’Nooneknowsit。Don’tlooktowardsme；looktowardshim。Hewillturnhisfaceinamoment。Nooneknowsit，butIamsurehedid。Youare？’
　　’I——Ithinkso，’LittleDorritanswered。
　　’Henrylikeshim，andhewillnotthinkillofhim；heissogenerousandopenhimself。ButyouandIfeelsurethatwethinkofhimashedeserves。HearguedwithHenrythatthedoghadbeenalreadypoisonedwhenhechangedso，andsprangathim。Henrybelievesit，butwedonot。Iseeheislistening，butcan’thear。
　　Good-bye，mylove!Good-bye!’
　　Thelastwordswerespokenaloud，asthevigilantBlandoisstopped，turnedhishead，andlookedatthemfromthebottomofthestaircase。Assuredlyhedidlookthen，thoughhelookedhispolitest，asifanyrealphilanthropistcouldhavedesirednobetteremploymentthantolashagreatstonetohisneck，anddrophimintothewaterflowingbeyondthedarkarchedgatewayinwhichhestood。Nosuchbenefactortomankindbeingonthespot，hehandedMrsGowantoherboat，andstoodthereuntilithadshotoutofthenarrowview；whenhehandedhimselfintohisownboatandfollowed。
　　LittleDorrithadsometimesthought，andnowthoughtagainassheretracedherstepsupthestaircase，thathehadmadehiswaytooeasilyintoherfather’shouse。Butsomanyandsuchvarietiesofpeopledidthesame，throughMrDorrit’sparticipationinhiselderdaughter’ssocietymania，thatitwashardlyanexceptionalcase。
　　Aperfectfuryformakingacquaintancesonwhomtoimpresstheirrichesandimportance，hadseizedtheHouseofDorrit。
　　Itappearedonthewhole，toLittleDorritherself，thatthissamesocietyinwhichtheylived，greatlyresembledasuperiorsortofMarshalsea。Numbersofpeopleseemedtocomeabroad，prettymuchaspeoplehadcomeintotheprison；throughdebt，throughidleness，relationship，curiosity，andgeneralunfitnessforgettingonathome。Theywerebroughtintotheseforeigntownsinthecustodyofcouriersandlocalfollowers，justasthedebtorshadbeenbroughtintotheprison。Theyprowledaboutthechurchesandpicture-
　　galleries，muchintheold，dreary，prison-yardmanner。Theywereusuallygoingawayagainto-morrowornextweek，andrarelyknewtheirownminds，andseldomdidwhattheysaidtheywoulddo，orwentwheretheysaidtheywouldgo：inallthisagain，veryliketheprisondebtors。Theypaidhighforpooraccommodation，anddisparagedaplacewhiletheypretendedtolikeit：whichwasexactlytheMarshalseacustom。Theywereenviedwhentheywentawaybypeopleleftbehind，feigningnottowanttogo：andthatagainwastheMarshalseahabitinvariably。Acertainsetofwordsandphrases，asmuchbelongingtotouristsastheCollegeandtheSnuggerybelongedtothejail，wasalwaysintheirmouths。Theyhadpreciselythesameincapacityforsettlingdowntoanything，astheprisonersusedtohave；theyratherdeterioratedoneanother，astheprisonersusedtodo；andtheyworeuntidydresses，andfellintoaslouchingwayoflife：still，alwayslikethepeopleintheMarshalsea。
　　Theperiodofthefamily’sstayatVenicecame，initscourse，toanend，andtheymoved，withtheirretinue，toRome。ThrougharepetitionoftheformerItalianscenes，growingmoredirtyandmorehaggardastheywenton，andbringingthematlengthtowheretheveryairwasdiseased，theypassedtotheirdestination。A
　　fineresidencehadbeentakenforthemontheCorso，andtheretheytookuptheirabode，inacitywhereeverythingseemedtobetryingtostandstillforeverontheruinsofsomethingelse——exceptthewater，which，followingeternallaws，tumbledandrolledfromitsgloriousmultitudeoffountains。
　　HereitseemedtoLittleDorritthatachangecameovertheMarshalseaspiritoftheirsociety，andthatPrunesandPrismgottheupperhand。EverybodywaswalkingaboutStPeter’sandtheVaticanonsomebodyelse’scorklegs，andstrainingeveryvisibleobjectthroughsomebodyelse’ssieve。Nobodysaidwhatanythingwas，buteverybodysaidwhattheMrsGenerals，MrEustace，orsomebodyelsesaiditwas。Thewholebodyoftravellersseemedtobeacollectionofvoluntaryhumansacrifices，boundhandandfoot，anddeliveredovertoMrEustaceandhisattendants，tohavetheentrailsoftheirintellectsarrangedaccordingtothetasteofthatsacredpriesthood。Throughtheruggedremainsoftemplesandtombsandpalacesandsenatehallsandtheatresandamphitheatresofancientdays，hostsoftongue-tiedandblindfoldedmodernswerecarefullyfeelingtheirway，incessantlyrepeatingPrunesandPrismintheendeavourtosettheirlipsaccordingtothereceivedform。
　　MrsGeneralwasinherpureelement。Nobodyhadanopinion。Therewasaformationofsurfacegoingonaroundheronanamazingscale，andithadnotaflawofcourageorhonestfreespeechinit。
　　AnothermodificationofPrunesandPrisminsinuateditselfonLittleDorrit’snoticeveryshortlyaftertheirarrival。TheyreceivedanearlyvisitfromMrsMerdle，wholedthatextensivedepartmentoflifeintheEternalCitythatwinter；andtheskilfulmannerinwhichsheandFannyfencedwithoneanotherontheoccasion，almostmadeherquietsisterwink，liketheglitteringofsmall-swords。
　　’Sodelighted，’saidMrsMerdle，’toresumeanacquaintancesoinauspiciouslybegunatMartigny。’
　　’AtMartigny，ofcourse，’saidFanny。’Charmed，Iamsure!’
　　’Iunderstand，’saidMrsMerdle，’frommysonEdmundSparkler，thathehasalreadyimprovedthatchanceoccasion。HehasreturnedquitetransportedwithVenice。’
　　’Indeed？’returnedthecarelessFanny。’Washetherelong？’
　　’ImightreferthatquestiontoMrDorrit，’saidMrsMerdle，turningthebosomtowardsthatgentleman；’Edmundhavingbeensomuchindebtedtohimforrenderinghisstayagreeable。’
　　’Oh，praydon’tspeakofit，’returnedFanny。’IbelievePapahadthepleasureofinvitingMrSparklertwiceorthrice，——butitwasnothing。Wehadsomanypeopleaboutus，andkeptsuchopenhouse，thatifhehadthatpleasure，itwaslessthannothing。’
　　’Except，mydear，’saidMrDorrit，’except——ha——asitaffordedmeunusualgratificationto——hum——showbyanymeans，howeverslightandworthless，the——ha，hum——highestimationinwhich，in——ha——
　　commonwiththerestoftheworld，IholdsodistinguishedandprincelyacharacterasMrMerdle’s。’
　　Thebosomreceivedthistributeinitsmostengagingmanner。’MrMerdle，’observedFanny，asameansofdismissingMrSparklerintothebackground，’isquiteathemeofPapa’s，youmustknow，MrsMerdle。’
　　’Ihavebeen——ha——disappointed，madam，’saidMrDorrit，’tounderstandfromMrSparklerthatthereisnogreat——hum——
　　probabilityofMrMerdle’scomingabroad。’
　　’Why，indeed，’saidMrsMerdle，’heissomuchengagedandinsuchrequest，thatIfearnot。Hehasnotbeenabletogetabroadforyears。You，MissDorrit，Ibelievehavebeenalmostcontinuallyabroadforalongtime。’
　　’Ohdearyes，’drawledFanny，withthegreatesthardihood。’Animmensenumberofyears。’
　　’SoIshouldhaveinferred，’saidMrsMerdle。
　　’Exactly，’saidFanny。
　　’Itrust，however，’resumedMrDorrit，’thatifIhavenotthe——
　　hum——greatadvantageofbecomingknowntoMrMerdleonthissideoftheAlpsorMediterranean，IshallhavethathonouronreturningtoEngland。ItisanhonourIparticularlydesireandshallparticularlyesteem。’
　　’MrMerdle，’saidMrsMerdle，whohadbeenlookingadmiringlyatFannythroughhereye-glass，’willesteemit，Iamsure，noless。’
　　LittleDorrit，stillhabituallythoughtfulandsolitarythoughnolongeralone，atfirstsupposedthistobemerePrunesandPrism。
　　ButasherfatherwhentheyhadbeentoabrilliantreceptionatMrsMerdle’s，harpedattheirownfamilybreakfast-tableonhiswishtoknowMrMerdle，withthecontingentviewofbenefitingbytheadviceofthatwonderfulmaninthedisposalofhisfortune，shebegantothinkithadarealmeaning，andtoentertainacuriosityonherownparttoseetheshininglightofthetime。
　　TheDowagerMrsGowanisremindedthat’ItNeverDoes’
　　WhilethewatersofVeniceandtheruinsofRomeweresunningthemselvesforthepleasureoftheDorritfamily，andweredailybeingsketchedoutofallearthlyproportion，lineament，andlikeness，bytravellingpencilsinnumerable，thefirmofDoyceandClennamhammeredawayinBleedingHeartYard，andthevigorousclinkofironuponironwasheardtherethroughtheworkinghours。
　　Theyoungerpartnerhad，bythistime，broughtthebusinessintosoundtrim；andtheelder，leftfreetofollowhisowningeniousdevices，haddonemuchtoenhancethecharacterofthefactory。Asaningeniousman，hehadnecessarilytoencountereverydiscouragementthattherulingpowersforalengthoftimehadbeenablebyanymeanstoputinthewayofthisclassofculprits；butthatwasonlyreasonableself-defenceinthepowers，sinceHowtodoitmustobviouslyberegardedasthenaturalandmortalenemyofHownottodoit。Inthiswastobefoundthebasisofthewisesystem，bytoothandnailupheldbytheCircumlocutionOffice，ofwarningeveryingeniousBritishsubjecttobeingeniousathisperil：ofharassinghim，obstructinghim，invitingrobbersbymakinghisremedyuncertain，andexpensivetoplunderhim，andatthebestofconfiscatinghispropertyafterashorttermofenjoyment，asthoughinventionwereonaparwithfelony。ThesystemhaduniformlyfoundgreatfavourwiththeBarnacles，andthatwasonlyreasonable，too；foronewhoworthilyinventsmustbeinearnest，andtheBarnaclesabhorredanddreadednothinghalfsomuch。Thatagainwasveryreasonable；sinceinacountrysufferingundertheafflictionofagreatamountofearnestness，theremight，inanexceedingshortspaceoftime，benotasingleBarnacleleftstickingtoapost。
　　DanielDoycefacedhisconditionwithitspainsandpenaltiesattachedtoit，andsoberlyworkedonforthework’ssake。Clennamcheeringhimwithaheartyco-operation，wasamoralsupporttohim，besidesdoinggoodserviceinhisbusinessrelation。Theconcernprospered，andthepartnerswerefastfriends。
　　ButDanielcouldnotforgettheolddesignofsomanyyears。Itwasnotinreasontobeexpectedthatheshould；ifhecouldhavelightlyforgottenit，hecouldneverhaveconceivedit，orhadthepatienceandperseverancetoworkitout。SoClennamthought，whenhesometimesobservedhimofaneveninglookingoverthemodelsanddrawings，andconsolinghimselfbymutteringwithasighasheputthemawayagain，thatthethingwasastrueasiteverwas。
　　Toshownosympathywithsomuchendeavour，andsomuchdisappointment，wouldhavebeentofailinwhatClennamregardedasamongtheimpliedobligationsofhispartnership。ArevivalofthepassinginterestinthesubjectwhichhadbeenbychanceawakenedatthedooroftheCircumlocutionOffice，originatedinthisfeeling。Heaskedhispartnertoexplaintheinventiontohim；
　　’havingalenientconsideration，’hestipulated，’formybeingnoworkman，Doyce。’
　　’Noworkman？’saidDoyce。’Youwouldhavebeenathoroughworkmanifyouhadgivenyourselftoit。YouhaveasgoodaheadforunderstandingsuchthingsasIhavemetwith。’
　　’Atotallyuneducatedone，Iamsorrytoadd，’saidClennam。
　　’Idon’tknowthat，’returnedDoyce，’andIwouldn’thaveyousaythat。Nomanofsensewhohasbeengenerallyimproved，andhasimprovedhimself，canbecalledquiteuneducatedastoanything。
　　Idon’tparticularlyfavourmysteries。Iwouldassoon，onafairandclearexplanation，bejudgedbyoneclassofmanasanother，providedhehadthequalificationIhavenamed。’
　　’Atallevents，’saidClennam——’thissoundsasifwewereexchangingcompliments，butweknowwearenot——Ishallhavetheadvantageofasplainanexplanationascanbegiven。’
　　’Well!’saidDaniel，inhissteadyevenway，’I’lltrytomakeitso。’