第130章

shallIsaymypersonaldignity？Ladiesandgentlemen，Godblessyouall!’

Bythistime，theexceedingmortificationundergonebytheBosomhadoccasionedthewithdrawalofthegreaterpartofthecompanyintootherrooms。Thefewwhohadlingeredthuslongfollowedtherest，andLittleDorritandherfatherwerelefttotheservantsandthemselves。Dearestandmostprecioustoher，hewouldcomewithhernow，wouldhenot？Herepliedtoherfervidentreaties，thathewouldneverbeabletogetupthenarrowstairswithoutBob；wherewasBob，wouldnobodyfetchBob？UnderpretenceoflookingforBob，shegothimoutagainstthestreamofgaycompanynowpouringinfortheeveningassembly，andgothimintoacoachthathadjustsetdownitsload，andgothimhome。

ThebroadstairsofhisRomanpalacewerecontractedinhisfailingsighttothenarrowstairsofhisLondonprison；andhewouldsuffernoonebuthertotouchhim，hisbrotherexcepted。Theygothimuptohisroomwithouthelp，andlaidhimdownonhisbed。Andfromthathourhispoormaimedspirit，onlyrememberingtheplacewhereithadbrokenitswings，cancelledthedreamthroughwhichithadsincegroped，andknewofnothingbeyondtheMarshalsea。Whenheheardfootstepsinthestreet，hetookthemfortheoldwearytreadintheyards。Whenthehourcameforlockingup，hesupposedallstrangerstobeexcludedforthenight。Whenthetimeforopeningcameagain，hewassoanxioustoseeBob，thattheywerefaintopatchupanarrativehowthatBob——manyayeardeadthen，gentleturnkey——hadtakencold，buthopedtobeoutto-morrow，orthenextday，orthenextatfurthest。

Hefellawayintoaweaknesssoextremethathecouldnotraisehishand。Buthestillprotectedhisbrotheraccordingtohislongusage；andwouldsaywithsomecomplacency，fiftytimesaday，whenhesawhimstandingbyhisbed，’MygoodFrederick，sitdown。Youareveryfeebleindeed。’

TheytriedhimwithMrsGeneral，buthehadnotthefaintestknowledgeofher。Someinjurioussuspicionlodgeditselfinhisbrain，thatshewantedtosupplantMrsBangham，andthatshewasgiventodrinking。Hechargedherwithitinnomeasuredterms；

andwassourgentwithhisdaughtertogoroundtotheMarshalandentreathimtoturnherout，thatshewasneverreproducedafterthefirstfailure。

Savingthatheonceasked’ifTiphadgoneoutside？’theremembranceofhistwochildrennotpresentseemedtohavedepartedfromhim。Butthechildwhohaddonesomuchforhimandhadbeensopoorlyrepaid，wasneveroutofhismind。Notthathesparedher，orwasfearfulofherbeingspentbywatchingandfatigue；hewasnotmoretroubledonthatscorethanhehadusuallybeen。No；

helovedherinhisoldway。Theywereinthejailagain，andshetendedhim，andhehadconstantneedofher，andcouldnotturnwithouther；andheeventoldher，sometimes，thathewascontenttohaveundergoneagreatdealforhersake。Astoher，shebentoverhisbedwithherquietfaceagainsthis，andwouldhavelaiddownherownlifetorestorehim。

Whenhehadbeensinkinginthispainlesswayfortwoorthreedays，sheobservedhimtobetroubledbythetickingofhiswatch——

apompousgoldwatchthatmadeasgreatato-doaboutitsgoingasifnothingelsewentbutitselfandTime。Shesufferedittorundown；buthewasstilluneasy，andshowedthatwasnotwhathewanted。Atlengthherousedhimselftoexplainthathewantedmoneytoberaisedonthiswatch。Hewasquitepleasedwhenshepretendedtotakeitawayforthepurpose，andafterwardshadarelishforhislittletastesofwineandjelly，thathehadnothadbefore。

Hesoonmadeitplainthatthiswasso；for，inanotherdayortwohesentoffhissleeve-buttonsandfinger-rings。Hehadanamazingsatisfactioninentrustingherwiththeseerrands，andappearedtoconsideritequivalenttomakingthemostmethodicalandprovidentarrangements。Afterhistrinkets，orsuchofthemashehadbeenabletoseeabouthim，weregone，hisclothesengagedhisattention；anditisaslikelyasnotthathewaskeptaliveforsomedaysbythesatisfactionofsendingthem，piecebypiece，toanimaginarypawnbroker’s。

ThusfortendaysLittleDorritbentoverhispillow，layinghercheekagainsthis。Sometimesshewas