LittleDorrithadbeenthinkingtoo。Aftersoftlyputtinghisgreyhairaside，andtouchinghisforeheadwithherlips，shelookedtowardsArthur，whocamenearertoher，andpursuedinalowwhisperthesubjectofherthoughts。
　　’MrClennam，willhepayallhisdebtsbeforeheleaveshere？’
　　’Nodoubt。All。’
　　’Allthedebtsforwhichhehadbeenimprisonedhere，allmylifeandlonger？’
　　’Nodoubt。’
　　Therewassomethingofuncertaintyandremonstranceinherlook；
　　somethingthatwasnotallsatisfaction。Hewonderedtodetectit，andsaid：
　　’Youaregladthatheshoulddoso？’
　　’Areyou？’askedLittleDorrit，wistfully。
　　’AmI？Mostheartilyglad!’
　　’ThenIknowIoughttobe。’
　　’Andareyounot？’
　　’Itseemstomehard，’saidLittleDorrit，’thatheshouldhavelostsomanyyearsandsufferedsomuch，andatlastpayallthedebtsaswell。Itseemstomehardthatheshouldpayinlifeandmoneyboth。’
　　’Mydearchild——’Clennamwasbeginning。
　　’Yes，IknowIamwrong，’shepleadedtimidly，’don’tthinkanyworseofme；ithasgrownupwithmehere。’
　　Theprison，whichcouldspoilsomanythings，hadtaintedLittleDorrit’smindnomorethanthis。Engenderedastheconfusionwas，incompassionforthepoorprisoner，herfather，itwasthefirstspeckClennamhadeverseen，itwasthelastspeckClennameversaw，oftheprisonatmosphereuponher。
　　Hethoughtthis，andforeboretosayanotherword。Withthethought，herpurityandgoodnesscamebeforehimintheirbrightestlight。Thelittlespotmadethemthemorebeautiful。
　　Wornoutwithherownemotions，andyieldingtothesilenceoftheroom，herhandslowlyslackenedandfailedinitsfanningmovement，andherheaddroppeddownonthepillowatherfather’sside。
　　Clennamrosesoftly，openedandclosedthedoorwithoutasound，andpassedfromtheprison，carryingthequietwithhimintotheturbulentstreets。
　　TheMarshalseabecomesanOrphanAndnowthedayarrivedwhenMrDorritandhisfamilyweretoleavetheprisonforever，andthestonesofitsmuch-troddenpavementweretoknowthemnomore。
　　Theintervalhadbeenshort，buthehadgreatlycomplainedofitslength，andhadbeenimperiouswithMrRuggtouchingthedelay。HehadbeenhighwithMrRugg，andhadthreatenedtoemploysomeoneelse。HehadrequestedMrRuggnottopresumeupontheplaceinwhichhefoundhim，buttodohisduty，sir，andtodoitwithpromptitude。HehadtoldMrRuggthatheknewwhatlawyersandagentswere，andthathewouldnotsubmittoimposition。Onthatgentleman’shumblyrepresentingthatheexertedhimselftotheutmost，MissFannywasveryshortwithhim；desiringtoknowwhatlesshecoulddo，whenhehadbeentoldadozentimesthatmoneywasnoobject，andexpressinghersuspicionthatheforgotwhomhetalkedto。
　　TowardstheMarshal，whowasaMarshalofmanyyears’standing，andwithwhomhehadneverhadanypreviousdifference，MrDorritcomportedhimselfwithseverity。Thatofficer，onpersonallytenderinghiscongratulations，offeredthefreeuseoftworoomsinhishouseforMrDorrit’soccupationuntilhisdeparture。MrDorritthankedhimatthemoment，andrepliedthathewouldthinkofit；buttheMarshalwasnosoonergonethanhesatdownandwrotehimacuttingnote，inwhichheremarkedthathehadneveronanyformeroccasionhadthehonourofreceivinghiscongratulationswhichwastrue，thoughindeedtherehadnotbeenanythingparticulartocongratulatehimupon，andthathebegged，onbehalfofhimselfandfamily，torepudiatetheMarshal’soffer，withallthosethankswhichitsdisinterestedcharacteranditsperfectindependenceofallworldlyconsiderationsdemanded。
　　Althoughhisbrothershowedsodimaglimmeringofinterestintheiralteredfortunesthatitwasverydoubtfulwhetherheunderstoodthem，MrDorritcausedhimtobemeasuredfornewraimentbythehosiers，tailors，hatters，andbootmakerswhomhecalledinforhimself；andorderedthathisoldclothesshouldbetakenfromhimandburned。MissFannyandMrTiprequirednodirectioninmakinganappearanceofgreatfashionandelegance；
　　andthethreepassedthisintervaltogetheratthebesthotelintheneighbourhood——thoughtruly，asMissFannysaid，thebestwasveryindifferent。Inconnectionwiththatestablishment，MrTiphiredacabriolet，horse，andgroom，averyneatturnout，whichwasusuallytobeobservedfortwoorthreehoursatatimegracingtheBoroughHighStreet，outsidetheMarshalseacourt-yard。A
　　modestlittlehiredchariotandpairwasalsofrequentlytobeseenthere；inalightingfromandenteringwhichvehicle，MissFannyflutteredtheMarshal’sdaughtersbythedisplayofinaccessiblebonnets。
　　Agreatdealofbusinesswastransactedinthisshortperiod。
　　Amongotheritems，MessrsPeddleandPool，solicitors，ofMonumentYard，wereinstructedbytheirclientEdwardDorrit，Esquire，toaddressalettertoMrArthurClennam，enclosingthesumoftwenty-
　　fourpoundsnineshillingsandeightpence，beingtheamountofprincipalandinterestcomputedattherateoffivepercent。perannum，inwhichtheirclientbelievedhimselftobeindebtedtoMrClennam。Inmakingthiscommunicationandremittance，MessrsPeddleandPoolwerefurtherinstructedbytheirclienttoremindMrClennamthatthefavouroftheadvancenowrepaidincludinggate-feeshadnotbeenaskedofhim，andtoinformhimthatitwouldnothavebeenacceptedifithadbeenopenlyprofferedinhisname。Withwhichtheyrequestedastampedreceipt，andremainedhisobedientservants。Agreatdealofbusinesshadlikewisetobedone，withintheso-soon-to-be-orphanedMarshalsea，byMrDorritsolongitsFather，chieflyarisingoutofapplicationsmadetohimbyCollegiansforsmallsumsofmoney。Totheseherespondedwiththegreatestliberality，andwithnolackofformality；alwaysfirstwritingtoappointatimeatwhichtheapplicantmightwaituponhiminhisroom，andthenreceivinghiminthemidstofavastaccumulationofdocuments，andaccompanyinghisdonationforhesaidineverysuchcase，’itisadonation，notaloan’withagreatdealofgoodcounsel：totheeffectthathe，theexpiringFatheroftheMarshalsea，hopedtobelongremembered，asanexamplethatamanmightpreservehisownandthegeneralrespecteventhere。
　　TheCollegianswerenotenvious。BesidesthattheyhadapersonalandtraditionalregardforaCollegianofsomanyyears’standing，theeventwascreditabletotheCollege，andmadeitfamousinthenewspapers。Perhapsmoreofthemthought，too，thanwerequiteawareofit，thatthethingmightinthelotteryofchanceshavehappenedtothemselves，orthatsomethingofthesortmightyethappentothemselvessomedayorother。Theytookitverywell。
　　Afewwerelowatthethoughtofbeingleftbehind，andbeingleftpoor；buteventhesedidnotgrudgethefamilytheirbrilliantreverse。Theremighthavebeenmuchmoreenvyinpoliterplaces。
　　ItseemsprobablethatmediocrityoffortunewouldhavebeendisposedtobelessmagnanimousthantheCollegians，wholivedfromhandtomouth——fromthepawnbroker’shandtotheday’sdinner。
　　Theygotupanaddresstohim，whichtheypresentedinaneatframeandglassthoughitwasnotafterwardsdisplayedinthefamilymansionorpreservedamongthefamilypapers；andtowhichhereturnedagraciousanswer。Inthatdocumentheassuredthem，inaRoyalmanner，thathereceivedtheprofessionoftheirattachmentwithafullconvictionofitssincerity；andagaingenerallyexhortedthemtofollowhisexample——which，atleastinsofarascomingintoagreatpropertywasconcerned，thereisnodoubttheywouldhavegladlyimitated。Hetookthesameoccasionofinvitingthemtoacomprehensiveentertainment，tobegiventothewholeCollegeintheyard，andatwhichhesignifiedhewouldhavethehonouroftakingapartingglasstothehealthandhappinessofallthosewhomhewasabouttoleavebehind。
　　Hedidnotinpersondineatthispublicrepastittookplaceattwointheafternoon，andhisdinnersnowcameinfromthehotelatsix，buthissonwassogoodastotaketheheadoftheprincipaltable，andtobeveryfreeandengaging。Hehimselfwentaboutamongthecompany，andtooknoticeofindividuals，andsawthattheviandswereofthequalityhehadordered，andthatallwereserved。Onthewhole，hewaslikeabaronoftheoldentimeinararegoodhumour。Attheconclusionoftherepast，hepledgedhisguestsinabumperofoldMadeira；andtoldthemthathehopedtheyhadenjoyedthemselves，andwhatwasmore，thattheywouldenjoythemselvesfortherestoftheevening；thathewishedthemwell；
　　andthathebadethemwelcome。
　　Hishealthbeingdrunkwithacclamations，hewasnotsobaronialafterallbutthatintryingtoreturnthankshebrokedown，inthemannerofamereserfwithaheartinhisbreast，andweptbeforethemall。Afterthisgreatsuccess，whichhesupposedtobeafailure，hegavethem’MrChiveryandhisbrotherofficers；’whomhehadbeforehandpresentedwithtenpoundseach，andwhowereallinattendance。MrChiveryspoketothetoast，saying，Whatyouundertaketolockup，lockup；butrememberthatyouare，inthewordsofthefetteredAfrican，amanandabrotherever。Thelistoftoastsdisposedof，MrDorriturbanelywentthroughthemotionsofplayingagameofskittleswiththeCollegianwhowasthenextoldestinhabitanttohimself；andleftthetenantrytotheirdiversions。
　　Butalltheseoccurrencesprecededthefinalday。Andnowthedayarrivedwhenheandhisfamilyweretoleavetheprisonforever，andwhenthestonesofitsmuch-troddenpavementweretoknowthemnomore。
　　Noonwasthehourappointedforthedeparture。Asitapproached，therewasnotaCollegianwithindoors，noraturnkeyabsent。ThelatterclassofgentlemenappearedintheirSundayclothes，andthegreaterpartoftheCollegianswerebrightenedupasmuchascircumstancesallowed。Twoorthreeflagswereevendisplayed，andthechildrenputonoddsandendsofribbon。MrDorrithimself，atthistryingtime，preservedaseriousbutgracefuldignity。Muchofhisgreatattentionwasgiventohisbrother，astowhosebearingonthegreatoccasionhefeltanxious。
　　’MydearFrederick，’saidhe，’ifyouwillgivemeyourarmwewillpassamongourfriendstogether。Ithinkitisrightthatweshouldgooutarminarm，mydearFrederick。’
　　’Hah!’saidFrederick。’Yes，yes，yes，yes。’
　　’Andif，mydearFrederick——ifyoucould，withoutputtinganygreatconstraintuponyourself，throwalittleprayexcuseme，Frederick，alittlePolishintoyourusualdemeanour——’
　　’William，William，’saidtheother，shakinghishead，’it’sforyoutodoallthat。Idon’tknowhow。Allforgotten，forgotten!’
　　’But，mydearfellow，’returnedWilliam，’forthatveryreason，iffornoother，youmustpositivelytrytorouseyourself。Whatyouhaveforgottenyoumustnowbegintorecall，mydearFrederick。
　　Yourposition——’
　　’Eh？’saidFrederick。
　　’Yourposition，mydearFrederick。’