第49章

’Stopamoment，Amy，andletthemgetawaybeforeus，’whisperedFanny。Theyweresoonleftalone；nothingmoreimportanthappening，inthemeantime，thantheboylookingroundhisoldbeam，andsaying，’Everybodyatelevento-morrow，ladies!’andthegentlemanwiththeblackhairlookingroundhisoldbeam，andsaying，’Everybodyatelevento-morrow，darlings!’eachinhisownaccustomedmanner。

Whentheywerealone，somethingwasrolleduporbyothermeansgotoutoftheway，andtherewasagreatemptywellbeforethem，lookingdownintothedepthsofwhichFannysaid，’Now，uncle!’

LittleDorrit，ashereyesbecameusedtothedarkness，faintlymadehimoutatthebottomofthewell，inanobscurecornerbyhimself，withhisinstrumentinitsraggedcaseunderhisarm。

Theoldmanlookedasiftheremotehighgallerywindows，withtheirlittlestripofsky，mighthavebeenthepointofhisbetterfortunes，fromwhichhehaddescended，untilhehadgraduallysunkdownbelowtheretothebottom。Hehadbeeninthatplacesixnightsaweekformanyyears，buthadneverbeenobservedtoraisehiseyesabovehismusic-book，andwasconfidentlybelievedtohaveneverseenaplay。Therewerelegendsintheplacethathedidnotsomuchasknowthepopularheroesandheroinesbysight，andthatthelowcomedianhad’mugged’athiminhisrichestmannerfiftynightsforawager，andhehadshownnotraceofconsciousness。

Thecarpentershadajoketotheeffectthathewasdeadwithoutbeingawareofit；andthefrequentersofthepitsupposedhimtopasshiswholelife，nightandday，andSundayandall，intheorchestra。Theyhadtriedhimafewtimeswithpinchesofsnuffofferedovertherails，andhehadalwaysrespondedtothisattentionwithamomentarywakingupofmannerthathadthepalephantomofagentlemaninit：beyondthishenever，onanyoccasion，hadanyotherpartinwhatwasgoingonthanthepartwrittenoutfortheclarionet；inprivatelife，wheretherewasnopartfortheclarionet，hehadnopartatall。Somesaidhewaspoor，somesaidhewasawealthymiser；buthesaidnothing，neverlifteduphisbowedhead，nevervariedhisshufflinggaitbygettinghisspringlessfootfromtheground。Thoughexpectingnowtobesummonedbyhisniece，hedidnothearheruntilshehadspokentohimthreeorfourtimes；norwasheatallsurprisedbythepresenceoftwoniecesinsteadofone，butmerelysaidinhistremulousvoice，’Iamcoming，Iamcoming!’andcreptforthbysomeundergroundwaywhichemittedacellaroussmell。

’Andso，Amy，’saidhersister，whenthethreetogetherpassedoutatthedoorthathadsuchashame-facedconsciousnessofbeingdifferentfromotherdoors：theuncleinstinctivelytakingAmy’sarmasthearmtobereliedon：’so，Amy，youarecuriousaboutme？’

Shewaspretty，andconscious，andratherflaunting；andthecondescensionwithwhichsheputasidethesuperiorityofhercharms，andofherworldlyexperience，andaddressedhersisteronalmostequalterms，hadavastdealofthefamilyinit。

’Iaminterested，Fanny，andconcernedinanythingthatconcernsyou。’

’Soyouare，soyouare，andyouarethebestofAmys。IfIameveralittleprovoking，Iamsureyou’llconsiderwhatathingitistooccupymypositionandfeelaconsciousnessofbeingsuperiortoit。Ishouldn’tcare，’saidtheDaughteroftheFatheroftheMarshalsea，’iftheotherswerenotsocommon。Noneofthemhavecomedownintheworldaswehave。Theyareallontheirownlevel。Common。’

LittleDorritmildlylookedatthespeaker，butdidnotinterrupther。Fannytookoutherhandkerchief，andratherangrilywipedhereyes。’Iwasnotbornwhereyouwere，youknow，Amy，andperhapsthatmakesadifference。Mydearchild，whenwegetridofUncle，youshallknowallaboutit。We’lldrophimatthecook’sshopwhereheisgoingtodine。’

Theywalkedonwithhimuntiltheycametoadirtyshopwindowinadirtystreet，whichwasmadealmostopaquebythesteamofhotmeats，vegetables，andpuddings。Butglimpsesweretobecaughtofaroastlegofporkburstingintotearsofsageandonioninametalreservoirfullofgravy，ofanunctuouspieceofroastbeefandblisterousYorkshirepudding，bubblinghotinasimilarreceptacle，