第77章

’Oyes!’saidArthurClennam。

’Well，sir，thisisMrsPlornish’sfather。’

’Indeed？Iamgladtoseehim。’

’Youwouldbemoregladifyouknewhismanygoodqualities，MrClennam。’

’IhopeIshallcometoknowthemthroughknowinghim，’saidArthur，secretlypityingthebowedandsubmissivefigure。

’Itisaholidaywithhim，andhecomestoseehisoldfriends，whoarealwaysgladtoseehim，’observedtheFatheroftheMarshalsea。

Thenheaddedbehindhishand，(’Union，pooroldfellow。Outfortheday。’)

BythistimeMaggy，quietlyassistedbyherLittleMother，hadspreadtheboard，andtherepastwasready。Itbeinghotweatherandtheprisonveryclose，thewindowwasaswideopenasitcouldbepushed。’IfMaggywillspreadthatnewspaperonthewindow-

sill，mydear，’remarkedtheFathercomplacentlyandinahalfwhispertoLittleDorrit，’myoldpensionercanhavehisteathere，whilewearehavingours。’

So，withagulfbetweenhimandthegoodcompanyofaboutafootinwidth，standardmeasure，MrsPlornish’sfatherwashandsomelyregaled。ClennamhadneverseenanythinglikehismagnanimousprotectionbythatotherFather，heoftheMarshalsea；andwaslostinthecontemplationofitsmanywonders。

Themoststrikingofthesewasperhapstherelishingmannerinwhichheremarkedonthepensioner’sinfirmitiesandfailings，asifhewereagraciousKeepermakingarunningcommentaryonthedeclineoftheharmlessanimalheexhibited。

’Notreadyformorehamyet，Nandy？Why，howslowyouare!(Hislastteeth，’heexplainedtothecompany，’aregoing，pooroldboy。’)

Atanothertime，hesaid，’Noshrimps，Nandy？’andonhisnotinstantlyreplying，observed，(’Hishearingisbecomingverydefective。He’llbedeafdirectly。’)

Atanothertimeheaskedhim，’Doyouwalkmuch，Nandy，abouttheyardwithinthewallsofthatplaceofyours？’

’No，sir；no。Ihaven’tanygreatlikingforthat。’

’No，tobesure，’heassented。’Verynatural。’Thenheprivatelyinformedthecircle(’Legsgoing。’)

Onceheaskedthepensioner，inthatgeneralclemencywhichaskedhimanythingtokeephimafloat，howoldhisyoungergrandchildwas？

’JohnEdward，’saidthepensioner，slowlylayingdownhisknifeandforktoconsider。’Howold，sir？Letmethinknow。’

TheFatheroftheMarshalseatappedhisforehead(’Memoryweak。’)

’JohnEdward，sir？Well，Ireallyforget。Icouldn’tsayatthisminute，sir，whetherit’stwoandtwomonths，orwhetherit’stwoandfivemonths。It’soneortheother。’

’Don’tdistressyourselfbyworryingyourmindaboutit，’hereturned，withinfiniteforbearance。(’Facultiesevidentlydecaying——oldmanrustsinthelifeheleads!’)

Themoreofthesediscoveriesthathepersuadedhimselfhemadeinthepensioner，thebetterheappearedtolikehim；andwhenhegotoutofhischairafterteatobidthepensionergood-bye，onhisintimatingthathefeared，honouredsir，histimewasrunningout，hemadehimselflookaserectandstrongaspossible。

’Wedon’tcallthisashilling，Nandy，youknow，’hesaid，puttingoneinhishand。’Wecallittobacco。’

’Honouredsir，Ithankyou。Itshallbuytobacco。MythanksanddutytoMissAmyandMissFanny。Iwishyougoodnight，MrClennam。’

’Andmindyoudon’tforgetus，youknow，Nandy，’saidtheFather。

’Youmustcomeagain，mind，wheneveryouhaveanafternoon。Youmustnotcomeoutwithoutseeingus，orweshallbejealous。Goodnight，Nandy。Beverycarefulhowy