Asthesepeoplepassedhimstandingstillinthecourt-yard，andoneofthemturnedbacktoinquireifhecouldassisthimwithhisservices，itcameintoArthurClennam’smindthathewouldspeaktoLittleDorritagainbeforehewentaway。Shewouldhaverecoveredherfirstsurprise，andmightfeeleasierwithhim。Heaskedthismemberofthefraternitywhohadtworedherringsinhishand，andaloafandablackingbrushunderhisarm，wherewasthenearestplacetogetacupofcoffeeat。Thenondescriptrepliedinencouragingterms，andbroughthimtoacoffee-shopinthestreetwithinastone’sthrow。
’DoyouknowMissDorrit？’askedthenewclient。
ThenondescriptknewtwoMissDorrits；onewhowasborninside——
Thatwastheone!Thatwastheone？Thenondescripthadknownhermanyyears。InregardoftheotherMissDorrit，thenondescriptlodgedinthesamehousewithherselfanduncle。
Thischangedtheclient’shalf-formeddesignofremainingatthecoffee-shopuntilthenondescriptshouldbringhimwordthatDorrithadissuedforthintothestreet。Heentrustedthenondescriptwithaconfidentialmessagetoher，importingthatthevisitorwhohadwaitedonherfatherlastnight，beggedthefavourofafewwordswithheratheruncle’slodging；heobtainedfromthesamesourcefulldirectionstothehouse，whichwasverynear；dismissedthenondescriptgratifiedwithhalf-a-crown；andhavinghastilyrefreshedhimselfatthecoffee-shop，repairedwithallspeedtotheclarionet-player’sdwelling。
Thereweresomanylodgersinthishousethatthedoorpostseemedtobeasfullofbell-handlesasacathedralorganisofstops。
Doubtfulwhichmightbetheclarionet-stop，hewasconsideringthepoint，whenashuttlecockflewoutoftheparlourwindow，andalightedonhishat。Hethenobservedthatintheparlourwindowwasablindwiththeinscription，MRCRIPPLES’sACADEMY；alsoinanotherline，EVENINGTUITION；andbehindtheblindwasalittlewhite-facedboy，withasliceofbread-and-butterandabattledore。
Thewindowbeingaccessiblefromthefootway，helookedinovertheblind，returnedtheshuttlecock，andputhisquestion。
’Dorrit？’saidthelittlewhite-facedboyMasterCripplesinfact。’MrDorrit？Thirdbellandoneknock。’
ThepupilsofMrCripplesappearedtohavebeenmakingacopy-bookofthestreet-door，itwassoextensivelyscribbledoverinpencil。
Thefrequencyoftheinscriptions，’OldDorrit，’and’DirtyDick，’
incombination，suggestedintentionsofpersonalityonthepartOfMrCripples’spupils。Therewasampletimetomaketheseobservationsbeforethedoorwasopenedbythepooroldmanhimself。
’Ha!’saidhe，veryslowlyrememberingArthur，’youwereshutinlastnight？’
’Yes，MrDorrit。Ihopetomeetyournieceherepresently。’
’Oh!’saidhe，pondering。’Outofmybrother’sway？True。Wouldyoucomeup-stairsandwaitforher？’
’Thankyou。’
Turninghimselfasslowlyasheturnedinhismindwhateverheheardorsaid，heledthewayupthenarrowstairs。Thehousewasveryclose，andhadanunwholesomesmell。Thelittlestaircasewindowslookedinatthebackwindowsofotherhousesasunwholesomeasitself，withpolesandlinesthrustoutofthem，onwhichunsightlylinenhung；asiftheinhabitantswereanglingforclothes，andhadhadsomewretchedbitesnotworthattendingto。
Inthebackgarret——asicklyroom，withaturn-upbedsteadinit，sohastilyandrecentlyturnedupthattheblanketswereboilingover，asitwere，andkeepingthelidopen——ahalf-finishedbreakfastofcoffeeandtoastfortwopersonswasjumbleddownanyhowonaricketytable。
Therewasnoonethere。Theoldmanmumblingtohimself，aftersomeconsideration，thatFannyhadrunaway，wenttothenextroomtofetchherback。Thevisitor，observingthatsheheldthedoorontheinside，andthat，whentheuncletriedtoopenit，therewasasharpadjurationof’Don’t，stupid!’andanappearanceofloosestockingandflannel，concludedthattheyoungladywasinanundress。Theuncle，withoutappearingtocometoanyconclusion，shuffledinagain，satdowninhischair，andbeganwarminghishandsatthefire；notthatitwascold，orthathehadanywakingideawhetheritwasornot。
’Whatdidyouthinkofmybrother，sir？’heasked，whenheby-and-
bydiscoveredwhathewasdoing，leftoff，reachedovertothechimney-piece，andtookhisclarionetcasedown。
’Iwasglad，’saidArthur，verymuchataloss，forhisthoughtswereonthebrotherbeforehim；’tofindhimsowellandcheerful。’
’Ha!’mutteredtheoldman，’yes，yes，yes，yes，yes!’
Arthurwonderedwhathecouldpossiblywantwiththeclarionetcase。Hedidnotwantitatall。Hediscovered，induetime，thatitwasnotthelittlepaperofsnuffwhichwasalsoonthechimney-piece，putitbackagain，tookdownthesnuffinstead，andsolacedhimselfwithapinch。Hewasasfeeble，spare，andslowinhispinchesasineverythingelse，butacertainlittletricklingofenjoymentofthemplayedinthepoorwornnervesaboutthecornersofhiseyesandmouth。
’Amy，MrClennam。Whatdoyouthinkofher？’
’Iammuchimpressed，MrDorrit，byallthatIhaveseenofherandthoughtofher。’
’MybrotherwouldhavebeenquitelostwithoutAmy，’hereturned。
’WeshouldallhavebeenlostwithoutAmy。Sheisaverygoodgirl，Amy。Shedoesherduty。’
Arthurfanciedthatheheardinthesepraisesacertaintoneofcustom，whichhehadheardfromthefatherlastnightwithaninwardprotestandfeelingofantagonism。Itwasnotthattheystintedherpraises，orwereinsensibletowhatshedidforthem；
butthattheywerelazilyhabituatedtoher，astheyweretoalltherestoftheircondition。Hefanciedthatalthoughtheyhadbeforethem，everyday，themeansofcomparisonbetweenherandoneanotherandthemselves，theyregardedherasbeinginhernecessaryplace；asholdingapositiontowardsthemallwhichbelongedtoher，likehernameorherage。Hefanciedthattheyviewedher，notashavingrisenawayfromtheprisonatmosphere，butasappertainingtoit；asbeingvaguelywhattheyhadarighttoexpect，andnothingmore。
Heruncleresumedhisbreakfast，andwasmunchingtoastsoppedincoffee，obliviousofhisguest，whenthethirdbellrang。ThatwasAmy，hesaid，andwentdowntoletherin；leavingthevisitorwithasvividapictureonhismindofhisbegrimedhands，dirt-wornface，anddecayedfigure，asifhewerestilldroopinginhischair。
Shecameupafterhim，intheusualplaindress，andwiththeusualtimidmanner。Herlipswerealittleparted，asifherheartbeatfasterthanusual。
’MrClennam，Amy，’saidheruncle，’hasbeenexpectingyousometime。’
’Itookthelibertyofsendingyouamessage。’
’Ireceivedthemessage，sir。’
’Areyougoingtomymother’sthismorning？Ithinknot，foritispastyourusualhour。’
’Notto-day，sir。Iamnotwantedto-day。’
’WillyouallowMetowalkalittlewayinwhateverdirectionyoumaybegoing？Icanthenspeaktoyouaswewalk，bothwithoutdetainingyouhere，andwithoutintrudinglongerheremyself。’
Shelookedembarrassed，butsaid，ifhepleased。Hemadeapretenceofhavingmislaidhiswalking-stick，togivehertimetosetthebedsteadright，toanswerhersister’simpatientknockatthewall，andtosayawordsoftlytoheruncle。Thenhefoundit，andtheywentdown-stairs；shefirst，hefollowing；theunclestandingatthestair-head，andprobablyforgettingthembeforetheyhadreachedthegroundfloor。
MrCripples’spupils，whowerebythistimecomingtoschool，desistedfromtheirmorningrecreationofcuffingoneanotherwithbagsandbooks，tostarewithalltheeyestheyhadatastrangerwhohadbeentoseeDirtyDick。Theyborethetryingspectacleinsilence，untilthemysteriousvisitorwasatasafedistance；whentheyburstintopebblesandyells，andlikewiseintorevilingdances，andinallrespectsburiedthepipeofpeacewithsomanysavageceremonies，that，ifMrCrippleshadbeenthechiefoftheCripplewaybootribewithhiswar-painton，theycouldscarcelyhavedonegreaterjusticetotheireducation。
Inthemidstofthishomage，MrArthurClennamofferedhisarmtoLittleDorrit，andLittleDorrittookit。’WillyougobytheIronBridge，’saidhe，’wherethereisanescapefromthenoiseofthestreet？’LittleDorritanswered，ifhepleased，andpresentlyventuredtohopethathewould’notmind’MrCripples’sboys，forshehadherselfreceivedhereducation，suchasitwas，inMrCripples’seveningacademy。Hereturned，withthebestwillintheworld，thatMrCripples’sboyswereforgivenoutofthebottomofhissoul。ThusdidCripplesunconsciouslybecomeamasteroftheceremoniesbetweenthem，andbringthemmorenaturallytogetherthanBeauNashmighthavedoneiftheyhadlivedinhisgoldendays，andhehadalightedfromhiscoachandsixforthepurpose。
Themorningremainedsqually，andthestreetsweremiserablymuddy，butnorainfellastheywalkedtowardstheIronBridge。Thelittlecreatureseemedsoyounginhiseyes，thatthereweremomentswhenhefoundhimselfthinkingofher，ifnotspeakingtoher，asifshewereachild。Perhapsheseemedasoldinhereyesassheseemedyounginhis。
’Iamsorrytohearyouweresoinconveniencedlastnight，sir，astobelockedin。Itwasveryunfortunate。’
Itwasnothing，hereturned。Hehadhadaverygoodbed。
’Ohyes!’shesaidquickly；’shebelievedtherewereexcellentbedsatthecoffee-house。’Henoticedthatthecoffee-housewasquiteamajestichoteltoher，andthatshetreasureditsreputation。
’Ibelieveitisveryexpensive，’saidLittleDorrit，’butMY
fatherhastoldmethatquitebeautifuldinnersmaybegotthere。
Andwine，’sheaddedtimidly。
’Wereyoueverthere？’
’Ohno!Onlyintothekitchentofetchhotwater。’
Tothinkofgrowingupwithakindofaweupononeastotheluxuriesofthatsuperbestablishment，theMarshalseaHotel!
’Iaskedyoulastnight，’saidClennam，’howyouhadbecomeacquaintedwithmymother。Didyoueverhearhernamebeforeshesentforyou？’
’No，sir。’
’Doyouthinkyourfathereverdid？’
’No，sir。’
Hemethereyesraisedtohiswithsomuchwonderinthemshewasscaredwhentheencountertookplace，andshrunkawayagain，thathefeltitnecessarytosay：
’Ihaveareasonforasking，whichIcannotverywellexplain；butyoumust，onnoaccount，supposeittobeofanaturetocauseyoutheleastalarmoranxiety。Quitethereverse。Andyouthinkthatatnotimeofyourfather’slifewasmynameofClennameverfamiliartohim？’
’No，sir。’