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See！ I lie down now； to ease my head。 Say； with my grateful regard； that
you left me so； or I would have e。'
'Well； it an't very polite though； Little Mother；' said the staring
Maggy； 'to turn your face away； neither！'
Maggy was very susceptible to personal slights； and very ingenious in
inventing them。 'Putting both your hands afore your face too！' she went
on。 'If you can't bear the looks of a poor thing； it would be better to
tell her so at once； and not go and shut her out like that； hurting her
feelings and breaking her heart at ten year old； poor thing！'
'It's to ease my head； Maggy。'
'Well； and if you cry to ease your head； Little Mother； let me cry too。
Don't go and have all the crying to yourself；' expostulated Maggy； 'that
an't not being greedy。' And immediately began to blubber。
It was with some difficulty that she could be induced to go back with
the excuse； but the promise of being told a story……of old her great
delight……on condition that she concentrated her faculties upon the
errand and left her little mistress to herself for an hour longer；
bined with a misgiving on Maggy's part that she had left her good
temper at the bottom of the staircase； prevailed。 So away she went；
muttering her message all the way to keep it in her mind； and； at the
appointed time； came back。
'He was very sorry； I can tell you；' she announced； 'and wanted to send
a doctor。 And he's ing again to…morrow he is and I don't think he'll
have a good sleep to…night along o' hearing about your head； Little
Mother。 Oh my！ Ain't you been a…crying！'
'I think I have； a little； Maggy。'
'A little！ Oh！'
'But it's all over now……all over for good； Maggy。 And my head is much
better and cooler； and I am quite fortable。 I am very glad I did not
go down。'
Her great staring child tenderly embraced her； and having smoothed her
hair； and bathed her forehead and eyes with cold water （offices in which
her awkward hands became skilful）； hugged her again； exulted in her
brighter looks； and stationed her in her chair by the window。 Over
against this chair； Maggy； with apoplectic exertions that were not
at all required； dragged the box which was her seat on story…telling
occasions； sat down upon it； hugged her own knees； and said； with a
voracious appetite for stories； and with widely…opened eyes：
'Now； Little Mother； let's have a good 'un！'
'What shall it be about； Maggy？'
'Oh； let's have a princess；' said Maggy； 'and let her be a reg'lar one。
Beyond all belief； you know！'
Little Dorrit considered for a moment； and with a rather sad smile upon
her face； which was flushed by the sunset； began：
'Maggy； there was once upon a time a fine King； and he had everything he
could wish for； and a great deal more。 He had gold and silver； diamonds
and rubies； riches of every kind。 He had palaces； and he had……'
'Hospitals；' interposed Maggy； still nursing her knees。 'Let him have
hospitals； because they're so fortable。 Hospitals with lots of
Chicking。'
'Yes； he had plenty of them； and he had plenty of everything。'
'Plenty of baked potatoes； for instance？' said Maggy。
'Plenty of everything。'
'Lor！' chuckled Maggy； giving her knees a hug。 'Wasn't it prime！'
'This King had a daughter； who was the wisest and most beautiful
Princess that ever was seen。 When she was a child she understood all her
lessons before her masters taught them to her； and when she was grown
up； she was the wonder of the world。 Now； near the Palace where this
Princess lived； there was a cottage in which there was a poor little
tiny woman； who lived all alone by herself。'
'An old woman；' said Maggy； with an unctuous smack of her lips。
'No； not an old woman。 Quite a young one。'
'I wonder she warn't afraid；' said Maggy。 'Go on； please。'
'The Princess passed the cottage nearly every day； and whenever she went
by in her beautiful carriage； she saw the poor tiny woman spinning at
her wheel； and she looked at the tiny woman； and the tiny woman looked
at her。 So； one day she stopped the coachman a little way from the
cottage； and got out and walked on and peeped in at the door； and there；
as usual； was the tiny woman spinning at her wheel； and she looked at
the Princess； and the Princess looked at her。'
'Like trying to stare one another out；' said Maggy。 'Please go on；
Little Mother。'
'The Princess was such a wonderful Princess that she had the power of
knowing secrets； and she said to the tiny woman； Why do you keep it
there？ This showed her directly that the Princess knew why she lived
all alone by herself spinning at her wheel； and she kneeled down at
the Princess's feet； and asked her never to betray her。 So the Princess
said； I never will betray you。 Let me see it。 So the tiny woman closed
the shutter of the cottage window and fastened the door； and trembling
from head to foot for fear that any one should suspect her； opened a
very secret place and showed the Princess a shadow。'
'Lor！' said Maggy。 'It was the shadow of Some one who had gone by long
before： of Some one who had gone on far away quite out of reach； never；
never to e back。 It was bright to look at； and when the tiny woman
showed it to the Princess； she was proud of it with all her heart； as
a great； great treasure。 When the Princess had considered it a little
while； she said to the tiny woman； And you keep watch over this every
day？ And she cast down her eyes； and whispered； Yes。 Then the Princess
said； Remind me why。 To which the other replied； that no one so good and
kind had ever passed that way； and that was why in the beginning。 She
said； too； that nobody missed it； that nobody was the worse for it； that
Some one had gone on； to those who were expecting him……'
'Some one was a man then？' interposed Maggy。
Little Dorrit timidly said Yes； she believed so； and resumed：
'……Had gone on to those who were expecting him； and that this
remembrance was stolen or kept back from nobody。 The Princess made
answer； Ah！ But when the cottager died it would be discovered there。 The
tiny woman told her No； when that time came； it would sink quietly into
her own grave； and would never be found。'
'Well； to be sure！' said Maggy。 'Go on； please。'
'The Princess was very much astonished to hear this； as you may suppose；
Maggy。' （'And well she might be；' said Maggy。）
'So she resolved to watch the tiny woman； and see what came of it。 Every
day she drove in her beautiful carriage by the cottage…door； and there
she saw the tiny woman always alone by herself spinning at her wheel；
and she looked at the tiny woman； and the tiny woman looked at her。 At
last one day the wheel was still； and the tiny woman was not to be seen。
When the Princess made inquiries why the wheel had stopped； and where
the tiny woman was； she was informed that the wheel had stopped because
there was nobody to turn it； the tiny woman being dead。'
（'They ought to have took her to the Hospital；' said Maggy； and then
she'd have got over it。'）
'The Princess； after crying a very little for the loss of the tiny
woman； dried her eyes and got out of her carriage at the place where
she had stopped it before； and went to the cottage and peeped in at the
door。 There was nobody to look at her now； and nobody for her to look
at； so she went in at once to search for the treasured shadow。 But there
was no sign of it to be found anywhere； and then she knew that the tiny
woman had told her the truth； and that it would never give anybody any
trouble； and that it had sunk quietly into her own grave； and that she
and it were at rest together。
'That's all； Maggy。'
The sunset flush was so bright on Little Dorrit's face when she came
thus to the end of her story； that she interposed her hand to shade it。
'Had she got to be old？' Maggy asked。
'The tiny woman？' 'Ah！'
'I don't know；' said Little Dorrit。 'But it would have been just the
same if she had been ever so old。'
'Would it raly！' said Maggy。 'Well； I suppose it would though。' And sat
staring and ruminating。
She sat so long with her eyes wide open； that at length Little Dorrit；
to entice her from her box； rose and looked out of window。 As she
glanced down into the yard； she saw Pancks e in and leer up with the
corner of his eye as he went by。
'Who's he； Little Mother？' said Maggy。 She had joined her at the window
and was leaning on her shoulder。 'I see him e in and out often。'
'I have heard him called a fortune…teller；' said Little Dorrit。 'But I
doubt if he could tell many people even their past or present fortunes。'
'Couldn't have told the Princess hers？' said Maggy。
Little Dorrit； looking musingly down into the dark valley of the prison；
shook her head。
'Nor the tiny woman hers？' said Maggy。
'No；' said Little Dorrit； with the sunset very bright upon her。 'But let
us e away from the window。'
CHAPTER 25。 Conspirators and Others
The private residence of Mr Pancks was in Pentonville； where he lodged
on the second…floor of a professional gentleman in an extremely small
way； who had an inner…door within the street door； poised on a spring
and starting open with a click like a trap； and who wrote up in the
fan…light； RUGG； GENERAL AGENT； ACCOUNTANT； DEBTS RECOVERED。
This scroll； majestic in its severe simplicity； illuminated a little
slip of front garden abutting on the thirsty high…road； where a few
of the dustiest of leaves hung their dismal heads and led a life of
choking。 A professor of writing occupied the first…floor； and enlivened
the garden railings with glass…cases containing choice examples of what
his pupils had been before six lessons and while the whole of his young
family shook the table； and what they had bee after six lessons
when the young family was under restraint。 The tenancy of Mr Pancks was
limited to one airy bedroom； he covenanting and agreeing with Mr Rugg
his landlord； that in consideration of a certain scale of payments
accurately defined； and on certain verbal notice duly given； he should
be at liberty to elect to share the Sunday breakfast； dinner； tea； or
supper； or each or any or all of those repasts or meals of Mr and Miss
Rugg （his daughter） in the back…parlour。
Miss Rugg was a lady of a little property which she had acquired；
together with much distinction in the neighbourhood； by having her
heart severely lacerated and her feelings mangled by a middle…aged baker
resident in the vicinity； against whom she had； by the agency of Mr
Rugg； found it necessary to proceed at law to recover damages for a
breach of promise of marriage。 The baker having been； by the counsel for
Miss Rugg； witheringly denounced on that occasion up to the full amount
of twenty guineas； at the rate of about eighteen…pence an epithet； and
having been cast in corresponding damages； still suffered occasional
persecution from the youth of Pentonville。 But Miss Rugg； environed by
the majesty of the law； and having her damages invested in the public
securities； was regarded with consideration。
In the society of Mr Rugg； who had a round white visage； as if all his
blushes had been drawn out of him long ago； and who had a ragged yellow
head like a worn…out hearth broom； and in the society of Miss Rugg； who
had little nankeen spots； like shirt buttons； all over her face； and
whose own yellow tresses were rather scrubby than luxuriant； Mr Pancks
had usually dined on Sundays for some few years； and had twice a week；
or so； enjoyed an evening collation of bread； Dutch cheese； and porter。
Mr Pancks was one of the very few marriageable men for whom Miss Rugg
had no terrors； the argument with which he reassured himself being
twofold； that is to say； firstly； 'that it wouldn't do twice；' and
secondly； 'that he wasn't worth it。' Fortified within this double
armour； Mr Pancks snorted at Miss Rugg on easy terms。
Up to this time； Mr Pancks had transacted little or no business at his
quarters in Pentonville； except in the sleeping line； but now that he
had bee a fortune…teller； he was often closeted after midnight
with Mr Rugg in his little front…parlour office； and even after those
untimely hours； burnt tallow in his bed…room。 Though his duties as his
proprietor's grubber were in no wise lessened； and though that s