 the usual plain,
straightforward, common-sense question. What can we do for ourself? What can we
do for ourself?«
    »This is not the question with me, Mr. Rugg,« said Arthur. »You mistake it
in the beginning. It is, what can I do for my partner, how can I best make
reparation to him?«
    »I am afraid, sir, do you know,« argued Mr. Rugg persuasively, »that you are
still allowing your feelings to be worked upon. I don't like the term
reparation, sir, except as a lever in the hands of counsel. Will you excuse my
saying that I feel it my duty to offer you the caution, that you really must not
allow your feelings to be worked upon?«
    »Mr. Rugg,« said Clennam, nerving himself to go through with what he had
resolved upon, and surprising that gentleman by appearing, in his despondency,
to have a settled determination of purpose; »you give me the impression that you
will not be much disposed to adopt the course I have made up my mind to take. If
your disapproval of it should render you unwilling to discharge such business as
it necessitates, I am sorry for it, and must seek other aid. But, I will
represent to you at once, that to argue against it with me is useless.«
    »Good, sir,« answered Mr. Rugg, shrugging his shoulders. »Good, sir. Since
the business is to be done by some hands, let it be done by mine. Such was my
principle in the case of Rugg and Bawkins. Such is my principle in most cases.«
    Clennam then proceeded to state to Mr. Rugg his fixed resolution. He told
Mr. Rugg that his partner was a man of great simplicity and integrity, and that
in all he meant to do, he was guided above all things by a knowledge of his
partner's character, and a respect for his feelings. He explained that his
partner was then absent on an enterprise of importance, and that it particularly
behoved himself publicly to accept the blame of what he had rashly done, and
publicly to exonerate his partner from all participation in the responsibility
of it, lest the successful conduct of that enterprise should be endangered by
the slightest suspicion wrongly attaching to his partner's honour and credit in
another country. He told Mr. Rugg that to clear his partner morally, to the
fullest extent, and publicly and unreservedly to declare that he, Arthur
Clennam, of that Firm,
