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he re…entered its dark solitary precincts in unutterable misery。
When it was almost midnight； and the prison had long been quiet； a
cautious creak came up the stairs； and a cautious tap of a key was given
at his door。 It was Young John。 He glided in； in his stockings； and held
the door closed； while he spoke in a whisper。
'It's against all rules； but I don't mind。 I was determined to e
through； and e to you。'
'What is the matter？'
'Nothing's the matter； sir。 I was waiting in the court…yard for Miss
Dorrit when she came out。 I thought you'd like some one to see that she
was safe。'
'Thank you； thank you！ You took her home； John？'
'I saw her to her hotel。 The same that Mr Dorrit was at。 Miss Dorrit
walked all the way； and talked to me so kind； it quite knocked me over。
Why do you think she walked instead of riding？'
'I don't know； John。'
'To talk about you。 She said to me； 〃John； you was always honourable；
and if you'll promise me that you will take care of him； and never let
him want for help and fort when I am not there； my mind will be at
rest so far。〃 I promised her。 And I'll stand by you；' said John Chivery；
'for ever！'
Clennam； much affected； stretched out his hand to this honest spirit。
'Before I take it；' said John； looking at it； without ing from the
door； 'guess what message Miss Dorrit gave me。'
Clennam shook his head。
'〃Tell him；〃' repeated John； in a distinct； though quavering voice；
'〃that his Little Dorrit sent him her undying love。〃 Now it's delivered。
Have I been honourable； sir？'
'Very； very！'
'Will you tell Miss Dorrit I've been honourable； sir？'
'I will indeed。'
'There's my hand； sir；' said john； 'and I'll stand by you forever！'
After a hearty squeeze； he disappeared with the same cautious creak upon
the stair； crept shoeless over the pavement of the yard； and； locking
the gates behind him； passed out into the front where he had left his
shoes。 If the same way had been paved with burning ploughshares； it is
not at all improbable that John would have traversed it with the same
devotion； for the same purpose。
CHAPTER 30。 Closing in
The last day of the appointed week touched the bars of the Marshalsea
gate。 Black； all night； since the gate had clashed upon Little Dorrit；
its iron stripes were turned by the early…glowing sun into stripes of
gold。 Far aslant across the city； over its jumbled roofs； and through
the open tracery of its church towers； struck the long bright rays； bars
of the prison of this lower world。
Throughout the day the old house within the gateway remained untroubled
by any visitors。 But； when the sun was low； three men turned in at the
gateway and made for the dilapidated house。
Rigaud was the first； and walked by himself smoking。 Mr Baptist was
the second； and jogged close after him； looking at no other object。
Mr Pancks was the third； and carried his hat under his arm for the
liberation of his restive hair； the weather being extremely hot。 They
all came together at the door…steps。
'You pair of madmen！' said Rigaud； facing about。 'Don't go yet！'
'We don't mean to；' said Mr Pancks。 Giving him a dark glance in
acknowledgment of his answer； Rigaud knocked loudly。 He had charged
himself with drink； for the playing out of his game； and was impatient
to begin。 He had hardly finished one long resounding knock； when he
turned to the knocker again and began another。 That was not yet finished
when Jeremiah Flintwinch opened the door； and they all clanked into the
stone hall。 Rigaud； thrusting Mr Flintwinch aside； proceeded straight
up…stairs。 His two attendants followed him； Mr Flintwinch followed them；
and they all came trooping into Mrs Clennam's quiet room。 It was in its
usual state； except that one of the windows was wide open； and Affery
sat on its old…fashioned window…seat； mending a stocking。 The usual
articles were on the little table； the usual deadened fire was in the
grate； the bed had its usual pall upon it； and the mistress of all sat
on her black bier…like sofa； propped up by her black angular bolster
that was like the headsman's block。
Yet there was a nameless air of preparation in the room； as if it were
strung up for an occasion。 From what the room derived it……every one of
its small variety of objects being in the fixed spot it had occupied
for years……no one could have said without looking attentively at its
mistress； and that； too； with a previous knowledge of her face。 Although
her unchanging black dress was in every plait precisely as of old； and
her unchanging attitude was rigidly preserved； a very slight additional
setting of her features and contraction of her gloomy forehead was so
powerfully marked； that it marked everything about her。
'Who are these？' she said； wonderingly； as the two attendants entered。
'What do these people want here？'
'Who are these； dear madame； is it？' returned Rigaud。 'Faith； they are
friends of your son the prisoner。 And what do they want here； is it？
Death； madame； I don't know。 You will do well to ask them。'
'You know you told us at the door； not to go yet；' said Pancks。
'And you know you told me at the door； you didn't mean to go；' retorted
Rigaud。 'In a word； madame； permit me to present two spies of the
prisoner's……madmen； but spies。 If you wish them to remain here during
our little conversation； say the word。 It is nothing to me。'
'Why should I wish them to remain here？' said Mrs Clennam。 'What have I
to do with them？'
'Then； dearest madame；' said Rigaud； throwing himself into an arm…chair
so heavily that the old room trembled； 'you will do well to dismiss
them。 It is your affair。 They are not my spies； not my rascals。'
'Hark！ You Pancks；' said Mrs Clennam； bending her brows upon him
angrily； 'you Casby's clerk！ Attend to your employer's business and your
own。 Go。 And take that other man with you。' 'Thank you； ma'am；' returned
Mr Pancks； 'I am glad to say I see no objection to our both retiring。
We have done all we undertook to do for Mr Clennam。 His constant anxiety
has been （and it grew worse upon him when he became a prisoner）； that
this agreeable gentleman should be brought back here to the place from
which he slipped away。 Here he is……brought back。 And I will say；' added
Mr Pancks； 'to his ill…looking face； that in my opinion the world would
be no worse for his slipping out of it altogether。'
'Your opinion is not asked；' answered Mrs Clennam。 'Go。'
'I am sorry not to leave you in better pany； ma'am；' said Pancks；
'and sorry； too； that Mr Clennam can't be present。 It's my fault； that
is。'
'You mean his own；' she returned。
'No； I mean mine； ma'am；' said Pancks；'for it was my misfortune to lead
him into a ruinous investment。' （Mr Pancks still clung to that word；
and never said speculation。） 'Though I can prove by figures；' added Mr
Pancks； with an anxious countenance； 'that it ought to have been a good
investment。 I have gone over it since it failed； every day of my life；
and it es out……regarded as a question of figures……triumphant。 The
present is not a time or place；' Mr Pancks pursued； with a longing
glance into his hat； where he kept his calculations； 'for entering upon
the figures； but the figures are not to be disputed。 Mr Clennam ought to
have been at this moment in his carriage and pair； and I ought to have
been worth from three to five thousand pound。'
Mr Pancks put his hair erect with a general aspect of confidence that
could hardly have been surpassed； if he had had the amount in his
pocket。 These incontrovertible figures had been the occupation of every
moment of his leisure since he had lost his money； and were destined to
afford him consolation to the end of his days。
'However；' said Mr Pancks； 'enough of that。 Altro； old boy； you have
seen the figures； and you know how they e out。' Mr Baptist； who had
not the slightest arithmetical power of pensating himself in this
way； nodded； with a fine display of bright teeth。
At whom Mr Flintwinch had been looking； and to whom he then said：
'Oh！ it's you； is it？ I thought I remembered your face； but I wasn't
certain till I saw your teeth。 Ah！ yes； to be sure。 It was this
officious refugee；' said Jeremiah to Mrs Clennam； 'who came knocking
at the door on the night when Arthur and Chatterbox were here； and who
asked me a r Blandois。'
'It is true；' Mr Baptist cheerfully admitted。 'And behold him； padrone！
I have found him consequentementally。'
'I shouldn't have objected；' returned Mr Flintwinch； 'to your having
broken your neck consequentementally。'
'And now；' said Mr Pancks； whose eye had often stealthily wandered to
the window…seat and the stocking that was being mended there； 'I've
only one other word to say before I go。 If Mr Clennam was here……but
unfortunately； though he has so far got the better of this fine
gentleman as to return him to this place against his will； he is ill
and in prison……ill and in prison； poor fellow……if he was here；' said Mr
Pancks； taking one step aside towards the window…seat； and laying
his right hand upon the stocking； 'he would say； 〃Affery； tell your
dreams！〃'
Mr Pancks held up his right forefinger between his nose and the stocking
with a ghostly air of warning； turned； steamed out and towed Mr Baptist
after him。 The house…door was heard to close upon them； their steps
were heard passing over the dull pavement of the echoing court…yard； and
still nobody had added a word。 Mrs Clennam and Jeremiah had exchanged a
look； and had then looked； and looked still； at Affery； who sat mending
the stocking with great assiduity。
'e！' said Mr Flintwinch at length； screwing himself a curve or two in
the direction of the window…seat； and rubbing the palms of his hands on
his coat…tail as if he were preparing them to do something： 'Whatever
has to be said among us had better be begun to be said without more loss
of time。……So； Affery； my woman； take yourself away！'
In a moment Affery had thrown the stocking down； started up； caught
hold of the windowsill with her right hand； lodged herself upon the
window…seat with her right knee； and was flourishing her left hand；
beating expected assailants off。
'No； I won't； Jeremiah……no； I won't……no； I won't！ I won't go！ I'll stay
here。 I'll hear all I don't know； and say all I know。 I will； at last；
if I die for it。 I will； I will； I will； I will！'
Mr Flintwinch； stiffening with indignation and amazement； moistened the
fingers of one hand at his lips； softly described a circle with them in
the palm of the other hand； and continued with a menacing grin to
screw himself in the direction of his wife； gasping some remark as he
advanced； of which； in his choking anger； only the words； 'Such a dose！'
were audible。
'Not a bit nearer； Jeremiah！' cried Affery； never ceasing to beat the
air。 'Don't e a bit nearer to me； or I'll rouse the neighbourhood！
I'll throw myself out of window。 I'll scream Fire and Murder！ I'll wake
the dead！ Stop where you are； or I'll make shrieks enough to wake the
dead！'
The determined voice of Mrs Clennam echoed 'Stop！' Jeremiah had stopped
already。 'It is closing in； Flintwinch。 Let her alone。 Affery； do you
turn against me after these many years？'
'I do； if it's turning against you to hear what I don't know； and say
what I know。 I have broke out now； and I can't go back。 I am determined
to do it。 I will do it； I will； I will； I will！ If that's turning
against you； yes； I turn against both of you two clever ones。 I told
Arthur when he first e home to stand up against you。 I told him it
was no reason； because I was afeard of my life of you； that he should
be。 All manner of things have been a…going on since then； and I won't
be run up by Jeremiah； nor yet I won't be dazed and scared； nor made a
party to I don't know what； no more。 I won't； I won't； I won't！ I'll
up for Arthur when he has nothing left； and is ill； and in prison； and
can't up for himself。 I will； I will； I will； I will！'
'How do you know； you heap of confusion；' asked Mrs Clennam sternly；
'that in doing what you are doing now； you are even serving Arthur？'
'I don't know nothing rightly about anything；' said Affery； 'and if
ever you said a true word in your life； it's when you call