’Oyes!’saidArthurClennam。
　　’Well，sir，thisisMrsPlornish’sfather。’
　　’Indeed？Iamgladtoseehim。’
　　’Youwouldbemoregladifyouknewhismanygoodqualities，MrClennam。’
　　’IhopeIshallcometoknowthemthroughknowinghim，’saidArthur，secretlypityingthebowedandsubmissivefigure。
　　’Itisaholidaywithhim，andhecomestoseehisoldfriends，whoarealwaysgladtoseehim，’observedtheFatheroftheMarshalsea。
　　Thenheaddedbehindhishand，’Union，pooroldfellow。Outfortheday。’
　　BythistimeMaggy，quietlyassistedbyherLittleMother，hadspreadtheboard，andtherepastwasready。Itbeinghotweatherandtheprisonveryclose，thewindowwasaswideopenasitcouldbepushed。’IfMaggywillspreadthatnewspaperonthewindow-
　　sill，mydear，’remarkedtheFathercomplacentlyandinahalfwhispertoLittleDorrit，’myoldpensionercanhavehisteathere，whilewearehavingours。’
　　So，withagulfbetweenhimandthegoodcompanyofaboutafootinwidth，standardmeasure，MrsPlornish’sfatherwashandsomelyregaled。ClennamhadneverseenanythinglikehismagnanimousprotectionbythatotherFather，heoftheMarshalsea；andwaslostinthecontemplationofitsmanywonders。
　　Themoststrikingofthesewasperhapstherelishingmannerinwhichheremarkedonthepensioner’sinfirmitiesandfailings，asifhewereagraciousKeepermakingarunningcommentaryonthedeclineoftheharmlessanimalheexhibited。
　　’Notreadyformorehamyet，Nandy？Why，howslowyouare!Hislastteeth，’heexplainedtothecompany，’aregoing，pooroldboy。’
　　Atanothertime，hesaid，’Noshrimps，Nandy？’andonhisnotinstantlyreplying，observed，’Hishearingisbecomingverydefective。He’llbedeafdirectly。’
　　Atanothertimeheaskedhim，’Doyouwalkmuch，Nandy，abouttheyardwithinthewallsofthatplaceofyours？’
　　’No，sir；no。Ihaven’tanygreatlikingforthat。’
　　’No，tobesure，’heassented。’Verynatural。’Thenheprivatelyinformedthecircle’Legsgoing。’
　　Onceheaskedthepensioner，inthatgeneralclemencywhichaskedhimanythingtokeephimafloat，howoldhisyoungergrandchildwas？
　　’JohnEdward，’saidthepensioner，slowlylayingdownhisknifeandforktoconsider。’Howold，sir？Letmethinknow。’
　　TheFatheroftheMarshalseatappedhisforehead’Memoryweak。’
　　’JohnEdward，sir？Well，Ireallyforget。Icouldn’tsayatthisminute，sir，whetherit’stwoandtwomonths，orwhetherit’stwoandfivemonths。It’soneortheother。’
　　’Don’tdistressyourselfbyworryingyourmindaboutit，’hereturned，withinfiniteforbearance。’Facultiesevidentlydecaying——oldmanrustsinthelifeheleads!’
　　Themoreofthesediscoveriesthathepersuadedhimselfhemadeinthepensioner，thebetterheappearedtolikehim；andwhenhegotoutofhischairafterteatobidthepensionergood-bye，onhisintimatingthathefeared，honouredsir，histimewasrunningout，hemadehimselflookaserectandstrongaspossible。
　　’Wedon’tcallthisashilling，Nandy，youknow，’hesaid，puttingoneinhishand。’Wecallittobacco。’
　　’Honouredsir，Ithankyou。Itshallbuytobacco。MythanksanddutytoMissAmyandMissFanny。Iwishyougoodnight，MrClennam。’
　　’Andmindyoudon’tforgetus，youknow，Nandy，’saidtheFather。
　　’Youmustcomeagain，mind，wheneveryouhaveanafternoon。Youmustnotcomeoutwithoutseeingus，orweshallbejealous。Goodnight，Nandy。Beverycarefulhowyoudescendthestairs，Nandy；
　　theyareratherunevenandworn。’Withthathestoodonthelanding，watchingtheoldmandown：andwhenhecameintotheroomagain，said，withasolemnsatisfactiononhim，’Amelancholysightthat，MrClennam，thoughonehastheconsolationofknowingthathedoesn’tfeelithimself。Thepooroldfellowisadismalwreck。
　　Spiritbrokenandgone——pulverised——crushedoutofhim，sir，completely!’
　　AsClennamhadapurposeinremaining，hesaidwhathecouldresponsivetothesesentiments，andstoodatthewindowwiththeirenunciator，whileMaggyandherLittleMotherwashedthetea-
　　serviceandcleareditaway。HenoticedthathiscompanionstoodatthewindowwiththeairofanaffableandaccessibleSovereign，andthat，whenanyofhispeopleintheyardbelowlookedup，hisrecognitionoftheirsalutesjuststoppedshortofablessing。
　　WhenLittleDorrithadherworkonthetable，andMaggyhersonthebedstead，Fannyfelltotyingherbonnetasapreliminarytoherdeparture。Arthur，stillhavinghispurpose，stillremained。Atthistimethedooropened，withoutanynotice，andMrTipcamein。
　　HekissedAmyasshestarteduptomeethim，noddedtoFanny，noddedtohisfather，gloomedonthevisitorwithoutfurtherrecognition，andsatdown。
　　’Tip，dear，’saidLittleDorrit，mildly，shockedbythis，’don’tyousee——’
　　’Yes，Isee，Amy。Ifyourefertothepresenceofanyvisitoryouhavehere——Isay，ifyourefertothat，’answeredTip，jerkinghisheadwithemphasistowardshisshouldernearestClennam，’Isee!’
　　’Isthatallyousay？’
　　’That’sallIsay。AndIsuppose，’addedtheloftyyoungman，afteramoment’spause，’thatvisitorwillunderstandme，whenI
　　saythat’sallIsay。Inshort，Isupposethevisitorwillunderstandthathehasn’tusedmelikeagentleman。’
　　’Idonotunderstandthat，’observedtheobnoxiouspersonagereferredtowithtranquillity。
　　’No？Why，then，tomakeitclearertoyou，sir，IbegtoletyouknowthatwhenIaddresswhatIcallaproperly-wordedappeal，andanurgentappeal，andadelicateappeal，toanindividual，forasmalltemporaryaccommodation，easilywithinhispower——easilywithinhispower，mind!——andwhenthatindividualwritesbackwordtomethathebegstobeexcused，Iconsiderthathedoesn’ttreatmelikeagentleman。’
　　TheFatheroftheMarshalsea，whohadsurveyedhissoninsilence，nosoonerheardthissentiment，thanhebeganinangryvoice：——
　　’Howdareyou——’Buthissonstoppedhim。
　　’Now，don’taskmehowIdare，father，becausethat’sbosh。AstothefactofthelineofconductIchoosetoadopttowardstheindividualpresent，yououghttobeproudofmyshowingaproperspirit。’
　　’Ishouldthinkso!’criedFanny。
　　’Aproperspirit？’saidtheFather。’Yes，aproperspirit；abecomingspirit。Isitcometothisthatmysonteachesme——ME——
　　spirit!’
　　’Now，don’tletusbotheraboutit，father，orhaveanyrowonthesubject。Ihavefullymadeupmymindthattheindividualpresenthasnottreatedmelikeagentleman。Andthere’sanendofit。’
　　’Butthereisnotanendofit，sir，’returnedtheFather。’Butthereshallnotbeanendofit。Youhavemadeupyourmind？Youhavemadeupyourmind？’
　　’Yes，Ihave。What’sthegoodofkeepingonlikethat？’
　　’Because，’returnedtheFather，inagreatheat，’youhadnorighttomakeupyourmindtowhatismonstrous，towhatis——ha——immoral，towhatis——hum——parricidal。No，MrClennam，Ibeg，sir。Don’taskmetodesist；thereisa——hum——ageneralprincipleinvolvedhere，whichrisesevenaboveconsiderationsof——ha——hospitality。
　　Iobjecttotheassertionmadebymyson。I——ha——Ipersonallyrepelit。’
　　’Why，whatisittoyou，father？’returnedtheson，overhisshoulder。
　　’Whatisittome，sir？Ihavea——hum——aspirit，sir，thatwillnotendureit。I，’hetookouthispocket-handkerchiefagainanddabbedhisface。’Iamoutragedandinsultedbyit。LetmesupposethecasethatImyselfmayatacertaintime——ha——ortimes，havemadea——hum——anappeal，andaproperly-wordedappeal，andadelicateappeal，andanurgentappealtosomeindividualforasmalltemporaryaccommodation。Letmesupposethatthataccommodationcouldhavebeeneasilyextended，andwasnotextended，andthatthatindividualinformedmethathebeggedtobeexcused。AmItobetoldbymyownson，thatIthereforereceivedtreatmentnotduetoagentleman，andthatI——ha——Isubmittedtoit？’
　　HisdaughterAmygentlytriedtocalmhim，buthewouldnotonanyaccountbecalmed。Hesaidhisspiritwasup，andwouldn’tendurethis。
　　Washetobetoldthat，hewishedtoknowagain，byhisownsononhisownhearth，tohisownface？Wasthathumiliationtobeputuponhimbyhisownblood？
　　’Youareputtingitonyourself，father，andgettingintoallthisinjuryofyourownaccord!’saidtheyounggentlemanmorosely。
　　’WhatIhavemadeupmymindabouthasnothingtodowithyou。
　　WhatIsaidhadnothingtodowithyou。Whyneedyougotryingonotherpeople’shats？’
　　’Ireplyithaseverythingtodowithme，’returnedtheFather。’I
　　pointouttoyou，sir，withindignation，that——hum——the——ha——
　　delicacyandpeculiarityofyourfather’spositionshouldstrikeyoudumb，sir，ifnothingelseshould，inlayingdownsuch——ha——
　　suchunnaturalprinciples。Besides；ifyouarenotfilial，sir，ifyoudiscardthatduty，youareatleast——hum——notaChristian？Areyou——ha——anAtheist？AndisitChristian，letmeaskyou，tostigmatiseanddenounceanindividualforbeggingtobeexcusedthistime，whenthesameindividualmay——ha——respondwiththerequiredaccommodationnexttime？IsitthepartofaChristiannotto——hum——nottotryhimagain？’Hehadworkedhimselfintoquiteareligiousglowandfervour。
　　’Iseepreciouswell，’saidMrTip，rising，’thatIshallgetnosensibleorfairargumenthereto-night，andsothebestthingI
　　candoistocut。Goodnight，Amy。Don’tbevexed。Iamverysorryithappenshere，andyouhere，uponmysoulIam；butIcan’taltogetherpartwithmyspirit，evenforyoursake，oldgirl。’
　　Withthosewordsheputonhishatandwentout，accompaniedbyMissFanny；whodidnotconsideritspiritedonherparttotakeleaveofClennamwithanylessopposingdemonstrationthanastare，importingthatshehadalwaysknownhimforoneofthelargebodyofconspirators。
　　Whentheyweregone，theFatheroftheMarshalseawasatfirstinclinedtosinkintodespondencyagain，andwouldhavedoneso，butthatagentlemanopportunelycameupwithinaminuteortwotoattendhimtotheSnuggery。ItwasthegentlemanClennamhadseenonthenightofhisownaccidentaldetentionthere，whohadthatimpalpablegrievanceaboutthemisappropriatedFundonwhichtheMarshalwassupposedtobatten。HepresentedhimselfasdeputationtoescorttheFathertotheChair，itbeinganoccasiononwhichhehadpromisedtopresideovertheassembledCollegiansintheenjoymentofalittleHarmony。