第45章

’Ihavetakentheliberty，sir，of——’

’Eh？’TheFatheroftheMarshalseaalwayslifteduphiseyebrowsatthispoint，andbecameamiablydistraughtandsmilinglyabsentinmind。

’——Afewcigars，sir。’

’Oh!’(Forthemoment，excessivelysurprised。)’Thankyou，YoungJohn，thankyou。Butreally，IamafraidIamtoo——No？Wellthen，Iwillsaynomoreaboutit。Putthemonthemantelshelf，ifyouplease，YoungJohn。Andsitdown，sitdown。Youarenotastranger，John。’

’Thankyou，sir，Iamsure——Miss；’hereYoungJohnturnedthegreathatroundandrounduponhisleft-hand，likeaslowlytwirlingmouse-cage；’MissAmyquitewell，sir？’

’Yes，John，yes；verywell。Sheisout。’

’Indeed，sir？’

’Yes，John。MissAmyisgoneforanairing。Myyoungpeopleallgooutagooddeal。Butattheirtimeoflife，it’snatural，John。’

’Verymuchso，Iamsure，sir。’

’Anairing。Anairing。Yes。’Hewasblandlytappinghisfingersonthetable，andcastinghiseyesupatthewindow。’AmyhasgoneforanairingontheIronBridge。ShehasbecomequitepartialtotheIronBridgeoflate，andseemstoliketowalktherebetterthananywhere。’Hereturnedtoconversation。’Yourfatherisnotondutyatpresent，Ithink，John？’

’No，sir，hecomesonlaterintheafternoon。’Anothertwirlofthegreathat，andthenYoungJohnsaid，rising，’IamafraidI

mustwishyougoodday，sir。’

’Sosoon？Goodday，YoungJohn。Nay，nay，’withtheutmostcondescension，’nevermindyourglove，John。Shakehandswithiton。Youarenostrangerhere，youknow。’

Highlygratifiedbythekindnessofhisreception，YoungJohndescendedthestaircase。OnhiswaydownhemetsomeCollegiansbringingupvisitorstobepresented，andatthatmomentMrDorrithappenedtocalloverthebanisterswithparticulardistinctness，’Muchobligedtoyouforyourlittletestimonial，John!’

LittleDorrit’sloververysoonlaiddownhispennyonthetollplateoftheIronBridge，andcameuponitlookingabouthimforthewell-knownandwell-belovedfigure。Atfirsthefearedshewasnotthere；butashewalkedontowardstheMiddlesexside，hesawherstandingstill，lookingatthewater。Shewasabsorbedinthought，andhewonderedwhatshemightbethinkingabout。Therewerethepilesofcityroofsandchimneys，morefreefromsmokethanonweek-days；andtherewerethedistantmastsandsteeples。

Perhapsshewasthinkingaboutthem。

LittleDorritmusedsolong，andwassoentirelypreoccupied，thatalthoughherloverstoodquietforwhathethoughtwasalongtime，andtwiceorthriceretiredandcamebackagaintotheformerspot，stillshedidnotmove。So，intheend，hemadeuphismindtogoon，andseemtocomeuponhercasuallyinpassing，andspeaktoher。Theplacewasquiet，andnoworneverwasthetimetospeaktoher。

Hewalkedon，andshedidnotappeartohearhisstepsuntilhewascloseuponher。Whenhesaid’MissDorrit!’shestartedandfellbackfromhim，withanexpressioninherfaceoffrightandsomethinglikedislikethatcausedhimunutterabledismay。Shehadoftenavoidedhimbefore——always，indeed，foralong，longwhile。

Shehadturnedawayandglidedoffsooftenwhenshehadseenhimcomingtowardher，thattheunfortunateYoungJohncouldnotthinkitaccidental。Buthehadhopedthatitmightbeshyness，herretiringcharacter，herforeknowledgeofthestateofhisheart，anythingshortofaversion。Now，thatmomentarylookhadsaid，’You，ofallpeople!Iwouldratherhaveseenanyoneonearththanyou!’

Itwasbutamomentarylook，inasmuchasshecheckedit，andsaidinhersoftlittlevoice，’Oh，MrJohn!Isityou？’Butshefeltwhatithadbeen，ashefeltwhatithadbeen；andtheystoodlookingatoneanotherequallyconfused。

’MissAmy，IamafraidIdisturbedyou