第20章

Asthesepeoplepassedhimstandingstillinthecourt-yard，andoneofthemturnedbacktoinquireifhecouldassisthimwithhisservices，itcameintoArthurClennam’smindthathewouldspeaktoLittleDorritagainbeforehewentaway。Shewouldhaverecoveredherfirstsurprise，andmightfeeleasierwithhim。Heaskedthismemberofthefraternity(whohadtworedherringsinhishand，andaloafandablackingbrushunderhisarm)，wherewasthenearestplacetogetacupofcoffeeat。Thenondescriptrepliedinencouragingterms，andbroughthimtoacoffee-shopinthestreetwithinastone’sthrow。

’DoyouknowMissDorrit？’askedthenewclient。

ThenondescriptknewtwoMissDorrits；onewhowasborninside——

Thatwastheone!Thatwastheone？Thenondescripthadknownhermanyyears。InregardoftheotherMissDorrit，thenondescriptlodgedinthesamehousewithherselfanduncle。

Thischangedtheclient’shalf-formeddesignofremainingatthecoffee-shopuntilthenondescriptshouldbringhimwordthatDorrithadissuedforthintothestreet。Heentrustedthenondescriptwithaconfidentialmessagetoher，importingthatthevisitorwhohadwaitedonherfatherlastnight，beggedthefavourofafewwordswithheratheruncle’slodging；heobtainedfromthesamesourcefulldirectionstothehouse，whichwasverynear；dismissedthenondescriptgratifiedwithhalf-a-crown；andhavinghastilyrefreshedhimselfatthecoffee-shop，repairedwithallspeedtotheclarionet-player’sdwelling。

Thereweresomanylodgersinthishousethatthedoorpostseemedtobeasfullofbell-handlesasacathedralorganisofstops。

Doubtfulwhichmightbetheclarionet-stop，hewasconsideringthepoint，whenashuttlecockflewoutoftheparlourwindow，andalightedonhishat。Hethenobservedthatintheparlourwindowwasablindwiththeinscription，MRCRIPPLES’sACADEMY；alsoinanotherline，EVENINGTUITION；andbehindtheblindwasalittlewhite-facedboy，withasliceofbread-and-butterandabattledore。

Thewindowbeingaccessiblefromthefootway，helookedinovertheblind，returnedtheshuttlecock，andputhisquestion。

’Dorrit？’saidthelittlewhite-facedboy(MasterCripplesinfact)。’MrDorrit？Thirdbellandoneknock。’

ThepupilsofMrCripplesappearedtohavebeenmakingacopy-bookofthestreet-door，itwassoextensivelyscribbledoverinpencil。

Thefrequencyoftheinscriptions，’OldDorrit，’and’DirtyDick，’

incombination，suggestedintentionsofpersonalityonthepartOfMrCripples’spupils。Therewasampletimetomaketheseobservationsbeforethedoorwasopenedbythepooroldmanhimself。

’Ha!’saidhe，veryslowlyrememberingArthur，’youwereshutinlastnight？’

’Yes，MrDorrit。Ihopetomeetyournieceherepresently。’

’Oh!’saidhe，pondering。’Outofmybrother’sway？True。Wouldyoucomeup-stairsandwaitforher？’

’Thankyou。’

Turninghimselfasslowlyasheturnedinhismindwhateverheheardorsaid，heledthewayupthenarrowstairs。Thehousewasveryclose，andhadanunwholesomesmell。Thelittlestaircasewindowslookedinatthebackwindowsofotherhousesasunwholesomeasitself，withpolesandlinesthrustoutofthem，onwhichunsightlylinenhung；asiftheinhabitantswereanglingforclothes，andhadhadsomewretchedbitesnotworthattendingto。

Inthebackgarret——asicklyroom，withaturn-upbedsteadinit，sohastilyandrecentlyturnedupthattheblanketswereboilingover，asitwere，andkeepingthelidopen——ahalf-finishedbreakfastofcoffeeandtoastfortwopersonswasjumbleddownanyhowonaricketytable。

Therewasnoonethere。Theoldmanmumblingtohimself，aftersomeconsideration，thatFannyhadrunaway，wenttothenextroomtofetchherback。Thevisitor，observingthatsheheldthedoorontheinside，andthat，whentheuncletriedtoopenit，therewasasharpadjurationof’Don’t，stupid!’andanappearanceofloosestockingandflannel，concludedthattheyoungladywasinanundress。Theuncle，withoutappearingtocometoanyconclusion，shuffledinagain，satdowninhischair，andbeganwarminghishandsatthefire；notthatitwascold，orthathehadanywakingideawhetheritwasornot。

’Whatdidyouthinkofmybrother，sir？’heasked，whenheby-and-

bydiscoveredwhathewasdoing，leftoff，reachedovertothechimney-piece，andtookhisclarionetcasedown。

’Iwasglad，’saidArthur，verymuchataloss，forhisthoughtswereonthebrotherbeforehim；’tofindhimsowellandcheerful。’

’Ha!’mutteredtheoldman，’yes，yes，yes，yes，yes!’

Arthurwonderedwhathecouldpossiblywantwiththeclarionetcase。Hedidnotwantitatall。Hediscovered，induetime，thatitwasnotthelittlepaperofsnuff(whichwasalsoonthechimney-piece)，putitbackagain，tookdownthesnuffinstead，andsolacedhimselfwithapinch。Hewasasfeeble，spare，andslowinhispinchesasineverythingelse，butacertainlittletricklingofenjoymentofthemplayedinthepoorwornnervesaboutthecornersofhiseyesandmouth。

’Amy，MrClennam。Whatdoyouthinkofher？’

’Iammuchimpressed，MrDorrit，byallthatIhaveseenofherandthoughtofher。’

’MybrotherwouldhavebeenquitelostwithoutAmy，’hereturned。

’WeshouldallhavebeenlostwithoutAmy。Sheisaverygoodgirl，Amy。Shedoesherduty。’

Arthurfanciedthatheheardinthesepraisesacertaintoneofcustom，whichhehadheardfromthefatherlastnightwithaninwardprotestandfeelingofantagonism。Itwasnotthattheystintedherpraises，orwereinsensibletowhatshedidforthem；

butthattheywerelazilyhabituatedtoher，astheyweretoalltherestoftheircondition。Hefanciedthatalthoughtheyhadbeforethem，everyday，themeansofcomparisonbetweenherandoneanotherandthemselves，theyregardedherasbeinginhernecessaryplace；asholdingapositiontowardsthemallwhichbelongedtoher，likehernameorherage。Hefanciedthattheyviewedher，notashavingrisenawayfromtheprisonatmosphere，butasappertainingtoit；asbeingvaguelywhattheyhadarighttoexpect，andnothingmore。

Heruncleresumedhisbreakfast，andwasmunchingtoastsoppedincoffee，obliviousofhisguest，whenthethirdbellrang。ThatwasAmy，hesaid，andwentdowntoletherin；leavingthevisitorwithasvividapictureonhismindofhisbegrimedhands，dirt-wornface，anddecayedfigure，asifhewerestilldroopinginhischair。

Shecameupafterhim，intheusualplaindress，andwiththeusualtimidmanner。Herlipswerealittleparted，asifherheartbeatfasterthanusual。

’MrClennam，Amy，’saidheruncle，’hasbeenexpectingyousometime。’

’Itookthelibertyofsendingyouamessage。’

’Ireceivedthemessage，sir。’

’Areyougoingtomymother’sthismorning？Ithinknot，foritispastyourusualhour。’

’Notto-day，sir。Iamnotwantedto-day。’

’WillyouallowMetowalkalittlewayinwhateverdirectionyoumaybegoing？Icanthenspeaktoyouaswewalk，bothwithoutdetainingyouhere，andwithoutintrudinglongerheremyself。’

Shelookedembarrassed，butsaid，ifhepleased。Hemadeapretenceofhavingmislaidhiswalking-stick，togivehertimetosetthebedsteadright，toanswerhersister’simpatientknockatthewall，andtosayawordsoftlytoheruncle。Thenhefoundit，andtheywentdown-stairs；shefirst，hefollowing；theunclestandingatthestair-head，andprobablyforgettingthembeforetheyhadreachedthegroundfloor。

MrCripples’spupils，whowerebythistimecomingtoschool，desistedfromtheirmorningrecreationofcuffingoneanotherwithbagsandbooks，tostarewithalltheeyestheyhadatastrangerwhohadbeentoseeDirtyDick。Theyborethetryingspectacleinsilence，untilthemysteriousvisitorwasatasafedistance；whentheyburstintopebblesandyells，andlikewiseintorevilingdances，andinallrespectsburiedthepipeofpeacewithsomanysavageceremonies，that，ifMrCrippleshadbeenthechiefoftheCripplewaybootribewithhiswar-painton，theycouldscarcelyhavedonegreaterjusticetotheireducation。

Inthemidstofthishomage，MrArthurClennamofferedhisarmtoLittleDorrit，andLittleDorrittookit。’WillyougobytheIronBridge，’saidhe，’wherethereisanescapefromthenoiseofthestreet？’LittleDorritanswered，ifhepleased，andpresentlyventuredtohopethathewould’notmind’MrCripples’sboys，forshehadherselfreceivedhereducation，suchasitwas，inMrCripples’seveningacademy。Hereturned，withthebestwillintheworld，thatMrCripples’sboyswereforgivenoutofthebottomofhissoul。ThusdidCripplesunconsciouslybecomeamasteroftheceremoniesbetweenthem，andbringthemmorenaturallytogetherthanBeauNashmighthavedoneiftheyhadlivedinhisgoldendays，andhehadalightedfromhiscoachandsixforthepurpose。

Themorningremainedsqually，andthestreetsweremiserablymuddy，butnorainfellastheywalkedtowardstheIronBridge。Thelittlecreatureseemedsoyounginhiseyes，thatthereweremomentswhenhefoundhimselfthinkingofher，ifnotspeakingtoher，asifshewereachild。Perhapsheseemedasoldinhereyesassheseemedyounginhis。

’Iamsorrytohearyouweresoinconveniencedlastnight，sir，astobelockedin。Itwasveryunfortunate。’

Itwasnothing，hereturned。Hehadhadaverygoodbed。

’Ohyes!’shesaidquickly；’shebelievedtherewereexcellentbedsatthecoffee-house。’Henoticedthatthecoffee-housewasquiteamajestichoteltoher，andthatshetreasureditsreputation。

’Ibelieveitisveryexpensive，’saidLittleDorrit，’butMY

fatherhastoldmethatquitebeautifuldinnersmaybegotthere。

Andwine，’sheaddedtimidly。

’Wereyoueverthere？’

’Ohno!Onlyintothekitchentofetchhotwater。’

Tothinkofgrowingupwithakindofaweupononeastotheluxuriesofthatsuperbestablishment，theMarshalseaHotel!

’Iaskedyoulastnight，’saidClennam，’howyouhadbecomeacquaintedwithmymother。Didyoueverhearhernamebeforeshesentforyou？’

’No，sir。’

’Doyouthinkyourfathereverdid？’

’No，sir。’

Hemethereyesraisedtohiswithsomuchwonderinthem(shewasscaredwhentheencountertookplace，andshrunkawayagain)，thathefeltitnecessarytosay：

’Ihaveareasonforasking，whichIcannotverywellexplain；butyoumust，onnoaccount，supposeittobeofanaturetocauseyoutheleastalarmoranxiety。Quitethereverse。Andyouthinkthatatnotimeofyourfather’slifewasmynameofClennameverfamiliartohim？’

’No，sir。’