第94章

Witharemembranceofherfather’soldlifeinprisonhangingaboutherliketheburdenofasorrowfultune，LittleDorritwouldwakefromadreamofherbirth-placeintoawholeday’sdream。Thepaintedroominwhichsheawoke，oftenahumbledstate-chamberinadilapidatedpalace，wouldbeginit；withitswildredautumnalvine-leavesoverhangingtheglass，itsorange-treesonthecrackedwhiteterraceoutsidethewindow，agroupofmonksandpeasantsinthelittlestreetbelow，miseryandmagnificencewrestlingwitheachotheruponeveryroodofgroundintheprospect，nomatterhowwidelydiversified，andmiserythrowingmagnificencewiththestrengthoffate。Tothiswouldsucceedalabyrinthofbarepassagesandpillaredgalleries，withthefamilyprocessionalreadypreparinginthequadranglebelow，throughthecarriagesandluggagebeingbroughttogetherbytheservantsfortheday’sjourney。Thenbreakfastinanotherpaintedchamber，damp-stainedandofdesolateproportions；andthenthedeparture，which，tohertimidityandsenseofnotbeinggrandenoughforherplaceintheceremonies，wasalwaysanuneasything。Forthenthecourier(whohimselfwouldhavebeenaforeigngentlemanofhighmarkintheMarshalsea)wouldpresenthimselftoreportthatallwasready；andthenherfather’svaletwouldpompouslyinducthimintohistravelling-cloak；andthenFanny’smaid，andherownmaid(whowasaweightonLittleDorrit’smind——absolutelymadehercryatfirst，sheknewsolittlewhattodowithher)，wouldbeinattendance；

andthenherbrother’smanwouldcompletehismaster’sequipment；

andthenherfatherwouldgivehisarmtoMrsGeneral，andherunclewouldgivehistoher，and，escortedbythelandlordandInnservants，theywouldswoopdown-stairs。There，acrowdwouldbecollectedtoseethementertheircarriages，which，amidstmuchbowing，andbegging，andprancing，andlashing，andclattering，theywoulddo；andsotheywouldbedrivenmadlythroughnarrowunsavourystreets，andjerkedoutatthetowngate。

Amongtheday’sunrealitieswouldberoadswherethebrightredvineswereloopedandgarlandedtogetherontreesformanymiles；

woodsofolives；whitevillagesandtownsonhill-sides，lovelywithout，butfrightfulintheirdirtandpovertywithin；crossesbytheway；deepbluelakeswithfairyislands，andclusteringboatswithawningsofbrightcoloursandsailsofbeautifulforms；vastpilesofbuildingmoulderingtodust；hanging-gardenswheretheweedshadgrownsostrongthattheirstems，likewedgesdrivenhome，hadsplitthearchandrentthewall；stone-terracedlanes，withthelizardsrunningintoandoutofeverychink；beggarsofallsortseverywhere：pitiful，picturesque，hungry，merry；childrenbeggarsandagedbeggars。Oftenatposting-housesandotherhaltingplaces，thesemiserablecreatureswouldappeartohertheonlyrealitiesoftheday；andmanyatime，whenthemoneyshehadbroughttogivethemwasallgivenaway，shewouldsitwithherfoldedhands，thoughtfullylookingaftersomediminutivegirlleadinghergreyfather，asifthesightremindedherofsomethinginthedaysthatweregone。

Again，therewouldbeplaceswheretheystayedtheweektogetherinsplendidrooms，hadbanquetseveryday，rodeoutamongheapsofwonders，walkedthroughmilesofpalaces，andrestedindarkcornersofgreatchurches；wheretherewerewinkinglampsofgoldandsilveramongpillarsandarches，kneelingfiguresdottedaboutatconfessionalsandonthepavements；wheretherewasthemistandscentofincense；wheretherewerepictures，fantasticimages，gaudyaltars，greatheightsanddistances，allsoftlylightedthroughstainedglass，andthemassivecurtainsthathunginthedoorways。Fromthesecitiestheywouldgoonagain，bytheroadsofvinesandolives，throughsqualidvillages，wheretherewasnotahovelwithoutagapinitsfilthywalls，notawindowwithawholeinchofglassorpaper；wherethereseemedtobenothingtosupportlife，nothingtoeat，nothingtomake，nothingtogrow，nothingtohope，nothingtodobutdie。

Againtheywouldcometowholetownsofpalaces，whoseproperinmateswereallbanished，andwhichwereallchangedintobarracks：troopsofidlesoldiersleaningoutofthestatewindows，wheretheiraccoutrementshung