andthatmorewouldbeawasteofmoney。ThePrincipalandinstrumentsoondroveofftogethertoastable-yardinHighHolborn，wherearemarkablyfinegreygelding，worth，atthelowestfigure，seventy-fiveguineasnottakingintoaccountthevalueoftheshothehadbeenmadetoswallowfortheimprovementofhisform，wastobepartedwithforatwenty-poundnote，inconsequenceofhishavingrunawaylastweekwithMrsCaptainBarbaryofCheltenham，whowasn’tuptoahorseofhiscourage，andwho，inmerespite，insistedonsellinghimforthatridiculoussum：or，inotherwords，ongivinghimaway。Plornish，goingupthisyardaloneandleavinghisPrincipaloutside，foundagentlemanwithtightdrablegs，aratheroldhat，alittlehookedstick，andablueneckerchiefCaptainMaroonofGloucestershire，aprivatefriendofCaptainBarbary；whohappenedtobethere，inafriendlyway，tomentiontheselittlecircumstancesconcerningtheremarkablyfinegreygeldingtoanyrealjudgeofahorseandquicksnapper-upofagoodthing，whomightlookinatthataddressasperadvertisement。Thisgentleman，happeningalsotobethePlaintiffintheTipcase，referredMrPlornishtohissolicitor，anddeclinedtotreatwithMrPlornish，oreventoendurehispresenceintheyard，unlessheappearedtherewithatwenty-poundnote：inwhichcaseonly，thegentlemanwouldaugurfromappearancesthathemeantbusiness，andmightbeinducedtotalktohim。Onthishint，MrPlornishretiredtocommunicatewithhisPrincipal，andpresentlycamebackwiththerequiredcredentials。
　　ThensaidCaptainMaroon，’Now，howmuchtimedoyouwanttomaketheothertwentyin？Now，I’llgiveyouamonth。’ThensaidCaptainMaroon，whenthatwouldn’tsuit，’Now，I’lltellwhatI’lldowithyou。Youshallgetmeagoodbillatfourmonths，madepayableatabanking-house，fortheothertwenty!’ThensaidCaptainMaroon，whenTHATwouldn’tsuit，’Now，come；Here’sthelastI’vegottosaytoyou。Youshallgivemeanothertendown，andI’llrunmypencleanthroughit。’ThensaidCaptainMaroonwhenTHATwouldn’tsuit，’Now，I’lltellyouwhatitis，andthisshutsitup；hehasusedmebad，butI’lllethimoffforanotherfivedownandabottleofwine；andifyoumeandone，saydone，andifyoudon’tlikeit，leaveit。’FinallysaidCaptainMaroon，whenTHATwouldn’tsuiteither，’Handover，then!’——Andinconsiderationofthefirstoffer，gaveareceiptinfullanddischargedtheprisoner。
　　’MrPlornish，’saidArthur，’Itrusttoyou，ifyouplease，tokeepmysecret。Ifyouwillundertaketolettheyoungmanknowthatheisfree，andtotellhimthatyouwereemployedtocompoundforthedebtbysomeonewhomyouarenotatlibertytoname，youwillnotonlydomeaservice，butmaydohimone，andhissisteralso。’
　　’Thelastreason，sir，’saidPlornish，’wouldbequitesufficient。
　　Yourwishesshallbeattendedto。’
　　’AFriendhasobtainedhisdischarge，youcansayifyouplease。
　　AFriendwhohopesthatforhissister’ssake，iffornooneelse’s，hewillmakegooduseofhisliberty。’
　　’Yourwishes，sir，shallbeattendedto。’
　　’Andifyouwillbesogood，inyourbetterknowledgeofthefamily，astocommunicatefreelywithme，andtopointouttomeanymeansbywhichyouthinkImaybedelicatelyandreallyusefultoLittleDorrit，Ishallfeelunderanobligationtoyou。’
　　’Don’tnameit，sir，’returnedPlornish，’it’llbeekallyapleasureana——it’lbeekallyapleasureanda——’Findinghimselfunabletobalancehissentenceaftertwoefforts，MrPlornishwiselydroppedit。HetookClennam’scardandappropriatepecuniarycompliment。
　　Hewasearnesttofinishhiscommissionatonce，andhisPrincipalwasinthesamemind。SohisPrincipalofferedtosethimdownattheMarshalseaGate，andtheydroveinthatdirectionoverBlackfriarsBridge。Ontheway，ArthurelicitedfromhisnewfriendaconfusedsummaryoftheinteriorlifeofBleedingHeartYard。Theywasallhardupthere，MrPlornishsaid，uncommonhardup，tobesure。Well，hecouldn’tsayhowitwas；hedidn’tknowasanybodycouldsayhowitwas；allheknow’dwas，thatsoitwas。
　　Whenamanfelt，onhisownbackandinhisownbelly，thatpoorhewas，thatmanMrPlornishgaveitashisdecidedbeliefknow’dwellthathewaspoorsomehoworanother，andyoucouldn’ttalkitoutofhim，nomorethanyoucouldtalkBeefintohim。Thenyousee，somepeopleaswasbetteroffsaid，andagoodmanysuchpeoplelivedprettycloseuptothemarkthemselvesifnotbeyonditsohe’dheerd，thattheywas’improvident’thatwasthefavouriteworddowntheYard。Forinstance，iftheyseeamanwithhiswifeandchildrengoingtoHamptonCourtinaWan，perhapsonceinayear，theysays，’Hallo!Ithoughtyouwaspoor，myimprovidentfriend!’Why，Lord，howharditwasuponaman!Whatwasamantodo？Hecouldn’tgomollancholymad，andevenifhedid，youwouldn’tbethebetterforit。InMrPlornish’sjudgmentyouwouldbetheworseforit。Yetyouseemedtowanttomakeamanmollancholymad。Youwasalwaysatit——ifnotwithyourrighthand，withyourleft。WhatwastheyadoingintheYard？Why，takealookat’emandsee。Therewasthegirlsandtheirmothersaworkingattheirsewing，ortheirshoe-binding，ortheirtrimming，ortheirwaistcoatmaking，dayandnightandnightandday，andnotmorethanabletokeepbodyandsoultogetherafterall——oftennotsomuch。Therewaspeopleofprettywellallsortsoftradesyoucouldname，allwantingtowork，andyetnotabletogetit。Therewasoldpeople，afterworkingalltheirlives，goingandbeingshutupintheworkhouse，muchworsefedandlodgedandtreatedaltogether，than——MrPlornishsaidmanufacturers，butappearedtomeanmalefactors。Why，amandidn’tknowwheretoturnhimselfforacrumbofcomfort。Astowhowastoblameforit，MrPlornishdidn’tknowwhowastoblameforit。Hecouldtellyouwhosuffered，buthecouldn’ttellyouwhosefaultitwas。Itwasn’tHISplacetofindout，andwho’dmindwhathesaid，ifhedidfindout？Heonlyknow’dthatitwasn’tputrightbythemwhatundertookthatlineofbusiness，andthatitdidn’tcomerightofitself。And，inbrief，hisillogicalopinionwas，thatifyoucouldn’tdonothingforhim，youhadbettertakenothingfromhimfordoingofit；sofarashecouldmakeout，thatwasaboutwhatitcometo。Thus，inaprolix，gently-growling，foolishway，didPlornishturnthetangledskeinofhisestateaboutandabout，likeablindmanwhowastryingtofindsomebeginningorendtoit；
　　untiltheyreachedtheprisongate。There，helefthisPrincipalalone；towonder，asherodeaway，howmanythousandPlornishestheremightbewithinadayortwo’sjourneyoftheCircumlocutionOffice，playingsundrycuriousvariationsonthesametune，whichwerenotknownbyearinthatgloriousinstitution。
　　PatriarchalThementionofMrCasbyagainrevivedinClennam’smemorythesmoulderingembersofcuriosityandinterestwhichMrsFlintwinchhadfannedonthenightofhisarrival。FloraCasbyhadbeenthebelovedofhisboyhood；andFlorawasthedaughterandonlychildofwooden-headedoldChristophersohewasstilloccasionallyspokenofbysomeirreverentspiritswhohadhaddealingswithhim，andinwhomfamiliarityhadbreditsproverbialresultperhaps，whowasreputedtoberichinweeklytenants，andtogetagoodquantityofbloodoutofthestonesofseveralunpromisingcourtsandalleys。
　　Aftersomedaysofinquiryandresearch，ArthurClennambecameconvincedthatthecaseoftheFatheroftheMarshalseawasindeedahopelessone，andsorrowfullyresignedtheideaofhelpinghimtofreedomagain。Hehadnohopefulinquirytomakeatpresent，concerningLittleDorriteither；buthearguedwithhimselfthatitmight——foranythingheknew——itmightbeserviceabletothepoorchild，ifherenewedthisacquaintance。ItishardlynecessarytoaddthatbeyondalldoubthewouldhavepresentedhimselfatMrCasby’sdoor，iftherehadbeennoLittleDorritinexistence；forweallknowhowwealldeceiveourselves——thatistosay，howpeopleingeneral，ourprofounderselvesexcepted，deceivethemselves——astomotivesofaction。
　　Withacomfortableimpressionuponhim，andquiteanhonestoneinitsway，thathewasstillpatronisingLittleDorritindoingwhathadnoreferencetoher，hefoundhimselfoneafternoonatthecornerofMrCasby’sstreet。MrCasbylivedinastreetintheGray’sInnRoad，whichhadsetofffromthatthoroughfarewiththeintentionofrunningatoneheatdownintothevalley，andupagaintothetopofPentonvilleHill；butwhichhadrunitselfoutofbreathintwentyyards，andhadstoodstilleversince。Thereisnosuchplaceinthatpartnow；butitremainedthereformanyyears，lookingwithabaulkedcountenanceatthewildernesspatchedwithunfruitfulgardensandpimpledwitheruptivesummerhouses，thatithadmeanttorunoverinnotime。
　　’Thehouse，’thoughtClennam，ashecrossedtothedoor，’isaslittlechangedasmymother’s，andlooksalmostasgloomy。Butthelikenessendsoutside。Iknowitsstaidreposewithin。Thesmellofitsjarsofoldrose-leavesandlavenderseemstocomeuponmeevenhere。’
　　Whenhisknockatthebrightbrassknockerofobsoleteshapebroughtawoman-servanttothedoor，thosefadedscentsintruthsalutedhimlikewintrybreaththathadafaintremembranceinitofthebygonespring。Hesteppedintothesober，silent，air-tighthouse——onemighthavefanciedittohavebeenstifledbyMutesintheEasternmanner——andthedoor，closingagain，seemedtoshutoutsoundandmotion。Thefurniturewasformal，grave，andquaker-
　　like，butwell-kept；andhadasprepossessinganaspectasanything，fromahumancreaturetoawoodenstool，thatismeantformuchuseandispreservedforlittle，caneverwear。Therewasagraveclock，tickingsomewhereupthestaircase；andtherewasasonglessbirdinthesamedirection，peckingathiscage，asifheweretickingtoo。Theparlour-firetickedinthegrate。Therewasonlyonepersonontheparlour-hearth，andtheloudwatchinhispockettickedaudibly。
　　Theservant-maidhadtickedthetwowords’MrClennam’sosoftlythatshehadnotbeenheard；andheconsequentlystood，withinthedoorshehadclosed，unnoticed。Thefigureofamanadvancedinlife，whosesmoothgreyeyebrowsseemedtomovetothetickingasthefire-lightflickeredonthem，satinanarm-chair，withhislistshoesontherug，andhisthumbsslowlyrevolvingoveroneanother。ThiswasoldChristopherCasby——recognisableataglance——asunchangedintwentyyearsandupwardashisownsolidfurniture——aslittletouchedbytheinfluenceofthevaryingseasonsastheoldrose-leavesandoldlavenderinhisporcelainjars。
　　Perhapsthereneverwasaman，inthistroublesomeworld，sotroublesomefortheimaginationtopictureasaboy。Andyethehadchangedverylittleinhisprogressthroughlife。Confrontinghim，intheroominwhichhesat，wasaboy’sportrait，whichanybodyseeinghimwouldhaveidentifiedasMasterChristopherCasby，agedten：thoughdisguisedwithahaymakingrake，forwhichhehadhad，atanytime，asmuchtasteoruseasforadiving-bell；
　　andsittingononeofhisownlegsuponabankofviolets，movedtoprecociouscontemplationbythespireofavillagechurch。
　　Therewasthesamesmoothfaceandforehead，thesamecalmblueeye，thesameplacidair。Theshiningbaldhead，whichlookedsoverylargebecauseitshonesomuch；andthelonggreyhairatitssidesandback，likeflosssilkorspunglass，whichlookedsoverybenevolentbecauseitwasnevercut；werenot，ofcourse，tobeseenintheboyasintheoldman。Nevertheless，intheSeraphiccreaturewiththehaymakingrake，wereclearlytobediscernedtherudimentsofthePatriarchwiththelistshoes。
　　Patriarchwasthenamewhichmanypeopledelightedtogivehim。
　　VariousoldladiesintheneighbourhoodspokeofhimasTheLastofthePatriarchs。Sogrey，soslow，soquiet，soimpassionate，soverybumpyinthehead，Patriarchwasthewordforhim。Hehadbeenaccostedinthestreets，andrespectfullysolicitedtobecomeaPatriarchforpaintersandforsculptors；withsomuchimportunity，insooth，thatitwouldappeartobebeyondtheFineArtstorememberthepointsofaPatriarch，ortoinventone。
　　Philanthropistsofbothsexeshadaskedwhohewas，andonbeinginformed，’OldChristopherCasby，formerlyTown-agenttoLordDecimusTiteBarnacle，’hadcriedinaraptureofdisappointment，’Oh!why，withthathead，ishenotabenefactortohisspecies!
　　Oh!why，withthathead，ishenotafathertotheorphanandafriendtothefriendless!’Withthathead，however，heremainedoldChristopherCasby，proclaimedbycommonreportrichinhouseproperty；andwiththathead，henowsatinhissilentparlour。
　　Indeeditwouldbetheheightofunreasontoexpecthimtobesittingtherewithoutthathead。