’TheDepartmentisaccessibletothe——Public，’MrBarnaclewasalwayscheckedalittlebythatwordofimpertinentsignification，’ifthe——Publicapproachesitaccordingtotheofficialforms；ifthe——Publicdoesnotapproachitaccordingtotheofficialforms，the——Publichasitselftoblame。’
　　MrBarnaclemadehimaseverebow，asawoundedmanoffamily，awoundedmanofplace，andawoundedmanofagentlemanlyresidence，allrolledintoone；andhemadeMrBarnacleabow，andwasshutoutintoMewsStreetbytheflabbyfootman。
　　Havinggottothispass，heresolvedasanexerciseinperseverance，tobetakehimselfagaintotheCircumlocutionOffice，andtrywhatsatisfactionhecouldgetthere。SohewentbacktotheCircumlocutionOffice，andoncemoresentuphiscardtoBarnaclejuniorbyamessengerwhotookitveryillindeedthatheshouldcomebackagain，andwhowaseatingmashedpotatoesandgravybehindapartitionbythehallfire。
　　HewasreadmittedtothepresenceofBarnaclejunior，andfoundthatyounggentlemansingeinghiskneesnow，andgapinghiswearywayontofouro’clock。
　　’Isay。Lookhere。Yousticktousinadevilofamanner，’SaidBarnaclejunior，lookingoverhisshoulder。
　　’Iwanttoknow——’
　　’Lookhere。Uponmysoulyoumustn’tcomeintotheplacesayingyouwanttoknow，youknow，’remonstratedBarnaclejunior，turningaboutandputtinguptheeye-glass。
　　’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthurClennam，whohadmadeuphismindtopersistenceinoneshortformofwords，’theprecisenatureoftheclaimoftheCrownagainstaprisonerfordebt，namedDorrit。’
　　’Isay。Lookhere。Youreallyaregoingitatagreatpace，youknow。Egad，youhaven’tgotanappointment，’saidBarnaclejunior，asifthethingweregrowingserious。
　　’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthur，andrepeatedhiscase。
　　Barnaclejuniorstaredathimuntilhiseye-glassfellout，andthenputitinagainandstaredathimuntilitfelloutagain。
　　’Youhavenorighttocomethissortofmove，’hethenobservedwiththegreatestweakness。’Lookhere。Whatdoyoumean？Youtoldmeyoudidn’tknowwhetheritwaspublicbusinessornot。’
　　’Ihavenowascertainedthatitispublicbusiness，’returnedthesuitor，’andIwanttoknow’——andagainrepeatedhismonotonousinquiry。
　　ItseffectuponyoungBarnaclewastomakehimrepeatinadefencelessway，’Lookhere!UponmySOULyoumustn’tcomeintotheplacesayingyouwanttoknow，youknow!’TheeffectofthatuponArthurClennamwastomakehimrepeathisinquiryinexactlythesamewordsandtoneasbefore。TheeffectofthatuponyoungBarnaclewastomakehimawonderfulspectacleoffailureandhelplessness。
　　’Well，Itellyouwhat。Lookhere。YouhadbettertrytheSecretarialDepartment，’hesaidatlast，sidlingtothebellandringingit。’Jenkinson，’tothemashedpotatoesmessenger，’MrWobbler!’
　　ArthurClennam，whonowfeltthathehaddevotedhimselftothestormingoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andmustgothroughwithit，accompaniedthemessengertoanotherfloorofthebuilding，wherethatfunctionarypointedoutMrWobbler’sroom。Heenteredthatapartment，andfoundtwogentlemensittingfacetofaceatalargeandeasydesk，oneofwhomwaspolishingagun-barrelonhispocket-handkerchief，whiletheotherwasspreadingmarmaladeonbreadwithapaper-knife。
　　’MrWobbler？’inquiredthesuitor。
　　Bothgentlemenglancedathim，andseemedsurprisedathisassurance。
　　’Sohewent，’saidthegentlemanwiththegun-barrel，whowasanextremelydeliberatespeaker，’downtohiscousin’splace，andtooktheDogwithhimbyrail。InestimableDog。Flewattheporterfellowwhenhewasputintothedog-box，andflewattheguardwhenhewastakenout。Hegothalf-a-dozenfellowsintoaBarn，andagoodsupplyofRats，andtimedtheDog。FindingtheDogabletodoitimmensely，madethematch，andheavilybackedtheDog。Whenthematchcameoff，somedevilofafellowwasboughtover，Sir，Dogwasmadedrunk，Dog’smasterwascleanedout。’
　　’MrWobbler？’inquiredthesuitor。
　　Thegentlemanwhowasspreadingthemarmaladereturned，withoutlookingupfromthatoccupation，’WhatdidhecalltheDog？’
　　’CalledhimLovely，’saidtheothergentleman。’SaidtheDogwastheperfectpictureoftheoldauntfromwhomhehadexpectations。
　　Foundhimparticularlylikeherwhenhocussed。’
　　’MrWobbler？’saidthesuitor。
　　Bothgentlemenlaughedforsometime。Thegentlemanwiththegun-
　　barrel，consideringit，oninspection，inasatisfactorystate，referredittotheother；receivingconfirmationofhisviews，hefitteditintoitsplaceinthecasebeforehim，andtookoutthestockandpolishedthat，softlywhistling。
　　’MrWobbler？’saidthesuitor。
　　’What’sthematter？’thensaidMrWobbler，withhismouthfull。
　　’Iwanttoknow——’andArthurClennamagainmechanicallysetforthwhathewantedtoknow。
　　’Can’tinformyou，’observedMrWobbler，apparentlytohislunch。
　　’Neverheardofit。Nothingatalltodowithit。BettertryMrClive，seconddoorontheleftinthenextpassage。’
　　’Perhapshewillgivemethesameanswer。’
　　’Verylikely。Don’tknowanythingaboutit，’saidMrWobbler。
　　Thesuitorturnedawayandhadlefttheroom，whenthegentlemanwiththeguncalledout’Mister!Hallo!’
　　Helookedinagain。
　　’Shutthedoorafteryou。You’relettinginadevilofadraughthere!’
　　Afewstepsbroughthimtotheseconddoorontheleftinthenextpassage。Inthatroomhefoundthreegentlemen；numberonedoingnothingparticular，numbertwodoingnothingparticular，numberthreedoingnothingparticular。Theyseemed，however，tobemoredirectlyconcernedthantheothershadbeenintheeffectiveexecutionofthegreatprincipleoftheoffice，astherewasanawfulinnerapartmentwithadoubledoor，inwhichtheCircumlocutionSagesappearedtobeassembledincouncil，andoutofwhichtherewasanimposingcomingofpapers，andintowhichtherewasanimposinggoingofpapers，almostconstantly；whereinanothergentleman，numberfour，wastheactiveinstrument。
　　’Iwanttoknow，’saidArthurClennam，——andagainstatedhiscaseinthesamebarrel-organway。Asnumberonereferredhimtonumbertwo，andasnumbertworeferredhimtonumberthree，hehadoccasiontostateitthreetimesbeforetheyallreferredhimtonumberfour，towhomhestateditagain。
　　Numberfourwasavivacious，well-looking，well-dressed，agreeableyoungfellow——hewasaBarnacle，butonthemoresprightlysideofthefamily——andhesaidinaneasyway，’Oh!youhadbetternotbotheryourselfaboutit，Ithink。’
　　’Notbothermyselfaboutit？’
　　’No!Irecommendyounottobotheryourselfaboutit。’
　　ThiswassuchanewpointofviewthatArthurClennamfoundhimselfatalosshowtoreceiveit。
　　’Youcanifyoulike。Icangiveyouplentyofformstofillup。
　　Lotsof’emhere。Youcanhaveadozenifyoulike。Butyou’llnevergoonwithit，’saidnumberfour。
　　’Woulditbesuchhopelesswork？Excuseme；IamastrangerinEngland。’
　　’Idon’tsayitwouldbehopeless，’returnednumberfour，withafranksmile。’Idon’texpressanopinionaboutthat；Ionlyexpressanopinionaboutyou。Idon’tthinkyou’dgoonwithit。
　　However，ofcourse，youcandoasyoulike。Isupposetherewasafailureintheperformanceofacontract，orsomethingofthatkind，wasthere？’
　　’Ireallydon’tknow。’
　　’Well!Thatyoucanfindout。Thenyou’llfindoutwhatDepartmentthecontractwasin，andthenyou’llfindoutallaboutitthere。’
　　’Ibegyourpardon。HowshallIfindout？’
　　’Why，you’ll——you’llasktilltheytellyou。Thenyou’llmemorialisethatDepartmentaccordingtoregularformswhichyou’llfindoutforleavetomemorialisethisDepartment。Ifyougetitwhichyoumayafteratime，thatmemorialmustbeenteredinthatDepartment，senttoberegisteredinthisDepartment，sentbacktobesignedbythatDepartment，sentbacktobecountersignedbythisDepartment，andthenitwillbegintoberegularlybeforethatDepartment。You’llfindoutwhenthebusinesspassesthrougheachofthesestagesbyaskingatbothDepartmentstilltheytellyou。’
　　’Butsurelythisisnotthewaytodothebusiness，’ArthurClennamcouldnothelpsaying。
　　ThisairyyoungBarnaclewasquiteentertainedbyhissimplicityinsupposingforamomentthatitwas。ThislightinhandyoungBarnacleknewperfectlythatitwasnot。ThistouchandgoyoungBarnaclehad’gotup’theDepartmentinaprivatesecretaryship，thathemightbereadyforanylittlebitoffatthatcametohand；
　　andhefullyunderstoodtheDepartmenttobeapolitico-diplomatichocuspocuspieceofmachineryfortheassistanceofthenobsinkeepingoffthesnobs。ThisdashingyoungBarnacle，inaword，waslikelytobecomeastatesman，andtomakeafigure。