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had a blue mould upon him； sat watching this dark place from a hole in
a corner； like a spider； and he told her that he would send a message
up to Miss Dorrit by the first lady or gentleman who went through。 The
first lady who went through had a roll of music； half in her muff and
half out of it； and was in such a tumbled condition altogether； that it
seemed as if it would be an act of kindness to iron her。 But as she was
very good…natured； and said； 'e with me； I'll soon find Miss Dorrit
for you；' Miss Dorrit's sister went with her； drawing nearer and nearer
at every step she took in the darkness to the sound of music and the
sound of dancing feet。
At last they came into a maze of dust； where a quantity of people were
tumbling over one another； and where there was such a confusion of
unaccountable shapes of beams； bulkheads； brick walls； ropes； and
rollers； and such a mixing of gaslight and daylight； that they seemed
to have got on the wrong side of the pattern of the universe。 Little
Dorrit； left to herself； and knocked against by somebody every moment；
was quite bewildered； when she heard her sister's voice。
'Why； good gracious； Amy； what ever brought you here？'
'I wanted to see you； Fanny dear； and as I am going out all day
to…morrow； and knew you might be engaged all day to…day； I thought……'
'But the idea； Amy； of YOU ing behind！ I never did！' As her sister
said this in no very cordial tone of wele； she conducted her to a
more open part of the maze； where various golden chairs and tables were
heaped together； and where a number of young ladies were sitting on
anything they could find； chattering。 All these young ladies wanted
ironing； and all had a curious way of looking everywhere while they
chattered。
Just as the sisters arrived here； a monotonous boy in a Scotch cap put
his head round a beam on the left； and said； 'Less noise there； ladies！'
and disappeared。 Immediately after which； a sprightly gentleman with a
quantity of long black hair looked round a beam on the right； and said；
'Less noise there； darlings！' and also disappeared。
'The notion of you among professionals； Amy； is really the last thing
I could have conceived！' said her sister。 'Why； how did you ever get
here？'
'I don't know。 The lady who told you I was here； was so good as to bring
me in。'
'Like you quiet little things！ You can make your way anywhere； I
believe。 I couldn't have managed it； Amy； though I know so much more of
the world。'
It was the family custom to lay it down as family law； that she was a
plain domestic little creature； without the great and sage experience of
the rest。 This family fiction was the family assertion of itself against
her services。 Not to make too much of them。
'Well！ And what have you got on your mind； Amy？ Of course you have
got something on your mind about me？' said Fanny。 She spoke as if her
sister； between two and three years her junior； were her prejudiced
grandmother。
'It is not much； but since you told me of the lady who gave you the
bracelet； Fanny……'
The monotonous boy put his head round the beam on the left； and said；
'Look out there； ladies！' and disappeared。 The sprightly gentleman with
the black hair as suddenly put his head round the beam on the right； and
said； 'Look out there； darlings！' and also disappeared。 Thereupon all
the young ladies rose and began shaking their skirts out behind。
'Well； Amy？' said Fanny； doing as the rest did； 'what were you going to
say？'
'Since you told me a lady had given you the bracelet you showed me；
Fanny； I have not been quite easy on your account； and indeed want to
know a little more if you will confide more to me。'
'Now； ladies！' said the boy in the Scotch cap。 'Now； darlings！' said the
gentleman with the black hair。 They were every one gone in a moment； and
the music and the dancing feet were heard again。
Little Dorrit sat down in a golden chair； made quite giddy by these
rapid interruptions。 Her sister and the rest were a long time gone； and
during their absence a voice （it appeared to be that of the gentleman
with the black hair） was continually calling out through the music；
'One； two； three； four； five； six……go！ One； two； three； four； five；
six……go！ Steady； darlings！ One； two； three； four； five； six……go！'
Ultimately the voice stopped； and they all came back again； more or less
out of breath； folding themselves in their shawls； and making ready
for the streets。 'Stop a moment； Amy； and let them get away before
us；' whispered Fanny。 They were soon left alone； nothing more important
happening； in the meantime； than the boy looking round his old beam； and
saying； 'Everybody at eleven to…morrow； ladies！' and the gentleman with
the black hair looking round his old beam； and saying； 'Everybody at
eleven to…morrow； darlings！' each in his own accustomed manner。
When they were alone； something was rolled up or by other means got out
of the way； and there was a great empty well before them； looking down
into the depths of which Fanny said； 'Now； uncle！' Little Dorrit； as her
eyes became used to the darkness； faintly made him out at the bottom of
the well； in an obscure corner by himself； with his instrument in its
ragged case under his arm。
The old man looked as if the remote high gallery windows； with their
little strip of sky； might have been the point of his better fortunes；
from which he had descended； until he had gradually sunk down below
there to the bottom。 He had been in that place six nights a week for
many years； but had never been observed to raise his eyes above his
music…book； and was confidently believed to have never seen a play。
There were legends in the place that he did not so much as know the
popular heroes and heroines by sight； and that the low edian had
'mugged' at him in his richest manner fifty nights for a wager； and he
had shown no trace of consciousness。 The carpenters had a joke to the
effect that he was dead without being aware of it； and the frequenters
of the pit supposed him to pass his whole life； night and day； and
Sunday and all； in the orchestra。 They had tried him a few times with
pinches of snuff offered over the rails； and he had always responded to
this attention with a momentary waking up of manner that had the pale
phantom of a gentleman in it： beyond this he never； on any occasion； had
any other part in what was going on than the part written out for the
clario； in private life； where there was no part for the clario；
he had no part at all。 Some said he was poor； some said he was a wealthy
miser； but he said nothing； never lifted up his bowed head； never varied
his shuffling gait by getting his springless foot from the ground。
Though expecting now to be summoned by his niece； he did not hear her
until she had spoken to him three or four times； nor was he at all
surprised by the presence of two nieces instead of one； but merely said
in his tremulous voice； 'I am ing； I am ing！' and crept forth by
some underground way which emitted a cellarous smell。
'And so； Amy；' said her sister； when the three together passed out at
the door that had such a shame…faced consciousness of being different
from other doors： the uncle instinctively taking Amy's arm as the arm to
be relied on： 'so； Amy； you are curious about me？'
She was pretty； and conscious； and rather flaunting； and the
condescension with which she put aside the superiority of her charms；
and of her worldly experience； and addressed her sister on almost equal
terms； had a vast deal of the family in it。
'I am interested； Fanny； and concerned in anything that concerns you。'
'So you are； so you are； and you are the best of Amys。 If I am ever a
little provoking； I am sure you'll consider what a thing it is to
occupy my position and feel a consciousness of being superior to it。 I
shouldn't care；' said the Daughter of the Father of the Marshalsea； 'if
the others were not so mon。 None of them have e down in the world
as we have。 They are all on their own level。 mon。'
Little Dorrit mildly looked at the speaker； but did not interrupt her。
Fanny took out her handkerchief； and rather angrily wiped her eyes。 'I
was not born where you were； you know； Amy； and perhaps that makes a
difference。 My dear child； when we get rid of Uncle； you shall know all
about it。 We'll drop him at the cook's shop where he is going to dine。'
They walked on with him until they came to a dirty shop window in a
dirty street； which of hot meats；
vegetables； and puddings。 But glimpses were to be caught of a roast leg
of pork bursting into tears of sage and onion in a metal reservoir full
of gravy； of an unctuous piece of roast beef and blisterous Yorkshire
pudding； bubbling hot in a similar receptacle； of a stuffed fillet of
veal in rapid cut； of a ham in a perspiration with the pace it was going
at； of a shallow tank of baked potatoes glued together by their own
richness； of a truss or two of boiled greens； and other substantial
delicacies。 Within； were a few wooden partitions； behind which such
customers as found it more convenient to take away their dinners in
stomachs than in their hands； Packed their purchases in solitude。 Fanny
opening her reticule； as they surveyed these things； produced from that
repository a shilling and handed it to Uncle。 Uncle； after not looking
at it a little while； divined its object； and muttering 'Dinner？ Ha！
Yes； yes； yes！' slowly vanished from them into the mist。
'Now； Amy；' said her sister； 'e with me； if you are not too tired to
walk to Harley Street； Cavendish Square。'
The air with which she threw off this distinguished address and the toss
she gave to her new bon （which was more gauzy than serviceable）； made
her sister wonder； however； she expressed her readiness to go to Harley
Street； and thither they directed their steps。 Arrived at that grand
destination； Fanny singled out the handsomest house； and knocking at the
door； inquired for Mrs Merdle。 The footman who opened the door； although
he had powder on his head and was backed up by two other footmen
likewise powdered； not only admitted Mrs Merdle to be at home； but asked
Fanny to walk in。 Fanny walked in； taking her sister with her； and they
went up…stairs with powder going before and powder stopping behind；
and were left in a spacious semicircular drawing…room； one of several
drawing…rooms； where there was a parrot on the outside of a golden cage
holding on by its beak； with its scaly legs in the air； and putting
itself into many strange upside…down postures。 This peculiarity has been
observed in birds of quite another feather； climbing upon golden wires。
The room was far more splendid than anything Little Dorrit had ever
imagined； and would have been splendid and costly in any eyes。 She
looked in amazement at her sister and would have asked a question；
but that Fanny with a warning frown pointed to a curtained doorway of
munication with another room。 The curtain shook next moment； and a
lady； raising it with a heavily ringed hand； dropped it behind her again
as she entered。
The lady was not young and fresh from the hand of Nature； but was young
and fresh from the hand of her maid。 She had large unfeeling handsome
eyes； and dark unfeeling handsome hair； and a broad unfeeling handsome
bosom； and was made the most of in every particular。 Either because she
had a cold； or because it suited her face； she wore a rich white
fillet tied over her head and under her chin。 And if ever there were
an unfeeling handsome chin that looked as if； for certain； it had never
been； in familiar parlance； 'chucked' by the hand of man； it was the
chin curbed up so tight and close by that laced bridle。
'Mrs Merdle；' said Fanny。 'My sister； ma'am。'
'I am glad to see your sister； Miss Dorrit。 I did not remember that you
had a sister。'
'I did not mention that I had；' said Fanny。
'Ah！' Mrs Merdle curled the little finger of her left hand as who should
say； 'I have caught you。 I know you didn't！' All her action was usually
with her left hand because her hands were not a pair； and left being
much the whiter and plumper of the two。 Then she added： 'Sit down；' and
posed herself voluptuously； in a nest of crimson and gold cushions；
on an otto