d up by Ferdinand to the point of making
himself popular, he shook hands in the most brilliant manner with the
whole company, and even said to Bar, 'I hope you were not bored by my
pears?' To which Bar retorted, 'Eton, my lord, or Parliamentary?' neatly
showing that he had mastered the joke, and delicately insinuating that
he could never forget it while his life remained.

All the grave importance that was buttoned up in Mr Tite Barnacle, took
itself away next; and Ferdinand took himself away next, to the opera.
Some of the rest lingered a little, marrying golden liqueur glasses to
Buhl tables with sticky rings; on the desperate chance of Mr Merdle's
saying something. But Merdle, as usual, oozed sluggishly and muddily
about his drawing-room, saying never a word.

In a day or two it was announced to all the town, that Edmund Sparkler,
Esquire, son-in-law of the eminent Mr Merdle of worldwide renown, was
made one of the Lords of the Circumlocution Office; and proclamation was
issued, to all true believers, that this admirable appointment was to
be hailed as a graceful and gracious mark of homage, rendered by the
graceful and gracious Decimus, to that commercial interest which must
ever in a great commercial country--and all the rest of it, with
blast of trumpet. So, bolstered by this mark of Government homage, the
wonderful Bank and all the other wonderful undertakings went on and went
up; and gapers came to Harley Street, Cavendish Square, only to look at
the house where the golden wonder lived.

And when they saw the Chief Butler looking out at the hall-door in
his moments of condescension, the gapers said how rich he looked, and
wondered how much money he had in the wonderful Bank. But, if they had
known that respectable Nemesis better, they would not have wondered
about it, and might have stated the amount with the utmost precision.

CHAPTER 13. The Progress of an Epidemic

That it is at least as difficult to stay a moral infection as a physical
one; that such a disease will spread with the malignity and rapidity of
the Plague; that the contagion, when it has once made head, will spare
no pursuit or condition, but will lay hold on people in the soundest
health, and become developed in the most unlikely constitutions: is
a fact as firmly established by experience as that we human creatures
breathe an atmosphere. A blessing beyond appreciation would be conferred
upon mankind, if the tainted, in whose weaknes