第125章

’Withamillionthanks，’saidshe，’andmyaddressuponmycardincaseofanythingtobecommunicatedpersonally，Iwillnotsendmylovetothedearlittlethingforitmightnotbeacceptable，andindeedthereisnodearlittlethingleftinthetransformationsowhydoitbutbothmyselfandMrF。’sAunteverwishherwellandlaynoclaimtoanyfavouronoursideyoumaybesureofthatbutquitetheotherwayforwhatsheundertooktodoshedidandthatismorethanagreatmanyofusdo，nottosayanythingofherdoingitasWellasitcouldbedoneandImyselfamoneofthemforIhavesaideversinceIbegantorecovertheblowofMrF’sdeaththatIwouldlearntheOrganofwhichIamextremelyfondbutofwhichIamashamedtosayIdonotyetknowanote，goodevening!’

WhenMrDorrit，whoattendedhertotheroom-door，hadhadalittletimetocollecthissenses，hefoundthattheinterviewhadsummonedbackdiscardedreminiscenceswhichjarredwiththeMerdledinner-table。Hewroteandsentoffabriefnoteexcusinghimselfforthatday，andordereddinnerpresentlyinhisownroomsatthehotel。Hehadanotherreasonforthis。HistimeinLondonwasverynearlyout，andwasanticipatedbyengagements；hisplansweremadeforreturning；andhethoughtitbehovedhisimportancetopursuesomedirectinquiryintotheBlandoisdisappearance，andbeinaconditiontocarrybacktoMrHenryGowantheresultofhisownpersonalinvestigation。Hethereforeresolvedthathewouldtakeadvantageofthatevening’sfreedomtogodowntoClennamandCo。’s，easilytobefoundbythedirectionsetforthinthehandbill；andseetheplace，andaskaquestionortwotherehimself。

HavingdinedasplainlyastheestablishmentandtheCourierwouldlethim，andhavingtakenashortsleepbythefireforhisbetterrecoveryfromMrsFinching，hesetoutinahackney-cabrioletalone。ThedeepbellofStPaul’swasstrikingnineashepassedundertheshadowofTempleBar，headlessandforlorninthesedegeneratedays。

Asheapproachedhisdestinationthroughtheby-streetsandwater-

sideways，thatpartofLondonseemedtohimanuglierspotatsuchanhourthanhehadeversupposedittobe。Manylongyearshadpassedsincehehadseenit；hehadneverknownmuchofit；anditworeamysteriousanddismalaspectinhiseyes。Sopowerfullywashisimaginationimpressedbyit，thatwhenhisdriverstopped，afterhavingaskedthewaymorethanonce，andsaidtothebestofhisbeliefthiswasthegatewaytheywanted，MrDorritstoodhesitating，withthecoach-doorinhishand，halfafraidofthedarklookoftheplace。

Truly，itlookedasgloomythatnightasevenithadeverlooked。

Twoofthehandbillswerepostedontheentrancewall，oneoneitherside，andasthelampflickeredinthenightair，shadowspassedoverthem，notunliketheshadowsoffingersfollowingthelines。Awatchwasevidentlykeptupontheplace。AsMrDorritpaused，amanpassedinfromovertheway，andanothermanpassedoutfromsomedarkcornerwithin；andbothlookedathiminpassing，andbothremainedstandingabout。

Astherewasonlyonehouseintheenclosure，therewasnoroomforuncertainty，sohewentupthestepsofthathouseandknocked。

Therewasadimlightintwowindowsonthefirst-floor。Thedoorgavebackadreary，vacantsound，asthoughthehousewereempty；

butitwasnot，foralightwasvisible，andastepwasaudible，almostdirectly。They