Youcan’tsaymoretomethanIsaytomyself。Youcan’tsaymorethanIdeserve。’
　　’O，Pancks，Pancks!’returnedClennam，’don’tspeakofdeserving。
　　WhatdoImyselfdeserve!’
　　’Betterluck，’saidPancks。
　　’I，’pursuedClennam，withoutattendingtohim，’whohaveruinedmypartner!Pancks，Pancks，IhaveruinedDoyce!Thehonest，self-
　　helpful，indefatigableoldmanwhohasworkedhiswayallthroughhislife；themanwhohascontendedagainstsomuchdisappointment，andwhohasbroughtoutofitsuchagoodandhopefulnature；themanIhavefeltsomuchfor，andmeanttobesotrueandusefulto；
　　Ihaveruinedhim——broughthimtoshameanddisgrace——ruinedhim，ruinedhim!’
　　Theagonyintowhichthereflectionwroughthismindwassodistressingtosee，thatMrPanckstookholdofhimselfbythehairofhishead，andtoreitindesperationatthespectacle。
　　’Reproachme!’criedPancks。’Reproachme，sir，orI’lldomyselfaninjury。Say，——Youfool，youvillain。Say，——Ass，howcouldyoudoit；Beast，whatdidyoumeanbyit!Catchholdofmesomewhere。
　　Saysomethingabusivetome!’Allthetime，MrPanckswastearingathistoughhairinamostpitilessandcruelmanner。
　　’Ifyouhadneveryieldedtothisfatalmania，Pancks，’saidClennam，moreincommiserationthanretaliation，’itwouldhavebeenhowmuchbetterforyou，andhowmuchbetterforme!’
　　’Atmeagain，sir!’criedPancks，grindinghisteethinremorse。
　　’Atmeagain!’
　　’Ifyouhadnevergoneintothoseaccursedcalculations，andbroughtoutyourresultswithsuchabominableclearness，’groanedClennam，’itwouldhavebeenhowmuchbetterforyou，Pancks，andhowmuchbetterforme!’
　　’Atmeagain，sir!’exclaimedPancks，looseninghisholdofhishair；’atmeagain，andagain!’
　　Clennam，however，findinghimalreadybeginningtobepacified，hadsaidallhewantedtosay，andmore。Hewrunghishand，onlyadding，’Blindleadersoftheblind，Pancks!Blindleadersoftheblind!ButDoyce，Doyce，Doyce；myinjuredpartner!’Thatbroughthisheaddownonthedeskoncemore。
　　TheirformerattitudesandtheirformersilencewereoncemorefirstencroacheduponbyPancks。
　　’Notbeentobed，sir，sinceitbegantogetabout。Beenhighandlow，onthechanceoffindingsomehopeofsavinganycindersfromthefire。Allinvain。Allgone。Allvanished。’
　　’Iknowit，’returnedClennam，’toowell。’
　　MrPancksfilledupapausewithagroanthatcameoutoftheverydepthsofhissoul。
　　’Onlyyesterday，Pancks，’saidArthur；’onlyyesterday，Monday，I
　　hadthefixedintentionofselling，realising，andmakinganendofit。’
　　’Ican’tsayasmuchformyself，sir，’returnedPancks。’Thoughit’swonderfulhowmanypeopleI’veheardof，whoweregoingtorealiseyesterday，ofalldaysinthethreehundredandsixty-five，ifithadn’tbeentoolate!’
　　Hissteam-likebreathings，usuallydrollintheireffect，weremoretragicthansomanygroans：whilefromheadtofoot，hewasinthatbegrimed，besmeared，neglectedstate，thathemighthavebeenanauthenticportraitofMisfortunewhichcouldscarcelybediscernedthroughitswantofcleaning。