wroteoutthatIwishedtodoneedlework，andgavehisaddress。
AndhegotwhatIwroteoutdisplayedatafewplaceswhereitcostnothing，andMrsClennamfoundmethatway，andsentforme。Thegatewillbelocked，sir!’
Shewassotremulousandagitated，andhewassomovedbycompassionforher，andbydeepinterestinherstoryasitdawneduponhim，thathecouldscarcelytearhimselfaway。Butthestoppageofthebell，andthequietintheprison，wereawarningtodepart；andwithafewhurriedwordsofkindnessheleftherglidingbacktoherfather。
Butheremainedtoolate。Theinnergatewaslocked，andthelodgeclosed。Afteralittlefruitlessknockingwithhishand，hewasstandingtherewiththedisagreeableconvictionuponhimthathehadgottogetthroughthenight，whenavoiceaccostedhimfrombehind。
’Caught，eh？’saidthevoice。’Youwon’tgohometillmorning。
Oh!It’syou，isit，MrClennam？’
ThevoicewasTip’s；andtheystoodlookingatoneanotherintheprison-yard，asitbegantorain。
’You’vedoneit，’observedTip；’youmustbesharperthanthatnexttime。’
’Butyouarelockedintoo，’saidArthur。
’IbelieveIam!’saidTip，sarcastically。’About!Butnotinyourway。Ibelongtotheshop，onlymysisterhasatheorythatourgovernormustneverknowit。Idon’tseewhy，myself。’
’CanIgetanyshelter？’askedArthur。’WhathadIbetterdo？’
’WehadbettergetholdofAmyfirstofall，’saidTip，referringanydifficultytoherasamatterofcourse。
’Iwouldratherwalkaboutallnight——it’snotmuchtodo——thangivethattrouble。’
’Youneedn’tdothat，ifyoudon’tmindpayingforabed。Ifyoudon’tmindpaying，they’llmakeyouuponeontheSnuggerytable，underthecircumstances。Ifyou’llcomealong，I’llintroduceyouthere。’
Astheypasseddowntheyard，Arthurlookedupatthewindowoftheroomhehadlatelyleft，wherethelightwasstillburning。’Yes，sir，’saidTip，followinghisglance。’That’sthegovernor’s。
She’llsitwithhimforanotherhourreadingyesterday’spapertohim，orsomethingofthatsort；andthenshe’llcomeoutlikealittleghost，andvanishawaywithoutasound。’
’Idon’tunderstandyou。’
’Thegovernorsleepsupintheroom，andshehasalodgingattheturnkey’s。Firsthousethere，’saidTip，pointingoutthedoorwayintowhichshehadretired。’Firsthouse，skyparlour。Shepaystwiceasmuchforitasshewouldforonetwiceasgoodoutside。
Butshestandsbythegovernor，poordeargirl，dayandnight。’
Thisbroughtthemtothetavern-establishmentattheupperendoftheprison，wherethecollegianshadjustvacatedtheirsocialeveningclub。Theapartmentontheground-floorinwhichitwasheld，wastheSnuggeryinquestion；thepresidentialtribuneofthechairman，thepewter-pots，glasses，pipes，tobacco-ashes，andgeneralflavourofmembers，werestillasthatconvivialinstitutionhadleftthemonitsadjournment。TheSnuggeryhadtwoofthequalitiespopularlyheldtobeessentialtogrogforladies，inrespectthatitwashotandstrong；butinthethirdpointofanalogy，requiringplentyofit，theSnuggerywasdefective；beingbutacooped-upapartment。
Theunaccustomedvisitorfromoutside，naturallyassumedeverybodyheretobeprisoners——landlord，waiter，barmaid，potboy，andall。
Whethertheywereornot，didnotappear；buttheyallhadaweedylook。Thekeeperofachandler’sshopinafrontparlour，whotookingentlemenboarders，lenthisassistanceinmakingthebed。Hehadbeenatailorinhistime，andhadkeptaphaeton，hesaid。Heboastedthathestooduplitigiouslyfortheinterestsofthecollege；andhehadundefinedandundefinableideasthatthemarshalintercepteda’Fund，’whichoughttocometothecollegians。Helikedtobelievethis，andalwaysimpressedtheshadowygrievanceonnew-comersandstrangers；thoughhecouldnot，forhislife，haveexplainedwhatFundhemeant，orhowthenotionhadgotrootedinhissoul。Hehadfullyconvincedhimself，notwithstanding，thathisownpropershareoftheFundwasthreeandninepenceaweek；andthatinthisamounthe，asanindividualcollegian，wasswindledbythemarshal，regularlyeveryMonday。
Apparently，hehelpedtomakethebed，thathemightnotloseanopportunityofstatingthiscase；afterwhichunloadingofhismind，andafterannouncingasitseemedhealwaysdid，withoutanythingcomingofitthathewasgoingtowritealettertothepapersandshowthemarshalup，hefellintomiscellaneousconversationwiththerest。Itwasevidentfromthegeneraltoneofthewholeparty，thattheyhadcometoregardinsolvencyasthenormalstateofmankind，andthepaymentofdebtsasadiseasethatoccasionallybrokeout。
Inthisstrangescene，andwiththesestrangespectresflittingabouthim，ArthurClennamlookedonatthepreparationsasiftheywerepartofadream。Pendingwhich，thelong-initiatedTip，withanawfulenjoymentoftheSnuggery’sresources，pointedoutthecommonkitchenfiremaintainedbysubscriptionofcollegians，theboilerforhotwatersupportedinlikemanner，andotherpremisesgenerallytendingtothedeductionthatthewaytobehealthy，wealthy，andwise，wastocometotheMarshalsea。
Thetwotablesputtogetherinacorner，were，atlength，convertedintoaveryfairbed；andthestrangerwaslefttotheWindsorchairs，thepresidentialtribune，thebeeryatmosphere，sawdust，pipe-lights，spittoonsandrepose。Butthelastitemwaslong，long，long，inlinkingitselftotherest。Thenoveltyoftheplace，thecominguponitwithoutpreparation，thesenseofbeinglockedup，theremembranceofthatroomup-stairs，ofthetwobrothers，andabovealloftheretiringchildishform，andthefaceinwhichhenowsawyearsofinsufficientfood，ifnotofwant，kepthimwakingandunhappy。
Speculations，too，bearingthestrangestrelationstowardstheprison，butalwaysconcerningtheprison，ranlikenightmaresthroughhismindwhilehelayawake。Whethercoffinswerekeptreadyforpeoplewhomightdiethere，wheretheywerekept，howtheywerekept，wherepeoplewhodiedintheprisonwereburied，howtheyweretakenout，whatformswereobserved，whetheranimplacablecreditorcouldarrestthedead？Astoescaping，whatchancestherewereofescape？Whetheraprisonercouldscalethewallswithacordandgrapple，howhewoulddescendupontheotherside？whetherhecouldalightonahousetop，stealdownastaircase，lethimselfoutatadoor，andgetlostinthecrowd？
AstoFireintheprison，ifoneweretobreakoutwhilehelaythere？
Andtheseinvoluntarystartsoffancywere，afterall，butthesettingofapictureinwhichthreepeoplekeptbeforehim。Hisfather，withthesteadfastlookwithwhichhehaddied，propheticallydarkenedforthintheportrait；hismother，withherarmup，wardingoffhissuspicion；LittleDorrit，withherhandonthedegradedarm，andherdroopingheadturnedaway。
Whatifhismotherhadanoldreasonshewellknewforsofteningtothispoorgirl!Whatiftheprisonernowsleepingquietly——Heavengrantit!——bythelightofthegreatDayofjudgmentshouldtracebackhisfalltoher。Whatifanyactofhersandofhisfather’s，shouldhaveevenremotelybroughtthegreyheadsofthosetwobrotherssolow!
Aswiftthoughtshotintohismind。Inthatlongimprisonmenthere，andinherownlongconfinementtoherroom，didhismotherfindabalancetobestruck？’IadmitthatIwasaccessorytothatman’scaptivity。Ihavesufferedforitinkind。Hehasdecayedinhisprison：Iinmine。Ihavepaidthepenalty。’
Whenalltheotherthoughtshadfadedout，thisoneheldpossessionofhim。Whenhefellasleep，shecamebeforehiminherwheeledchair，wardinghimoffwiththisjustification。Whenheawoke，andsprangupcauselesslyfrightened，thewordswereinhisears，asifhervoicehadslowlyspokenthemathispillow，tobreakhisrest：
’Hewithersawayinhisprison；Iwitherawayinmine；inexorablejusticeisdone；whatdoIoweonthisscore!’
LittleMotherThemorninglightwasinnohurrytoclimbtheprisonwallandlookinattheSnuggerywindows；andwhenitdidcome，itwouldhavebeenmorewelcomeifithadcomealone，insteadofbringingarushofrainwithit。Buttheequinoctialgaleswereblowingoutatsea，andtheimpartialsouth-westwind，initsflight，wouldnotneglecteventhenarrowMarshalsea。WhileitroaredthroughthesteepleofStGeorge’sChurch，andtwirledallthecowlsintheneighbourhood，itmadeaswooptobeattheSouthwarksmokeintothejail；and，plungingdownthechimneysofthefewearlycollegianswhowereyetlightingtheirfires，halfsuffocatedthem。
ArthurClennamwouldhavebeenlittledisposedtolingerinbed，thoughhisbedhadbeeninamoreprivatesituation，andlessaffectedbytherakingoutofyesterday’sfire，thekindlingofto-
day’sunderthecollegiateboiler，thefillingofthatSpartanvesselatthepump，thesweepingandsawdustingofthecommonroom，andothersuchpreparations。Heartilygladtoseethemorning，thoughlittlerestedbythenight，heturnedoutassoonashecoulddistinguishobjectsabouthim，andpacedtheyardfortwoheavyhoursbeforethegatewasopened。
Thewallsweresoneartooneanother，andthewildcloudshurriedoverthemsofast，thatitgavehimasensationlikethebeginningofsea-sicknesstolookupatthegustysky。Therain，carriedaslantbyflawsofwind，blackenedthatsideofthecentralbuildingwhichhehadvisitedlastnight，butleftanarrowdrytroughundertheleeofthewall，wherehewalkedupanddownamongthewaitsofstrawanddustandpaper，thewastedroppingsofthepump，andthestrayleavesofyesterday’sgreens。Itwasashaggardaviewoflifeasamanneedlookupon。
Norwasitrelievedbyanyglimpseofthelittlecreaturewhohadbroughthimthere。Perhapssheglidedoutofherdoorwayandinatthatwhereherfatherlived，whilehisfacewasturnedfromboth；
buthesawnothingofher。Itwastooearlyforherbrother；tohaveseenhimonce，wastohaveseenenoughofhimtoknowthathewouldbesluggishtoleavewhateverfrowsybedheoccupiedatnight；so，asArthurClennamwalkedupanddown，waitingforthegatetoopen，hecastaboutinhismindforfutureratherthanforpresentmeansofpursuinghisdiscoveries。
Atlastthelodge-gateturned，andtheturnkey，standingonthestep，takinganearlycombathishair，wasreadytolethimout。
Withajoyfulsenseofreleasehepassedthroughthelodge，andfoundhimselfagaininthelittleoutercourt-yardwherehehadspokentothebrotherlastnight。
Therewasastringofpeoplealreadystragglingin，whomitwasnotdifficulttoidentifyasthenondescriptmessengers，go-betweens，anderrand-bearersoftheplace。Someofthemhadbeenloungingintherainuntilthegateshouldopen；others，whohadtimedtheirarrivalwithgreaternicety，werecomingupnow，andpassinginwithdampwhitey-brownpaperbagsfromthegrocers，loavesofbread，lumpsofbutter，eggs，milk，andthelike。Theshabbinessoftheseattendantsuponshabbiness，thepovertyoftheseinsolventwaitersuponinsolvency，wasasighttosee。Suchthreadbarecoatsandtrousers，suchfustygownsandshawls，suchsquashedhatsandbonnets，suchbootsandshoes，suchumbrellasandwalking-sticks，neverwereseeninRagFair。Allofthemworethecast-offclothesofothermenandwomen，weremadeupofpatchesandpiecesofotherpeople’sindividuality，andhadnosartorialexistenceoftheirownproper。Theirwalkwasthewalkofaraceapart。Theyhadapeculiarwayofdoggedlyslinkingroundthecorner，asiftheywereeternallygoingtothepawnbroker’s。Whentheycoughed，theycoughedlikepeopleaccustomedtobeforgottenondoorstepsandindraughtypassages，waitingforanswerstolettersinfadedink，whichgavetherecipientsofthosemanuscriptsgreatmentaldisturbanceandnosatisfaction。Astheyeyedthestrangerinpassing，theyeyedhimwithborrowingeyes——hungry，sharp，speculativeastohissoftnessiftheywereaccreditedtohim，andthelikelihoodofhisstandingsomethinghandsome。Mendicityoncommissionstoopedintheirhighshoulders，shambledintheirunsteadylegs，buttonedandpinnedanddarnedanddraggedtheirclothes，frayedtheirbutton-holes，leakedoutoftheirfiguresindirtylittleendsoftape，andissuedfromtheirmouthsinalcoholicbreathings。