 Chapter 32 Book the Second of Little Dorrid Read for LibriVox.org by Ellis Christoff Little Dorrid by Charles Dickens Book the Second Chapter 32 Going Arthur continuing to lie very ill in the Marshall Sea and Mr. Rugg is crying no break in the legal sky affording a hope of his enlargement. Mr. Panks suffered desperately from self-reproaches. If it had not been for those infallible figures which proved that Arthur, instead of pining in imprisonment, ought to be promenading in a carriage and pair, and that Mr. Panks, instead of being restricted to his clerkly wages, ought to have from three to five thousand pounds of his own at his immediate disposal, that unhappy arithmetician would probably have taken to his bed, and there have made one of the many obscure persons who turned their faces to the wall and died. As a last sacrifice to the late Mr. Model's greatness, solely supported by his unimpunable calculations, Mr. Panks led an unhappy and restless life, constantly carrying his figures about with him in his head, and not only going over them himself on every possible occasion, but in treating every human being he could lay hold of to go over them with him and observe what a clear case it was. Down in Bleeding Heart Yard, there was scarcely an inhabitant of note to whom Mr. Panks had not imparted his demonstration, and, as figures are catching, a kind of cyphering measles broke out in that locality, and the influence of which the whole yard was light-headed. The more restless Mr. Panks grew in his mind, the more impatient he became of the patriarch. In their later conferences, his noting assumed an irritable sound, which bowed at the patriarch no good. Likewise, Mr. Panks got on several occasions looked harder at the patriarchal bumps, than was quite reconcilable with the fact of his not being a painter, or a perugemaker in search of the living model. However, he steamed in and out of his little back dock according as he was wanted or not wanted in the patriarchal presence, and business had gone on in its customary cause. Bleeding Heart Yard had been harrowed by Mr. Panks, and cropped by Mr. Caspi at the regular seasons. Mr. Panks had taken all the drudgery and all the dirt of the business as his share. Mr. Caspi had taken all the profits, all the ethereal vapor, and all the moonshine as his share, and in the form of words, which that benevolent beamer generally employed on Saturday evenings, when he twirled his fat thumbs after striking the week's balance. Everything had been satisfactory to all parties, all parties, satisfactory sir, to all parties. The dock of the steam tug, Panks, had a leaden roof, which, frying in the very hot sunshine, may have heated the vessel. Be that as it may, one glowing Saturday evening, on being hailed by the lumbering bottle-green ship, the tug instantly came working out of the docks in a highly heated condition. Mr. Panks was the patriarchal remark. You have been remiss, you have been remiss, sir. What do you mean by that? Was the short rejoinder. The patriarchal state, always a state of calmness and composure, was so particularly serene that evening as to be provoking. Everybody else within the bills of mortality was hot, but the patriarch was perfectly cool. Everybody was thirsty, and the patriarch was drinking. There was a fragrance of limes or lemons about him, and he made a drink of golden cherry, which shone in a large tumbler, as if he were drinking the evening sunshine. This was bad, but not the worst. The worst was, that with his big blue eyes, and his polished head, and his long white hair, and his bottle-green legs stretched out before him, terminating in his easy shoes, easily crossed at the instep, he had a radiant appearance of having in his extensive benevolence made the drink for the human species, while he himself wanted nothing but his own milk of human kindness. Wherefore, Mr. Panks said, what do you mean by that? And put his hair up with both hands in a highly portentous manner. I mean, Mr. Panks, that you must be sharper with the people, sharper with the people, much sharper with the people, sir. You don't squeeze them, you don't squeeze them. Your receipts are not up to the mark. You must squeeze them, sir, or our connection will not continue to be as satisfactory as I could wish it to be to all parties, all parties. Don't I squeeze them? retorted Mr. Panks. What else am I made for? You are made for nothing else, Mr. Panks. You are made to do your duty, but you don't do your duty. You are paid to squeeze, and you must squeeze to pay. The patriarch so much surprised himself by this brilliant turn, after Dr. Johnson, which he had not in the least expected or intended, that he laughed aloud, and repeated with great satisfaction as he twirled his thumbs and nodded at his youthful portrait. Paid to squeeze, sir, and must squeeze to pay. Oh, said Panks, anything more? Yes, sir, yes, sir, something more. You will please Mr. Panks to squeeze the yard again, the first thing on Monday morning. Oh, said Panks, ain't that too soon? I squeezed it dry to-day. Nonsense, sir, not near the mark, not near the mark. Oh, said Panks, watching him as he benevolently gulped down a good draft of his mixture. Anything more? Yes, sir, yes, sir, something more. I am not at all pleased, Mr. Panks, with my daughter. Not at all pleased. Besides calling much too often to inquire for Mrs. Clenham, Mrs. Clenham, who is not just now in circumstances that are by any means calculated to be satisfactory to all parties, she goes, Mr. Panks, unless I am a much deceived to inquire for Mr. Clenham in jail, in jail. He's laid up, you know, said Panks. Perhaps it's kind. Poor, poor Mr. Panks. She has nothing to do with that, nothing to do with that. I can't allow it. Let him pay his debts and come out, come out, pay his debts and come out. Although Mr. Panks's hair was standing up like strong wire, he gave it another double-handed impulse in the perpendicular direction and smiled at his proprietor in a most hideous manner. You will please to mention to my daughter, Mr. Panks, that I can't allow it, can't allow it, said the patriarch blandly. Oh, said Panks, you couldn't mention it yourself? No, sir, no, you are paid to mention it. The blundering old booby could not resist the temptation of trying it again, and you must mention it to pay, mention it to pay. Oh, said Panks, anything more? Yes, sir, it appears to me, Mr. Panks, that you yourself are too often and too much in that direction, that direction. I recommend you, Mr. Panks, to dismiss from your attention both your own losses and other people's losses and to mind your business, mind your business. Mr. Panks acknowledged this recommendation with such an extraordinarily abrupt, short and loud utterance of the monosyllable, oh, that even the unwieldy patriarch moved his blue eyes in something of a hurry to look at him. Mr. Panks, with a sniff of corresponding intensity, then added, Anything more? Not at present, sir, not at present. I am going, said the patriarch, finishing his mixture and rising with an amiable air. To take a little stroll, a little stroll, perhaps I shall find you here when I come back. If not, sir, duty, duty, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze on Monday, squeeze on Monday. Mr. Panks, after another stiffening of his hair, looked on at the patriarchal assumption of the broad brimmed hat with a momentary appearance of indecision contending with a sense of injury. He was also hotter than at first and breathed harder, but he suffered Mr. Caspi to go out without offering any further remark, and then took a peep at him over the little green window blinds. I thought so, he observed, I knew where you were bound to, good. He then steamed back to his dock, put it carefully in order, took down his hat, looked around the dock, said goodbye, and puffed away on his own account. He steered straight for Mrs. Plonish's end of bleeding hard yard and arrived there at the top of the steps hotter than ever. At the top of the steps, resisting Mrs. Plonish's invitations to come and sit along with father in happy cottage, which to his relief were not so numerous as they would have been on any other night than Saturday, when the connection who so gallantly supported the business with everything but money gave their orders freely. At the top of the steps Mr. Panks remained until he beheld the patriarch, who always entered the yard at the other end, slowly advancing, beaming, and surrounded by suitors. Then Mr. Panks descended and bore down upon him with his utmost pressure of steam on. The patriarch, approaching with his usual benignity, was surprised to see Mr. Panks, but supposed him to have been stimulated to an immediate squeeze, instead of postponing that operation until Monday. The population of the yard were astonished at the meeting, for the two powers had never been seen there together, within the memory of the oldest bleeding heart. But they were overcome by unutterable amazement, when Mr. Panks, going close up to the most venerable of men and halting in front of the bottle green west cut, made a trigger of his right thumb and forefinger, applied the same to the brim of the broad brimmed head, and, with singular smartness and precision, shot it off the Polish head, as if it had been a large marble. Having taken this little liberty with the patriarchal person, Mr. Panks further astounded and attracted the bleeding hearts by saying, in an audible voice, Now you sugary swindler, I mean to have it out with you. Mr. Panks and the patriarch were instantly the center of a press, all eyes and ears. Windows were thrown open, and doorsteps were thronged. What do you pretend to be? said Mr. Panks. What's your moral game? What do you go in for? Benevolence, ain't it? You, benevolent? Here, Mr. Panks, apparently without the intention of hitting him, but merely to relieve his mind and expend his superfluous power in wholesome exercise, aimed a blow at the bumpy head, which the bumpy head ducked to avoid. This singular performance was repeated, to the ever-increasing admiration of the spectators, at the end of every succeeding article of Mr. Panks' oration. I have discharged myself from your service, said Panks, that I may tell you what you are. You're one of a lot of imposters that are the worst lot of all the lots to be met with. Speaking as a sufferer by both, I don't know what I wouldn't as soon have the mortal lot as your lot. You're a driver in disguise, a scruer by deputy, a ringer and squeezer and shaver by substitute. You're a philanthropic snake. You're a shabby deceiver. The repetition of the performance at this point was received with a burst of laughter. Ask these good people who's the hard man here. They'll tell you, Panks, I believe. This was confirmed with cries of certainly and here. But I tell you good people. Caspi. This mound of meekness, this lump of love, this bottle green smiley, this is your driver. Said Panks, if you want to see the man who would flay your life, here he is. Don't look for him in May, at 30 shillings a week, but look for him in Caspi, and I don't know how much a year. Good! cried several voices. Here, Mr. Panks. Here, Mr. Panks? cried that gentleman after repeating the popular performance. Yes, I should think so. It's almost time to hear Mr. Panks. Mr. Panks has come down into the yard tonight on purpose that you should hear him. Panks is only the works, but here's the winder. The audience would have gone over to Mr. Panks as one man, woman and child, but for the long gray silken locks and the broad brimmed hat. Here's the stop, said Panks, that sets the tune to be ground, and there's but one tune, and its name is grind, grind, grind. Here's the proprietor, and here's his grubber. Why, good people, when he comes smoothly spinning through the yard tonight, like a slow-going benevolent humming top, and when you come about him with your complaints of the grubber, you don't know what a cheat the proprietor is. What do you think of his showing himself tonight, that I may have all the blame on Monday? What do you think of his having had me over the calls this very evening, because I don't squeeze you enough? What do you think of my being, at the present moment, under special orders to squeeze you dry on Monday? The reply was given in a murmur of shame and shabby. Shabby, snorted Panks, yes, I should think so. The lot that your casby belongs to is the shabbiest of all the lots, setting their grubbers on at a wretched pittance, to do what they are ashamed and afraid to do and pretend not to do, but what they will have done, or give a man no rest, imposing on you to give their grubbers nothing but blame, and to give them nothing but credit. Why, the worst-looking cheat in all this town who gets the value of 18 pence under false pretenses, and half such a cheat as this signpost of the casby's head here? Christ of, that's true, and no more he and. And see what you get of these fellows besides, said Panks, see what more you get of these precious humming tops, revolving among you with such smoothness, that you've no idea of the pattern painted on them, or the little window in them. I wish to call your attention to myself for a moment. I ain't an agreeable style of chap, I know that very well. The auditory were divided on this point. It's more uncompromising, members crying, no you are not. And it's polite of materials. Yes, you are. I am, in general, said Mr. Panks, a dry, uncomfortable, dreary, plodder and grubber. That's your humble servant. There's his full-length portrait, painted by himself and presented to you, warranted a likeness. But what's a man to be with such a man as this for his proprietor? What can be expected of him? Did anybody ever find boiled mutton and caper sauce growing in a coconut? None of the bleeding hearts ever had. It was clear from the alacrity of their response. Well, said Mr. Panks, and neither will you find in grubbers like myself, under proprietors like this, pleasant qualities. I've been a grubber from a boy. What has my life been? Thag and grind, thag and grind, turn the wheel, turn the wheel. I haven't been agreeable to myself, and I haven't been likely to be agreeable to anybody else. If I was a shilling a week less useful in ten years' time, this imposter would give me a shilling a week less. If as useful a man could be got at sixpence cheaper, he would be taken in my place at sixpence cheaper. Bargain and sale, bless you, fixed principles. It's a mighty fine signed post as the casbis head, said Mr. Panks, surveying it with anything rather than admiration. But the real name of the house is the sham's arms. Its motto is, Keep the grubber always at it. Is any gentleman present? said Mr. Panks, breaking off and looking round, acquainted with the English grammar. Bleeding heart yard was shy of claiming that acquaintance. It's no matter, said Mr. Panks. I merely wish to remark that the task this proprietor has set me has been never to leave of conjugating the imperative mood present tense of the verb to keep always at it. Keep thou always at it. Let him keep always at it. Keep we or do we keep always at it. Keep ye or do ye or you keep always at it. Let them keep always at it. Here is your benevolent patriarch of a casbee, and there is his golden rule. He is uncommonly improving to look at, and I am not at all so. He is as sweet as honey, and I am as dull as ditch water. He provides the pitch, and I handle it, and it sticks to me. Now, said Mr. Panks, closing upon his late proprietor again, from whom he had withdrawn a little for the better display of him to the yard. As I am not accustomed to speak in public, and as I have made a rather lengthy speech, all circumstances considered, I shall bring my observations to a close by requesting you to get out of this. The last of the patriarchs had been so seized by assault, and required so much room to catch an idea in, and so much more room to turn it in, that he had not a word to offer in reply. He appeared to be meditating some patriarchal way out of his delicate position, when Mr. Panks, once more suddenly applying the trigger to his head, shot it off again with his former dexterity. On the preceding occasion, one or two of the bleeding hard yarders had obsequiously picked it up and handed it to its owner, but Mr. Panks had now so far impressed his audience, that the patriarch had to turn and stoop for it himself. Quick as lightning, Mr. Panks, who, for some moments, had had his right hand in his coat pocket, whipped out a pair of shears, swooped upon the patriarch behind, and snipped off short the sacred locks that flowed upon his shoulders. In a paroxysm of animosity and rapidity, Mr. Panks then caught the broad-brimmed head out of the astounded patriarch's hand, cutting down into a mere stupan, and fixed it on the patriarch's head. Before the frightful results of this desperate action, Mr. Panks himself recoiled in consternation. A bare-pulled, goggle-eyed, big-headed, lumbering personage stood staring at him, not in the least impressive, not in the least venerable, who seemed to have started out of the earth to ask, what was become of Casby? After staring at this phantom in return, in silent awe, Mr. Panks threw down his shears, and fled for a place of hiding, where he might lie sheltered from the consequences of his crime. Mr. Panks deemed it prudent to use all possible dispatch in making off, though he was pursued by nothing but the sound of laughter in bleeding hard yard, rippling through the air, and making it ring again. End of chapter 32, Book II of Little Dorot This recording is in the public domain. Chapter the 33rd, Book II of Little Dorot. Read for LibriVox.org by Ellis Christoff. Little Dorot by Charles Dickens. Book II. Chapter the 33rd. Going. The changes of a fevered room are slow and fluctuating, but the changes of a fevered world are rapid and irrevocable. It was Little Dorot's lot to wait upon both kinds of change. The Marshall Seawalls, during a portion of every day, again embraced her in their shadows as their child, while she thought for Clenum, worked for him, watched him, and only left him still to devote her utmost love and care to him. Her part in the life outside the gate urged its pressing claims upon her too, and her patience untiringly responded to them. Here was Fanny, proud, fitful, whimsical, further advanced in that disqualified state for going into society, which had so much spreaded her on the evening of the tortoise-shelled knife, resolved always to want comfort, resolved not to be comforted, resolved to be deeply wronged, and resolved that nobody should have the audacity to think her so. Here was her brother, a weak, proud, tipsy, young, old man, shaking from head to foot, talking as indistinctly as if some of the money he plumped himself upon had got into his mouth and couldn't be got out, unable to walk alone in any act of his life, and patronizing the sister whom he selfishly loved, he always had that negative merit, ill-starred, and ill-launched tip. Because he suffered her to lead him. Here was Mrs. Murdell in Gorsy Morning. The original cap wear-off had possibly been rent to pieces in a fit of grief, but had certainly yielded to a highly-becoming article from the Parisian market, warring with Fanny food to food, and breasting her with her desolate bosom every hour in the day. Here was poor Mr. Sparkler, not knowing how to keep the peace between them, but humbly inclining to the opinion that they could do no better than agree that they were both remarkably fine women, and that there was no nonsense about either of them, for which gentle recommendation they united in falling upon him frightfully. Then, too, here was Mrs. General, got home from foreign parts, sending a prune and a prison by post every other day, demanding a new testimonial by way of recommendation to some vacant appointment or other, of which remarkable gentlewoman it may be finally observed, that there surely never was a gentlewoman of whose transcendent fitness for any vacant appointment on the face of this earth, so many people were, as the warmth of her testimonials evinced, so perfectly satisfied, or who was so very unfortunate in having a large circle of ardent and distinguished admirers, who never themselves happened to want her in any capacity. On the first crash of the eminent Mr. Murdell's disease, many important persons had been unable to determine whether they should cut Mrs. Murdell or comfort her. As it seemed, however, essential to the strength of their own case, that they should admit her to have been cruelly deceived, they graciously made the admission and continued to know her. It followed that Mrs. Murdell, as a woman of fashion and good breeding, who had been sacrificed to the wiles of a vulgar barbarian, for Mr. Murdell was found out from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, the moment he was found out in his pocket. Must be actively championed by her order for her order's sake. She returned this filthy by causing it to be understood, that she was even more incensed against the felonious shade of the deceased than anybody else was. Thus, on the whole, she came out of her furnace like a wise woman, and did exceedingly well. Mr. Sparkler's lordship was fortunately one of those shelves, on which a gentleman is considered to be put away for life, unless there should be reasons for hoisting him up with the barnacle crane to a more lucrative height. That patriotic servant accordingly stuck to his colours, the standard of four quarterings, and was a perfect Nelson in respect of nailing them to the mast. On the profits of his intrepidity, Mrs. Sparkler and Mrs. Murdell, inhabiting different floors of the genteel little temple of inconvenience to which the smell of the day before yesterday's soup and coach horses was as constant as death to man, arrayed themselves to find it out in the list of society, sworn rivals, and little Dorrid, seeing all these things as they developed themselves, could not but wonder, anxiously, into what back corner of the genteel establishment Fanny's children would be poked by and by, and who would take care of those unborn little victims. Arthur being far too ill to be spoken with on subjects of emotion or anxiety, and his recovery greatly depending on the repose, into which his weakness could be hushed, little Dorrid's sole reliance during this heavy period was on Mr. Migos. He was still abroad, but she had written to him through his daughter, immediately after first seeing Arthur in the Marshall Sea, and since confiding her uneasiness to him on the points on which she was most anxious, but especially on one. To that one, the continued absence of Mr. Migos abroad, instead of his comforting presence in the Marshall Sea, was referable. Without disclosing the precise nature of the documents that had fallen into Rigord's hands, little Dorrid had confided the general outline of that story to Mr. Migos, to whom she had also recounted his fate. The old cautious habits of the scales and scoop at once showed Mr. Migos the importance of recovering the original papers. Wherefore, he wrote back to little Dorrid, strongly confirming her in the solicitude she expressed on that head, and adding that he would not come over to England without making some attempt to trace them out. By this time Mr. Henry Gowan had made up his mind that it would be agreeable to him not to know the Migos' is. He was so considerate as to lay no injunctions on his wife in that particular, but he mentioned to Mr. Migos that personally they did not appear to him to get on together, and that he thought it would be a good thing if, politely, and without any seen or anything of that sort, they agreed that they were the best fellows in the world, but were best apart. Poor Mr. Migos, who was already sensible that he did not advance his daughter's happiness by being constantly slighted in her presence, said, Good Henry, you are my pet's husband, you have displaced me in the course of nature. If you wish it, good. This arrangement involved the contingent advantage which perhaps Henry Gowan had not foreseen, that both Mr. and Mrs. Migos were more liberal than before to their daughter, when their communication was only with her and her young child, and that his high spirit found itself better provided with money, without being under the degrading necessity of knowing whence it came. Mr. Migos, at such a period, naturally seized an occupation with great ardour. He knew from his daughter the various towns which Rigor had been haunting, and the various hotels at which he had been living for some time back. The occupation he set himself was to visit these with all discretion and speed, and in the event of finding anywhere that he had left a bill unpaid, and a box or parcel behind, to pay such bill and bring away such box or parcel. With no other attendance than mother, Mr. Migos went upon his pilgrimage, and encountered a number of adventures. Not the least of his difficulties was, that he never knew what was said to him, and that he pursued his inquiries among people who never knew what he said to them. Still, with an unshaken confidence, that the English tongue was somehow the mother tongue of the whole world, only the people were too stupid to know it. Mr. Migos carrying in keep us in the most valuable manner, entered into loud explanations of the most complicated sort, and utterly renounced replies in the native language of the respondents, on the grounds that they were all Bosch. Sometimes interpreters were called in, whom Mr. Migos addressed in such idiomatic terms of speech, as instantly to extinguish and shut up, which made the matter worse. On a balance of the account, however, it may be doubted whether he lost much, for although he found no property, he found so many debts and various associations of discredit with the proper name, which was the only word he made intelligible, that he was almost everywhere overwhelmed with injurious accusations. On no fewer than four occasions the police were called in to receive denunciations of Mr. Migos as a knight of industry, a good for nothing, and a thief, all of which a probrious language he bore with the best temper, having no idea what it meant, and was in the most ignominious manner escorted to steamboats and public carriages to be got rid of, talking all the while like a cheerful and fluent Britain as he was, with mother under his arm. But in his own tongue and in his own head Mr. Migos was a clear, shrewd, persevering man. When he had worked round as he called it to Paris in his pilgrimage, and had wholly failed in it so far, he was not disheartened. The nearer to England I follow him you see, mother, argued Mr. Migos, the nearer I am likely to come to the papers, whether they turn up or no, because it is only reasonable to conclude that he would deposit them somewhere where they would be safe from people over in England, and where they would yet be accessible to himself, don't you see? At Paris Mr. Migos found a letter from little Dorit, lying waiting for him, in which she mentioned that she had been able to talk for a minute or two with Mr. Clenum about this man who was no more, and that when she told Mr. Clenum that his friend Mr. Migos, who was on his way to see him, had an interest in ascertaining something about the man if he could, he had asked her to tell Mr. Migos that he had been known to miss Wade, then living in such a street at Calais. Oh ho! said Mr. Migos. As soon afterwards, as might be in those diligence days, Mr. Migos rang the cracket bell at the cracket gate, and it jarred open, and the peasant woman stood in the dark doorway, saying, I say, sir, who? In acknowledgement of those address, Mr. Migos murmured to himself that there was some sense about these Calais people who really did know something of what you and themselves were up to, and returned, Miss Wade, my dear. He was then shown into the presence of Miss Wade. It's some time since we met, said Mr. Migos, clearing his throat. I hope you have been pretty well, Miss Wade. Without hoping that he or anybody else had been pretty well, Miss Wade asked him to what she was indebted for the honour of seeing him again. Mr. Migos, in the meanwhile, glanced all round the room without observing anything in the shape of a box. Why, the truth is, Miss Wade, said Mr. Migos, in a comfortable, managing, not to say, coaxing voice. It is possible that you may be able to throw a light upon a little something that is at present dark. Any unpleasant bygones between us are bygones, I hope. Can't be helped now. You recollect, my daughter. Time changes so. A mother. In his innocence, Mr. Migos could not have struck a worse keynote. He posed for any expression of interest, but paused in vain. And that is not the subject you wish to enter on, she said, after a cold silence. No, no, returned Mr. Migos. No, I thought your good nature might. I thought you knew, she interrupted with a smile, that my good nature is not to be calculated upon. Don't say so, said Mr. Migos. You do yourself an injustice, however, to come to the point. For he was sensible of having gained nothing by approaching it in a roundabout way. I have heard from my friend Clenum, who, you will be sorry to hear, has been and still is very ill. He paused again. And again she was silent. That you had some knowledge of one bland war, lately killed in London by a violent accident. Now, don't mistake me. I know it was a slight knowledge. Said Mr. Migos, dexterously forestalling an angry interruption which he saw about to break. I am fully aware of that. It was a slight knowledge, I know. But the question is, Mr. Migos' voice here became comfortable again. Did he, on his way to England last time, leave a box of papers, or a bundle of papers, or some papers or rather in some receptacle or rather any papers with you, begging you to allow him to leave them here for a short time until he wanted them? The question is, she repeated, whose question is? Mine, said Mr. Migos. And not only mine but Clenum's question and other people's question. Now I am sure, continued Mr. Migos, whose heart was overflowing with pet, that you can't have any unkind feelings towards my daughter. It's impossible. Well, it's her question too, being one in which a particular friend of hers is nearly interested. So here I am, frankly to say that is the question and to ask, now did he? Upon my word, she returned, I seem to be a mark for everybody who knew anything of a man I once in my life hired and paid and dismissed to aim their questions at. Now don't, remonstrated Mr. Migos, don't, don't take offense because it's the plainest question in the world and might be asked of anyone. The documents I referred to were not his own, were wrongfully obtained, might at some time or other be troublesome to an innocent person to have in keeping, and are sought by the people to whom they really belong. He passed through Calais going to London, and there were reasons why he should not take them with him then, why he should wish to be able to put his hand upon them readily, and why he should distrust leaving them with people of his own sort. Did he leave them here? I declare if I knew how to avoid giving you offense, I would take any pains to do it. I put the question personally, but there is nothing personal in it. I may put it to anyone, I have put it already to many people. Did he leave them here? Did he leave anything here? No. Then, unfortunately, Miss Wade, you know nothing about them. I know nothing about them. I have now answered your unaccountable question. He did not leave them here, and I know nothing about them. There, said Mr. Migos rising, I am sorry for it. That's over, and I hope there is not much harm done. Uh, Taticorum well, Miss Wade? Harriet well? Oh, yes. I have put my foot in it again, said Mr. Migos, thus corrected. I can't keep my foot out of it here, it seems. Perhaps, if I had thought twice about it, I might never have given her the jingling name. But, when one means to be good-natured and sportive with young people, one doesn't think twice. Her old friend leaves a kind word for her, Miss Wade, if you should think proper to deliver it. She said nothing as to that. And Mr. Migos, taking his honest face out of the dull room, where it shone like a sun, took it to the hotel where he had left Mrs. Migos, and where he made the report, beaten mother, no effects. He took it next to the London steam packet, which sailed in the night, and next to the Marshall Sea. The faithful John was on duty when father and mother Migos presented themselves at the wicket towards nightfall. Miss Dorit was not there then, he said, but she had been there in the morning, and invariably came in the evening. Mr. Clenham was slowly mending, and Maggie and Mrs. Plournish and Mr. Baptist took care of him by turns. Miss Dorit was sure to come back that evening before the bell rang, but there was the room the Marshall had lent her, upstairs, in which they could wait for her, if they pleased. Mistrustful that it might be hazardous to Arthur to see him without preparation, Mr. Migos accepted the offer, and they were left shut up in the room, looking down through its barred window into the jail. The cramped area of the prison had such an effect on Mrs. Migos that she began to weep, and such an effect on Mr. Migos that he began to gasp for air. He was walking up and down the room, panting, and making himself worse by laboriously fanning himself with her handkerchief, when he turned towards the opening door. Hey, good gracious, said Mr. Migos, this is not Miss Dorit, why, mother, look, Tati Corum. No other. And in Tati Corum's arms was an iron box some two feet square. Such a box had a very flint-winged scene, in the first of her dreams, going out of the old house in the dead of the night under double's arm. This, Tati Corum put on the ground at her old master's feet. This, Tati Corum fell on her knees by and beat her hands upon, crying half in exaltation and half in despair, half in laughter and half in tears. Pardon, dear master, take me back, dear master. Here it is. Tati, exclaimed Mr. Migos. What you wanted, said Tati Corum. Here it is. I was put in the next room not to see you. I heard you ask her about it. I heard she said she hadn't got it. I was there when he left it, and I took it at bedtime and brought it away. Here it is. Why, my girl, cried Mr. Migos, more breathless than before. How did you come over? I came in the boat with you. I was sitting wrapped up at the other end. When you took a coach at the wharf, I took another coach and followed you here. She never would have given it up after what you had said to her about its being wanted. She would sooner have sunk it in the sea or burned it. But here it is. The glow and rapture that the girl was in, with her, here it is. She never wanted it to be left. I must say that for her. But he left it, and I knew well that after what you said, and after her denying it, she never would have given it up. But here it is. Dear master, dear mistress, take me back again and give me back the dear old name. Let this intercede for me. Here it is. Father and mother Migos never deserved their names better than when they took the headstrong, fondling girl into their protection again. Oh, I have been so wretched! cried Taticorum, whipping much more. Always so unhappy and so repentant. I was afraid of her from the first time I saw her. I knew she had got a power over me through understanding what was bad in me so well. It was a madness in me, and she could raise it whenever she liked. I used to think when I got into that state that people were all against me because of my first beginning, and the kinder they were to me, the worse fault I found in them. I made it out that they triumphed above me, and that they wanted to make me envy them, when I knew, when I even knew then that they never thought of such a thing. And my beautiful young mistress not so happy as she ought to have been, and I gone away from her. Such a brute and a rich as she must think me, but you'll say a word to her for me, and ask her to be as forgiving as you two are. For I am not so bad as I was, pleaded Taticorum. I am bad enough, but not so bad as I was indeed. I have had me swayed before me all this time, as if it was my own self-grown ripe turning everything the wrong way, and twisting all good into evil. I have had her before me all this time, finding no pleasure in anything but keeping me as miserable, suspicious, and tormenting as herself. Not that she had much to do, to do that, cried Taticorum in a closing great burst of distress. For I was as bad as bad could be. I only mean to say that, after what I have done through, I hope I shall never be quite so bad again, and that I shall get better by very slow degrees. I'll try very hard. I won't stop at five and twenty, sir. I'll count five and twenty hundred, five and twenty thousand. Another opening of the door, and Taticorum subsided, and little Dorrid came in, and Mr. Meagles with pride and joy produced the box, and her gentle face was lighted up with grateful happiness and joy. The secret was safe now. She could keep her own part of it from him. He should never know of her loss. In time to come, he should know all that was of import to himself, but he should never know what concerned her only. That was all past, all forgiven, all forgotten. Now, my dear Miss Dorrid, said Mr. Meagles, I am a man of business, or at least was, and I am going to make my measures promptly, in that character. Had I better see Arthur tonight? I think not tonight. I will go to his room and ascertain how he is, but I think it will be better not to see him tonight. I am much of your opinion, my dear, said Mr. Meagles, and therefore I have not been any nearer to him than this dismal room. Then I shall probably not see him for some little time to come, but I'll explain what I mean when you come back. She left the room. Mr. Meagles, looking through the bars of the window, saw her pass out of the lodge below him in the prison yard. He said gently, Taticorum, come to me a moment, my good girl. She went up to the window. You see that young lady who was here just now? That little, quiet, fragile figure passing along there, Tati. Look, the people stand out of the way to let her go by. The men, see the poor, shabby fellows, pull off their hats to her quite politely, and now she glides in that doorway. See her, Taticorum? Yes, sir. I have heard tell Tati that she was once regularly called the child of this place. She was born here, and lived here many years. I can't breathe here. A doleful place to be born and bred in, Taticorum. Yes, indeed, sir. If she had constantly thought of herself and settled with herself that everybody visited this place upon her, turned it against her, and cast it at her, she would have led an irritable and probably useless existence. Yet, I have heard tell Taticorum that her young life has been one of active resignation, goodness, and noble service. Shall I tell you what I consider those eyes of hers that were here just now to have always looked at to get that expression? Yes, if you please, sir. Duty, Taticorum. Begin it early, and do it well. And there is no antecedent to it. In any origin or station, that will tell against us with the almighty, or with ourselves. They remained at the window, mother joining them and pitying the prisoners, until she was seen coming back. She was soon in the room, and recommended that Arthur, whom she had left calm and composed, should not be visited that night. Good, said Mr. Meagles cheerily. I have not a doubt that's best. I shall trust my remembrances then, my sweet nurse in your hands, and I well know they couldn't been better. I am off again tomorrow morning. Little Dorrit, surprised, asked him where. My dear, said Mr. Meagles, I can't live without breathing. This place has taken my breath away, and I shall never get it back again until Arthur is out of this place. How is that a reason for going off again tomorrow morning? You shall understand, said Mr. Meagles. Tonight with three we'll pull up at a city hotel. Tomorrow morning, mother and Taticorum will go down to Twickenham, where Mrs. Ticket, sitting attended by Dr. Bakken in the parlor window, will think them a couple of ghosts, and I shall go abroad again for doice. We must have done here. Now, I tell you my love, it's of no use writing and planning and conditionally speculating upon this and that and the other at uncertain intervals and distances. We must have doice here. I devote myself at daybreak tomorrow morning to bringing doice here. It's nothing to me to go and find him. I am an old traveller, and all foreign languages and customs are alike to me. I never understand anything about any of them. Therefore I can't be put to any inconvenience. Go at once, I must. It stands to reason, because I can't live without breathing freely, and I can't breathe freely until Arthur is out of this martial sea. I am stifled at the present moment and have scarcely breath enough to say this much, and to carry this precious box downstairs for you. They got into the street as the bell began to ring, Mr. Meagles carrying the box. Little Dorit had no conveyance there, which rather surprised him. He called a coach for her and she got into it, and he placed the box beside her when she was seated. In her joy and gratitude she kissed his hand. I don't like that, my dear, said Mr. Meagles. It goes against my feeling of what's right that you should do homage to me at the martial sea gate. She bent forward and kissed his cheek. You remind me of the days, said Mr. Meagles, suddenly drooping, but she is very fond of him and hides his faults, and thinks that no one sees them, and he certainly is well connected and of a very good family. It was the only comfort he had in the loss of his daughter, and if he made the most of it, who could blame him? End of chapter the 33rd, Book II of Little Dorit. This recording is in a public domain. Chapter the 34th, Book II of Little Dorit. Read for LibriVox.org by Ellis Christoff. Little Dorit by Charles Dickens. Book II. Chapter the 34th. Gone. On a healthy autumn day, the martial sea prisoner, weak but otherwise restored, sat listening to a voice that read to him. On a healthy autumn day, when the golden fields had been reaped and plowed again, when the summer fruits had ripened and waned, when the green perspectives of hops had been laid low by the busy pickers, when the apples clustering in the orchards were russet, and the berries of the mountain ash were crimson among the yellowing foliage. Already in the woods, glimpses of the hardy winter that was coming were to be caught through unaccustomed openings among the boughs, where the prospect shown defined and clear, free from the bloom of the drowsy summer weather, which had rested on it as the bloom lies on the plum. So, from the seashore the ocean was no longer to be seen lying asleep in the heat, but its thousand sparkling eyes were open, and its whole breath was in joyful animation, from the cool sand on the beach to the little sails on the horizon, drifting away like autumn tinted leaves that had drifted from the trees, changeless and barren, looking ignorantly at all the seasons with its fixed, pinched face of poverty and care. The prison had not a touch of any of these beauties on it. Blossom that wood. Its bricks and bars bore uniformly the same dead crop. Yet Clenum, listening to the voice as it read to him, heard in it all that great nature was doing, heard in it all the soothing songs she sings to man. At no mother's knee but hers had he ever dwelled in his youth on hopeful promises, on playful fancies, on the harvests of tenderness and humility that lie hidden in the early fostered seeds of the imagination, on the oaks of retreat from blighting winds that have the germs of their strong roots in nursery acorns. But in the tones of the voice that read to him, there were memories of an old feeling of such things and echoes of every merciful and loving whisper that had ever stolen to him in his life. When the voice stopped, he put his hand over his eyes, murmuring that the light was strong upon them. Little Dorit put the book by, and presently rose quietly to shade the window. Maggie sat at her needlework in her old place. The light softened. Little Dorit brought her chair closer to his side. This will soon be over now, dear Mr. Clenum. Not only are Mr. Dorit's letters to you so full of friendship and encouragement, but Mr. Ackses' letters to him are so full of help that everybody, now a little anger is passed, is so considerate, and speaks so well of you that it will soon be over now. Dear girl, dear heart, good angel, you praise me far so much, and yet it is such an exquisite pleasure to me to hear you speak so feelingly, and to—and to see, said Little Dorit, raising her eyes to his. How deeply you mean it, that I cannot say don't. He lifted her hand to his lips. You have been here many, many times when I have not seen you, Little Dorit. Yes, I have been here sometimes when I have not come into the room. Very often, rather often, said Little Dorit timidly, every day. I think, said Little Dorit after hesitating, that I have been here at least twice every day. He might have released a little light hand after fervently kissing it again, but that, with a very gentle lingering where it was, it seemed to cord being retained. He took it in both of his, and it lay softly on his breast. Dear Little Dorit, it is not my imprisonment only that will soon be over. This sacrifice of you must be ended. We must learn to part again, and to take our different ways so wide asunder. You have not forgotten what we said together when you came back. Oh no, I have not forgotten it. But something has been, you feel quite strong today, don't you? Quite strong. The hand he held crept up a little nearer his face. Do you feel quite strong enough to know what a great fortune I have got? I shall be very glad to be told, no fortune can be too great or good for Little Dorit. I have been anxiously waiting to tell you. I have been longing and longing to tell you, you are sure you will not take it? Never. You are quite sure you will not take half of it? Never, dear Little Dorit. As she looked at him silently, there was something in her affectionate face that he did not quite comprehend, something that could have broken into tears in a moment, and yet that was happy and proud. You will be sorry to hear what I have to tell you about Fanny. Poor Fanny has lost everything. She has nothing left but her husband's income. All that papa gave her when she married was lost as your money was lost. It was in the same hands, and it is all gone. Arthur was more shocked than surprised to hear it. I had hoped it might not be so bad, he said, but I had feared a heavy loss there, knowing the connection between her husband and the defaulter. Yes, and it's all gone. I am very sorry for Fanny, very, very, very sorry for poor Fanny, my poor brother too. Had he property in the same hands? Yes, and it's all gone. How much do you think my own great fortune is? As Arthur looked at her inquiringly, with a new apprehension on him, she withdrew her hand and laid her face down on the spot where it had rested. I have nothing in the world. I am as poor as when I lived here. When papa came over to England, he confided everything he had to the same hands, and it is all swept away. Oh, my dearest and best, are you quite sure you will not share my fortune with me now? Locked in his arms, held to his heart, with his manly tears upon her own cheek, she drew the slight hand round his neck and clasped it in its fellow hand. Never to part, my dearest Arthur, never any more, until the last. I never was rich before. I never was proud before. I never was happy before. I am rich in being taken by you. I am proud in having been resigned by you. I am happy in being with you in this prison, as I should be happy in coming back to it with you, if it should be the will of God, and comforting and serving you with all my love and truth. I am yours anywhere, everywhere. I love you dearly. I would rather pass my life here with you and go out daily, working for our bread, than I would have the greatest fortune that ever was told, and be the greatest lady that ever was honoured. Oh, if poor papa may only know how blessed at last my heart is, in this room where he suffered for so many years. Maggie had of course been staring from the first, and had of course been crying her eyes out long before this. Maggie was now so overjoyed that, after hugging her little mother with all her might, she went downstairs like a clock hornpipe to find somebody or other to whom to impart her gladness. Whom should Maggie meet but Flora, and Mr. Efsant opportunally coming in? And whom else, as a consequence of that meeting, should little Dorit find waiting for herself when, a good two or three hours afterwards, she went out. Flora's eyes were a little red, and she seemed rather out of spirits. Mr. Efsant was so stiffened that she had the appearance of being passed bending by any means short of powerful mechanical pressure. Her bonnet was cocked up behind in a terrific manner, and her stony reticule was as rigid as if it had been petrified by the gorgon's head, and had got it at that moment inside. With these imposing attributes, Mr. Efsant publicly seated on the steps of the Marshal's official residence, had been for the two or three hours in question a great boon to the younger inhabitants of the borough, whose sallies of humour she had considerably flushed herself by resenting at the point of her umbrella, from time to time. Painfully aware, Miss Dorit, I am sure, said Flora, that to propose in a German to any place to one so far removed by fortune, and so courted and caressed by the best society must ever appear intruding, even if not a pie shop far below your present sphere, and a back parlor, though a civil man, but if for the sake of Arthur cannot overcome it more improper now than ever, late doys and clenum, one last remark I might wish to make, one last explanation I might wish to offer, perhaps your good nature might excuse, under pretence of three kidney ones, the humble place of conversation. Rightly interpreting this rather obscure speech, little Dorit returned that she was quite at Flora's disposition, Flora accordingly led the way across the road to the pie-shopping question, Mr Efsant stalking across in the rear, and putting herself in the way of being ran over, with a perseverance worthy of a better cause. When the three kidney ones, which were to be a blind to the conversation, were set before them on three little tin platters, each kidney one ornamented with a hole at the top, into which the civil man poured hot gravy out of a spouted can, as if he were feeding three lamps Flora took out her pocket-hunk-achieve. If fancy's fair dreams, she began, have ever pictured that when Arthur, cannot overcome it break, excuse me, was restored to freedom, even a bias far from flaky as the present and so deficient in kidney, as to be in that respect like a minced nutmeg, might not prove unacceptable if offered by the hand of true regard, such visions have forever fled and all is cancelled but being aware, that tender relations are in contemplation, beg to state, that I heartily wish well to both, and find no fault with either, not the least. It may be withering to know that ere the hand of time had made me much less slim than formerly, and dreadfully read on the slightest exertion, particularly after reading, I well know when it takes the form of a rash, it might have been and was not through the interruption of parents, and mental torpor succeeded until the mysterious clue was healed by Mr. F, still I would not be ungenerous to either, and I heartily wish well to both. Little Dory took her hand, and thanked her for all her old kindness. Call it not kindness, returned Flora, giving her an honest kiss, for you always were the best and dearest little thing that ever was if I may take the liberty, and even in many point of view, a saving being conscience itself, though I must add much more agreeable than mine ever was to me. For though not I hope more burdened than other peoples yet, I have always found it far radiate to make one uncomfortable than comfortable, and evidently taking a greater pleasure in doing it. But I am wondering, one hope I wish to express ere yet the closing scene draws in, and it is that I do trust for the sake of old times and old sincerity that Arthur will know that I didn't desert him in his misfortunes, but that I came backwards and forwards constantly to ask if I could do anything for him and that I sat in the pie shop, where they very severely fetched something warm in a tumbler from the hotel, and really very nice hours after hours to keep him company over the way without his knowing it. Flora really had tears in her eyes now, and they showed her to great advantage. Over and above which, said Flora, I earnestly beg you as the dearest thing that ever was, if you'll still excuse the familiarity from one who moves in very different circles, to let Arthur understand that I don't know after all whether it wasn't all nonsense between us, though pleasant at the time and trying to and certainly misdirected work a change, and the spell being broken nothing could be expected to take place without weaving it afresh, which various circumstances have combined to prevent, of which perhaps not the least powerful was that it was not to be. I am not prepared to say that if it had been agreeable to Arthur and had brought itself about naturally in the first instance, I should not have been very glad being of a lively disposition and moped at home where papa undoubtedly is the most aggravating of his sex and not improved since having been cut down by the hand of the incendiary. It is something of which I never saw the counterpart in all my life, but jealousy is not my character nor ill will though many faults. Without having been able closely to follow Mrs Finching through this labyrinth, little Dorit understood its purpose and courtily accepted the trust. The withered chaplet, my dear, said Flora with great enjoyment, is then perished, the column is scrambled and the pyramid is standing upside down upon its, what's his name, call it not giddiness, call it not weakness, call it not folly. I must now retire into privacy and look upon the ashes of departed joys no more, but taking a further liberty of paying for the pastry, which has formed the humble pretext of our interview, will forever say adieu. Mr Efsand, who had eaten her pie with great solemnity, and who had been elaborating some grievous scheme of injury in her mind, since her first assumption of that public position on the marshal's steps took the present opportunity of addressing the following sibilic apostrophe to the relict of her late nephew. Bring him forward and I'll check him out a window! Flora tried in vain to soothe the excellent woman by explaining that they were going home to dinner. Mr Efsand persisted in replying, bring him forward and I'll check him out a window! Having reiterated this demand an immense number of times, with a sustained glare of defiance at little Dorrid, Mr Efsand folded her arms and sat down in the corner of the pie shop parlor, steadfastly refusing to budge until such time as he should have been brought forward and the chucking portion of his destiny accomplished. In this condition of things, Flora confided to little Dorrid that she had not seen Mr Efsand so full of life and character for weeks, that she would find it necessary to remain there hours perhaps until the inexorable old lady could be softened and that she could manage her best alone. They parted therefore in the friendliest manner and with the kindest feelings on both sides. Mr Efsand holding out like a grim fortress and Flora becoming in need of refreshment, a messenger was dispatched to the hotel for the tumbler already glanced at, which was afterwards replenished, with the aid of its content, a newspaper, and some skimming of the cream of the pie stock. Flora got through the remainder of the day in perfect good humour, though occasionally embarrassed by the consequences of an idle rumour which circulated among the credulous infants of the neighbourhood, to the effect that an old lady had sold herself to the pie shop to be made up and was then sitting in the pie shop parlor, declining to complete her contract. This attracted so many young persons of both sexes and, when the shades of evening began to fall, occasioned so much interruption to the business that the merchant became very pressing in his proposals that Mr Efsand should be removed. A conveyance was accordingly brought to the door, which, by the joint efforts of the merchant and Flora, this remarkable woman was at last induced to enter, though not without even then putting her head out of the window and demanding to have him brought forward, for the purpose originally mentioned. As she was observed at this time to direct baleful glances towards the marital sea, it has been supposed that this admirably consistent female intended by him, Arthur Clenham. This, however, is mere speculation. Who the person was, who, for the satisfaction of Mr Efsand's mind, ought to have been brought forward and never was brought forward, will never be positively known. The autumn days went on, and little Dorrit never came to the marital sea now and went away without seeing him. No, no, no. One morning, as Arthur listened for the light feet that every morning ascended winged to his heart, bringing the heavenly brightness of a new love into the room where the old love had wrought so hard and had been so true, one morning, as he listened, he heard her coming, not alone. Dear Arthur, said her delighted voice outside the door, I have someone here, may I bring someone in? He had thought from the tread there were two with her. He answered, yes, and she came in with Mr Meagles. Sun-brown and jolly Mr Meagles looked, and he opened his arms and folded Arthur in them, like a sun-brown and jolly father. Now I am all right, said Mr Meagles after a minute or so. Now it's over. Arthur, my dear fellow, confess at once that you expected me before. I did, said Arthur, but Amy told me, little Dorrit, never any other name. It was she who whispered it. But my little Dorrit told me that without asking for any further explanation I was not to expect you until I saw you. And now you see me, my boy, said Mr Meagles, shaking him by the hands stoutly, and now you shall have any explanation and every explanation. The fact is, I was here, came straight to you from the alongers and mashongers, or I should be ashamed to look you in the face this day. But you were not in company trim at the moment, and I had to start off again to catch Dois. Poor Dois, sighed Arthur. Don't call him names that he don't deserve, said Mr Meagles. He's not poor. He's doing well enough. Dois is a wonderful fellow over there. I assure you, he is making out his case like a house of fire. He has fallen on his legs has done. Where they don't want things done and find a man to doom, that man's off his legs. But where they do want things done and find a man to doom, that man's on his legs. You won't have occasion to trouble the Circumlocution Office any more. Let me tell you, Dan has done without him. What a load you take from my mind, cried Arthur. What happiness you give me. Happiness? We thought it, Mr Meagles. Don't talk about happiness till you see Dan. I assure you, Dan is directing works and executing labours over yonder, that it would make your hair stand on end to look at. He's no public offender, bless you now. He's meddled and ribboned, and starred and crossed, and I don't know what old, like a born nobleman. But we mustn't talk about that over here. Why not? Oh, my God! said Mr Meagles, shaking his head very seriously. He must hide all those things under lock and key when he comes over here. They won't do over here. In that particular, Britannia is a Britannia in the manger, won't give her children such distinctions herself, and won't allow them to be seen when they are given by other countries. No, no, Dan, said Mr Meagles, shaking his head again. That won't do here. If you had brought me, except for Doi's sake, twice what I have lost, cried Arthur, you would not have given me the pleasure that you give me in this news. Why, of course, of course, assented Mr Meagles. Of course, I know that, my good fellow, and therefore I come out with it in the first burst. Now, to go back about catching Doi's. I caught Doi's, ran against him among a lot of those dirty brown dogs in women's nightcaps, a great deal too big for him, calling themselves Arabs, and all sorts of incoherent races. You know him? Well, he was coming straight to me, and I was going to him. And so we came back together. Doi's in England? exclaimed Arthur. There, said Mr Meagles, throwing open his arms. I am the worst man in the world to manage a thing of this sort. I don't know what I should have done. If I had been in the diplomatic line, right perhaps, the long and short of it is Arthur. We have both been in England this fortnight. And if you go on to ask where Doi's is at the present moment, why, my plain answer is, here he is. And now I can breathe again at last. Doi's darted in from behind the door, caught Arthur by both hands, and said the rest for himself. There are only three branches of my subject, my dear clenum, said Doi's, proceeding to mold them severally, with his plastic thumb on the palm of his hand. And they are soon disposed of, first, not a word more from you about the past. There was an error in your calculations. I know what that is. It affects the whole machine, and failure is the consequence. You will profit by the failure, and will avoid it another time. I have done a similar thing myself in construction often. Every failure teaches a man something, if he will learn. And you are too sensible a man not to learn from this failure. So much for firstly. Secondly, I was sorry you should have taken it so heavily to heart, and reproached yourself so severely. I was travelling home night and day to put matters right, with the assistance of our friend. When I fell in with our friend as he has informed you. Thirdly, we too agreed that, after what you had undergone, after your distress of mind, and after your illness, it would be a pleasant surprise if we could so far keep quiet as to get things perfectly arranged without your knowledge, and then come and say that all the affairs were smooth, that everything was right, that the business stood in greater want of you than ever it did, and that a new and prosperous career was opened before you and me as partners. That's thirdly. But you know, we always make an allowance for friction, and so I have reserved space to close in. My dear clenum, I thoroughly confide in you. You have it in your power to be quite as useful to me as I have, or have had it in my power to be useful to you. Your old place awaits you, and wants you very much. There is nothing to detain you here one half hour longer. There was silence, which was not broken until Arthur had stood for some time at the window with his back towards them, and until his little wife that was to be had gone to him and stayed by him. I made a remark a little while ago, said Daniel Dois then, which I am inclined to think was an incorrect one. I said there was nothing to detain you here, clenum, half an hour longer. Am I mistaken in supposing that you would rather not leave here till tomorrow morning? Do I know, without being very wise, where you would like to go, direct from these walls and from this room? You do, returned Arthur. It has been our cherished purpose. Very well, said Dois, then if this young lady will do me the honour of regarding me for four and twenty hours in the light of her father, and will take a ride with me now towards St Paul's church yard, I dare say I know what we want to get there. Little Dorriton he went out together soon afterwards, and Mr Meagles lingered behind to say a word to his friend. I think Arthur, you will not want mother and me in the morning, and we will keep away. It might set mother thinking about Pet, she is a soft-hearted woman, she is best at the cottage, and I'll stay there and keep her company. With that they parted for the time. And the day ended, and the night ended, and the morning came, and little Dorrit, simply dressed as usual and having no one with her but Maggie, came into the prison with the sunshine. The poor room was a happy room that morning, where in the world was there a room so full of quiet joy. My dear love, said Arthur, why does Maggie light the fire? We shall be gone directly. I asked her to do it, I have taken such an odd fancy, I want you to burn something for me. What? Only this folded paper, if you will put it in the fire with your own hand, just as it is, my fancy will be gratified. Superstitious, darling little Dorrit, is it a charm? It is anything you like best my own, she answered, laughing with glistening eyes and standing on tiptoe to kiss him, if you will only humor me when the fire burns up. So they stood before the fire waiting, clenching with his arm about her waist, and the fire shining, as fire in that same place had often shone in little Dorrit's eyes. Is it bright enough now, said Arthur? Quite bright enough now, said little Dorrit, does the charm want any words to be said, asked Arthur as he held the paper over the flame. You can say, if you don't mind, I love you, answered little Dorrit. So he said it, and the paper burned away. They passed very quietly along the yard, for no one was there, though many heads were still dilly peeping from the windows. Only one face, familiar of old, was in the lodge. When they had both accosted it, and spoken many kind words, little Dorrit turned back one last time with her hand stretched out, saying, goodbye, good John, I hope you will live very happy, dear. Then they went up the steps of the neighbouring St George's Church, and went up to the altar, where Daniel Dois was waiting in his paternal character. And there was little Dorrit's old friend, who had given her the burial register for a pillow, full of admiration that she should come back to them to be married, after all. And they were married with the sun shining on them, through the painted figure of our saviour on the window. And they went into the very room where little Dorrit had slumbered after her party to sign the marriage register. And there, Mr. Panks, destined to be chief clerk to Dois and Clenham, and afterwards partner in the house, sinking the incendiary in the peaceful friend, looked in at the door to see it done, with Flora gallantly supported on one arm and Maggie on the other, and a background of John Givory, and father, and other turnkeys, who had run round for the moment, deserting the parent Marshall C for its happy child. Nor had Flora the least signs of seclusion upon her, notwithstanding her recent declaration, but, on the contrary, was wonderfully smart and enjoyed the ceremonies mightily, though in a fluttered way. Little Dorrit's old friend held the incest as she signed her name, and the clerk paused in taking off the good clergyman's surplus. And all the witnesses looked on with special interest. For you see, said Little Dorrit's old friend, this young lady is one of our curiosities, and has come now to the third volume of our registers. Her birth is in what I call the first volume. She lay asleep on this very floor with her pretty head on what I call the second volume, and she's now writing her little name as a bride in what I call the third volume. They all gave place when the signing was done, and Little Dorrit and her husband walked out of the church alone. They paused for a moment on the steps of the portico, looking at the fresh perspective of the street in the autumn morning sun's bright rays, and then went down. Went down into a modest life of usefulness and happiness. Went down to give a mother's care, in the fullness of time, to fan his neglected children no less than to their own, and to leave that lady going into society forever and a day. Went down to give a tenderness and friend to tip for some few years, who was never vexed by the great exactions he made of her, in return for the riches he might have given her if he had ever had them, and who lovingly closed his eyes upon the Marshall Sea and all its blighted fruits. They went quietly down into the roaring streets inseparable and blessed, and as they passed along in sunshine and shade, the noisy and the eager, and the arrogant, and the froad, and the vain, thredded and chafed, and made their usual uproar. End of chapter the 34th, book the second of Little Dorrit. End of Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. This recording is in the public domain.