their desire to acknowledge my semi…official position here；
by offering……ha……little tributes； which usually take the form
of……ha……voluntary recognitions of my humble endeavours to……hum……to
uphold a Tone here……a Tone……I beg it to be understood that I do not
consider myself promised。 Ha。 Not promised。 Ha。 Not a beggar。 No；
I repudiate the title！ At the same time far be it from me to……hum……to
put upon the fine feelings by which my partial friends are actuated；
the slight of scrupling to admit that those offerings are……hum……highly
acceptable。 On the contrary； they are most acceptable。 In my child's
name； if not in my own； I make the admission in the fullest manner； at
the same time reserving……ha……shall I say my personal dignity？ Ladies and
gentlemen； God bless you all！'
By this time； the exceeding mortification undergone by the Bosom had
occasioned the withdrawal of the greater part of the pany into other
rooms。 The few who had lingered thus long followed the rest； and Little
Dorrit and her father were left to the servants and themselves。 Dearest
and most precious to her； he would e with her now； would he not？ He
replied to her fervid entreaties； that he would never be able to get up
the narrow stairs without Bob； where was Bob； would nobody fetch Bob？
Under pretence of looking for Bob； she got him out against the stream of
gay pany now pouring in for the evening assembly； and got him into a
coach that had just set down its load； and got him home。
The broad stairs of his Roman palace were contracted in his failing
sight to the narrow stairs of his London prison； and he would suffer no
one but her to touch him； his brother excepted。 They got him up to his
room without help； and laid him down on his bed。 And from that hour his
poor maimed spirit； only remembering the place where it had broken its
wings； cancelled the dream through which it had since groped； and knew
of nothing beyond the Marshalsea。 When he heard footsteps in the street；
he took them for the old weary tread in the yards。 When the hour came
for locking up； he supposed all strangers to be excluded for the night。
When the time for opening came again； he was so anxious to see Bob； that
they were fain to patch up a narrative how that Bob……many a year dead
then； gentle turnkey……had taken cold； but hoped to be out to…morrow； or
the next day； or the next at furthest。
He fell away into a weakness so extreme that he could not raise his
hand。 But he still protected his brother according to his long usage；
and would say with some placency； fifty times a day； when he saw him
standing by his bed； 'My good Frederick； sit down。 You are very feeble
indeed。'
They tried him with Mrs General； but he had not the faintest knowledge
of her。 Some injurious suspicion lodged itself in his brain； that she
wanted to supplant Mrs Bangham； and that she was given to drinking。 He
charged her with it in no measured terms； and was so urgent with his
daughter to go round to the Marshal and entreat him to turn her out；
that she was never reproduced after the first failure。 Saving that
he once asked 'if Tip had gone outside？' the remembrance of his two
children not present seemed to have departed from him。 But the child who
had done so much for him and had been so poorly repaid； was never out of
his mind。 Not that he spared her； or was fearful of her being spent by
watching and fatigue； he was not more troubled on that score than he
had usually been。 No； he loved her in his old way。 They were in the jail
again； and she tended him； and he had constant need of her； and could
not turn without her； and he even told her； sometimes； that he was
content to have undergone a great deal for her sake。 As to her； she bent
over his bed with her quiet face against his； and would have laid down
her own life to restore him。
When he had been sinking in this painless way for two or three days； she
observed him to be troubled by the ticking of his watch……a pompous gold
watch that made as great a to…do about its going as if nothing else
went but itself and Time。 She suffered it to run down； but he was still
uneasy； and showed that was not what he wanted。 At length he roused
himself to explain that he wanted money to be raised on this watch。 He
was quite pleased when she pretended to take it away for the purpose；
and afterwards had a relish for his little tastes of wine and jelly；
that he had not had before。
He soon made it plain that this was so； for； in another day or two
he sent off his sleeve…buttons and finger…rings。 He had an amazing
satisfaction in entrusting her with these errands； and appeared to
consider it equivalent to making the most methodical and provident
arrangements。 After his trinkets； or such of them as he had been able to
see about him； were gone； his clothes engaged his attention； and it
is as likely as not that he was kept alive for some days by the
satisfaction of sending them； piece by piece； to an imaginary
pawnbroker's。
Thus for ten days Little Dorrit bent over his pillow； laying her cheek
against his。 Sometimes she was so worn out that for a few minutes
they would slumber together。 Then she would awake； to recollect with
fast…flowing silent tears what it was that touched her face； and to see；
stealing over the cherished face upon the pillow； a deeper shadow than
the shadow of the Marshalsea Wall。
Quietly； quietly； all the lines of the plan of the great Castle
melted one after another。 Quietly； quietly； the ruled and cross…ruled
countenance on which they were traced； became fair and blank。
Quietly； quietly； the reflected marks of the prison bars and of the
zig…zag iron on the wall…top； faded away。 Quietly； quietly； the face
subsided into a far younger likeness of her own than she had ever seen
under the grey hair； and sank to rest。
At first her uncle was stark distracted。 'O my brother！ O William；
William！ You to go before me； you to go alone； you to go； and I to
remain！ You； so far superior； so distinguished； so noble； I； a poor
useless creature fit for nothing； and whom no one would have missed！'
It did her； for the time； the good of having him to think of and to
succour。
'Uncle； dear uncle； spare yourself； spare me！'
The old man was not deaf to the last words。 When he did begin to
restrain himself； it was that he might spare her。 He had no care for
himself； but； with all the remaining power of the honest heart； stunned
so long and now awaking to be broken； he honoured and blessed her。
'O God；' he cried； before they left the room； with his wrinkled hands
clasped over her。 'Thou seest this daughter of my dear dead brother！ All
that I have looked upon； with my half…blind and sinful eyes； Thou hast
discerned clearly； brightly。 Not a hair of her head shall be harmed
before Thee。 Thou wilt uphold her here to her last hour。 And I know Thou
wilt reward her hereafter！'
They remained in a dim room near； until it was almost midnight； quiet
and sad together。 At times his grief would seek relief in a burst like
that in which it had found its earliest expression； but； besides that
his little strength would soon have been unequal to such strains； he
never failed to recall her words； and to reproach himself and calm
himself。 The only utterance with which he indulged his sorrow； was the
frequent exclamation that his brother was gone； alone； that they had
been together in the outset of their lives； that they had fallen into
misfortune together； that they had kept together through their many
years of poverty； that they had remained together to that day； and that
his brother was gone alone； alone！
They parted； heavy and sorrowful。 She would not consent to leave him
anywhere but in his own room； and she saw him lie down in his clothes
upon his bed； and covered him with her own hands。 Then she sank upon her
own bed； and fell into a deep sleep： the sleep of exhaustion and
rest； though not of plete release from a pervading consciousness of
affliction。 Sleep； good Little Dorrit。 Sleep through the night！
It was a moonlight night； but the moon rose late； being long past the
full。 When it was high in the peaceful firmament； it shone through
half…closed lattice blinds into the solemn room where the stumblings and
wanderings of a life had so lately ended。 Two quiet figures were within
the room； tpassive； equally removed
by an untraversable distance from the teeming earth and all that it
contains； though soon to lie in it。
One figure reposed upon the bed。 The other； kneeling on the floor；
drooped over it； the arms easily and peacefully resting on the coverlet；
the face bowed down； so that the lips touched the hand over which with
its last breath it had bent。 The two brothers were before their Father；
far beyond the twilight judgment of this world； high above its mists and
obscurities。
CHAPTER 20。 Introduces the next
The passengers were landing from the packet on the pier at Calais。
A low…lying place and a low…spirited place Calais was； with the tide
ebbing out towards low water…mark。 There had been no more water on the
bar than had sufficed to float the packet in； and now the bar itself；
with a shallow break of sea over it； looked like a lazy marine monster
just risen to the surface； whose form was indistinctly shown as it lay
asleep。 The meagre lighthouse all in white； haunting the seaboard as if
it were the ghost of an edifice that had once had colour and rotundity；
dropped melancholy tears after its late buffeting by the waves。 The long
rows of gaunt black piles； slimy and wet and weather…worn； with funeral
garlands of seaweed twisted about them by the late tide； might
have represented an unsightly marine cemetery。 Every wave…dashed；
storm…beaten object； was so low and so little； under the broad grey sky；
in the noise of the wind and sea； and before the curling lines of surf；
making at it ferociously； that the wonder was there was any Calais left；
and that its low gates and low wall and low roofs and low ditches and
low sand…hills and low ramparts and flat streets； had not yielded
long ago to the undermining and besieging sea； like the fortifications
children make on the sea…shore。
After slipping among oozy piles and planks； stumbling up wet steps and
encountering many salt difficulties； the passengers entered on their
fortless peregrination along the pier； where all the French vagabonds
and English outlaws in the town （half the population） attended to
prevent their recovery from bewilderment。 After being minutely inspected
by all the English； and claimed and reclaimed and counter…claimed as
prizes by all the French in a hand…to…hand scuffle three quarters of a
mile long； they were at last free to enter the streets； and to make off
in their various directions； hotly pursued。
Clennam； harassed by more anxieties than one； was among this devoted
band。 Having rescued the most defenceless of his patriots from
situations of great extremity； he now went his way alone； or as nearly
alone as he could be； with a native gentleman in a suit of grease and
a cap of the same material； giving chase at a distance of some fifty
yards； and continually calling after him； 'Hi！ Ice…say！ You！ Seer！
Ice…say！ Nice Oatel！'
Even this hospitable p