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thus： Make man…eating unlawful； and you starve the Vholeses！
In a word； Mr Vholes； with his three daughters and his father in
the Vale of Taunton； is continually doing duty； like a piece of
timber； to shore up some decayed foundation that has become a
pitfall and a nuisance。 And with a great many people； in a great
many instances； the question is never one of a change from Wrong
to Right （which is quite an extraneous consideration）； but is
always one of injury or advantage to that eminently respectable
legion； Vholes。
The Chancellor is； within these ten minutes； “up” for the long
vacation。 Mr Vholes； and his young client； and several blue bags
hastily stuffed out of all regularity of form； as the larger sort of
serpents are in their first gorged state； have returned to the official
den。 Mr Vholes； quiet and unmoved； as a man of so much
respectability ought to be； takes off his close black gloves as if he
were skinning his hands； lifts off his tight hat as if he were
scalping himself； and sits down at his desk。 The client throws his
hat and gloves upon the ground—tosses them anywhere； without
looking after them or caring where they go； flings himself； into a
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chair； half sighing and half groaning； rests his aching head upon
his hand； and looks the portrait of Young Despair。
“Again nothing done！” says Richard。 “Nothing； nothing done！”
“Don’t say nothing done； sir；” returns the placid Vholes。 “That
is scarcely fair； sir； scarcely fair！”
“Why； what is done？” says Richard； turning gloomily upon him。
“That may not be the whole question；” returns Vholes。 “The
question may branch off into what is doing； what is doing？”
“And what is doing？” asks the moody client。
Vholes； sitting with his arms on his desk； quietly bringing the
tips of his five right fingers to meet the tips of his five left fingers；
and quietly separating them again； and fixedly and slowly looking
at his client； replies：
“A good deal is doing； sir。 We have put our shoulders to the
wheel； Mr Carstone； and the wheel is going round。”
“Yes； with Ixion on it。 How am I to get through the next four or
five accursed months？” exclaims the young man； rising from his
chair and walking about the room。
“Mr C；” returns Vholes； following him close with his eyes
wherever he goes； “your spirits are hasty； and I am sorry for it on
your account。 Excuse me if I recommend you not to chafe so
much； not to be so impetuous； not to wear yourself out so。 You
should have more patience。 You should sustain yourself better。”
“I ought to imitate you； in fact； Mr Vholes？” says Richard；
sitting down again with an impatient laugh； and beating the
Devil’s Tattoo with his boot on the patternless carpet。
“Sir；” returns Vholes； always looking at the client； as if he were
making a lingering meal of him with his eyes as well as with his
professional appetite。 “Sir；” returns Vholes； with his inward
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manner of speech and his bloodless quietude； “I should not have
had the presumption to propose myself as a model； for your
imitation or any man’s。 Let me but leave the good name to my
three daughters； and that is enough for me； I am not a self…seeker。
But； since you mention me so pointedly； I will acknowledge that I
should like to impart to you a little of my—come sir； you are
disposed to call it insensibility； and I am sure I have no objection—
say insensibility—a little of my insensibility。”
“Mr Vholes；” explains the client； somewhat abashed； “I had no
intention to accuse you of insensibility。”
“I think you had； sir； without knowing it；” returns the equable
Vholes。 “Very naturally。 It is my duty to attend to your interests
with a cool head； and I can quite understand that to your excited
feelings I may appear； at such times as the present； insensible。 My
daughters may know me better； my aged father may know me
better。 But they have known me much longer than you have； and
the confiding eye of affection is not the distrustful eye of business。
Not that I complain； sir； of the eye of business being distrustful；
quite the contrary。 In attending to your interests； I wish to have all
possible checks upon me； it is right that I should have them； I
court inquiry。 But your interests demand that I should be cool and
methodical； Mr Carstone； and I cannot be otherwise—no； sir； not
even to please you。”
Mr Vholes； after glancing at the official cat who is patiently
watching a mouse’s hole； fixes his charmed gaze again on his
young client； and proceeds in his buttoned…up half…audible voice；
as if there were an unclean spirit in him that will neither come out
nor speak out：—
“What are you to do； sir； you inquire； during the vacation。 I
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should hope you gentlemen of the army may find many means of
amusing yourselves； if you give your minds to it。 If you had asked
me what I was to do； during the vacation； I could have answered
you more readily。 I am to attend to your interests。 I am to be found
here； day by day； attending to your interests。 That is my duty； Mr
C； and term time or vacation makes no difference to me。 If you
wish to consult me as to your interests； you will find me here at all
times alike。 Other professional men go out of town。 I don’t。 Not
that I blame them for going； I merely say； I don’t go。 This desk is
your rock； sir！”
Mr Vholes gives it a rap； and it sounds as hollow as a coffin。 Not
to Richard； though。 There is encouragement in the sound to him。
Perhaps Mr Vholes knows there is。
“I am perfectly aware； Mr Vholes；” says Richard； more
familiarly and good…humouredly； “that you are the most reliable
fellow in the world； and that to have to do with you； is to have to
do with a man of business who is not to be hoodwinked。 But put
yourself in my case； dragging on this dislocated life； sinking
deeper and deeper into difficulty every day； continually hoping
and continually disappointed； conscious of change upon change
for the worse in myself； and of no change for the better in anything
else； and you will find it a dark…looking case sometimes； as I do。”
“You know；” says Mr Vholes； “that I never give hopes； sir。 I told
you from the first； Mr C； that I never give hopes。 Particularly in a
case like this； where the greater part of the costs comes out of the
estate； I should not be considerate of my good name； if I gave
hopes。 It might seem as if costs