Butas’themtwocleverones’——MrsAffery’sperpetualreference，inwhomherpersonalitywasswallowedup——wereagreedtoacceptLittleDorritasamatterofcourse，shehadnothingforitbuttofollowsuit。Similarly，ifthetwocleveroneshadagreedtomurderLittleDorritbycandlelight，MrsAffery，beingrequiredtoholdthecandle，wouldnodoubthavedoneit。
Intheintervalsofroastingthepartridgefortheinvalidchamber，andpreparingabaking-dishofbeefandpuddingforthedining-
room，MrsAfferymadethecommunicationsabovesetforth；
invariablyputtingherheadinatthedooragainaftershehadtakenitout，toenforceresistancetothetwocleverones。ItappearedtohavebecomeaperfectpassionwithMrsFlintwinch，thattheonlysonshouldbepittedagainstthem。
Inthecourseoftheday，too，Arthurlookedthroughthewholehouse。Dullanddarkhefoundit。Thegauntrooms，desertedforyearsuponyears，seemedtohavesettleddownintoagloomylethargyfromwhichnothingcouldrousethemagain。Thefurniture，atoncespareandlumbering，hidintheroomsratherthanfurnishedthem，andtherewasnocolourinallthehouse；suchcolourashadeverbeenthere，hadlongagostartedawayonlostsunbeams——gotitselfabsorbed，perhaps，intoflowers，butterflies，plumageofbirds，preciousstones，whatnot。Therewasnotonestraightfloorfromthefoundationtotheroof；theceilingsweresofantasticallycloudedbysmokeanddust，thatoldwomenmighthavetoldfortunesinthembetterthaningroutsoftea；thedead-coldhearthsshowednotracesofhavingeverbeenwarmedbutinheapsofsootthathadtumbleddownthechimneys，andeddiedaboutinlittleduskywhirlwindswhenthedoorswereopened。Inwhathadoncebeenadrawing-room，therewereapairofmeagremirrors，withdismalprocessionsofblackfigurescarryingblackgarlands，walkingroundtheframes；buteventhesewereshortofheadsandlegs，andoneundertaker-likeCupidhadswungroundonitsownaxisandgotupsidedown，andanotherhadfallenoffaltogether。TheroomArthurClennam’sdeceasedfatherhadoccupiedforbusinesspurposes，whenhefirstrememberedhim，wassounalteredthathemighthavebeenimaginedstilltokeepitinvisibly，ashisvisiblerelictkeptherroomup-stairs；JeremiahFlintwinchstillgoingbetweenthemnegotiating。Hispicture，darkandgloomy，earnestlyspeechlessonthewall，withtheeyesintentlylookingathissonastheyhadlookedwhenlifedepartedfromthem，seemedtourgehimawfullytothetaskhehadattempted；butastoanyyieldingonthepartofhismother，hehadnownohope，andastoanyothermeansofsettinghisdistrustatrest，hehadabandonedhopealongtime。
Downinthecellars，asupinthebed-chambers，oldobjectsthathewellrememberedwerechangedbyageanddecay，butwerestillintheiroldplaces；eventoemptybeer-caskshoarywithcobwebs，andemptywine-bottleswithfurandfunguschokinguptheirthroats。
There，too，amongunusualbottle-racksandpaleslantsoflightfromtheyardabove，wasthestrongroomstoredwitholdledgers，whichhadasmustyandcorruptasmellasiftheywereregularlybalanced，inthedeadsmallhours，byanightlyresurrectionofoldbook-keepers。
Thebaking-dishwasservedupinapenitentialmanneronashrunkenclothatanendofthedining-table，attwoo’clock，whenhedinedwithMrFlintwinch，thenewpartner。MrFlintwinchinformedhimthathismotherhadrecoveredherequanimitynow，andthatheneednotfearheragainalludingtowhathadpassedinthemorning。
’Anddon’tyoulayoffencesatyourfather’sdoor，MrArthur，’
addedJeremiah，’onceforall，don’tdoit!Now，wehavedonewiththesubject。’
MrFlintwinchhadbeenalreadyrearranginganddustinghisownparticularlittleoffice，asiftodohonourtohisaccessiontonewdignity。Heresumedthisoccupationwhenhewasrepletewithbeef，hadsuckedupallthegravyinthebaking-dishwiththeflatofhisknife，andhaddrawnliberallyonabarrelofsmallbeerinthescullery。Thusrefreshed，hetuckeduphisshirt-sleevesandwenttoworkagain；andMrArthur，watchinghimashesetaboutit，plainlysawthathisfather’spicture，orhisfather’sgrave，wouldbeascommunicativewithhimasthisoldman。
’Now，Affery，woman，’saidMrFlintwinch，asshecrossedthehall。
’Youhadn’tmadeMrArthur’sbedwhenIwasuptherelast。Stiryourself。Bustle。’
ButMrArthurfoundthehousesoblankanddreary，andwassounwillingtoassistatanotherimplacableconsignmentofhismother’senemiesperhapshimselfamongthemtomortaldisfigurementandimmortalruin，thatheannouncedhisintentionoflodgingatthecoffee-housewherehehadlefthisluggage。MrFlintwinchtakingkindlytotheideaofgettingridofhim，andhismotherbeingindifferent，beyondconsiderationsofsaving，tomostdomesticarrangementsthatwerenotboundedbythewallsofherownchamber，heeasilycarriedthispointwithoutnewoffence。Dailybusinesshourswereagreedupon，whichhismother，MrFlintwinch，andhe，weretodevotetogethertoanecessarycheckingofbooksandpapers；andheleftthehomehehadsolatelyfound，withdepressedheart。
ButLittleDorrit？
Thebusinesshours，allowingforintervalsofinvalidregimenofoystersandpartridges，duringwhichClennamrefreshedhimselfwithawalk，werefromtentosixforaboutafortnight。SometimesLittleDorritwasemployedatherneedle，sometimesnot，sometimesappearedasahumblevisitor：whichmusthavebeenhercharacterontheoccasionofhisarrival。Hisoriginalcuriosityaugmentedeveryday，ashewatchedforher，sawordidnotseeher，andspeculatedabouther。Influencedbyhispredominantidea，heevenfellintoahabitofdiscussingwithhimselfthepossibilityofherbeinginsomewayassociatedwithit。AtlastheresolvedtowatchLittleDorritandknowmoreofherstory。
TheFatheroftheMarshalseaThirtyyearsagotherestood，afewdoorsshortofthechurchofSaintGeorge，intheboroughofSouthwark，ontheleft-handsideofthewaygoingsouthward，theMarshalseaPrison。Ithadstoodtheremanyyearsbefore，anditremainedtheresomeyearsafterwards；butitisgonenow，andtheworldisnonetheworsewithoutit。
Itwasanoblongpileofbarrackbuilding，partitionedintosqualidhousesstandingbacktoback，sothattherewerenobackrooms；
environedbyanarrowpavedyard，hemmedinbyhighwallsdulyspikedattop。Itselfacloseandconfinedprisonfordebtors，itcontainedwithinitamuchcloserandmoreconfinedjailforsmugglers。Offendersagainsttherevenuelaws，anddefaulterstoexciseorcustomswhohadincurredfineswhichtheywereunabletopay，weresupposedtobeincarceratedbehindaniron-plateddoorclosingupasecondprison，consistingofastrongcellortwo，andablindalleysomeyardandahalfwide，whichformedthemysteriousterminationoftheverylimitedskittle-groundinwhichtheMarshalseadebtorsbowleddowntheirtroubles。
Supposedtobeincarceratedthere，becausethetimehadratheroutgrownthestrongcellsandtheblindalley。Inpracticetheyhadcometobeconsideredalittletoobad，thoughintheorytheywerequiteasgoodasever；whichmaybeobservedtobethecaseatthepresentdaywithothercellsthatarenotatallstrong，andwithotherblindalleysthatarestone-blind。Hencethesmugglershabituallyconsortedwiththedebtorswhoreceivedthemwithopenarms，exceptatcertainconstitutionalmomentswhensomebodycamefromsomeOffice，togothroughsomeformofoverlookingsomethingwhichneitherhenoranybodyelseknewanythingabout。OnthesetrulyBritishoccasions，thesmugglers，ifany，madeafeintofwalkingintothestrongcellsandtheblindalley，whilethissomebodypretendedtodohissomething：andmadearealityofwalkingoutagainassoonashehadn’tdoneit——neatlyepitomisingtheadministrationofmostofthepublicaffairsinourrightlittle，tightlittle，island。
TherehadbeentakentotheMarshalseaPrison，longbeforethedaywhenthesunshoneonMarseillesandontheopeningofthisnarrative，adebtorwithwhomthisnarrativehassomeconcern。
Hewas，atthattime，averyamiableandveryhelplessmiddle-agedgentleman，whowasgoingoutagaindirectly。Necessarily，hewasgoingoutagaindirectly，becausetheMarshalsealockneverturneduponadebtorwhowasnot。Hebroughtinaportmanteauwithhim，whichhedoubteditsbeingworthwhiletounpack；hewassoperfectlyclear——likealltherestofthem，theturnkeyonthelocksaid——thathewasgoingoutagaindirectly。
Hewasashy，retiringman；well-looking，thoughinaneffeminatestyle；withamildvoice，curlinghair，andirresolutehands——ringsuponthefingersinthosedays——whichnervouslywanderedtohistremblinglipahundredtimesinthefirsthalf-hourofhisacquaintancewiththejail。Hisprincipalanxietywasabouthiswife。
’Doyouthink，sir，’heaskedtheturnkey，’thatshewillbeverymuchshocked，ifsheshouldcometothegateto-morrowmorning？’
Theturnkeygaveitastheresultofhisexperiencethatsomeof’emwasandsomeof’emwasn’t。Ingeneral，morenothanyes。
’Whatlikeisshe，yousee？’hephilosophicallyasked：’that’swhatithingeson。’
’Sheisverydelicateandinexperiencedindeed。’
’That，’saidtheturnkey，’isagenher。’
’Sheissolittleusedtogooutalone，’saidthedebtor，’thatI
amatalosstothinkhowshewillevermakeherwayhere，ifshewalks。’
’P’raps，’quoththeturnkey，’she’lltakeaackneycoach。’
’Perhaps。’Theirresolutefingerswenttothetremblinglip。’I
hopeshewill。Shemaynotthinkofit。’
’Orp’raps，’saidtheturnkey，offeringhissuggestionsfromthethetopofhiswell-wornwoodenstool，ashemighthaveofferedthemtoachildforwhoseweaknesshefeltacompassion，’p’rapsshe’llgetherbrother，orhersister，tocomealongwithher。’
’Shehasnobrotherorsister。’
’Niece，nevy，cousin，serwant，young’ooman，greengrocer——Dashit!
Oneoranotheron’em，’saidtheturnkey，repudiatingbeforehandtherefusalofallhissuggestions。
’Ifear——Ihopeitisnotagainsttherules——thatshewillbringthechildren。’
’Thechildren？’saidtheturnkey。’Andtherules？Why，lordsetyouuplikeacornerpin，we’veareg’larplaygroundo’childrenhere。Children!Whyweswarmwith’em。Howmanyayougot？’
’Two，’saidthedebtor，liftinghisirresolutehandtohislipagain，andturningintotheprison。
Theturnkeyfollowedhimwithhiseyes。’Andyouanother，’heobservedtohimself，’whichmakesthreeonyou。Andyourwifeanother，I’lllayacrown。Whichmakesfouronyou。Andanothercoming，I’lllayhalf-a-crown。Which’llmakefiveonyou。AndI’llgoanothersevenandsixpencetonamewhichisthehelplessest，theunbornbabyoryou!’
Hewasrightinallhisparticulars。Shecamenextdaywithalittleboyofthreeyearsold，andalittlegirloftwo，andhestoodentirelycorroborated。
’Gotaroomnow；haven’tyou？’theturnkeyaskedthedebtorafteraweekortwo。
’Yes，Ihavegotaverygoodroom。’
’Anylittlesticksacomingtofurnishit？’saidtheturnkey。
’Iexpectafewnecessaryarticlesoffurnituretobedeliveredbythecarrier，thisafternoon。’
’Missisandlittle’unsacomingtokeepyoucompany？’askedtheturnkey。
’Why，yes，wethinkitbetterthatweshouldnotbescattered，evenforafewweeks。’
’Evenforafewweeks，OFcourse，’repliedtheturnkey。Andhefollowedhimagainwithhiseyes，andnoddedhisheadseventimeswhenhewasgone。
Theaffairsofthisdebtorwereperplexedbyapartnership，ofwhichheknewnomorethanthathehadinvestedmoneyinit；bylegalmattersofassignmentandsettlement，conveyancehereandconveyancethere，suspicionofunlawfulpreferenceofcreditorsinthisdirection，andofmysteriousspiritingawayofpropertyinthat；andasnobodyonthefaceoftheearthcouldbemoreincapableofexplaininganysingleitemintheheapofconfusionthanthedebtorhimself，nothingcomprehensiblecouldbemadeofhiscase。Toquestionhimindetail，andendeavourtoreconcilehisanswers；toclosethimwithaccountantsandsharppractitioners，learnedinthewilesofinsolvencyandbankruptcy；