第85章

Itwasastrangelyunrealridethroughtheoldsqualidstreets，withasensationofbeingraisedoutofthemintoanairyworldofwealthandgrandeur。WhenArthurtoldherthatshewouldsoonrideinherowncarriagethroughverydifferentscenes，whenallthefamiliarexperienceswouldhavevanishedaway，shelookedfrightened。Butwhenhesubstitutedherfatherforherself，andtoldherhowhewouldrideinhiscarriage，andhowgreatandgrandhewouldbe，hertearsofjoyandinnocentpridefellfast。Seeingthatthehappinesshermindcouldrealisewasallshininguponhim，Arthurkeptthatsinglefigurebeforeher；andsotheyrodebrightlythroughthepoorstreetsintheprisonneighbourhoodtocarryhimthegreatnews。

WhenMrChivery，whowasonduty，admittedthemintotheLodge，hesawsomethingintheirfaceswhichfilledhimwithastonishment。

Hestoodlookingafterthem，whentheyhurriedintotheprison，asthoughheperceivedthattheyhadcomebackaccompaniedbyaghosta-piece。TwoorthreeCollegianswhomtheypassed，lookedafterthemtoo，andpresentlyjoiningMrChivery，formedalittlegroupontheLodgesteps，inthemidstofwhichtherespontaneouslyoriginatedawhisperthattheFatherwasgoingtogethisdischarge。Withinafewminutes，itwasheardintheremotestroomintheCollege。

LittleDorritopenedthedoorfromwithout，andtheybothentered。

Hewassittinginhisoldgreygownandhisoldblackcap，inthesunlightbythewindow，readinghisnewspaper。Hisglasseswereinhishand，andhehadjustlookedround；surprisedatfirst，nodoubt，byherstepuponthestairs，notexpectingheruntilnight；

surprisedagain，byseeingArthurClennaminhercompany。Astheycamein，thesameunwontedlookinbothofthemwhichhadalreadycaughtattentionintheyardbelow，struckhim。Hedidnotriseorspeak，butlaiddownhisglassesandhisnewspaperonthetablebesidehim，andlookedatthemwithhismouthalittleopenandhislipstrembling。WhenArthurputouthishand，hetouchedit，butnotwithhisusualstate；andthenheturnedtohisdaughter，whohadsatdownclosebesidehimwithherhandsuponhisshoulder，andlookedattentivelyinherface。

’Father!Ihavebeenmadesohappythismorning!’

’Youhavebeenmadesohappy，mydear？’

’ByMrClennam，father。Hebroughtmesuchjoyfulandwonderfulintelligenceaboutyou!Ifhehadnotwithhisgreatkindnessandgentleness，preparedmeforit，father——preparedmeforit，father——IthinkIcouldnothaveborneit。’

Heragitationwasexceedinglygreat，andthetearsrolleddownherface。Heputhishandsuddenlytohisheart，andlookedatClennam。

’Composeyourself，sir，’saidClennam，’andtakealittletimetothink。Tothinkofthebrightestandmostfortunateaccidentsoflife。Wehaveallheardofgreatsurprisesofjoy。Theyarenotatanend，sir。Theyarerare，butnotatanend。’

’MrClennam？Notatanend？Notatanendfor——’Hetouchedhimselfuponthebreast，insteadofsaying’me。’

’No，’returnedClennam。

’Whatsurprise，’heasked，keepinghislefthandoverhisheart，andtherestoppinginhisspeech，whilewithhisrighthandheputhisglassesexactlylevelonthetable：’whatsuchsurprisecanbeinstoreforme？’

’Letmeanswerwithanotherquestion。Tellme，MrDorrit，whatsurprisewouldbethemostunlookedforandthemostacceptabletoyou。Donotbeafraidtoimagineit，ortosaywhatitwouldbe。’

HelookedsteadfastlyatClennam，and，solookingathim，seemedtochangeintoaveryoldhaggardman。Thesunwasbrightuponthewallbeyondthewindow，andonthespikesattop。Heslowlystretchedoutthehandthathadbeenuponhisheart，andpointedatthewall。

’Itisdown，’saidClennam。’Gone!’

Heremainedinthesameattitude，lookingsteadfastlyathim。

’Andinitsplace，’saidClennam，slowlyanddistinctly，’