第17章

TheLockArthurClennamstoodinthestreet，waitingtoasksomepasser-bywhatplacethatwas。Hesufferedafewpeopletopasshiminwhosefacetherewasnoencouragementtomaketheinquiry，andstillstoodpausinginthestreet，whenanoldmancameupandturnedintothecourtyard。

Hestoopedagooddeal，andploddedalonginaslowpre-occupiedmanner，whichmadethebustlingLondonthoroughfaresnoverysaferesortforhim。Hewasdirtilyandmeanlydressed，inathreadbarecoat，onceblue，reachingtohisanklesandbuttonedtohischin，whereitvanishedinthepaleghostofavelvetcollar。Apieceofredclothwithwhichthatphantomhadbeenstiffenedinitslifetimewasnowlaidbare，andpokeditselfup，atthebackoftheoldman’sneck，intoaconfusionofgreyhairandrustystockandbucklewhichaltogethernearlypokedhishatoff。Agreasyhatitwas，andanapless；impendingoverhiseyes，crackedandcrumpledatthebrim，andwithawispofpocket-handkerchiefdanglingoutbelowit。Histrousersweresolongandloose，andhisshoessoclumsyandlarge，thatheshuffledlikeanelephant；thoughhowmuchofthiswasgait，andhowmuchtrailingclothandleather，noonecouldhavetold。Underonearmhecarriedalimpandworn-outcase，containingsomewindinstrument；inthesamehandhehadapennyworthofsnuffinalittlepacketofwhitey-brownpaper，fromwhichheslowlycomfortedhispoorblueoldnosewithalengthened-

outpinch，asArthurClennamlookedathim。

Tothisoldmancrossingthecourt-yard，hepreferredhisinquiry，touchinghimontheshoulder。Theoldmanstoppedandlookedround，withtheexpressioninhisweakgreyeyesofonewhosethoughtshadbeenfaroff，andwhowasalittledullofhearingalso。

’Pray，sir，’saidArthur，repeatinghisquestion，’whatisthisplace？’

’Ay!Thisplace？’returnedtheoldman，stayinghispinchofsnuffonitsroad，andpointingattheplacewithoutlookingatit。

’ThisistheMarshalsea，sir。’

’Thedebtors’prison？’

’Sir，’saidtheoldman，withtheairofdeemingitnotquitenecessarytoinsistuponthatdesignation，’thedebtors’prison。’

Heturnedhimselfabout，andwenton。

’Ibegyourpardon，’saidArthur，stoppinghimoncemore，’butwillyouallowmetoaskyouanotherquestion？Cananyonegoinhere？’

’AnyonecangoIN，’repliedtheoldman；plainlyaddingbythesignificanceofhisemphasis，’butitisnoteveryonewhocangoout。’

’Pardonmeoncemore。Areyoufamiliarwiththeplace？’

’Sir，’returnedtheoldman，squeezinghislittlepacketofsnuffinhishand，andturninguponhisinterrogatorasifsuchquestionshurthim。’Iam。’

’Ibegyoutoexcuseme。Iamnotimpertinentlycurious，buthaveagoodobject。DoyouknowthenameofDorrithere？’

’Myname，sir，’repliedtheoldmanmostunexpectedly，’isDorrit。’

Arthurpulledoffhishattohim。’Grantmethefavourofhalf-a-

dozenwords。Iwaswhollyunpreparedforyourannouncement，andhopethatassuranceismysufficientapologyforhavingtakenthelibertyofaddressingyou。IhaverecentlycomehometoEnglandafteralongabsence。Ihaveseenatmymother’s——MrsClennaminthecity——ayoungwomanworkingatherneedle，whomIhaveonlyheardaddressedorspokenofasLittleDorrit。Ihavefeltsincerelyinterestedinher，andhavehadagreatdesiretoknowsomethingmoreabouther。Isawher，notaminutebeforeyoucameup，passinatthatdoor。’

Theoldmanlookedathimattentively。’Areyouasailor，sir？’heasked。Heseemedalittledisappointedbytheshakeoftheheadthatrepliedtohim。’Notasailor？Ijudgedfromyoursunburntfacethatyoumightbe。Areyouinearnest，sir？’

’IdoassureyouthatIam，anddoentreatyoutobelievethatI

am，inplainearnest。’

’Iknowverylittleoftheworld，sir，’returnedtheother，whohadaweakandquaveringvoice。’Iammerelypassingon，liketheshadowoverthesun-dial。Itwouldbeworthnoman’swhiletomisleadme；itwouldreallybetooeasy——toopoorasuccess，toyieldanysatisfaction。Theyoungwomanwhomyousawgoinhereismybrother’schild。MybrotherisWilliamDorrit；IamFrederick。

Yousayyouhaveseenheratyourmother’s(Iknowyourmotherbefriendsher)，youhavefeltaninterestinher，andyouwishtoknowwhatshedoeshere。Comeandsee。’

Hewentonagain，andArthuraccompaniedhim。

’Mybrother，’saidtheoldman，pausingonthestepandslowlyfacingroundagain，’hasbeenheremanyyears；andmuchthathappensevenamongourselves，outofdoors，iskeptfromhimforreasonsthatIneedn’tenteruponnow。Besogoodastosaynothingofmyniece’sworkingatherneedle。Besogoodastosaynothingthatgoesbeyondwhatissaidamongus。Ifyoukeepwithinourbounds，youcannotwellbewrong。Now!Comeandsee。’

Arthurfollowedhimdownanarrowentry，attheendofwhichakeywasturned，andastrongdoorwasopenedfromwithin。Itadmittedthemintoalodgeorlobby，acrosswhichtheypassed，andsothroughanotherdoorandagratingintotheprison。Theoldmanalwaysploddingonbefore，turnedround，inhisslow，stiff，stoopingmanner，whentheycametotheturnkeyonduty，asiftopresenthiscompanion。Theturnkeynodded；andthecompanionpassedinwithoutbeingaskedwhomhewanted。

Thenightwasdark；andtheprisonlampsintheyard，andthecandlesintheprisonwindowsfaintlyshiningbehindmanysortsofwryoldcurtainandblind，hadnottheairofmakingitlighter。

Afewpeopleloiteredabout，butthegreaterpartofthepopulationwaswithindoors。Theoldman，takingtheright-handsideoftheyard，turnedinatthethirdorfourthdoorway，andbegantoascendthestairs。’Theyareratherdark，sir，butyouwillnotfindanythingintheway。’

Hepausedforamomentbeforeopeningadooronthesecondstory。

HehadnosoonerturnedthehandlethanthevisitorsawLittleDorrit，andsawthereasonofhersettingsomuchstorebydiningalone。

Shehadbroughtthemeathomethatsheshouldhaveeatenherself，andwasalreadywarmingitonagridironoverthefireforherfather，cladinanoldgreygownandablackcap，awaitinghissupperatthetable。Acleanclothwasspreadbeforehim，withknife，fork，andspoon，salt-cellar，pepper-box，glass，andpewterale-pot。Suchzestsashisparticularlittlephialofcayennepepperandhispennyworthofpicklesinasaucer，werenotwanting。

Shestarted，coloureddeeply，andturnedwhite。Thevisitor，morewithhiseyesthanbytheslightimpulsivemotionofhishand，entreatedhertobereassuredandtotrusthim。

’Ifoundthisgentleman，’saidtheuncle——’MrClennam，William，sonofAmy’sfriend——attheoutergate，wishful，ashewasgoingby，ofpayinghisrespects，buthesitatingwhethertocomeinornot。

ThisismybrotherWilliam，sir。’

’Ihope，’saidArthur，verydoubtfulwhattosay，’thatmyrespectforyourdaughtermayexplainandjustifymydesiretobepresentedtoyou，sir。’

’MrClennam，’returnedtheother，rising，takinghiscapoffintheflatofhishand，andsoholdingit，readytoputonagain，’youdomehonour。Youarewelcome，sir；’withalowbow。’Frederick，achair。Praysitdown，MrClennam。’

Heputhisblackcaponagainashehadtakenitoff，andresumedhisownseat。Therewasawonderfulairofbenignityandpatronageinhismanner。Theseweretheceremonieswithwhichhereceivedthecollegians。

’YouarewelcometotheMarshalsea，sir。Ihavewelcomedmanygentlementothesewalls。Perhapsyouareaware——mydaughterAmymayhavementionedthatIamtheFatherofthisplace。’

’I——soIhaveunderstood，’saidArthur，dashingattheassertion。

’Youknow，Idaresay，thatmydaughterAmywasbornhere。Agoodgirl，sir，adeargirl，andlongacomfortandsupporttome。Amy，mydear，putthisdishon；MrClennamwillexcusetheprimitivecustomstowhichwearereducedhere。Isitacomplimenttoaskyouifyouwoulddomethehonour，sir，to——’