第150章

Asheembracedher，shesaidtohim，’Theynevertoldmeyouwereill，’anddrawinganarmsoftlyroundhisneck，laidhisheaduponherbosom，putahanduponhishead，andrestinghercheekuponthathand，nursedhimaslovingly，andGODknowsasinnocently，asshehadnursedherfatherinthatroomwhenshehadbeenbutababy，needingallthecarefromothersthatshetookofthem。

Whenhecouldspeak，hesaid，’Isitpossiblethatyouhavecometome？Andinthisdress？’

’Ihopedyouwouldlikemebetterinthisdressthananyother。I

havealwayskeptitbyme，toremindme：thoughIwantednoreminding。Iamnotalone，yousee。Ihavebroughtanoldfriendwithme。’

Lookinground，hesawMaggyinherbigcapwhichhadbeenlongabandoned，withabasketonherarmasinthebygonedays，chucklingrapturously。

’ItwasonlyyesterdayeveningthatIcametoLondonwithmybrother。IsentroundtoMrsPlornishalmostassoonaswearrived，thatImighthearofyouandletyouknowIhadcome。

ThenIheardthatyouwerehere。Didyouhappentothinkofmeinthenight？Ialmostbelieveyoumusthavethoughtofmealittle。

Ithoughtofyousoanxiously，anditappearedsolongtomorning。’

’Ihavethoughtofyou——’hehesitatedwhattocallher。Sheperceiveditinaninstant。

’Youhavenotspokentomebymyrightnameyet。Youknowwhatmyrightnamealwaysiswithyou。’

’Ihavethoughtofyou，LittleDorrit，everyday，everyhour，everyminute，sinceIhavebeenhere。’

’Haveyou？Haveyou？’

Hesawthebrightdelightofherface，andtheflushthatkindledinit，withafeelingofshame。He，abroken，bankrupt，sick，dishonouredprisoner。

’Iwasherebeforethegateswereopened，butIwasafraidtocomestraighttoyou。Ishouldhavedoneyoumoreharmthangood，atfirst；fortheprisonwassofamiliarandyetsostrange，anditbroughtbacksomanyremembrancesofmypoorfather，andofyoutoo，thatatfirstitoverpoweredme。ButwewenttoMrChiverybeforewecametothegate，andhebroughtusin，andgotjohn’sroomforus——mypooroldroom，youknow——andwewaitedtherealittle。Ibroughttheflowerstothedoor，butyoudidn’thearme。’

Shelookedsomethingmorewomanlythanwhenshehadgoneaway，andtheripeningtouchoftheItaliansunwasvisibleuponherface。

But，otherwise，shewasquiteunchanged。Thesamedeep，timidearnestnessthathehadalwaysseeninher，andneverwithoutemotion，hesawstill。Ifithadanewmeaningthatsmotehimtotheheart，thechangewasinhisperception，notinher。

Shetookoffheroldbonnet，hungitintheoldplace，andnoiselesslybegan，withMaggy’shelp，tomakehisroomasfreshandneatasitcouldbemade，andtosprinkleitwithapleasant-

smellingwater。Whenthatwasdone，thebasket，whichwasfilledwithgrapesandotherfruit，wasunpacked，andallitscontentswerequietlyputaway。Whenthatwasdone，amoment’swhisperdespatchedMaggytodespatchsomebodyelsetofillthebasketagain；whichsooncamebackreplenishedwithnewstores，fromwhichapresentprovisionofcoolingdrinkandjelly，andaprospectivesupplyofroastchickenandwineandwater，werethefirstextracts。Thesevariousarrangementscompleted，shetookoutheroldneedle-casetomakehimacurtainforhiswindow；andthus，withaquietreigningintheroom，thatseemedtodiffuseitselfthroughtheelsenoisyprison，hefoundhimselfcomposedinhischair，withLittleDorritworkingathisside。

Toseethemodestheadagainbentdownoveritstask，andthenimblefingersbusyattheiroldwork——thoughshewasnotsoabsorbedinit，butthathercompassionateeyeswereoftenraisedtohisface，and，whentheydroopedagainhadtearsinthem——tobesoconsoledandcomforted，andtobelievethatallthedevotionofthisgreatnaturewasturnedtohiminhisadversitytopouroutitsinexhaustiblewealthofgoodnessuponhim，didnotsteadyClennam’stremblingvoiceorhand，orstrengthenhiminhisweakness。Yetitinspiredhimwithaninwardfortitude，thatrosewithhislove。Andhowdearlyhelovedhernow，whatwordscantell!

Astheysatsidebysideintheshadowofthewall，theshadowfelllikelightuponhim。Shewouldnotlethimspeakmuch，andhelaybackinhischair，lookingather。Nowandagainshewouldriseandgivehimtheglassthathemightdrink，orwouldsmooththeresting-placeofhishead；thenshewouldgentlyresumeherseatbyhim，andbendoverherworkagain。

Theshadowmovedwiththes