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a-days。Themurderous-headedstatuesofthewickedEmperorsoftheSoldiery，whomsculptorshadnotbeenabletoflatteroutoftheirvillainoushideousness，mighthavecomeofftheirpedestalstorunawaywiththeBride。Thechokedoldfountain，whereerstthegladiatorswashed，mighthaveleapedintolifeagaintohonourtheceremony。TheTempleofVestamighthavesprungupanewfromitsruins，expresslytolenditscountenancetotheoccasion。Mighthavedone；butdidnot。Likesentientthings——evenlikethelordsandladiesofcreationsometimes——mighthavedonemuch，butdidnothing。Thecelebrationwentoffwithadmirablepomp；monksinblackrobes，whiterobes，andrussetrobesstoppedtolookafterthecarriages；wanderingpeasantsinfleecesofsheep，beggedandpipedunderthehouse-windows；theEnglishvolunteersdefiled；thedayworeontothehourofvespers；thefestivalworeaway；thethousandchurchesrangtheirbellswithoutanyreferencetoit；andStPeterdeniedthathehadanythingtodowithit。

ButbythattimetheBridewasneartheendofthefirstday’sjourneytowardsFlorence。ItwasthepeculiarityofthenuptialsthattheywereallBride。NobodynoticedtheBridegroom。NobodynoticedthefirstBridesmaid。FewcouldhaveseenLittleDorrit(whoheldthatpost)fortheglare，evensupposingmanytohavesoughther。So，theBridehadmountedintoherhandsomechariot，incidentallyaccompaniedbytheBridegroom；andafterrollingforafewminutessmoothlyoverafairpavement，hadbeguntojoltthroughaSloughofDespond，andthroughalong，longavenueofwrackandruin。Othernuptialcarriagesaresaidtohavegonethesameroad，beforeandsince。

IfLittleDorritfoundherselfleftalittlelonelyandalittlelowthatnight，nothingwouldhavedonesomuchagainstherfeelingofdepressionasthebeingabletositatworkbyherfather，asintheoldtime，andhelphimtohissupperandhisrest。Butthatwasnottobethoughtofnow，whentheysatinthestate-equipagewithMrsGeneralonthecoach-box。Andastosupper!IfMrDorrithadwantedsupper，therewasanItaliancookandtherewasaSwissconfectioner，whomusthaveputoncapsashighasthePope’sMitre，andhaveperformedthemysteriesofAlchemistsinacopper-

saucepanedlaboratorybelow，beforehecouldhavegotit。

Hewassententiousanddidacticthatnight。Ifhehadbeensimplyloving，hewouldhavedoneLittleDorritmoregood；butsheacceptedhimashewas——whenhadshenotacceptedhimashewas!——

andmadethemostandbestofhim。MrsGeneralatlengthretired。

Herretirementforthenightwasalwaysherfrostiestceremony，asifshefeltitnecessarythatthehumanimaginationshouldbechilledintostonetopreventitsfollowingher。Whenshehadgonethroughherrigidpreliminaries，amountingtoasortofgenteelplatoon-exercise，shewithdrew。LittleDorritthenputherarmroundherfather’sneck，tobidhimgoodnight。

’Amy，mydear，’saidMrDorrit，takingherbythehand，’thisisthecloseofaday，thathas——ha——greatlyimpressedandgratifiedme。’

’Alittletiredyou，dear，too？’

’No，’saidMrDorrit，’no：Iamnotsensibleoffatiguewhenitarisesfromanoccasionso——hum——repletewithgratificationofthepurestkind。’

LittleDorritwasgladtofindhiminsuchheart，andsmiledfromherownheart。

’Mydear，’hecontinued，’thisisanoccasion——ha——teemingwithagoodexample。Withagoodexample，myfavouriteandattachedchild——hum——toyou。’

LittleDorrit，flutteredbyhiswords，didnotknowwhattosay，thoughhestoppedasifheexpectedhertosaysomething。

’Amy，’heresumed；’yourdearsister，ourFanny，hascontractedhahum——amarriage，eminentlycalculatedtoextendthebasisofour——

ha——connection，andto——hum——consolidateoursocialrelations。Mylove，Itrustthatthetimeisnotfardistantwhensome——ha——

eligiblepartnermaybefoundforyou。’

’Ohno!Letmestaywithyou。IbegandpraythatImaystaywithyou!Iwantnothingbuttostayandtakecareofyou!’Shesaiditlikeoneinsuddenalarm。

’Nay，Amy，Amy，’saidMrDorrit。’Thisisweakandfoolish，weakandfoolish。Youhavea——ha——responsibilityimposedup