Withaquietandtenderhandsheputasideastrayingfoldofthesleeper’shair，andthentouchedthehandthatlayoutsidethecovering。
　　’Iliketolookather，’shebreathedtoherself。’Iliketoseewhathasaffectedhimsomuch。’
　　Shehadnotwithdrawnherhand，whenthesleeperopenedhereyesandstarted。
　　’Praydon’tbealarmed。Iamonlyoneofthetravellersfromdown-
　　stairs。Icametoaskifyouwerebetter，andifIcoulddoanythingforyou。’
　　’Ithinkyouhavealreadybeensokindastosendyourservantstomyassistance？’
　　’No，notI；thatwasmysister。Areyoubetter？’
　　’Muchbetter。Itisonlyaslightbruise，andhasbeenwelllookedto，andisalmosteasynow。Itmademegiddyandfaintinamoment。Ithadhurtmebefore；butatlastitoverpoweredmeallatonce。’
　　’MayIstaywithyouuntilsomeonecomes？Wouldyoulikeit？’
　　’Ishouldlikeit，foritislonelyhere；butIamafraidyouwillfeelthecoldtoomuch。’
　　’Idon’tmindcold。Iamnotdelicate，ifIlookso。’Shequicklymovedoneofthetworoughchairstothebedside，andsatdown。
　　Theotherasquicklymovedapartofsometravellingwrapperfromherself，anddrewitoverher，sothatherarm，inkeepingitabouther，restedonhershoulder。
　　’Youhavesomuchtheairofakindnurse，’saidthelady，smilingonher，’thatyouseemasifyouhadcometomefromhome。’
　　’Iamverygladofit。’
　　’IwasdreamingofhomewhenIwokejustnow。Ofmyoldhome，I
　　mean，beforeIwasmarried。’
　　’Andbeforeyouweresofarawayfromit。’
　　’Ihavebeenmuchfartherawayfromitthanthis；butthenItookthebestpartofitwithme，andmissednothing。IfeltsolitaryasIdroppedasleephere，and，missingitalittle，wanderedbacktoit。’Therewasasorrowfullyaffectionateandregretfulsoundinhervoice，whichmadehervisitorrefrainfromlookingatherforthemoment。
　　’Itisacuriouschancewhichatlastbringsustogether，underthiscoveringinwhichyouhavewrappedme，’saidthevisitorafterapause；’fordoyouknow，IthinkIhavebeenlookingforyousometime。’
　　’Lookingforme？’
　　’IbelieveIhavealittlenotehere，whichIwastogivetoyouwheneverIfoundyou。Thisisit。UnlessIgreatlymistake，itisaddressedtoyou？Isitnot？’
　　Theladytookit，andsaidyes，andreadit。Hervisitorwatchedherasshedidso。Itwasveryshort。Sheflushedalittleassheputherlipstohervisitor’scheek，andpressedherhand。
　　’Thedearyoungfriendtowhomhepresentsme，maybeacomforttomeatsometime，hesays。SheistrulyacomforttomethefirsttimeIseeher。’
　　’Perhapsyoudon’t，’saidthevisitor，hesitating——’perhapsyoudon’tknowmystory？Perhapshenevertoldyoumystory？’
　　’No。’
　　’Ohno，whyshouldhe!Ihavescarcelytherighttotellitmyselfatpresent，becauseIhavebeenentreatednottodoso。Thereisnotmuchinit，butitmightaccounttoyouformyaskingyounottosayanythingabouttheletterhere。Yousawmyfamilywithme，perhaps？Someofthem——Ionlysaythistoyou——arealittleproud，alittleprejudiced。’
　　’Youshalltakeitbackagain，’saidtheother；’andthenmyhusbandissurenottoseeit。Hemightseeitandspeakofit，otherwise，bysomeaccident。Willyouputitinyourbosomagain，tobecertain？’
　　Shedidsowithgreatcare。Hersmall，slighthandwasstillupontheletter，whentheyheardsomeoneinthegalleryoutside。
　　’Ipromised，’saidthevisitor，rising，’thatIwouldwritetohimafterseeingyouIcouldhardlyfailtoseeyousoonerorlater，andtellhimifyouwerewellandhappy。Ihadbettersayyouwerewellandhappy。’
　　’Yes，yes，yes!SayIwasverywellandveryhappy。AndthatI
　　thankedhimaffectionately，andwouldneverforgethim。’
　　’Ishallseeyouinthemorning。Afterthatwearesuretomeetagainbeforeverylong。Goodnight!’
　　’Goodnight。Thankyou，thankyou。Goodnight，mydear!’
　　Bothofthemwerehurriedandflutteredastheyexchangedthisparting，andasthevisitorcameoutofthedoor。Shehadexpectedtomeetthelady’shusbandapproachingit；butthepersoninthegallerywasnothe：itwasthetravellerwhohadwipedthewine-
　　dropsfromhismoustachewiththepieceofbread。Whenheheardthestepbehindhim，heturnedround——forhewaswalkingawayinthedark。
　　Hispoliteness，whichwasextreme，wouldnotallowoftheyounglady’slightingherselfdown-stairs，orgoingdownalone。Hetookherlamp，helditsoastothrowthebestlightonthestonesteps，andfollowedherallthewaytothesupper-room。Shewentdown，noteasilyhidinghowmuchshewasinclinedtoshrinkandtremble；
　　fortheappearanceofthistravellerwasparticularlydisagreeabletoher。Shehadsatinherquietcornerbeforesupperimaginingwhathewouldhavebeeninthescenesandplaceswithinherexperience，untilheinspiredherwithanaversionthatmadehimlittlelessthanterrific。
　　Hefollowedherdownwithhissmilingpoliteness，followedherin，andresumedhisseatinthebestplaceinthehearth。Therewiththewood-fire，whichwasbeginningtoburnlow，risingandfallinguponhiminthedarkroom，hesatwithhislegsthrustouttowarm，drinkingthehotwinedowntothelees，withamonstrousshadowimitatinghimonthewallandceiling。
　　Thetiredcompanyhadbrokenup，andalltherestweregonetobedexcepttheyounglady’sfather，whodozedinhischairbythefire。
　　Thetravellerhadbeenatthepainsofgoingalongwayup-stairstohissleeping-roomtofetchhispocket-flaskofbrandy。Hetoldthemso，ashepoureditscontentsintowhatwasleftofthewine，anddrankwithanewrelish。
　　’MayIask，sir，ifyouareonyourwaytoItaly？’
　　Thegrey-hairedgentlemanhadrousedhimself，andwaspreparingtowithdraw。Heansweredintheaffirmative。
　　’Ialso!’saidthetraveller。’Ishallhopetohavethehonourofofferingmycomplimentsinfairerscenes，andundersoftercircumstances，thanonthisdismalmountain。’
　　Thegentlemanbowed，distantlyenough，andsaidhewasobligedtohim。
　　’Wepoorgentlemen，sir，’saidthetraveller，pullinghismoustachedrywithhishand，forhehaddippeditinthewineandbrandy；’wepoorgentlemendonottravellikeprinces，butthecourtesiesandgracesoflifeareprecioustous。Toyourhealth，sir!’
　　’Sir，Ithankyou。’
　　’Tothehealthofyourdistinguishedfamily——ofthefairladies，yourdaughters!’
　　’Sir，Ithankyouagain，Iwishyougoodnight。Mydear，areour——
　　ha——ourpeopleinattendance？’
　　’Theyarecloseby，father。’
　　’Permitme!’saidthetraveller，risingandholdingthedooropen，asthegentlemancrossedtheroomtowardsitwithhisarmdrawnthroughhisdaughter’s。’Goodrepose!Tothepleasureofseeingyouoncemore!Toto-morrow!’
　　Ashekissedhishand，withhisbestmannerandhisdaintiestsmile，theyoungladydrewalittlenearertoherfather，andpassedhimwithadreadoftouchinghim。
　　’Humph!’saidtheinsinuatingtraveller，whosemannershrunk，andwhosevoicedroppedwhenhewasleftalone。’Iftheyallgotobed，whyImustgo。Theyareinadevilofahurry。Onewouldthinkthenightwouldbelongenough，inthisfreezingsilenceandsolitude，ifonewenttobedtwohourshence。’
　　Throwingbackhisheadinemptyinghisglass，hecasthiseyesuponthetravellers’book，whichlayonthepiano，open，withpensandinkbesideit，asifthenight’snameshadbeenregisteredwhenhewasabsent。Takingitinhishand，hereadtheseentries。
　　WilliamDorrit，EsquireFrederickDorrit，EsquireEdwardDorrit，EsquireMissDorritMissAmyDorritMrsGeneralandSuite。
　　FromFrancetoItaly。
　　MrandMrsHenryGowan。
　　FromFrancetoItaly。
　　Towhichheadded，inasmallcomplicatedhand，endingwithalongleanflourish，notunlikealassothrownatalltherestofthenames：
　　Blandois。Paris。
　　FromFrancetoItaly。
　　Andthen，withhisnosecomingdownoverhismoustacheandhismoustachegoingupandunderhisnose，repairedtohisallottedcell。
　　MrsGeneralItisindispensabletopresenttheaccomplishedladywhowasofsufficientimportanceinthesuiteoftheDorritFamilytohavealinetoherselfintheTravellers’Book。
　　MrsGeneralwasthedaughterofaclericaldignitaryinacathedraltown，whereshehadledthefashionuntilshewasasnearforty-
　　fiveasasingleladycanbe。Astiffcommissariatofficerofsixty，famousasamartinet，hadthenbecomeenamouredofthegravitywithwhichshedrovetheproprietiesfour-in-handthroughthecathedraltownsociety，andhadsolicitedtobetakenbesideherontheboxofthecoolcoachofceremonytowhichthatteamwasharnessed。Hisproposalofmarriagebeingacceptedbythelady，thecommissarytookhisseatbehindtheproprietieswithgreatdecorum，andMrsGeneraldroveuntilthecommissarydied。Inthecourseoftheirunitedjourney，theyranoverseveralpeoplewhocameinthewayoftheproprieties；butalwaysinahighstyleandwithcomposure。
　　Thecommissaryhavingbeenburiedwithallthedecorationssuitabletotheservicethewholeteamofproprietieswereharnessedtohishearse，andtheyallhadfeathersandblackvelvethousingswithhiscoatofarmsinthecorner，MrsGeneralbegantoinquirewhatquantityofdustandasheswasdepositedatthebankers’。ItthentranspiredthatthecommissaryhadsofarstolenamarchonMrsGeneralastohaveboughthimselfanannuitysomeyearsbeforehismarriage，andtohavereservedthatcircumstanceinmentioning，attheperiodofhisproposal，thathisincomewasderivedfromtheinterestofhismoney。MrsGeneralconsequentlyfoundhermeanssomuchdiminished，that，butfortheperfectregulationofhermind，shemighthavefeltdisposedtoquestiontheaccuracyofthatportionofthelateservicewhichhaddeclaredthatthecommissarycouldtakenothingawaywithhim。