Threeo’clock，andhalf-pastthree，andtheyhadpassedoverLondonBridge。Theyhadheardtherushofthetideagainstobstacles；andlookeddown，awed，throughthedarkvapourontheriver；hadseenlittlespotsoflightedwaterwherethebridgelampswerereflected，shininglikedemoneyes，withaterriblefascinationinthemforguiltandmisery。Theyhadshrunkpasthomelesspeople，lyingcoiledupinnooks。Theyhadrunfromdrunkards。Theyhadstartedfromslinkingmen，whistlingandsigningtooneanotheratbyecorners，orrunningawayatfullspeed。Thougheverywheretheleaderandtheguide，LittleDorrit，happyforonceinheryouthfulappearance，feignedtoclingtoandrelyuponMaggy。Andmorethanoncesomevoice，fromamongaknotofbrawlingorprowlingfiguresintheirpath，hadcalledouttotherestto’letthewomanandthechildgoby!’
　　So，thewomanandthechildhadgoneby，andgoneon，andfivehadsoundedfromthesteeples。Theywerewalkingslowlytowardstheeast，alreadylookingforthefirstpalestreakofday，whenawomancameafterthem。
　　’Whatareyoudoingwiththechild？’shesaidtoMaggy。
　　Shewasyoung——fartooyoungtobethere，Heavenknows!——andneitheruglynorwicked-looking。Shespokecoarsely，butwithnonaturallycoarsevoice；therewasevensomethingmusicalinitssound。
　　’Whatareyoudoingwithyourself？’retortedMaggy，forwantOfabetteranswer。
　　’Can’tyousee，withoutmytellingyou？’
　　’Idon’tknowasIcan，’saidMaggy。
　　’Killingmyself!NowIhaveansweredyou，answerme。Whatareyoudoingwiththechild？’
　　Thesupposedchildkeptherheaddroopeddown，andkeptherformcloseatMaggy’sside。
　　’Poorthing!’saidthewoman。’Haveyounofeeling，thatyoukeepheroutinthecruelstreetsatsuchatimeasthis？Haveyounoeyes，thatyoudon’tseehowdelicateandslendersheis？Haveyounosenseyoudon’tlookasifyouhadmuchthatyoudon’ttakemorepityonthiscoldandtremblinglittlehand？’
　　Shehadsteppedacrosstothatside，andheldthehandbetweenherowntwo，chafingit。’Kissapoorlostcreature，dear，’shesaid，bendingherface，’andtellmewhere’sshetakingyou。’
　　LittleDorritturnedtowardsher。
　　’Why，myGod!’shesaid，recoiling，’you’reawoman!’
　　’Don’tmindthat!’saidLittleDorrit，claspingoneofherhandsthathadsuddenlyreleasedhers。’Iamnotafraidofyou。’
　　’Thenyouhadbetterbe，’sheanswered。’Haveyounomother？’
　　’No。’
　　’Nofather？’
　　’Yes，averydearone。’
　　’Gohometohim，andbeafraidofme。Letmego。Goodnight!’
　　’Imustthankyoufirst；letmespeaktoyouasifIreallywereachild。’
　　’Youcan’tdoit，’saidthewoman。’Youarekindandinnocent；butyoucan’tlookatmeoutofachild’seyes。Inevershouldhavetouchedyou，butIthoughtthatyouwereachild。’Andwithastrange，wildcry，shewentaway。
　　Nodayyetinthesky，buttherewasdayintheresoundingstonesofthestreets；inthewaggons，carts，andcoaches；intheworkersgoingtovariousoccupations；intheopeningofearlyshops；inthetrafficatmarkets；inthestiroftheriverside。Therewascomingdayintheflaringlights，withafeeblercolourinthemthantheywouldhavehadatanothertime；comingdayintheincreasedsharpnessoftheair，andtheghastlydyingofthenight。
　　Theywentbackagaintothegate，intendingtowaittherenowuntilitshouldbeopened；buttheairwassorawandcoldthatLittleDorrit，leadingMaggyaboutinhersleep，keptinmotion。GoingroundbytheChurch，shesawlightsthere，andthedooropen；andwentupthestepsandlookedin。
　　’Who’sthat？’criedastoutoldman，whowasputtingonanightcapasifheweregoingtobedinavault。
　　’It’snooneparticular，sir，’saidLittleDorrit。
　　’Stop!’criedtheman。’Let’shavealookatyou!’
　　Thiscausedhertoturnbackagainintheactofgoingout，andtopresentherselfandherchargebeforehim。
　　’Ithoughtso!’saidhe。’IknowYOU。’
　　’Wehaveoftenseeneachother，’saidLittleDorrit，recognisingthesexton，orthebeadle，ortheverger，orwhateverhewas，’whenIhavebeenatchurchhere。’
　　’Morethanthat，we’vegotyourbirthinourRegister，youknow；
　　you’reoneofourcuriosities。’
　　’Indeed!’saidLittleDorrit。
　　’Tobesure。Asthechildofthe——by-the-bye，howdidyougetoutsoearly？’
　　’Wewereshutoutlastnight，andarewaitingtogetin。’
　　’Youdon’tmeanit？Andthere’sanotherhourgoodyet!Comeintothevestry。You’llfindafireinthevestry，onaccountofthepainters。I’mwaitingforthepainters，orIshouldn’tbehere，youmaydependuponit。Oneofourcuriositiesmustn’tbecoldwhenwehaveitinourpowertowarmherupcomfortable。Comealong。’
　　Hewasaverygoodoldfellow，inhisfamiliarway；andhavingstirredthevestryfire，helookedroundtheshelvesofregistersforaparticularvolume。’Hereyouare，yousee，’hesaid，takingitdownandturningtheleaves。’Hereyou’llfindyourself，aslargeaslife。Amy，daughterofWilliamandFannyDorrit。Born，MarshalseaPrison，ParishofStGeorge。Andwetellpeoplethatyouhavelivedthere，withoutsomuchasaday’soranight’sabsence，eversince。Isittrue？’
　　’Quitetrue，tilllastnight。’
　　’Lord!’ButhissurveyingherwithanadmiringgazesuggestedSomethingelsetohim，towit：’Iamsorrytosee，though，thatyouarefaintandtired。Stayabit。I’llgetsomecushionsoutofthechurch，andyouandyourfriendshallliedownbeforethefire。
　　Don’tbeafraidofnotgoingintojoinyourfatherwhenthegateopens。I’llcallyou。’
　　Hesoonbroughtinthecushions，andstrewedthemontheground。
　　’Thereyouare，yousee。Againaslargeaslife。Oh，nevermindthanking。I’vedaughtersofmyown。Andthoughtheyweren’tbornintheMarshalseaPrison，theymighthavebeen，ifIhadbeen，inmywaysofcarryingon，ofyourfather’sbreed。Stopabit。I
　　mustputsomethingunderthecushionforyourhead。Here’saburialvolume。justthething!WehavegotMrsBanghaminthisbook。Butwhatmakesthesebooksinterestingtomostpeopleis——
　　notwho’sin’em，butwhoisn’t——who’scoming，youknow，andwhen。
　　That’stheinterestingquestion。’
　　Commendinglylookingbackatthepillowhehadimprovised，heleftthemtotheirhour’srepose。Maggywassnoringalready，andLittleDorritwassoonfastasleepwithherheadrestingonthatsealedbookofFate，untroubledbyitsmysteriousblankleaves。
　　ThiswasLittleDorrit’sparty。Theshame，desertion，wretchedness，andexposureofthegreatcapital；thewet，thecold，theslowhours，andtheswiftcloudsofthedismalnight。ThiswasthepartyfromwhichLittleDorritwenthome，jaded，inthefirstgreymistofarainymorning。
　　MrsFlintwinchhasanotherDreamThedebilitatedoldhouseinthecity，wrappedinitsmantleofsoot，andleaningheavilyonthecrutchesthathadpartakenofitsdecayandwornoutwithit，neverknewahealthyoracheerfulinterval，letwhatwouldbetide。Ifthesunevertouchedit，itwasbutwitharay，andthatwasgoneinhalfanhour；ifthemoonlighteverfelluponit，itwasonlytoputafewpatchesonitsdolefulcloak，andmakeitlookmorewretched。Thestars，tobesure，coldlywatcheditwhenthenightsandthesmokewereclearenough；andallbadweatherstoodbyitwithararefidelity。Youshouldalikefindrain，hail，frost，andthawlingeringinthatdismalenclosurewhentheyhadvanishedfromotherplaces；andastosnow，youshouldseeitthereforweeks，longafterithadchangedfromyellowtoblack，slowlyweepingawayitsgrimylife。
　　Theplacehadnootheradherents。Astostreetnoises，therumblingofwheelsinthelanemerelyrushedinatthegatewayingoingpast，andrushedoutagain：makingthelisteningMistressAfferyfeelasifsheweredeaf，andrecoveredthesenseofhearingbyinstantaneousflashes。Sowithwhistling，singing，talking，laughing，andallpleasanthumansounds。Theyleapedthegapinamoment，andwentupontheirway。
　　ThevaryinglightoffireandcandleinMrsClennam’sroommadethegreatestchangethateverbrokethedeadmonotonyofthespot。Inhertwolongnarrowwindows，thefireshonesullenlyallday，andsullenlyallnight。Onrareoccasionsitflasheduppassionately，asshedid；butforthemostpartitwassuppressed，likeher，andpreyeduponitselfevenlyandslowly。Duringmanyhoursoftheshortwinterdays，however，whenitwasduskthereearlyintheafternoon，changingdistortionsofherselfinherwheeledchair，ofMrFlintwinchwithhiswryneck，ofMistressAfferycomingandgoing，wouldbethrownuponthehousewallthatwasoverthegateway，andwouldhovertherelikeshadowsfromagreatmagiclantern。Astheroom-riddeninvalidsettledforthenight，thesewouldgraduallydisappear：MistressAffery’smagnifiedshadowalwaysflittingabout，last，untilitfinallyglidedawayintotheair，asthoughshewereoffuponawitchexcursion。Thenthesolitarylightwouldburnunchangingly，untilitburnedpalebeforethedawn，andatlastdiedunderthebreathofMrsAffery，ashershadowdescendedonitfromthewitch-regionofsleep。