Theyweresoonquiteintimate，andlightenedthewaywithavarietyofconversation。Theingeniousculpritwasamanofgreatmodestyandgoodsense；and，thoughaplainman，hadbeentoomuchaccustomedtocombinewhatwasoriginalanddaringinconceptionwithwhatwaspatientandminuteinexecution，tobebyanymeansanordinaryman。Itwasatfirstdifficulttoleadhimtospeakabouthimself，andheputoffArthur’sadvancesinthatdirectionbyadmittingslightly，ohyes，hehaddonethis，andhehaddonethat，andsuchathingwasofhismaking，andsuchanotherthingwashisdiscovery，butitwashistrade，yousee，histrade；until，ashegraduallybecameassuredthathiscompanionhadarealinterestinhisaccountofhimself，hefranklyyieldedtoit。Thenitappearedthathewasthesonofanorth-countryblacksmith，andhadoriginallybeenapprenticedbyhiswidowedmothertoalock-
maker；thathehad’struckoutafewlittlethings’atthelock-
maker’s，whichhadledtohisbeingreleasedfromhisindentureswithapresent，whichpresenthadenabledhimtogratifyhisardentwishtobindhimselftoaworkingengineer，underwhomhehadlabouredhard，learnedhard，andlivedhard，sevenyears。Histimebeingout，hehad’workedintheshop’atweeklywagessevenoreightyearsmore；andhadthenbetakenhimselftothebanksoftheClyde，wherehehadstudied，andfiled，andhammered，andimprovedhisknowledge，theoreticalandpractical，forsixorsevenyearsmore。TherehehadhadanoffertogotoLyons，whichhehadaccepted；andfromLyonshadbeenengagedtogotoGermany，andinGermanyhadhadanoffertogotoStPetersburg，andtherehaddoneverywellindeed——neverbetter。However，hehadnaturallyfeltapreferenceforhisowncountry，andawishtogaindistinctionthere，andtodowhateverservicehecoulddo，thereratherthanelsewhere。Andsohehadcomehome。Andsoathomehehadestablishedhimselfinbusiness，andhadinventedandexecuted，andworkedhiswayon，until，afteradozenyearsofconstantsuitandservice，hehadbeenenrolledintheGreatBritishLegionofHonour，theLegionoftheRebuffedoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andhadbeendecoratedwiththeGreatBritishOrderofMerit，theOrderoftheDisorderoftheBarnaclesandStiltstalkings。
’itismuchtoberegretted，’saidClennam，’thatyoueverturnedyourthoughtsthatway，MrDoyce。’
’True，sir，truetoacertainextent。Butwhatisamantodo？ifhehasthemisfortunetostrikeoutsomethingserviceabletothenation，hemustfollowwhereitleadshim。’