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is it； Young John？'
'A letter for you； sir； being left in the Lodge just this minute； and a
message with it； I thought； happening to be there myself； sir； I would
bring it to your room。' The speaker's attention was much distracted by
the piteous spectacle of Little Dorrit at her father's feet； with her
head turned away。
'Indeed； John？ Thank you。'
'The letter is from Mr Clennam； sir……it's the answer……and the message
was； sir； that Mr Clennam also sent his pliments； and word that he
would do himself the pleasure of calling this afternoon； hoping to see
you； and likewise；' attention more distracted than before； 'Miss Amy。'
'Oh！' As the Father glanced into the letter （there was a bank…note in
it）； he reddened a little； and patted Amy on the head afresh。 'Thank
you； Young John。 Quite right。 Much obliged to you for your attention。 No
one waiting？'
'No； sir； no one waiting。'
'Thank you； John。 How is your mother； Young John？'
'Thank you； sir； she's not quite as well as we could wish……in fact； we
none of us are； except father……but she's pretty well； sir。' 'Say we sent
our remembrances； will you？ Say kind remembrances； if you please； Young
John。'
'Thank you； sir； I will。' And Mr Chivery junior went his way； having
spontaneously posed on the spot an entirely new epitaph for himself；
to the effect that Here lay the body of John Chivery； Who； Having
at such a date； Beheld the idol of his life； In grief and tears； And
feeling unable to bear the harrowing spectacle； Immediately repaired to
the abode of his inconsolable parents； And terminated his existence by
his own rash act。
'There； there； Amy！' said the Father； when Young John had closed the
door； 'let us say no more about it。' The last few minutes had improved
his spirits remarkably； and he e。 'Where is my old
pensioner all this while？ We must not leave him by himself any longer；
or he will begin to suppose he is not wele； and that would pain me。
Will you fetch him； my child； or shall I？'
'If you wouldn't mind； father；' said Little Dorrit； trying to bring her
sobbing to a close。
'Certainly I will go； my dear。 I forgot； your eyes are rather red。
There！ Cheer up； Amy。 Don't be uneasy about me。 I am quite myself again；
my love； quite myself。 Go to your room； Amy； and make yourself look
fortable and pleasant to receive Mr Clennam。'
'I would rather stay in my own room； Father；' returned Little Dorrit；
finding it more difficult than before to regain her posure。 'I would
far rather not see Mr Clennam。'
'Oh； fie； fie； my dear； that's folly。 Mr Clennam is a very gentlemanly
man……very gentlemanly。 A little reserved at times； but I will say
extremely gentlemanly。 I couldn't think of your not being here to
receive Mr Clennam； my dear； especially this afternoon。 So go and
freshen yourself up； Amy； go and freshen yourself up； like a good girl。'
Thus directed； Little Dorrit dutifully rose and obeyed： only pausing
for a moment as she went out of the room； to give her sister a kiss of
reconciliation。 Upon which； that young lady； feeling much harassed
in her mind； and having for the time worn out the wish with which she
generally relieved it； conceived and executed the brilliant idea of
wishing Old Nandy dead； rather than that he should e bothering there
like a disgusting； tiresome； wicked wretch； and making mischief between
two sisters。
The Father of the Marshalsea； even humming a tune； and wearing his black
velvet cap a little on one side； so much improved were his spirits； went
down into the yard； and found his old pensioner standing there hat in
hand just within the gate； as he had stood all this time。 'e； Nandy！'
said he； with great suavity。 'e up…stairs； Nandy； you know the way；
why don't you e up…stairs？' He went the length； on this occasion；
of giving him his hand and saying； 'How are you； Nandy？ Are you pretty
well？' To which that vocalist returned； 'I thank you； honoured sir； I am
all the better for seeing your honour。' As they went along the yard； the
Father of the Marshalsea presented him to a Collegian of recent date。
'An old acquaintance of mine； sir； an old pensioner。' And then said； 'Be
covered； my good Nandy； put your hat on；' with great consideration。
His patronage did not stop here； for he charged Maggy to get the tea
ready； and instructed her to buy certain tea…cakes； fresh butter；
eggs； cold ham； and shrimps： to purchase which collation he gave her a
bank…note for ten pounds； laying strict injunctions on her to be careful
of the change。 These preparations were in an advanced stage of progress；
and his daughter Amy had e back with her work； when Clennam presented
himself； whom he most graciously received； and besought to join their
meal。
'Amy； my love； you know Mr Clennam even better than I have the happiness
of doing。 Fanny； my dear； you are acquainted with Mr Clennam。' Fanny
acknowledged him haughtily； the position she tacitly took up in all such
cases being that there was a vast conspiracy to insult the family by not
understanding it； or sufficiently deferring to it； and here was one of
the conspirators。
'This； Mr Clennam； you must know； is an old pensioner of mine； Old
Nandy； a very faithful old man。' （He always spoke of him as an object
of great antiquity； but he was two or three years younger than himself。）
'Let me see。 You know Plornish； I think？ I think my daughter Amy has
mentioned to me that you know poor Plornish？'
'O yes！' said Arthur Clennam。
'Well； sir； this is Mrs Plornish's father。'
'Indeed？ I am glad to see him。'
'You would be more glad if you kner
Clennam。'
'I hope I shall e to know them through knowing him；' said Arthur；
secretly pitying the bowed and submissive figure。
'It is a holiday with him； and he es to see his old friends； who are
always glad to see him；' observed the Father of the Marshalsea。
Then he added behind his hand； （'Union； poor old fellow。 Out for the
day。'）
By this time Maggy； quietly assisted by her Little Mother； had spread
the board； and the repast was ready。 It being hot weather and the prison
very close； the window was as wide open as it could be pushed。 'If Maggy
will spread that newspaper on the window…sill； my dear；' remarked the
Father placently and in a half whisper to Little Dorrit； 'my old
pensioner can have his tea there； while we are having ours。'
So； with a gulf between him and the good pany of about a foot in
width； standard measure； Mrs Plornish's father was handsomely regaled。
Clennam had never seen anything like his magnanimous protection by that
other Father； he of the Marshalsea； and was lost in the contemplation of
its many wonders。
The most striking of these was perhaps the relishing manner in which he
remarked on the pensioner's infirmities and failings； as if he were
a gracious Keeper making a running mentary on the decline of the
harmless animal he exhibited。
'Not ready for more ham yet； Nandy？ Why； how slow you are！ （His last
teeth；' he explained to the pany； 'are going； poor old boy。'）
At another time； he said； 'No shrimps； Nandy？' and on his not instantly
replying； observed； （'His hearing is being very defective。 He'll be
deaf directly。'）
At another time he asked him； 'Do you walk much； Nandy； about the yard
within the walls of that place of yours？'
'No； sir； no。 I haven't any great liking for that。'
'No； to be sure；' he assented。 'Very natural。' Then he privately
informed the circle （'Legs going。'）
Once he asked the pensioner； in that general clemency which asked him
anything to keep him afloat； how old his younger grandchild was？
'John Edward；' said the pensioner； slowly laying down his knife and fork
to consider。 'How old； sir？ Let me think now。'
The Father of the Marshalsea tapped his forehead （'Memory weak。'）
'John Edward； sir？ Well； I really forget。 I couldn't say at this minute；
sir； whether it's two and two months； or whether it's two and five
months。 It's one or the other。'
'Don't distress yourself by worrying your mind about it；' he returned；
with infinite forbearance。 （'Faculties evidently decaying……old man rusts
in the life he leads！'）
The more of these discoveries that he persuaded himself he made in the
pensioner； the better he appeared to like him； and when he got out of
his chair after tea to bid the pensioner good…bye； on his intimating
that he feared； honoured sir； his time was running out； he made himself
look as erect and strong as possible。
'We don't call this a shilling； Nandy； you know；' he said； putting one
in his hand。 'We call it tobacco。'
'Honoured sir； I thank you。 It shall buy tobacco。 My thanks and duty to
Miss Amy and Miss Fanny。 I wish you good night； Mr Clennam。'
'And mind you don't forget us； you know； Nandy；' said the Father。 'You
must e again； mind； whenever you have an afternoon。 You must not e
out without seeing us； or we shall be jealous。 Good night； Nandy。 Be
very careful how you descend the stairs； Nandy； they are rather uneven
and worn。' With that he stood on the landing； watching the old man down：
and when he came into the room again； said； with a solemn satisfaction
on him； 'A melancholy sight that； Mr Clennam； though one has the
consolation of knowing that he doesn't feel it himself。 The poor old
fellow is a dismal wreck。 Spirit broken and gone……pulverised……crushed
out of him； sir； pletely！'
As Clennam had a purpose in remaining； he said what he could responsive
to these sentiments； and stood at the window with their enunciator；
while Maggy and her Little Mother washed the tea…service and cleared it
away。 He noticed that his panion stood at the window with the air of
an affable and accessible Sovereign； and that； when any of his people in
the yard below looked up； his recognition of their salutes just stopped
short of a blessing。
When Little Dorrit had her work on the table； and Maggy hers on the
bedstead； Fanny fell to tying her bon as a preliminary to her
departure。 Arthur； still having his purpose； still remained。 At this
time the door opened； without any notice； and Mr Tip came in。 He kissed
Amy as she started up to meet him； nodded to Fanny； nodded to his
father； gloomed on the visitor without further recognition； and sat
down。
'Tip； dear；' said Little Dorrit； mildly； shocked by this； 'don't you
see……'
'Yes； I see； Amy。 If you refer to the presence of any visitor you have
here……I say； if you refer to that；' answered Tip； jerking his head with
emphasis towards his shoulder nearest Clennam； 'I see！'
'Is that all you say？'
'That's all I say。 And I suppose；' added the lofty young man； after a
moment's pause； 'that visitor will understand me； when I say that's all
I say。 In short； I suppose the visitor will understand that he hasn't
used me like a gentleman。'
'I do not understand that；' observed the obnoxious personage referred to
with tranquillity。
'No？ Why； then； to make it clearer to you； sir； I beg to let you know
that when I address what I call a properly…worded appeal； and an urgent
appeal； and a delicate appeal； to an individual； for a small temporary
acmodation； easily within his power……easily within his power；
mind！……and when that individual writes back word to me that he begs to
be excused； I consider that he doesn't treat me like a gentleman。'
The Father of the Marshalsea； who had surveyed his son in silence； no
sooner heard this sentiment； than he began in angry voice：……
'How dare you……' But his son stopped him。
'Now； don't ask me how I dare； father； because that's bosh。 As to the
fact of the line of conduct I choose to adopt towards the individual
present； you ought to be proud of my showing a proper spirit。'
'I should think so！' cried Fanny。
'A proper spirit？' said the Father。 'Yes； a proper spirit； a being
spirit。 Is it e to this that my son teaches me……ME……spirit！'
'Now； don't let us bother about it； father； or have any row on the
subject。 I have fully made up my mind that the individual present has
not treated me like a gentleman。 And there's an end of it。'
'But there is not an end of it； sir；' returned the Father。 'But there
shall not be an end of it。 You have made up your mind？ You have made up
your mind？'
'Yes； I have。 What's the good of keeping on like that？'
'Be