butIcannothelptellingyouwhatanaturesheshows，andthatyoucanneverthinktoowellofher。
　　Ihavenotyetcalledherbyhernameinthisletter，butwearesuchfriendsnowthatIdosowhenwearequietlytogether，andshespeakstomebymyname——Imean，notmyChristianname，butthenameyougaveme。WhenshebegantocallmeAmy，Itoldhermyshortstory，andthatyouhadalwayscalledmeLittleDorrit。I
　　toldherthatthenamewasmuchdearertomethananyother，andsoshecallsmeLittleDorrittoo。
　　Perhapsyouhavenotheardfromherfatherormotheryet，andmaynotknowthatshehasababyson。Hewasbornonlytwodaysago，andjustaweekaftertheycame。Ithasmadethemveryhappy。
　　However，Imusttellyou，asIamtotellyouall，thatIfancytheyareunderaconstraintwithMrGowan，andthattheyfeelasifhismockingwaywiththemwassometimesaslightgiventotheirloveforher。Itwasbutyesterday，whenIwasthere，thatIsawMrMeagleschangecolour，andgetupandgoout，asifhewasafraidthathemightsayso，unlesshepreventedhimselfbythatmeans。YetIamsuretheyarebothsoconsiderate，good-humoured，andreasonable，thathemightsparethem。Itishardinhimnottothinkofthemalittlemore。
　　Istoppedatthelastfullstoptoreadallthisover。ItlookedatfirstasifIwastakingonmyselftounderstandandexplainsomuch，thatIwashalfinclinednottosendit。ButwhenIthoughtitoveralittle，IfeltmorehopefulforyourknowingatoncethatIhadonlybeenwatchfulforyou，andhadonlynoticedwhatIthinkIhavenoticed，becauseIwasquickenedbyyourinterestinit。
　　Indeed，youmaybesurethatisthetruth。
　　AndnowIhavedonewiththesubjectinthepresentletter，andhavelittlelefttosay。
　　Weareallquitewell，andFannyimproveseveryday。Youcanhardlythinkhowkindsheistome，andwhatpainsshetakeswithme。Shehasalover，whohasfollowedher，firstallthewayfromSwitzerland，andthenallthewayfromVenice，andwhohasjustconfidedtomethathemeanstofollowhereverywhere。Iwasmuchconfusedbyhisspeakingtomeaboutit，buthewould。Ididnotknowwhattosay，butatlastItoldhimthatIthoughthehadbetternot。ForFannybutIdidnottellhimthisismuchtoospiritedandclevertosuithim。Still，hesaidhewould，allthesame。Ihavenolover，ofcourse。
　　Ifyoushouldevergetsofarasthisinthislongletter，youwillperhapssay，SurelyLittleDorritwillnotleaveoffwithouttellingmesomethingabouthertravels，andsurelyitistimeshedid。Ithinkitisindeed，butIdon’tknowwhattotellyou。
　　SinceweleftVenicewehavebeeninagreatmanywonderfulplaces，GenoaandFlorenceamongthem，andhaveseensomanywonderfulsights，thatIamalmostgiddywhenIthinkwhatacrowdtheymake。
　　ButyoucantellmesomuchmoreaboutthemthanIcantellyou，thatwhyshouldItireyouwithmyaccountsanddescriptions？
　　DearMrClennam，asIhadthecouragetotellyouwhatthefamiliardifficultiesinmytravellingmindwerebefore，Iwillnotbeacowardnow。Oneofmyfrequentthoughtsisthis：——Oldasthesecitiesare，theirageitselfishardlysocurious，tomyreflections，asthattheyshouldhavebeenintheirplacesallthroughthosedayswhenIdidnotevenknowoftheexistenceofmorethantwoorthreeofthem，andwhenIscarcelyknewofanythingoutsideouroldwalls。Thereissomethingmelancholyinit，andIdon’tknowwhy。WhenwewenttoseethefamousleaningtoweratPisa，itwasabrightsunnyday，anditandthebuildingsnearitlookedsoold，andtheearthandtheskylookedsoyoung，anditsshadowonthegroundwassosoftandretired!Icouldnotatfirstthinkhowbeautifulitwas，orhowcurious，butIthought，’Ohowmanytimeswhentheshadowofthewallwasfallingonourroom，andwhenthatwearytreadoffeetwasgoingupanddowntheyard——Ohowmanytimesthisplacewasjustasquietandlovelyasitisto-day!’Itquiteoverpoweredme。Myheartwassofullthattearsburstoutofmyeyes，thoughIdidwhatIcouldtorestrainthem。AndIhavethesamefeelingoften——often。
　　Doyouknowthatsincethechangeinourfortunes，thoughIappeartomyselftohavedreamedmorethanbefore，Ihavealwaysdreamedofmyselfasveryyoungindeed!Iamnotveryold，youmaysay。
　　No，butthatisnotwhatImean。Ihavealwaysdreamedofmyselfasachildlearningtodoneedlework。Ihaveoftendreamedofmyselfasbackthere，seeingfacesintheyardlittleknown，andwhichIshouldhavethoughtIhadquiteforgotten；but，asoftenasnot，Ihavebeenabroadhere——inSwitzerland，orFrance，orItaly——
　　somewherewherewehavebeen——yetalwaysasthatlittlechild。I
　　havedreamedofgoingdowntoMrsGeneral，withthepatchesonmyclothesinwhichIcanfirstremembermyself。IhaveoverandoveragaindreamedoftakingmyplaceatdinneratVenicewhenwehavehadalargecompany，inthemourningformypoormotherwhichI
　　worewhenIwaseightyearsold，andworelongafteritwasthreadbareandwouldmendnomore。Ithasbeenagreatdistresstometothinkhowirreconcilablethecompanywouldconsideritwithmyfather’swealth，andhowIshoulddispleaseanddisgracehimandFannyandEdwardbysoplainlydisclosingwhattheywishedtokeepsecret。ButIhavenotgrownoutofthelittlechildinthinkingofit；andattheself-samemomentIhavedreamedthatIhavesatwiththeheart-acheattable，calculatingtheexpensesofthedinner，andquitedistractingmyselfwiththinkinghowtheywereevertobemadegood。Ihaveneverdreamedofthechangeinourfortunesitself；Ihaveneverdreamedofyourcomingbackwithmethatmemorablemorningtobreakit；Ihaveneverevendreamedofyou。
　　DearMrClennam，itispossiblethatIhavethoughtofyou——andothers——somuchbyday，thatIhavenothoughtslefttowanderroundyoubynight。ForImustnowconfesstoyouthatIsufferfromhome-sickness——thatIlongsoardentlyandearnestlyforhome，assometimes，whennooneseesme，topineforit。Icannotbeartoturnmyfacefurtherawayfromit。Myheartisalittlelightenedwhenweturntowardsit，evenforafewmiles，andwiththeknowledgethatwearesoontoturnawayagain。SodearlydoI
　　lovethesceneofmypovertyandyourkindness。Osodearly，Osodearly!
　　HeavenknowswhenyourpoorchildwillseeEnglandagain。Weareallfondofthelifehereexceptme，andtherearenoplansforourreturn。MydearfathertalksofavisittoLondonlateinthisnextspring，onsomeaffairsconnectedwiththeproperty，butI
　　havenohopethathewillbringmewithhim。
　　IhavetriedtogetonalittlebetterunderMrsGeneral’sinstruction，andIhopeIamnotquitesodullasIusedtobe。I
　　havebeguntospeakandunderstand，almosteasily，thehardlanguagesItoldyouabout。Ididnotremember，atthemomentwhenIwrotelast，thatyouknewthemboth；butIremembereditafterwards，andithelpedmeon。Godblessyou，dearMrClennam。
　　DonotforgetyourevergratefulandaffectionateLITTLEDORRIT。
　　P。S——ParticularlyrememberthatMinnieGowandeservesthebestremembranceinwhichyoucanholdher。Youcannotthinktoogenerouslyortoohighlyofher。IforgotMrPanckslasttime。
　　Please，ifyoushouldseehim，givehimyourLittleDorrit’skindregard。HewasverygoodtoLittleD。
　　InwhichaGreatPatrioticConferenceisholdenThefamousnameofMerdlebecame，everyday，morefamousintheland。NobodyknewthattheMerdleofsuchhighrenownhadeverdoneanygoodtoanyone，aliveordead，ortoanyearthlything；
　　nobodyknewthathehadanycapacityorutteranceofanysortinhim，whichhadeverthrown，foranycreature，thefeeblestfarthing-candlerayoflightonanypathofdutyordiversion，painorpleasure，toilorrest，factorfancy，amongthemultiplicityofpathsinthelabyrinthtroddenbythesonsofAdam；nobodyhadthesmallestreasonforsupposingtheclayofwhichthisobjectofworshipwasmade，tobeotherthanthecommonestclay，withascloggedawicksmoulderinginsideofitaseverkeptanimageofhumanityfromtumblingtopieces。Allpeoplekneworthoughttheyknewthathehadmadehimselfimmenselyrich；and，forthatreasonalone，prostratedthemselvesbeforehim，moredegradedlyandlessexcusablythanthedarkestsavagecreepsoutofhisholeinthegroundtopropitiate，insomelogorreptile，theDeityofhisbenightedsoul。
　　Nay，thehighpriestsofthisworshiphadthemanbeforethemasaprotestagainsttheirmeanness。Themultitudeworshippedontrust——thoughalwaysdistinctlyknowingwhy——buttheofficiatorsatthealtarhadthemanhabituallyintheirview。Theysatathisfeasts，andhesatattheirs。Therewasaspectrealwaysattendantonhim，sayingtothesehighpriests，’Aresuchthesignsyoutrust，andlovetohonour；thishead，theseeyes，thismodeofspeech，thetoneandmannerofthisman？YouaretheleversoftheCircumlocutionOffice，andtherulersofmen。Whenhalf-a-dozenofyoufalloutbytheears，itseemsthatmotherearthcangivebirthtonootherrulers。Doesyourqualificationlieinthesuperiorknowledgeofmenwhichaccepts，courts，andpuffsthisman？Or，ifyouarecompetenttojudgearightthesignsIneverfailtoshowyouwhenheappearsamongyou，isyoursuperiorhonestyyourqualification？’Tworatheruglyquestionsthese，alwaysgoingabouttownwithMrMerdle；andtherewasatacitagreementthattheymustbestifled。InMrsMerdle’sabsenceabroad，MrMerdlestillkeptthegreathouseopenforthepassagethroughitofastreamOfvisitors。Afewofthesetookaffablepossessionoftheestablishment。Threeorfourladiesofdistinctionandlivelinessusedtosaytooneanother，’LetusdineatourdearMerdle’snextThursday。Whomshallwehave？’OurdearMerdlewouldthenreceivehisinstructions；andwouldsitheavilyamongthecompanyattableandwanderlumpishlyabouthisdrawing-roomsafterwards，onlyremarkableforappearingtohavenothingtodowiththeentertainmentbeyondbeinginitsway。
　　TheChiefButler，theAvengingSpiritofthisgreatman’slife，relaxednothingofhisseverity。Helookedonatthesedinnerswhenthebosomwasnotthere，ashelookedonatotherdinnerswhenthebosomwasthere；andhiseyewasabasilisktoMrMerdle。Hewasahardman，andwouldneverbateanounceofplateorabottleofwine。Hewouldnotallowadinnertobegiven，unlessitwasuptohismark。Hesetforththetableforhisowndignity。Iftheguestschosetopartakeofwhatwasserved，hesawnoobjection；
　　butitwasservedforthemaintenanceofhisrank。Ashestoodbythesideboardheseemedtoannounce，’Ihaveacceptedofficetolookatthiswhichisnowbeforeme，andtolookatnothinglessthanthis。’Ifhemissedthepresidingbosom，itwasasapartofhisownstateofwhichhewas，fromunavoidablecircumstances，temporarilydeprived。justashemighthavemissedacentre-piece，orachoicewine-cooler，whichhadbeensenttotheBanker’s。
　　MrMerdleissuedinvitationsforaBarnacledinner。LordDecimuswastobethere，MrTiteBarnaclewastobethere，thepleasantyoungBarnaclewastobethere；andtheChorusofParliamentaryBarnacleswhowentabouttheprovinceswhentheHousewasup，warblingthepraisesoftheirChief，weretoberepresentedthere。
　　Itwasunderstoodtobeagreatoccasion。MrMerdlewasgoingtotakeuptheBarnacles。SomedelicatelittlenegotiationshadoccurredbetweenhimandthenobleDecimus——theyoungBarnacleofengagingmannersactingasnegotiator——andMrMerdlehaddecidedtocasttheweightofhisgreatprobityandgreatrichesintotheBarnaclescale。jobberywassuspectedbythemalicious；perhapsbecauseitwasindisputablethatiftheadherenceoftheimmortalEnemyofMankindcouldhavebeensecuredbyajob，theBarnacleswouldhavejobbedhim——forthegoodofthecountry，forthegoodofthecountry。
　　MrsMerdlehadwrittentothismagnificentspouseofhers，whomitwasheresytoregardasanythinglessthanalltheBritishMerchantssincethedaysofWhittingtonrolledintoone，andgildedthreefeetdeepallover——hadwrittentothisspouseofhers，severallettersfromRome，inquicksuccession，urginguponhimwithimportunitythatnoworneverwasthetimetoprovideforEdmundSparkler。MrsMerdlehadshownhimthatthecaseofEdmundwasurgent，andthatinfiniteadvantagesmightresultfromhishavingsomegoodthingdirectly。InthegrammarofMrsMerdle’sverbsonthismomentoussubject，therewasonlyonemood，theImperative；andthatMoodhadonlyoneTense，thePresent。MrsMerdle’sverbsweresopressinglypresentedtoMrMerdletoconjugate，thathissluggishbloodandhislongcoat-cuffsbecamequiteagitated。