So，TinklerthevaletwasinstructedtofindMissAmy’smaid，andtorequestthatsubordinatetoinformMissAmythatMrDorritwishedtoseeherinhisownroom。IndeliveringthischargetoTinkler，MrDorritlookedseverelyathim，andalsokeptajealouseyeuponhimuntilhewentoutatthedoor，mistrustingthathemighthavesomethinginhismindprejudicialtothefamilydignity；
　　thathemighthaveevengotwindofsomeCollegiatejokebeforehecameintotheservice，andmightbederisivelyrevivingitsremembranceatthepresentmoment。IfTinklerhadhappenedtosmile，howeverfaintlyandinnocently，nothingwouldhavepersuadedMrDorrit，tothehourofhisdeath，butthatthiswasthecase。
　　AsTinklerhappened，however，veryfortunatelyforhimself，tobeofaseriousandcomposedcountenance，heescapedthesecretdangerthatthreatenedhim。Andasonhisreturn——whenMrDorriteyedhimagain——heannouncedMissAmyasifshehadcometoafuneral，heleftavagueimpressiononMrDorrit’smindthathewasawell-
　　conductedyoungfellow，whohadbeenbroughtupinthestudyofhisCatechismbyawidowedmother。
　　’Amy，’saidMrDorrit，’youhavejustnowbeenthesubjectofsomeconversationbetweenmyselfandMrsGeneral。Weagreethatyouscarcelyseemathomehere。Ha——howisthis？’
　　Apause。
　　’Ithink，father，Irequirealittletime。’
　　’Papaisapreferablemodeofaddress，’observedMrsGeneral。
　　’Fatherisrathervulgar，mydear。ThewordPapa，besides，givesaprettyformtothelips。Papa，potatoes，poultry，prunes，andprismareallverygoodwordsforthelips：especiallyprunesandprism。Youwillfinditserviceable，intheformationofademeanour，ifyousometimessaytoyourselfincompany——onenteringaroom，forinstance——Papa，potatoes，poultry，prunesandprism，prunesandprism。’
　　’Pray，mychild，’saidMrDorrit，’attendtothe——hum——preceptsofMrsGeneral。’
　　PoorLittleDorrit，witharatherforlornglanceatthateminentvarnisher，promisedtotry。
　　’Yousay，Amy，’pursuedMrDorrit，’thatyouthinkyourequiretime。Timeforwhat？’
　　Anotherpause。
　　’Tobecomeaccustomedtothenoveltyofmylife，wasallImeant，’
　　saidLittleDorrit，withherlovingeyesuponherfather；whomshehadverynearlyaddressedaspoultry，ifnotprunesandprismtoo，inherdesiretosubmitherselftoMrsGeneralandpleasehim。
　　MrDorritfrowned，andlookedanythingbutpleased。’Amy，’hereturned，’itappearstome，Imustsay，thatyouhavehadabundanceoftimeforthat。Ha——yousurpriseme。Youdisappointme。Fannyhasconqueredanysuchlittledifficulties，and——hum——
　　whynotyou？’
　　’IhopeIshalldobettersoon，’saidLittleDorrit。
　　’Ihopeso，’returnedherfather。’I——ha——Imostdevoutlyhopeso，Amy。Isentforyou，inorderthatImightsay——hum——impressivelysay，inthepresenceofMrsGeneral，towhomweareallsomuchindebtedforobliginglybeingpresentamongus，on——ha——onthisoranyotheroccasion，’MrsGeneralshuthereyes，’thatI——hahum——amnotpleasedwithyou。YoumakeMrsGeneral’sathanklesstask。
　　You——ha——embarrassmeverymuch。YouhavealwaysasIhaveinformedMrsGeneralbeenmyfavouritechild；Ihavealwaysmadeyoua——hum——afriendandcompanion；inreturn，Ibeg——I——ha——Idobeg，thatyouaccommodateyourselfbetterto——hum——circumstances，anddutifullydowhatbecomesyour——yourstation。’
　　MrDorritwasevenalittlemorefragmentarythanusual，beingexcitedonthesubjectandanxioustomakehimselfparticularlyemphatic。
　　’Idobeg，’herepeated，’thatthismaybeattendedto，andthatyouwillseriouslytakepainsandtrytoconductyourselfinamannerbothbecomingyourpositionas——ha——MissAmyDorrit，andsatisfactorytomyselfandMrsGeneral。’
　　Thatladyshuthereyesagain，onbeingagainreferredto；then，slowlyopeningthemandrising，addedthesewords：
　　’IfMissAmyDorritwilldirectherownattentionto，andwillacceptofmypoorassistancein，theformationofasurface，Mr。
　　Dorritwillhavenofurthercauseofanxiety。MayItakethisopportunityofremarking，asaninstanceinpoint，thatitisscarcelydelicatetolookatvagrantswiththeattentionwhichI
　　haveseenbestoweduponthembyaverydearyoungfriendofmine？
　　Theyshouldnotbelookedat。Nothingdisagreeableshouldeverbelookedat。Apartfromsuchahabitstandinginthewayofthatgracefulequanimityofsurfacewhichissoexpressiveofgoodbreeding，ithardlyseemscompatiblewithrefinementofmind。A
　　trulyrefinedmindwillseemtobeignorantoftheexistenceofanythingthatisnotperfectlyproper，placid，andpleasant。’
　　Havingdeliveredthisexaltedsentiment，MrsGeneralmadeasweepingobeisance，andretiredwithanexpressionofmouthindicativeofPrunesandPrism。
　　LittleDorrit，whetherspeakingorsilent，hadpreservedherquietearnestnessandherlovinglook。Ithadnotbeenclouded，exceptforapassingmoment，untilnow。Butnowthatshewasleftalonewithhimthefingersofherlightlyfoldedhandswereagitated，andtherewasrepressedemotioninherface。
　　Notforherself。Shemightfeelalittlewounded，buthercarewasnotforherself。Herthoughtsstillturned，astheyalwayshadturned，tohim。Afaintmisgiving，whichhadhungabouthersincetheiraccessiontofortune，thatevennowshecouldneverseehimasheusedtobebeforetheprisondays，hadgraduallybeguntoassumeforminhermind。Shefeltthat，inwhathehadjustnowsaidtoherandinhiswholebearingtowardsher，therewasthewell-knownshadowoftheMarshalseawall。Ittookanewshape，butitwastheoldsadshadow。Shebeganwithsorrowfulunwillingnesstoacknowledgetoherselfthatshewasnotstrongenoughtokeepoffthefearthatnospaceinthelifeofmancouldovercomethatquarterofacenturybehindtheprisonbars。Shehadnoblametobestowuponhim，therefore：nothingtoreproachhimwith，noemotionsinherfaithfulheartbutgreatcompassionandunboundedtenderness。
　　Thisiswhyitwas，that，evenashesatbeforeheronhissofa，inthebrilliantlightofabrightItalianday，thewonderfulcitywithoutandthesplendoursofanoldpalacewithin，shesawhimatthemomentinthelong-familiargloomofhisMarshalsealodging，andwishedtotakeherseatbesidehim，andcomforthim，andbeagainfullofconfidencewithhim，andofusefulnesstohim。Ifhedivinedwhatwasinherthoughts，hisownwerenotintunewithit。
　　Aftersomeuneasymovinginhisseat，hegotupandwalkedabout，lookingverymuchdissatisfied。
　　’Isthereanythingelseyouwishtosaytome，dearfather？’
　　’No，no。Nothingelse。’
　　’Iamsorryyouhavenotbeenpleasedwithme，dear。Ihopeyouwillnotthinkofmewithdispleasurenow。Iamgoingtotry，morethanever，toadaptmyselfasyouwishtowhatsurroundsme——forindeedIhavetriedallalong，thoughIhavefailed，Iknow。’
　　’Amy，’hereturned，turningshortuponher。’You——ha——habituallyhurtme。’
　　’Hurtyou，father!I!’
　　’Thereisa——hum——atopic，’saidMrDorrit，lookingallabouttheceilingoftheroom，andneverattheattentive，uncomplaininglyshockedface，’apainfultopic，aseriesofeventswhichIwish——
　　ha——altogethertoobliterate。Thisisunderstoodbyyoursister，whohasalreadyremonstratedwithyouinmypresence；itisunderstoodbyyourbrother；itisunderstoodby——hahum——byeveryoneofdelicacyandsensitivenessexceptyourself——ha——Iamsorrytosay，exceptyourself。You，Amy——hum——youaloneandonlyyou——
　　constantlyrevivethetopic，thoughnotinwords。’
　　Shelaidherhandonhisarm。Shedidnothingmore。Shegentlytouchedhim。Thetremblinghandmayhavesaid，withsomeexpression，’Thinkofme，thinkhowIhaveworked，thinkofmymanycares!’Butshesaidnotasyllableherself。
　　Therewasareproachinthetouchsoaddressedtohimthatshehadnotforeseen，orshewouldhavewithheldherhand。Hebegantojustifyhimselfinaheated，stumbling，angrymanner，whichmadenothingofit。
　　’Iwasthereallthoseyears。Iwas——ha——universallyacknowledgedastheheadoftheplace。I——hum——Icausedyoutoberespectedthere，Amy。I——hahum——Igavemyfamilyapositionthere。I
　　deserveareturn。Iclaimareturn。Isay，sweepitoffthefaceoftheearthandbeginafresh。Isthatmuch？Iask，isthatmuch？’Hedidnotoncelookather，asherambledoninthisway；
　　butgesticulatedat，andappealedto，theemptyair。
　　’Ihavesuffered。ProbablyIknowhowmuchIhavesufferedbetterthananyone——ha——Isaythananyone!IfIcanputthataside，ifIcaneradicatethemarksofwhatIhaveendured，andcanemergebeforetheworld——a——ha——gentlemanunspoiled，unspotted——isitagreatdealtoexpect——Isayagain，isitagreatdealtoexpect——
　　thatmychildrenshould——hum——dothesameandsweepthataccursedexperienceoffthefaceoftheearth？’
　　Inspiteofhisflusteredstate，hemadealltheseexclamationsinacarefullysuppressedvoice，lestthevaletshouldoverhearanything。
　　’Accordingly，theydoit。Yoursisterdoesit。Yourbrotherdoesit。Youalone，myfavouritechild，whomImadethefriendandcompanionofmylifewhenyouwereamere——hum——Baby，donotdoit。
　　Youalonesayyoucan’tdoit。Iprovideyouwithvaluableassistancetodoit。Iattachanaccomplishedandhighlybredlady——ha——MrsGeneral，toyou，forthepurposeofdoingit。IsitsurprisingthatIshouldbedispleased？IsitnecessarythatI
　　shoulddefendmyselfforexpressingmydispleasure？No!’
　　Notwithstandingwhich，hecontinuedtodefendhimself，withoutanyabatementofhisflushedmood。
　　’Iamcarefultoappealtothatladyforconfirmation，beforeI
　　expressanydispleasureatall。I——hum——Inecessarilymakethatappealwithinlimitedbounds，orI——ha——shouldrenderlegible，bythatlady，whatIdesiretobeblottedout。AmIselfish？DoI
　　complainformyownsake？No。No。Principallyfor——hahum——yoursake，Amy。’
　　Thislastconsiderationplainlyappeared，fromhismannerofpursuingit，tohavejustthatinstantcomeintohishead。