’Such，yousee，MrClennam，’saidtheFather，’aretheincongruitiesofmypositionhere。Butapublicduty!Noman，I
　　amsure，wouldmorereadilyrecogniseapublicdutythanyourself。’
　　Clennambesoughthimnottodelayamoment。
　　’Amy，mydear，ifyoucanpersuadeMrClennamtostaylonger，Icanleavethehonoursofourpoorapologyforanestablishmentwithconfidenceinyourhands，andperhapsyoumaydosomethingtowardserasingfromMrClennam’smindthe——ha——untowardandunpleasantcircumstancewhichhasoccurredsincetea-time。’
　　Clennamassuredhimthatithadmadenoimpressiononhismind，andthereforerequirednoerasure。
　　’Mydearsir，’saidtheFather，witharemovalofhisblackcapandagraspofClennam’shand，combiningtoexpressthesafereceiptofhisnoteandenclosurethatafternoon，’Heaveneverblessyou!’
　　So，atlast，Clennam’spurposeinremainingwasattained，andhecouldspeaktoLittleDorritwithnobodyby。Maggycountedasnobody，andshewasby。
　　MoreFortune-TellingMaggysatatherworkinhergreatwhitecapwithitsquantityofopaquefrillinghidingwhatprofileshehadshehadnonetospare，andherserviceableeyebroughttobearuponheroccupation，onthewindowsideoftheroom。Whatwithherflappingcap，andwhatwithherunserviceableeye，shewasquitepartitionedofffromherLittleMother，whoseseatwasoppositethewindow。
　　ThetreadandshuffleoffeetonthepavementoftheyardhadmuchdiminishedsincethetakingoftheChair，thetideofCollegianshavingsetstronglyinthedirectionofHarmony。Somefewwhohadnomusicintheirsouls，ornomoneyintheirpockets，dawdledabout；andtheoldspectacleofthevisitor-wifeandthedepressedunseasonedprisonerstilllingeredincorners，asbrokencobwebsandsuchunsightlydiscomfortsdraggleincornersofotherplaces。
　　ItwasthequietesttimetheCollegeknew，savingthenighthourswhentheCollegianstookthebenefitoftheactofsleep。TheoccasionalrattleofapplauseuponthetablesoftheSnuggery，denotedthesuccessfulterminationofamorselofHarmony；ortheresponsiveacceptance，bytheunitedchildren，ofsometoastorsentimentofferedtothembytheirFather。Occasionally，avocalstrainmoresonorousthanthegeneralityinformedthelistenerthatsomeboastfulbasswasinbluewater，orinthehuntingfield，orwiththereindeer，oronthemountain，oramongtheheather；buttheMarshaloftheMarshalseaknewbetter，andhadgothimhardandfast。
　　AsArthurClennammovedtositdownbythesideofLittleDorrit，shetrembledsothatshehadmuchadotoholdherneedle。Clennamgentlyputhishanduponherwork，andsaid，’DearLittleDorrit，letmelayitdown。’
　　Sheyieldedittohim，andheputitaside。Herhandswerethennervouslyclaspingtogether，buthetookoneofthem。
　　’HowseldomIhaveseenyoulately，LittleDorrit!’
　　’Ihavebeenbusy，sir。’
　　’ButIheardonlyto-day，’saidClennam，’bymereaccident，ofyourhavingbeenwiththosegoodpeopleclosebyme。Whynotcometome，then？’
　　’I——Idon’tknow。Orrather，Ithoughtyoumightbebusytoo。Yougenerallyarenow，areyounot？’
　　Hesawhertremblinglittleformandherdowncastface，andtheeyesthatdroopedthemomenttheywereraisedtohis——hesawthemalmostwithasmuchconcernastenderness。
　　’Mychild，yourmannerissochanged!’
　　Thetremblingwasnowquitebeyondhercontrol。Softlywithdrawingherhand，andlayingitinherotherhand，shesatbeforehimwithherheadbentandherwholeformtrembling。
　　’MyownLittleDorrit，’saidClennam，compassionately。
　　Sheburstintotears。Maggylookedroundofasudden，andstaredforatleastaminute；butdidnotinterpose。Clennamwaitedsomelittlewhilebeforehespokeagain。
　　’Icannotbear，’hesaidthen，’toseeyouweep；butIhopethisisarelieftoanoverchargedheart。’
　　’Yesitis，sir。Nothingbutthat。’
　　’Well，well!Ifearedyouwouldthinktoomuchofwhatpassedherejustnow。Itisofnomoment；nottheleast。Iamonlyunfortunatetohavecomeintheway。Letitgobywiththesetears。Itisnotworthoneofthem。Oneofthem？Suchanidlethingshouldberepeated，withmygladconsent，fiftytimesaday，tosaveyouamoment’sheart-ache，LittleDorrit。’
　　Shehadtakencouragenow，andanswered，farmoreinherusualmanner，’Youaresogood!Buteveniftherewasnothingelseinittobesorryforandashamedof，itissuchabadreturntoyou——’
　　’Hush!’saidClennam，smilingandtouchingherlipswithhishand。
　　’Forgetfulnessinyouwhoremembersomanyandsomuch，wouldbenewindeed。ShallIremindyouthatIamnot，andthatIneverwas，anythingbutthefriendwhomyouagreedtotrust？No。Yourememberit，don’tyou？’
　　’Itrytodoso，orIshouldhavebrokenthepromisejustnow，whenmymistakenbrotherwashere。Youwillconsiderhisbringing-upinthisplace，andwillnotjudgehimhardly，poorfellow，Iknow!’
　　Inraisinghereyeswiththesewords，sheobservedhisfacemorenearlythanshehaddoneyet，andsaid，withaquickchangeoftone，’Youhavenotbeenill，MrClennam？’
　　’No。’
　　’Nortried？Norhurt？’sheaskedhim，anxiously。
　　ItfelltoClennamnow，tobenotquitecertainhowtoanswer。Hesaidinreply：
　　’Tospeakthetruth，Ihavebeenalittletroubled，butitisover。
　　DoIshowitsoplainly？Ioughttohavemorefortitudeandself-
　　commandthanthat。IthoughtIhad。Imustlearnthemofyou。
　　Whocouldteachmebetter!’
　　Heneverthoughtthatshesawinhimwhatnooneelsecouldsee。
　　Heneverthoughtthatinthewholeworldtherewerenoothereyesthatlookeduponhimwiththesamelightandstrengthashers。
　　’ButitbringsmetosomethingthatIwishtosay，’hecontinued，’andthereforeIwillnotquarrelevenwithmyownfacefortellingtalesandbeingunfaithfultome。Besides，itisaprivilegeandpleasuretoconfideinmyLittleDorrit。Letmeconfessthen，that，forgettinghowgraveIwas，andhowoldIwas，andhowthetimeforsuchthingshadgonebymewiththemanyyearsofsamenessandlittlehappinessthatmadeupmylonglifefaraway，withoutmarkingit——that，forgettingallthis，IfanciedIlovedsomeone。’
　　’DoIknowher，sir？’askedLittleDorrit。
　　’No，mychild。’
　　’Nottheladywhohasbeenkindtomeforyoursake？’
　　’Flora。No，no。Doyouthink——’
　　’Ineverquitethoughtso，’saidLittleDorrit，moretoherselfthanhim。’Ididwonderatitalittle。’
　　’Well!’saidClennam，abidingbythefeelingthathadfallenonhimintheavenueonthenightoftheroses，thefeelingthathewasanolderman，whohaddonewiththattenderpartoflife，’Ifoundoutmymistake，andIthoughtaboutitalittle——inshort，agooddeal——andgotwiser。Beingwiser，IcountedupmyyearsandconsideredwhatIam，andlookedback，andlookedforward，andfoundthatIshouldsoonbegrey。IfoundthatIhadclimbedthehill，andpassedthelevelgrounduponthetop，andwasdescendingquickly。’
　　Ifhehadknownthesharpnessofthepainhecausedthepatientheart，inspeakingthus!Whiledoingit，too，withthepurposeofeasingandservingher。
　　’Ifoundthatthedaywhenanysuchthingwouldhavebeengracefulinme，orgoodinme，orhopefulorhappyformeoranyoneinconnectionwithme，wasgone，andwouldnevershineagain。’
　　O!Ifhehadknown，ifhehadknown!Ifhecouldhaveseenthedaggerinhishand，andthecruelwoundsitstruckinthefaithfulbleedingbreastofhisLittleDorrit!
　　’Allthatisover，andIhaveturnedmyfacefromit。WhydoI
　　speakofthistoLittleDorrit？WhydoIshowyou，mychild，thespaceofyearsthatthereisbetweenus，andrecalltoyouthatI
　　havepassed，bytheamountofyourwholelife，thetimethatispresenttoyou？’
　　’Becauseyoutrustme，Ihope。Becauseyouknowthatnothingcantouchyouwithouttouchingme；thatnothingcanmakeyouhappyorunhappy，butitmustmakeme，whoamsogratefultoyou，thesame。’
　　Heheardthethrillinhervoice，hesawherearnestface，hesawhercleartrueeyes，hesawthequickenedbosomthatwouldhavejoyfullythrownitselfbeforehimtoreceiveamortalwounddirectedathisbreast，withthedyingcry，’Ilovehim!’andtheremotestsuspicionofthetruthneverdawneduponhismind。No。
　　Hesawthedevotedlittlecreaturewithherwornshoes，inhercommondress，inherjail-home；aslenderchildinbody，astrongheroineinsoul；andthelightofherdomesticstorymadeallelsedarktohim。
　　’Forthosereasonsassuredly，LittleDorrit，butforanothertoo。
　　Sofarremoved，sodifferent，andsomucholder，Iamthebetterfittedforyourfriendandadviser。Imean，Iamthemoreeasilytobetrusted；andanylittleconstraintthatyoumightfeelwithanother，mayvanishbeforeme。Whyhaveyoukeptsoretiredfromme？Tellme。’
　　’Iambetterhere。Myplaceandusearehere。Iammuchbetterhere，’saidLittleDorrit，faintly。
　　’Soyousaidthatdayuponthebridge。Ithoughtofitmuchafterwards。Haveyounosecretyoucouldentrusttome，withhopeandcomfort，ifyouwould!’
　　’Secret？No，Ihavenosecret，’saidLittleDorritinsometrouble。
　　Theyhadbeenspeakinginlowvoices；morebecauseitwasnaturaltowhattheysaidtoadoptthattone，thanwithanycaretoreserveitfromMaggyatherwork。AllofasuddenMaggystaredagain，andthistimespoke：
　　’Isay!LittleMother!’
　　’Yes，Maggy。’
　　’Ifyouan’tgotnosecretofyourowntotellhim，tellhimthataboutthePrincess。Shehadasecret，youknow。’
　　’ThePrincesshadasecret？’saidClennam，insomesurprise。’WhatPrincesswasthat，Maggy？’
　　’Lor!Howyoudogoandbotheragaloften，’saidMaggy，’catchingthepoorthingupinthatway。WhoeversaidthePrincesshadasecret？_I_neversaidso。’
　　’Ibegyourpardon。Ithoughtyoudid。’
　　’No，Ididn’t。HowcouldI，whenitwasheraswantedtofinditout？Itwasthelittlewomanashadthesecret，andshewasalwaysaspinningatherwheel。Andsoshesaystoher，whydoyoukeepitthere？Andsothet’otheronesaystoher，noIdon’t；andsothet’otheronesaystoher，yesyoudo；andthentheybothgoestothecupboard，andthereitis。Andshewouldn’tgointotheHospital，andsoshedied。Youknow，LittleMother；tellhimthat。