replying； observed； （'His hearing is being very defective。 He'll be
deaf directly。'）
At another time he asked him； 'Do you walk much； Nandy； about the yard
within the walls of that place of yours？'
'No； sir； no。 I haven't any great liking for that。'
'No； to be sure；' he assented。 'Very natural。' Then he privately
informed the circle （'Legs going。'）
Once he asked the pensioner； in that general clemency which asked him
anything to keep him afloat； how old his younger grandchild was？
'John Edward；' said the pensioner； slowly laying down his knife and fork
to consider。 'How old； sir？ Let me think now。'
The Father of the Marshalsea tapped his forehead （'Memory weak。'）
'John Edward； sir？ Well； I really forget。 I couldn't say at this minute；
sir； whether it's two and two months； or whether it's two and five
months。 It's one or the other。'
'Don't distress yourself by worrying your mind about it；' he returned；
with infinite forbearance。 （'Faculties evidently decaying……old man rusts
in the life he leads！'）
The more of these discoveries that he persuaded himself he made in the
pensioner； the better he appeared to like him； and when he got out of
his chair after tea to bid the pensioner good…bye； on his intimating
that he feared； honoured sir； his time was running out； he made himself
look as erect and strong as possible。
'We don't call this a shilling； Nandy； you know；' he said； putting one
in his hand。 'We call it tobacco。'
'Honoured sir； I thank you。 It shall buy tobacco。 My thanks and duty to
Miss Amy and Miss Fanny。 I wish you good night； Mr Clennam。'
'And mind you don't forget us； you know； Nandy；' said the Father。 'You
must e again； mind； whenever you have an afternoon。 You must not e
out without seeing us； or we shall be jealous。 Good night； Nandy。 Be
very careful how you descend the stairs； Nandy； they are rather uneven
and worn。' With that he stood on the landing； watching the old man down：
and when he came into the room again； said； with a solemn satisfaction
on him； 'A melancholy sight that； Mr Clennam； though one has the
consolation of knowing that he doesn't feel it himself。 The poor old
fellow is a dismal wreck。 Spirit broken and gone……pulverised……crushed
out of him； sir； pletely！'
As Clennam had a purpose in remaining； he said what he could responsive
to these sentiments； and stood at the window with their enunciator；
while Maggy and her Little Mother washed the tea…service and cleared it
away。 He noticed that his panion stood at the window with the air of
an affable and accessible Sovereign； and that； when any of his people in
the yard below looked up； his recognition of their salutes just stopped
short of a blessing。
When Little Dorrit had her work on the table； and Maggy hers on the
bedstead； Fanny fell to tying her bon as a preliminary to her
departure。 Arthur； still having his purpose； still remained。 At this
time the door opened； without any notice； and Mr Tip came in。 He kissed
Amy as she started up to meet him； nodded to Fanny； nodded to his
father； gloomed on the visitor without further recognition； and sat
down。
'Tip； dear；' said Little Dorrit； mildly； shocked by this； 'don't you
see……'
'Yes； I see； Amy。 If you refer to the presence of any visitor you have
here……I say； if you refer to that；' answered Tip； jerking his head with
emphasis towards his shoulder nearest Clennam； 'I see！'
'Is that all you say？'
'That's all I say。 And I suppose；' added the lofty young man； after a
moment's pause； 'that visitor will understand me； when I say that's all
I say。 In short； I suppose the visitor will understand that he hasn't
used me like a gentleman。'
'I do not understand that；' observed the obnoxious personage referred to
with tranquillity。
'No？ Why； then； to make it clearer to you； sir； I beg to let you know
that when I address what I call a properly…worded appeal； and an urgent
appeal； and a delicate appeal； to an individual； for a small temporary
acmodation； easily within his power……easily within his power；
mind！……and when that individual writes back word to me that he begs to
be excused； I consider that he doesn't treat me like a gentleman。'
The Father of the Marshalsea； who had surveyed his son in silence； no
sooner heard this sentiment； than he began in angry voice：……
'How dare you……' But his son stopped him。
'Now； don't ask me how I dare； father； because that's bosh。 As to the
fact of the line of conduct I choose to adopt towards the individual
present； you ought to be proud of my showing a proper spirit。'
'I should think so！' cried Fanny。
'A proper spirit？' said the Father。 'Yes； a proper spirit； a being
spirit。 Is it e to this that my son teaches me……ME……spirit！'
'Now； don't let us bother about it； father； or have any row on the
subject。 I have fully made up my mind that the individual present has
not treated me like a gentleman。 And there's an end of it。'
'But there is not an end of it； sir；' returned the Father。 'But there
shall not be an end of it。 You have made up your mind？ You have made up
your mind？'
'Yes； I have。 What's the good of keeping on like that？'
'Because；' returned the Father； in a great heat； 'you had no right to
make up your mind to what is monstrous； to what is……ha……immoral； to what
is……hum……parricidal。 No； Mr Clennam； I beg； sir。 Don't ask me to desist；
there is a……hum……a general principle involved here； which rises even
above considerations of……ha……hospitality。 I object to the assertion made
by my son。 I……ha……I personally repel it。'
'Why； what is it to you； father？' returned the son； over his shoulder。
'What is it to me； sir？ I have a……hum……a spirit； sir； that will not
endure it。 I；' he took out his pocket…handkerchief again and dabbed his
face。 'I am outraged and insulted by it。 Let me suppose the case that I
myself may at a certain time……ha……or times； have made a……hum……an appeal；
and a properly…worded appeal； and a delicate appeal； and an urgent
appeal to some individual for a small temporary acmodation。 Let me
suppose that that acmodation could have been easily extended； and was
not extended； and that that individual informed me that he begged to
be excused。 Am I to be told by my own son； that I therefore received
treatment not due to a gentleman； and that I……ha……I submitted to it？'
His daughter Amy gently tried to calm him； but he would not on any
account be calmed。 He said his spirit was up； and wouldn't endure this。
Was he to be told that； he wished to know again； by his own son on his
own hearth； to his own face？ Was that humiliation to be put upon him by
his own blood？
'You are putting it on yourself； father； and getting into all this
injury of your own accord！' said the young gentleman morosely。 'What I
have made up my mind about has nothing to do with you。 What I said had
nothing to do with you。 Why need you go trying on other people's hats？'
'I reply it has everything to do with me；' returned the Father。 'I point
out to you； sir； with indignation； that……hum……the……ha……delicacy and
peculiarity of your father's position should strike you dumb； sir； if
nothing else should； in laying down such……ha……such unnatural principles。
Besides； if you are not filial； sir； if you discard that duty； you
are at least……hum……not a Christian？ Are you……ha……an Atheist？ And is it
Christian； let me ask you； to stigmatise and denounce an individual
for begging to be excused this time； when the same individual
may……ha……respond odation next time？ Is it the
part of a Christian not to……hum……not to try him again？' He had worked
himself into quite a religious glow and fervour。
'I see precious well；' said Mr Tip； rising； 'that I shall get no
sensible or fair argument here to…night； and so the best thing I can do
is to cut。 Good night； Amy。 Don't be vexed。 I am very sorry it happens
here； and you here； upon my soul I am； but I can't altogether part with
my spirit； even for your sake； old girl。'
With those words he put on his hat and went out； acpanied by Miss
Fanny； who did not consider it spirited on her part to take leave of
Clennam with any less opposing demonstration than a stare； importing
that she had always known him for one of the large body of conspirators。
When they were gone； the Father of the Marshalsea was at first inclined
to sink into despondency again； and would have done so； but that a
gentleman opportunely came up within a minute or two to attend him to
the Snuggery。 It was the gentleman Clennam had seen on the night of his
own accidental detention there； who had that impalpable grievance about
the misappropriated Fund on which the Marshal was supposed to batten。
He presented himself as deputation to escort the Father to the Chair； it
being an occasion on which he had promised to preside over the assembled
Collegians in the enjoyment of a little Harmony。
'Such； you see； Mr Clennam；' said the Father； 'are the incongruities
of my position here。 But a public duty！ No man； I am sure； would more
readily recognise a public duty than yourself。'
Clennam besought him not to delay a moment。 'Amy； my dear； if you can
persuade Mr Clennam to stay longer； I can leave the honours of our poor
apology for an establishment with confidence in your hands； and
perhaps you may do something towards erasing from Mr Clennam's mind
the……ha……untoward and unpleasant circumstance which has occurred since
tea…time。'
Clennam assured him that it had made no impression on his mind； and
therefore required no erasure。
'My dear sir；' said the Father； with a removal of his black cap and a
grasp of Clennam's hand； bining to express the safe receipt of his
note and enclosure that afternoon； 'Heaven ever bless you！'
So； at last； Clennam's purpose in remaining was attained； and he could
speak to Little Dorrit with nobody by。 Maggy counted as nobody； and she
was by。
CHAPTER 32。 More Fortune…Telling
Maggy sat at her work in her great white cap with its quantity of opaque
frilling hiding what profile she had （she had none to spare）； and her
serviceable eye brought to bear upon her occupation； on the window side
of the room。 What with her flapping cap； and what with her unserviceable
eye； she was quite partitioned off from her Little Mother； whose seat
was opposite the window。 The tread and shuffle of feet on the pavement
of the yard had much diminished since the taking of the Chair； the tide
of Collegians having set strongly in the direction of Harmony。 Some few
who had no music in their souls； or no money in their pockets； dawdled
about； and the old spectacle of the visitor…wife and the depressed
unseasoned prisoner still lingered in corners； as broken cobwebs and
such unsightly disforts draggle in corners of other places。 It was
the quietest time the College knew； saving the night hours when the
Collegians took the benefit of the act of sleep。 The occasional rattle
of applause upon the tables of the Snuggery； denoted the successful
termination of a morsel of Harmony； or the responsive acceptance； by
the united children； of some toast or sentiment offered to them by their
Father。 Occasionally； a vocal strain more sonorous than the generality
informed the listener that some boastful bass was