Pray forgive me。 Tell me how it is； that I may not do it again！'
'How it is； you prevaricating little piece of goods！' cried Fanny。 'You
know how it is。 I have told you already； so don't fly in the face of
Providence by attempting to deny it！'
'Hush！ Amy；' said the father； passing his pocket…handkerchief several
times across his face； and then grasping it convulsively in the hand
that dropped across his knee； 'I have done what I could to keep you
select here； I have done what I could to retain you a position here。 I
may have succeeded； I may not。 You may know it； you may not。 I give no
opinion。 I have endured everything here but humiliation。 That I have
happily been spared……until this day。'
Here his convulsive grasp unclosed itself； and he put his
pocket…handkerchief to his eyes again。 Little Dorrit； on the ground
beside him； with her imploring hand upon his arm； watched him
remorsefully。 ing out of his fit of grief； he clenched his
pocket…handkerchief once more。
'Humiliation I have happily been spared until this day。 Through all
my troubles there has been that……Spirit in myself； and that……that
submission to it； if I may use the term； in those about me； which has
spared me……ha……humiliation。 But this day； this minute； I have keenly
felt it。'
'Of course！ How could it be otherwise？' exclaimed the irrepressible
Fanny。 'Careering and prancing about with a Pauper！' （air…gun again）。
'But； dear father；' cried Little Dorrit； 'I don't justify myself for
having wounded your dear heart……no！ Heaven knows I don't！' She clasped
her hands in quite an agony of distress。 'I do nothing but beg and pray
you to be forted and overlook it。 But if I had not known that you
were kind to the old man yourself； and took much notice of him； and were
always glad to see him； I would not have e here with him； father； I
would not； indeed。 What I have been so unhappy as to do； I have done
in mistake。 I would not wilfully bring a tear to your eyes； dear love！'
said Little Dorrit； her heart well…nigh broken； 'for anything the world
could give me； or anything it could take away。'
Fanny； with a partly angry and partly repentant sob； began to cry
herself； and to say……as this young lady always said when she was half in
passion and half out of it； half spiteful with herself and half spiteful
with everybody else……that she wished she were dead。
The Father of the Marshalsea in the meantime took his younger daughter
to his breast； and patted her head。 'There； there！ Say no more； Amy；
say no more； my child。 I will forget it as soon as I can。 I；' with
hysterical cheerfulness； 'I……shall soon be able to dismiss it。 It
is perfectly true； my dear； that I am always glad to see my old
pensioner……as such； as such……and that I do……ha……extend as much
protection and kindness to the……hum……the bruised reed……I trust I may so
call him without impropriety……as in my circumstances； I can。 It is quite
true that this is the case； my dear child。 At the same time； I preserve
in doing this； if I may……ha……if I may use the expression……Spirit。
Being Spirit。 And there are some things which are；' he stopped to
sob； 'irreconcilable with that； and wound that……wound it deeply。
It is not that I have seen my good Amy attentive； and……ha……condescending
to my old pensioner……it is not that that hurts me。 It is； if I am to
close the painful subject by being explicit； that I have seen my child；
my own child； my own daughter； ing into this College out of the
public streets……smiling！ smiling！……arm in arm with……O my God； a livery！'
This reference to the coat of no cut and no time； the unfortunate
gentleman gasped forth； in a scarcely audible voice； and with his
clenched pocket…handkerchief raised in the air。 His excited feelings
might have found some further painful utterance； but for a knock at the
door； which had been already twice repeated； and to which Fanny （still
wishing herself dead； and indeed now going so far as to add； buried）
cried 'e in！'
'Ah； Young John！' said the Father； in an altered and calmed voice。 'What
is it； Young John？'
'A letter for you； sir； being left in the Lodge just this minute； and a
message with it； I thought； happening to be there myself； sir； I would
bring it to your room。' The speaker's attention was much distracted by
the piteous spectacle of Little Dorrit at her father's feet； with her
head turned away。
'Indeed； John？ Thank you。'
'The letter is from Mr Clennam； sir……it's the answer……and the message
was； sir； that Mr Clennam also sent his pliments； and word that he
would do himself the pleasure of calling this afternoon； hoping to see
you； and likewise；' attention more distracted than before； 'Miss Amy。'
'Oh！' As the Father glanced into the letter （there was a bank…note in
it）； he reddened a little； and patted Amy on the head afresh。 'Thank
you； Young John。 Quite right。 Much obliged to you for your attention。 No
one waiting？'
'No； sir； no one waiting。'
'Thank you； John。 How is your mother； Young John？'
'Thank you； sir； she's not quite as well as we could wish……in fact； we
none of us are； except father……but she's pretty well； sir。' 'Say we sent
our remembrances； will you？ Say kind remembrances； if you please； Young
John。'
'Thank you； sir； I will。' And Mr Chivery junior went his way； having
spontaneously posed on the spot an entirely new epitaph for himself；
to the effect that Here lay the body of John Chivery； Who； Having
at such a date； Beheld the idol of his life； In grief and tears； And
feeling unable to bear the harrowing spectacle； Immediately repaired to
the abode of his inconsolable parents； And terminated his existence by
his own rash act。
'There； there； Amy！' said the Father； when Young John had closed the
door； 'let us say no more about it。' The last few minutes had improved
his spirits remarkably； and he e。 'Where is my old
pensioner all this while？ We must not leave him by himself any longer；
or he will begin to suppose he is not wele； and that would pain me。
Will you fetch him； my child； or shall I？'
'If you wouldn't mind； father；' said Little Dorrit； trying to bring her
sobbing to a close。
'Certainly I will go； my dear。 I forgot； your eyes are rather red。
There！ Cheer up； Amy。 Don't be uneasy about me。 I am quite myself again；
my love； quite myself。 Go to your room； Amy； and make yourself look
fortable and pleasant to receive Mr Clennam。'
'I would rather stay in my own room； Father；' returned Little Dorrit；
finding it more difficult than before to regain her posure。 'I would
far rather not see Mr Clennam。'
'Oh； fie； fie； my dear； that's folly。 Mr Clennam is a very gentlemanly
man……very gentlemanly。 A little reserved at times； but I will say
extremely gentlemanly。 I couldn't think of your not being here to
receive Mr Clennam； my dear； especially this afternoon。 So go and
freshen yourself up； Amy； go and freshen yourself up； like a good girl。'
Thus directed； Little Dorrit dutifully rose and obeyed： only pausing
for a moment as she went out of the room； to give her sister a kiss of
reconciliation。 Upon which； that young lady； feeling much harassed
in her mind； and having for the time worn out the wish with which she
generally relieved it； conceived and executed the brilliant idea of
wishing Old Nandy dead； rather than that he should e bothering there
like a disgusting； tiresome； wicked wretch； and making mischief between
two sisters。
The Father of the Marshalsea； even humming a tune； and wearing his black
velvet cap a little on one side； so much improved were his spirits； went
down into the yard； and found his old pensioner standing there hat in
hand just within the gate； as he had stood all this time。 'e； Nandy！'
said he； with great suavity。 'e up…stairs； Nandy； you know the way；
why don't you e up…stairs？' He went the length； on this occasion；
of giving him his hand and saying； 'How are you； Nandy？ Are you pretty
well？' To which that vocalist returned； 'I thank you； honoured sir； I am
all the better for seeing your honour。' As they went along the yard； the
Father of the Marshalsea presented him to a Collegian of recent date。
'An old acquaintance of mine； sir； an old pensioner。' And then said； 'Be
covered； my good Nandy； put your hat on；' with great consideration。
His patronage did not stop here； for he charged Maggy to get the tea
ready； and instructed her to buy certain tea…cakes； fresh butter；
eggs； cold ham； and shrimps： to purchase which collation he gave her a
bank…note for ten pounds； laying strict injunctions on her to be careful
of the change。 These preparations were in an advanced stage of progress；
and his daughter Amy had e back with her work； when Clennam presented
himself； whom he most graciously received； and besought to join their
meal。
'Amy； my love； you know Mr Clennam even better than I have the happiness
of doing。 Fanny； my dear； you are acquainted with Mr Clennam。' Fanny
acknowledged him haughtily； the position she tacitly took up in all such
cases being that there was a vast conspiracy to insult the family by not
understanding it； or sufficiently deferring to it； and here was one of
the conspirators。
'This； Mr Clennam； you must know； is an old pensioner of mine； Old
Nandy； a very faithful old man。' （He always spoke of him as an object
of great antiquity； but he was two or three years younger than himself。）
'Let me see。 You know Plornish； I think？ I think my daughter Amy has
mentioned to me that you know poor Plornish？'
'O yes！' said Arthur Clennam。
'Well； sir； this is Mrs Plornish's father。'
'Indeed？ I am glad to see him。'
'You would be more glad if you kner
Clennam。'
'I hope I shall e to know them through knowing him；' said Arthur；
secretly pitying the bowed and submissive figure。
'It is a holiday with him； and he es to see his old friends； who are
always glad to see him；' observed the Father of the Marshalsea。
Then he added behind his hand； （'Union； poor old fellow。 Out for the
day。'）
By this time Maggy； quietly assisted by her Little Mother； had spread
the board； and the repast was ready。 It being hot weather and the prison
very close； the window was as wide open as it could be pushed。 'If Maggy
will spread that newspaper on the window…sill； my dear；' remarked the
Father placently and in a half whisper to Little Dorrit； 'my old
pensioner can have his tea there； while we are having ours。'
So； with a gulf between him and the good pany of about a foot in
width； standard measure； Mrs Plornish's father was handsomely regaled。
Clennam had never seen anything like his magnanimous protection by that
other Father； he of the Marshalsea； and was lost in the contemplation of
its many wonders。
The most striking of these was perhaps the relishing manner in which he
remarked on the pensioner's infirmities and failings； as if he were
a gracious Keeper making a running mentary on the decline of the
harmless animal he exhibited。
'Not ready for more ham yet； Nandy？ Why； how slow you are！ （His last
teeth；' he explained to the pany； 'are going； poor old boy。'）
At another time； he said； 'No shrimps； Nandy？' and on his not instantly
replying； observed； （'His hearing is being very defective。 He'll be
deaf directly。'）
At another