’Butthisisnot，’sheadded，withthequieteffortagain，’whatI
　　havecometotroubleyouwith，sir。Mysister’shavingfoundafriend，aladyshehastoldmeofandmademeratheranxiousabout，wasthefirstcauseofmycomingawayfromhome。Andbeingaway，andcomingonpurposeroundbywhereyoulivedandseeingalightinthewindow——’
　　Notforthefirsttime。No，notforthefirsttime。InLittleDorrit’seyes，theoutsideofthatwindowhadbeenadistantstaronothernightsthanthis。Shehadtoiledoutofherway，tiredandtroubled，tolookupatit，andwonderaboutthegrave，browngentlemanfromsofaroff，whohadspokentoherasafriendandprotector。
　　’Therewerethreethings，’saidLittleDorrit，’thatIthoughtI
　　wouldliketosay，ifyouwerealoneandImightcomeup-stairs。
　　First，whatIhavetriedtosay，butnevercan——nevershall——’
　　’Hush，hush!Thatisdonewith，anddisposedof。Letuspasstothesecond，’saidClennam，smilingheragitationaway，makingtheblazeshineuponher，andputtingwineandcakeandfruittowardsheronthetable。
　　’Ithink，’saidLittleDorrit——’thisisthesecondthing，sir——I
　　thinkMrsClennammusthavefoundoutmysecret，andmustknowwhereIcomefromandwhereIgoto。WhereIlive，Imean。’
　　’Indeed!’returnedClennamquickly。Heaskedher，aftershortconsideration，whyshesupposedso。
　　’Ithink，’repliedLittleDorrit，’thatMrFlintwinchmusthavewatchedme。’
　　Andwhy，Clennamasked，asheturnedhiseyesuponthefire，benthisbrows，andconsideredagain；whydidshesupposethat？
　　’Ihavemethimtwice。Bothtimesnearhome。Bothtimesatnight，whenIwasgoingback。BothtimesIthoughtthoughthatmayeasilybemymistake，thathehardlylookedasifhehadmetmebyaccident。’
　　’Didhesayanything？’
　　’No；heonlynoddedandputhisheadononeside。’
　　’Thedeviltakehishead!’musedClennam，stilllookingatthefire；’it’salwaysononeside。’
　　Herousedhimselftopersuadehertoputsomewinetoherlips，andtotouchsomethingtoeat——itwasverydifficult，shewassotimidandshy——andthensaid，musingagain：
　　’Ismymotheratallchangedtoyou？’
　　’Oh，notatall。Sheisjustthesame。IwonderedwhetherIhadbettertellhermyhistory。IwonderedwhetherImight——Imean，whetheryouwouldlikemetotellher。Iwondered，’saidLittleDorrit，lookingathiminasuppliantway，andgraduallywithdrawinghereyesashelookedather，’whetheryouwouldadvisemewhatIoughttodo。’
　　’LittleDorrit，’saidClennam；andthephrasehadalreadybegun，betweenthesetwo，tostandforahundredgentlephrases，accordingtothevaryingtoneandconnectioninwhichitwasused；’donothing。Iwillhavesometalkwithmyoldfriend，MrsAffery。Donothing，LittleDorrit——exceptrefreshyourselfwithsuchmeansastherearehere。Ientreatyoutodothat。’
　　’Thankyou，Iamnothungry。Nor，’saidLittleDorrit，ashesoftlyputherglasstowardsher，’northirsty——IthinkMaggymightlikesomething，perhaps。’
　　’Wewillmakeherfindpocketspresentlyforallthereishere，’
　　saidClennam：’butbeforeweawakeher，therewasathirdthingtosay。’
　　’Yes。Youwillnotbeoffended，sir？’
　　’Ipromisethat，unreservedly。’
　　’Itwillsoundstrange。Ihardlyknowhowtosayit。Don’tthinkitunreasonableorungratefulinme，’saidLittleDorrit，withreturningandincreasingagitation。
　　’No，no，no。Iamsureitwillbenaturalandright。IamnotafraidthatIshallputawrongconstructiononit，whateveritis。’
　　’Thankyou。Youarecomingbacktoseemyfatheragain？’
　　’Yes。’
　　’Youhavebeensogoodandthoughtfulastowritehimanote，sayingthatyouarecomingto-morrow？’
　　’Oh，thatwasnothing!Yes。’
　　’Canyouguess，’saidLittleDorrit，foldinghersmallhandstightinoneanother，andlookingathimwithalltheearnestnessofhersoullookingsteadilyoutofhereyes，’whatIamgoingtoaskyounottodo？’
　　’IthinkIcan。ButImaybewrong。’
　　’No，youarenotwrong，’saidLittleDorrit，shakingherhead。’Ifweshouldwantitsovery，verybadlythatwecannotdowithoutit，letmeaskyouforit。’
　　’IWill，——IWill。’
　　’Don’tencouragehimtoask。Don’tunderstandhimifhedoesask。
　　Don’tgiveittohim。Savehimandsparehimthat，andyouwillbeabletothinkbetterofhim!’
　　Clennamsaid——notveryplainly，seeingthosetearsglisteninginheranxiouseyes——thatherwishshouldbesacredwithhim。
　　’Youdon’tknowwhatheis，’shesaid；’youdon’tknowwhathereallyis。Howcanyou，seeinghimthereallatonce，dearlove，andnotgradually，asIhavedone!Youhavebeensogoodtous，sodelicatelyandtrulygood，thatIwanthimtobebetterinyoureyesthaninanybody’s。AndIcannotbeartothink，’criedLittleDorrit，coveringhertearswithherhands，’Icannotbeartothinkthatyouofalltheworldshouldseehiminhisonlymomentsofdegradation。’
　　’Pray，’saidClennam，’donotbesodistressed。Pray，pray，LittleDorrit!Thisisquiteunderstoodnow。’
　　’Thankyou，sir。Thankyou!Ihavetriedverymuchtokeepmyselffromsayingthis；Ihavethoughtaboutit，daysandnights；butwhenIknewforcertainyouwerecomingagain，Imadeupmymindtospeaktoyou。NotbecauseIamashamedofhim，’shedriedhertearsquickly，’butbecauseIknowhimbetterthananyonedoes，andlovehim，andamproudofhim。’
　　Relievedofthisweight，LittleDorritwasnervouslyanxioustobegone。Maggybeingbroadawake，andintheactofdistantlygloatingoverthefruitandcakeswithchucklesofanticipation，Clennammadethebestdiversioninhispowerbypouringheroutaglassofwine，whichshedrankinaseriesofloudsmacks；puttingherhanduponherwindpipeaftereveryone，andsaying，breathless，withhereyesinaprominentstate，’Oh，ain’titd’licious!Ain’tithospitally!’Whenshehadfinishedthewineandtheseencomiums，hechargedhertoloadherbasketshewasneverwithoutherbasketwitheveryeatablethinguponthetable，andtotakeespecialcaretoleavenoscrapbehind。Maggy’spleasureindoingthisandherlittlemother’spleasureinseeingMaggypleased，wasasgoodaturnascircumstancescouldhavegiventothelateconversation。
　　’Butthegateswillhavebeenlockedlongago，’saidClennam，suddenlyrememberingit。’Whereareyougoing？’
　　’IamgoingtoMaggy’slodging，’answeredLittleDorrit。’Ishallbequitesafe，quitewelltakencareof。’
　　’Imustaccompanyyouthere，’saidClennam，’Icannotletyougoalone。’
　　’Yes，prayleaveustogotherebyourselves。Praydo!’beggedLittleDorrit。
　　Shewassoearnestinthepetition，thatClennamfeltadelicacyinobtrudinghimselfuponher：therather，becausehecouldwellunderstandthatMaggy’slodgingwasoftheobscurestsort。’Come，Maggy，’saidLittleDorritcheerily，’weshalldoverywell；weknowthewaybythistime，Maggy？’
　　’Yes，yes，littlemother；weknowtheway，’chuckledMaggy。Andawaytheywent。LittleDorritturnedatthedoortosay，’Godblessyou!’Shesaiditverysoftly，butperhapsshemayhavebeenasaudibleabove——whoknows!——asawholecathedralchoir。
　　ArthurClennamsufferedthemtopassthecornerofthestreetbeforehefollowedatadistance；notwithanyideaofencroachingasecondtimeonLittleDorrit’sprivacy，buttosatisfyhismindbyseeinghersecureintheneighbourhoodtowhichshewasaccustomed。Sodiminutiveshelooked，sofragileanddefencelessagainstthebleakdampweather，flittingalongintheshufflingshadowofhercharge，thathefelt，inhiscompassion，andinhishabitofconsideringherachildapartfromtherestoftheroughworld，asifhewouldhavebeengladtotakeherupinhisarmsandcarryhertoherjourney’send。
　　IncourseoftimeshecameintotheleadingthoroughfarewheretheMarshalseawas，andthenhesawthemslackentheirpace，andsoonturndownaby-street。Hestopped，feltthathehadnorighttogofurther，andslowlyleftthem。Hehadnosuspicionthattheyrananyriskofbeinghouselessuntilmorning；hadnoideaofthetruthuntillong，longafterwards。
　　But，saidLittleDorrit，whentheystoppedatapoordwellingallindarkness，andheardnosoundonlisteningatthedoor，’Now，thisisagoodlodgingforyou，Maggy，andwemustnotgiveoffence。Consequently，wewillonlyknocktwice，andnotveryloud；andifwecannotwakethemso，wemustwalkabouttillday。’
　　Once，LittleDorritknockedwithacarefulhand，andlistened。
　　Twice，LittleDorritknockedwithacarefulhand，andlistened。
　　Allwascloseandstill。’Maggy，wemustdothebestwecan，mydear。Wemustbepatient，andwaitforday。’
　　Itwasachilldarknight，withadampwindblowing，whentheycameoutintotheleadingstreetagain，andheardtheclocksstrikehalf-pastone。’Inonlyfivehoursandahalf，’saidLittleDorrit，’weshallbeabletogohome。’Tospeakofhome，andtogoandlookatit，itbeingsonear，wasanaturalsequence。Theywenttotheclosedgate，andpeepedthroughintothecourt-yard。
　　’Ihopeheissoundasleep，’saidLittleDorrit，kissingoneofthebars，’anddoesnotmissme。’
　　Thegatewassofamiliar，andsolikeacompanion，thattheyputdownMaggy’sbasketinacornertoserveforaseat，andkeepingclosetogether，restedthereforsometime。Whilethestreetwasemptyandsilent，LittleDorritwasnotafraid；butwhensheheardafootstepatadistance，orsawamovingshadowamongthestreetlamps，shewasstartled，andwhispered，’Maggy，Iseesomeone。
　　Comeaway!’Maggywouldthenwakeupmoreorlessfretfully，andtheywouldwanderaboutalittle，andcomebackagain。
　　Aslongaseatingwasanoveltyandanamusement，Maggykeptupprettywell。Butthatperiodgoingby，shebecamequerulousaboutthecold，andshiveredandwhimpered。’Itwillsoonbeover，dear，’saidLittleDorritpatiently。’Ohit’sallveryfineforyou，littlemother，’returnedMaggy，’butI’mapoorthing，onlytenyearsold。’Atlast，inthedeadofthenight，whenthestreetwasverystillindeed，LittleDorritlaidtheheavyheaduponherbosom，andsoothedhertosleep。Andthusshesatatthegate，asitwerealone；lookingupatthestars，andseeingthecloudspassoverthemintheirwildflight——whichwasthedanceatLittleDorrit’sparty。
　　’Ifitreallywasaparty!’shethoughtonce，asshesatthere。
　　’Ifitwaslightandwarmandbeautiful，anditwasourhouse，andmypoordearwasitsmaster，andhadneverbeeninsidethesewalls。
　　AndifMrClennamwasoneofourvisitors，andweweredancingtodelightfulmusic，andwereallasgayandlight-heartedaseverwecouldbe!Iwonder——’Suchavistaofwonderopenedoutbeforeher，thatshesatlookingupatthestars，quitelost，untilMaggywasquerulousagain，andwantedtogetupandwalk。