’Iaminthetwenty-thirdyearofmylifehere，’hesaid，withacatchinhisbreaththatwasnotsomuchasobasanirrepressiblesoundofself-approval，themomentaryoutburstofanobleconsciousness。’ItisallIcoulddoformychildren——Ihavedoneit。Amy，mylove，youarebyfarthebestlovedofthethree；I
　　havehadyouprincipallyinmymind——whateverIhavedoneforyoursake，mydearchild，Ihavedonefreelyandwithoutmurmuring。’
　　Onlythewisdomthatholdsthecluetoallheartsandallmysteries，cansurelyknowtowhatextentaman，especiallyamanbroughtdownasthismanhadbeen，canimposeuponhimself。
　　Enough，forthepresentplace，thathelaydownwithweteyelashes，serene，inamannermajestic，afterbestowinghislifeofdegradationasasortofportiononthedevotedchilduponwhomitsmiserieshadfallensoheavily，andwhoselovealonehadsavedhimtobeevenwhathewas。
　　Thatchildhadnodoubts，askedherselfnoquestion，forshewasbuttoocontenttoseehimwithalustreroundhishead。Poordear，gooddear，truest，kindest，dearest，weretheonlywordsshehadforhim，asshehushedhimtorest。
　　Sheneverlefthimallthatnight。Asifshehaddonehimawrongwhichhertendernesscouldhardlyrepair，shesatbyhiminhissleep，attimessoftlykissinghimwithsuspendedbreath，andcallinghiminawhisperbysomeendearingname。Attimesshestoodasidesoasnottointerceptthelowfire-light，and，watchinghimwhenitfelluponhissleepingface，wondereddidhelooknowatallashehadlookedwhenhewasprosperousandhappy；
　　ashehadsotouchedherbyimaginingthathemightlookoncemoreinthatawfultime。Atthethoughtofthattime，shekneeledbesidehisbedagain，andprayed，’Osparehislife!Osavehimtome!Olookdownuponmydear，long-suffering，unfortunate，much-
　　changed，deardearfather!’
　　Notuntilthemorningcametoprotecthimandencouragehim，didshegivehimalastkissandleavethesmallroom。Whenshehadstolendown-stairs，andalongtheemptyyard，andhadcreptuptoherownhighgarret，thesmokelesshousetopsandthedistantcountryhillswerediscernibleoverthewallintheclearmorning。
　　Asshegentlyopenedthewindow，andlookedeastwarddowntheprisonyard，thespikesuponthewallweretippedwithred，thenmadeasullenpurplepatternonthesunasitcameflamingupintotheheavens。Thespikeshadneverlookedsosharpandcruel，northebarssoheavy，northeprisonspacesogloomyandcontracted。
　　Shethoughtofthesunriseonrollingrivers，ofthesunriseonwideseas，ofthesunriseonrichlandscapes，ofthesunriseongreatforestswherethebirdswerewakingandthetreeswererustling；andshelookeddownintothelivinggraveonwhichthesunhadrisen，withherfatherinitthree-and-twentyyears，andsaid，inaburstofsorrowandcompassion，’No，no，Ihaveneverseenhiminmylife!’
　　MovinginSocietyIfYoungJohnChiveryhadhadtheinclinationandthepowertowriteasatireonfamilypride，hewouldhavehadnoneedtogoforanavengingillustrationoutofthefamilyofhisbeloved。Hewouldhavefounditamplyinthatgallantbrotherandthatdaintysister，sosteepedinmeanexperiences，andsoloftilyconsciousofthefamilyname；soreadytobegorborrowfromthepoorest，toeatofanybody’sbread，spendanybody’smoney，drinkfromanybody’scupandbreakitafterwards。Tohavepaintedthesordidfactsoftheirlives，andtheythroughoutinvokingthedeath’sheadapparitionofthefamilygentilitytocomeandscaretheirbenefactors，wouldhavemadeYoungJohnasatiristofthefirstwater。
　　Tiphadturnedhislibertytohopefulaccountbybecomingabilliard-marker。Hehadtroubledhimselfsolittleastothemeansofhisrelease，thatClennamscarcelyneededtohavebeenatthepainsofimpressingthemindofMrPlornishonthatsubject。
　　Whoeverhadpaidhimthecompliment，heveryreadilyacceptedthecomplimentwithHIScompliments，andtherewasanendofit。
　　Issuingforthfromthegateontheseeasyterms，hebecameabilliard-marker；andnowoccasionallylookedinatthelittleskittle-groundinagreenNewmarketcoatsecond-hand，withashiningcollarandbrightbuttonsnew，anddrankthebeeroftheCollegians。
　　Onesolidstationarypointintheloosenessofthisgentleman’scharacterwas，thatherespectedandadmiredhissisterAmy。Thefeelinghadneverinducedhimtospareheramoment’suneasiness，ortoputhimselftoanyrestraintorinconvenienceonheraccount；
　　butwiththatMarshalseataintuponhislove，helovedher。ThesamerankMarshalseaflavourwastoberecognisedinhisdistinctlyperceivingthatshesacrificedherlifetoherfather，andinhishavingnoideathatshehaddoneanythingforhimself。
　　WhenthisspiritedyoungmanandhissisterhadbegunsystematicallytoproducethefamilyskeletonfortheoverawingoftheCollege，thisnarrativecannotpreciselystate。ProbablyatabouttheperiodwhentheybegantodineontheCollegecharity。
　　Itiscertainthatthemorereducedandnecessitoustheywere，themorepompouslytheskeletonemergedfromitstomb；andthatwhentherewasanythingparticularlyshabbyinthewind，theskeletonalwayscameoutwiththeghastliestflourish。
　　LittleDorritwaslateontheMondaymorning，forherfathersleptlate，andafterwardstherewashisbreakfasttoprepareandhisroomtoarrange。Shehadnoengagementtogoouttowork，however，andthereforestayedwithhimuntil，withMaggy’shelp，shehadputeverythingrightabouthim，andhadseenhimoffuponhismorningwalkoftwentyyardsorsotothecoffee-housetoreadthepaper。
　　Shethengotonherbonnetandwentout，havingbeenanxioustogetoutmuchsooner。Therewas，asusual，acessationofthesmall-
　　talkintheLodgeasshepassedthroughit；andaCollegianwhohadcomeinonSaturdaynight，receivedtheintimationfromtheelbowofamoreseasonedCollegian，’Lookout。Heresheis!’
　　Shewantedtoseehersister，butwhenshegotroundtoMrCripples’s，shefoundthatbothhersisterandherunclehadgonetothetheatrewheretheywereengaged。Havingtakenthoughtofthisprobabilitybytheway，andhavingsettledthatinsuchcaseshewouldfollowthem，shesetoffafreshforthetheatre，whichwasonthatsideoftheriver，andnotveryfaraway。
　　LittleDorritwasalmostasignorantofthewaysoftheatresasofthewaysofgoldmines，andwhenshewasdirectedtoafurtivesortofdoor，withacuriousup-all-nightairaboutit，thatappearedtobeashamedofitselfandtobehidinginanalley，shehesitatedtoapproachit；beingfurtherdeterredbythesightofsomehalf-dozenclose-shavedgentlemenwiththeirhatsverystrangelyon，whowereloungingaboutthedoor，lookingnotatallunlikeCollegians。Onherapplyingtothem，reassuredbythisresemblance，foradirectiontoMissDorrit，theymadewayforhertoenteradarkhall——itwasmorelikeagreatgrimlampgoneoutthananythingelse——whereshecouldhearthedistantplayingofmusicandthesoundofdancingfeet。Amansomuchinwantofairingthathehadabluemoulduponhim，satwatchingthisdarkplacefromaholeinacorner，likeaspider；andhetoldherthathewouldsendamessageuptoMissDorritbythefirstladyorgentlemanwhowentthrough。Thefirstladywhowentthroughhadarollofmusic，halfinhermuffandhalfoutofit，andwasinsuchatumbledconditionaltogether，thatitseemedasifitwouldbeanactofkindnesstoironher。Butasshewasverygood-natured，andsaid，’Comewithme；I’llsoonfindMissDorritforyou，’MissDorrit’ssisterwentwithher，drawingnearerandnearerateverystepshetookinthedarknesstothesoundofmusicandthesoundofdancingfeet。
　　Atlasttheycameintoamazeofdust，whereaquantityofpeopleweretumblingoveroneanother，andwheretherewassuchaconfusionofunaccountableshapesofbeams，bulkheads，brickwalls，ropes，androllers，andsuchamixingofgaslightanddaylight，thattheyseemedtohavegotonthewrongsideofthepatternoftheuniverse。LittleDorrit，lefttoherself，andknockedagainstbysomebodyeverymoment，wasquitebewildered，whensheheardhersister’svoice。
　　’Why，goodgracious，Amy，whateverbroughtyouhere？’
　　’Iwantedtoseeyou，Fannydear；andasIamgoingoutalldayto-
　　morrow，andknewyoumightbeengagedalldayto-day，Ithought——’
　　’Buttheidea，Amy，ofYOUcomingbehind!Ineverdid!’Ashersistersaidthisinnoverycordialtoneofwelcome，sheconductedhertoamoreopenpartofthemaze，wherevariousgoldenchairsandtableswereheapedtogether，andwhereanumberofyoungladiesweresittingonanythingtheycouldfind，chattering。Alltheseyoungladieswantedironing，andallhadacuriouswayoflookingeverywherewhiletheychattered。
　　justasthesistersarrivedhere，amonotonousboyinaScotchcapputhisheadroundabeamontheleft，andsaid，’Lessnoisethere，ladies!’anddisappeared。Immediatelyafterwhich，asprightlygentlemanwithaquantityoflongblackhairlookedroundabeamontheright，andsaid，’Lessnoisethere，darlings!’andalsodisappeared。
　　’Thenotionofyouamongprofessionals，Amy，isreallythelastthingIcouldhaveconceived!’saidhersister。’Why，howdidyouevergethere？’
　　’Idon’tknow。TheladywhotoldyouIwashere，wassogoodastobringmein。’
　　’Likeyouquietlittlethings!Youcanmakeyourwayanywhere，I
　　believe。Icouldn’thavemanagedit，Amy，thoughIknowsomuchmoreoftheworld。’
　　Itwasthefamilycustomtolayitdownasfamilylaw，thatshewasaplaindomesticlittlecreature，withoutthegreatandsageexperienceoftherest。Thisfamilyfictionwasthefamilyassertionofitselfagainstherservices。Nottomaketoomuchofthem。
　　’Well!Andwhathaveyougotonyourmind，Amy？Ofcourseyouhavegotsomethingonyourmindaboutme？’saidFanny。Shespokeasifhersister，betweentwoandthreeyearsherjunior，wereherprejudicedgrandmother。
　　’Itisnotmuch；butsinceyoutoldmeoftheladywhogaveyouthebracelet，Fanny——’
　　Themonotonousboyputhisheadroundthebeamontheleft，andsaid，’Lookoutthere，ladies!’anddisappeared。Thesprightlygentlemanwiththeblackhairassuddenlyputhisheadroundthebeamontheright，andsaid，’Lookoutthere，darlings!’andalsodisappeared。Thereuponalltheyoungladiesroseandbeganshakingtheirskirtsoutbehind。
　　’Well，Amy？’saidFanny，doingastherestdid；’whatwereyougoingtosay？’
　　’Sinceyoutoldmealadyhadgivenyouthebraceletyoushowedme，Fanny，Ihavenotbeenquiteeasyonyouraccount，andindeedwanttoknowalittlemoreifyouwillconfidemoretome。’
　　’Now，ladies!’saidtheboyintheScotchcap。’Now，darlings!’
　　saidthegentlemanwiththeblackhair。Theywereeveryonegoneinamoment，andthemusicandthedancingfeetwereheardagain。
　　LittleDorritsatdowninagoldenchair，madequitegiddybytheserapidinterruptions。Hersisterandtherestwerealongtimegone；andduringtheirabsenceavoiceitappearedtobethatofthegentlemanwiththeblackhairwascontinuallycallingoutthroughthemusic，’One，two，three，four，five，six——go!One，two，three，four，five，six——go!Steady，darlings!One，two，three，four，five，six——go!’Ultimatelythevoicestopped，andtheyallcamebackagain，moreorlessoutofbreath，foldingthemselvesintheirshawls，andmakingreadyforthestreets。