第79章

Foritwasareg’largoodsecret，thatwas!’criedMaggy，huggingherself。

ArthurlookedatLittleDorritforhelptocomprehendthis，andwasstruckbyseeinghersotimidandred。But，whenshetoldhimthatitwasonlyaFairyTaleshehadonedaymadeupforMaggy，andthattherewasnothinginitwhichshewouldn’tbeashamedtotellagaintoanybodyelse，evenifshecouldrememberit，heleftthesubjectwhereitwas。

However，hereturnedtohisownsubjectbyfirstentreatinghertoseehimoftener，andtorememberthatitwasimpossibletohaveastrongerinterestinherwelfarethanhehad，ortobemoresetuponpromotingitthanhewas。Whensheansweredfervently，shewellknewthat，sheneverforgotit，hetoucheduponhissecondandmoredelicatepoint——thesuspicionhehadformed。

’LittleDorrit，’hesaid，takingherhandagain，andspeakinglowerthanhehadspokenyet，sothatevenMaggyinthesmallroomcouldnothearhim，’anotherword。Ihavewantedverymuchtosaythistoyou；Ihavetriedforopportunities。Don’tmindme，who，forthematterofyears，mightbeyourfatheroryouruncle。Alwaysthinkofmeasquiteanoldman。Iknowthatallyourdevotioncentresinthisroom，andthatnothingtothelastwillevertemptyouawayfromthedutiesyoudischargehere。IfIwerenotsureofit，Ishould，beforenow，haveimploredyou，andimploredyourfather，toletmemakesomeprovisionforyouinamoresuitableplace。Butyoumayhaveaninterest——Iwillnotsay，now，thougheventhatmightbe——mayhave，atanothertime，aninterestinsomeoneelse；aninterestnotincompatiblewithyouraffectionhere。’

Shewasvery，verypale，andsilentlyshookherhead。

’Itmaybe，dearLittleDorrit。’

’No。No。No。’Sheshookherhead，aftereachslowrepetitionoftheword，withanairofquietdesolationthatherememberedlongafterwards。Thetimecamewhenheremembereditwell，longafterwards，withinthoseprisonwalls；withinthatveryroom。

’But，ifitevershouldbe，tellmeso，mydearchild。Entrustthetruthtome，pointouttheobjectofsuchaninteresttome，andI

willtrywithallthezeal，andhonour，andfriendshipandrespectthatIfeelforyou，goodLittleDorritofmyheart，todoyoualastingservice。’

’Othankyou，thankyou!But，Ono，Ono，Ono!’Shesaidthis，lookingathimwithherwork-wornhandsfoldedtogether，andinthesameresignedaccentsasbefore。

’Ipressfornoconfidencenow。Ionlyaskyoutoreposeunhesitatingtrustinme。’

’CanIdolessthanthat，whenyouaresogood!’

’Thenyouwilltrustmefully？Willhavenosecretunhappiness，oranxiety，concealedfromme？’

’Almostnone。’

’Andyouhavenonenow？’

Sheshookherhead。Butshewasverypale。

’WhenIliedownto-night，andmythoughtscomeback——astheywill，fortheydoeverynight，evenwhenIhavenotseenyou——tothissadplace，Imaybelievethatthereisnogriefbeyondthisroom，now，anditsusualoccupants，whichpreysonLittleDorrit’smind？’

Sheseemedtocatchatthesewords——thatheremembered，too，longafterwards——andsaid，morebrightly，’Yes，MrClennam；yes，youmay!’

Thecrazystaircase，usuallynotslowtogivenoticewhenanyonewascomingupordown，herecreakedunderaquicktread，andafurthersoundwashearduponit，asifalittlesteam-enginewithmoresteamthanitknewwhattodowith，wereworkingtowardstheroom。Asitapproached，whichitdidveryrapidly，itlabouredwithincreasedenergy；and，afterknockingatthedoor，itsoundedasifitwerestoopingdownandsnortinginatthekeyhole。

BeforeMaggycouldopenthedoor，MrPancks，openingitfromwithout，stoodwit