第22章

’Youcan’tthinkhowgoodsheis，sir，’saidLittleDorrit，withinfinitetenderness。

’GoodSHEis，’echoedMaggy，transferringthepronouninamostexpressivewayfromherselftoherlittlemother。

’Orhowclever，’saidLittleDorrit。’Shegoesonerrandsaswellasanyone。’Maggylaughed。’AndisastrustworthyastheBankofEngland。’Maggylaughed。’Sheearnsherownlivingentirely。

Entirely，sir!’saidLittleDorrit，inalowerandtriumphanttone。

’Reallydoes!’

’Whatisherhistory？’askedClennam。

’Thinkofthat，Maggy？’saidLittleDorrit，takinghertwolargehandsandclappingthemtogether。’Agentlemanfromthousandsofmilesaway，wantingtoknowyourhistory!’

’Myhistory？’criedMaggy。’Littlemother。’

’Shemeansme，’saidLittleDorrit，ratherconfused；’sheisverymuchattachedtome。Heroldgrandmotherwasnotsokindtoherassheshouldhavebeen；wasshe，Maggy？’

Maggyshookherhead，madeadrinkingvesselofherclenchedlefthand，drankoutofit，andsaid，’Gin。’Thenbeatanimaginarychild，andsaid，’Broom-handlesandpokers。’

’WhenMaggywastenyearsold，’saidLittleDorrit，watchingherfacewhileshespoke，’shehadabadfever，sir，andshehasnevergrownanyoldereversince。’

’Tenyearsold，’saidMaggy，noddingherhead。’Butwhatanicehospital!Socomfortable，wasn’tit？Ohsoniceitwas。SuchaEv’nlyplace!’

’Shehadneverbeenatpeacebefore，sir，’saidLittleDorrit，turningtowardsArthurforaninstantandspeakinglow，’andshealwaysrunsoffuponthat。’

’Suchbedsthereisthere!’criedMaggy。’Suchlemonades!Suchoranges!Suchd’liciousbrothandwine!SuchChicking!Oh，AIN’T

itadelightfulplacetogoandstopat!’

’SoMaggystoppedthereaslongasshecould，’saidLittleDorrit，inherformertoneoftellingachild’sstory；thetonedesignedforMaggy’sear，’andatlast，whenshecouldstoptherenolonger，shecameout。Then，becauseshewasnevertobemorethantenyearsold，howeverlongshelived——’

’Howeverlongshelived，’echoedMaggy。

’Andbecauseshewasveryweak；indeedwassoweakthatwhenshebegantolaughshecouldn’tstopherself——whichwasagreatpity——’

(Maggymightygraveofasudden。)

’Hergrandmotherdidnotknowwhattodowithher，andforsomeyearswasveryunkindtoherindeed。Atlength，incourseoftime，Maggybegantotakepainstoimproveherself，andtobeveryattentiveandveryindustrious；andbydegreeswasallowedtocomeinandoutasoftenassheliked，andgotenoughtodotosupportherself，anddoessupportherself。Andthat，’saidLittleDorrit，clappingthetwogreathandstogetheragain，’isMaggy’shistory，asMaggyknows!’

Ah!ButArthurwouldhaveknownwhatwaswantingtoitscompleteness，thoughhehadneverheardofthewordsLittlemother；

thoughhehadneverseenthefondlingofthesmallsparehand；

thoughhehadhadnosightforthetearsnowstandinginthecolourlesseyes；thoughhehadhadnohearingforthesobthatcheckedtheclumsylaugh。Thedirtygatewaywiththewindandrainwhistlingthroughit，andthebasketofmuddypotatoeswaitingtobespiltagainortakenup，neverseemedthecommonholeitreallywas，whenhelookedbacktoitbytheselights。Never，never!

Theywereveryneartheendoftheirwalk，andtheynowcameoutofthegatewaytofinishit。NothingwouldserveMaggybutthattheymuststopatagrocer’swindow，shortoftheirdestination，forhertoshowherlearning。Shecouldreadafterasort；andpickedoutthefatfiguresintheticketsofprices，forthemostpartcorrectly。Shealsostumbled，withalargebalanceofsuccessagainstherfailures，throughvariousphilanthropicrecommendationstoTryourMixture，TryourFamilyBlack，TryourOrange-flavouredPekoe，challengingcompetitionattheheadofFloweryTeas；andvariouscautionstothepublicagainstspuriousestablishmentsandadulteratedarticles。WhenhesawhowpleasurebroughtarosytintintoLittleDorrit’sfacewhenMaggymadeahit，hefeltthathecouldhavestoodtheremakingalibraryofthegrocer’swindowuntiltherainandwindweretired。

Thecourt-yardreceivedthematlast，andtherehesaidgoodbyetoLittleDorrit。Littleasshehadalwayslooked，shelookedlessthaneverwhenhesawhergoingintotheMarshalsealodgepassage，thelittlemotherattendedbyherbigchild。

Thecagedooropened，andwhenthesmallbird，rearedincaptivity，hadtamelyflutteredin，hesawitshutagain；andthenhecameaway。

ContainingthewholeScienceofGovernmentTheCircumlocutionOfficewas(aseverybodyknowswithoutbeingtold)themostimportantDepartmentunderGovernment。Nopublicbusinessofanykindcould