第160章

MrF。’sAuntholdingoutlikeagrimfortress，andFlorabecominginneedofrefreshment，amessengerwasdespatchedtothehotelforthetumbleralreadyglancedat，whichwasafterwardsreplenished。

Withtheaidofitscontent，anewspaper，andsomeskimmingofthecreamofthepie-stock，Floragotthroughtheremainderofthedayinperfectgoodhumour；thoughoccasionallyembarrassedbytheconsequencesofanidlerumourwhichcirculatedamongthecredulousinfantsoftheneighbourhood，totheeffectthatanoldladyhadsoldherselftothepie-shoptobemadeup，andwasthensittinginthepie-shopparlour，decliningtocompletehercontract。Thisattractedsomanyyoungpersonsofbothsexes，and，whentheshadesofeveningbegantofall，occasionedsomuchinterruptiontothebusiness，thatthemerchantbecameverypressinginhisproposalsthatMrF。’sAuntshouldberemoved。Aconveyancewasaccordinglybroughttothedoor，which，bythejointeffortsofthemerchantandFlora，thisremarkablewomanwasatlastinducedtoenter；

thoughnotwithouteventhenputtingherheadoutofthewindow，anddemandingtohavehim’broughtfor’ard’forthepurposeoriginallymentioned。AsshewasobservedatthistimetodirectbalefulglancestowardstheMarshalsea，ithasbeensupposedthatthisadmirablyconsistentfemaleintendedby’him，’ArthurClennam。

This，however，ismerespeculation；whothepersonwas，who，forthesatisfactionofMrF。’sAunt’smind，oughttohavebeenbroughtforwardandneverwasbroughtforward，willneverbepositivelyknown。

Theautumndayswenton，andLittleDorritnevercametotheMarshalseanowandwentawaywithoutseeinghim。No，no，no。

Onemorning，asArthurlistenedforthelightfeetthateverymorningascendedwingedtohisheart，bringingtheheavenlybrightnessofanewloveintotheroomwheretheoldlovehadwroughtsohardandbeensotrue；onemorning，ashelistened，heheardhercoming，notalone。

’DearArthur，’saidherdelightedvoiceoutsidethedoor，’Ihavesomeonehere。MayIbringsomeonein？’

Hehadthoughtfromthetreadthereweretwowithher。Heanswered’Yes，’andshecameinwithMrMeagles。Sun-brownedandjollyMrMeagleslooked，andheopenedhisarmsandfoldedArthurinthem，likeasun-brownedandjollyfather。

’NowIamallright，’saidMrMeagles，afteraminuteorso。’Nowit’sover。Arthur，mydearfellow，confessatoncethatyouexpectedmebefore。’

’Idid，’saidArthur；’butAmytoldme——’

’LittleDorrit。Neveranyothername。’(Itwasshewhowhisperedit。)

’——ButmyLittleDorrittoldmethat，withoutaskingforanyfurtherexplanation，IwasnottoexpectyouuntilIsawyou。’

’Andnowyouseeme，myboy，’saidMrMeagles，shakinghimbythehandstoutly；’andnowyoushallhaveanyexplanationandeveryexplanation。Thefactis，Iwashere——camestraighttoyoufromtheAllongersandMarshongers，orIshouldbeashamedtolookyouinthefacethisday，——butyouwerenotincompanytrimatthemoment，andIhadtostartoffagaintocatchDoyce。’

’PoorDoyce!’sighedArthur。

’Don’tcallhimnamesthathedon’tdeserve，’saidMrMeagles。

’He’snotpoor；he’sdoingwellenough。Doyceisawonderfulfellowoverthere。Iassureyouheismakingouthiscaselikeahousea-fire。Hehasfallenonhislegs，hasDan。Wheretheydon’twantthingsdoneandfindamantodo’em，thatman’soffhislegs；butwheretheydowantthingsdoneandfindamantodo’em，thatman’sonhislegs。Youwon’thaveoccasiontotroubletheCircumlocutionOfficeanymore。Letmetellyou，Danhasdonewithout’em!’

’Whataloadyoutakefrommymind!’criedArthur。’Whathappinessyougiveme!’

’Happiness？’retortedMrMeagles。’Don’ttalkabouthappinesstillyouseeDan。IassureyouDanisdirectingworksandexecutinglaboursoveryonder，thatitwouldmakeyourhairstandonendtolookat。He’snopublicoffender，blessyou，now!He’smedalledandribboned，andstarredandcrossed，andIdon’t-know-whatall’d，likeabornnobleman。Butwemustn’ttalkaboutthatoverhere。’

’Whynot？’

’Oh，egad!’saidMrMeagles，shakinghisheadveryseriously，’hemusthideallthosethingsunderlockandkeywhenhecomesoverhere。Theywon’tdooverhere。Inthatparticular，BritanniaisaBritanniaintheManger——won’tgiveher