’Youcan’tthinkhowgoodsheis，sir，’saidLittleDorrit，withinfinitetenderness。
’GoodSHEis，’echoedMaggy，transferringthepronouninamostexpressivewayfromherselftoherlittlemother。
’Orhowclever，’saidLittleDorrit。’Shegoesonerrandsaswellasanyone。’Maggylaughed。’AndisastrustworthyastheBankofEngland。’Maggylaughed。’Sheearnsherownlivingentirely。
Entirely，sir!’saidLittleDorrit，inalowerandtriumphanttone。
’Reallydoes!’
’Whatisherhistory？’askedClennam。
’Thinkofthat，Maggy？’saidLittleDorrit，takinghertwolargehandsandclappingthemtogether。’Agentlemanfromthousandsofmilesaway，wantingtoknowyourhistory!’
’Myhistory？’criedMaggy。’Littlemother。’
’Shemeansme，’saidLittleDorrit，ratherconfused；’sheisverymuchattachedtome。Heroldgrandmotherwasnotsokindtoherassheshouldhavebeen；wasshe，Maggy？’
Maggyshookherhead，madeadrinkingvesselofherclenchedlefthand，drankoutofit，andsaid，’Gin。’Thenbeatanimaginarychild，andsaid，’Broom-handlesandpokers。’
’WhenMaggywastenyearsold，’saidLittleDorrit，watchingherfacewhileshespoke，’shehadabadfever，sir，andshehasnevergrownanyoldereversince。’
’Tenyearsold，’saidMaggy，noddingherhead。’Butwhatanicehospital!Socomfortable，wasn’tit？Ohsoniceitwas。SuchaEv’nlyplace!’
’Shehadneverbeenatpeacebefore，sir，’saidLittleDorrit，turningtowardsArthurforaninstantandspeakinglow，’andshealwaysrunsoffuponthat。’
’Suchbedsthereisthere!’criedMaggy。’Suchlemonades!Suchoranges!Suchd’liciousbrothandwine!SuchChicking!Oh，AIN’T
itadelightfulplacetogoandstopat!’
’SoMaggystoppedthereaslongasshecould，’saidLittleDorrit，inherformertoneoftellingachild’sstory；thetonedesignedforMaggy’sear，’andatlast，whenshecouldstoptherenolonger，shecameout。Then，becauseshewasnevertobemorethantenyearsold，howeverlongshelived——’
’Howeverlongshelived，’echoedMaggy。
’Andbecauseshewasveryweak；indeedwassoweakthatwhenshebegantolaughshecouldn’tstopherself——whichwasagreatpity——’
Maggymightygraveofasudden。
’Hergrandmotherdidnotknowwhattodowithher，andforsomeyearswasveryunkindtoherindeed。Atlength，incourseoftime，Maggybegantotakepainstoimproveherself，andtobeveryattentiveandveryindustrious；andbydegreeswasallowedtocomeinandoutasoftenassheliked，andgotenoughtodotosupportherself，anddoessupportherself。Andthat，’saidLittleDorrit，clappingthetwogreathandstogetheragain，’isMaggy’shistory，asMaggyknows!’
Ah!ButArthurwouldhaveknownwhatwaswantingtoitscompleteness，thoughhehadneverheardofthewordsLittlemother；
thoughhehadneverseenthefondlingofthesmallsparehand；
thoughhehadhadnosightforthetearsnowstandinginthecolourlesseyes；thoughhehadhadnohearingforthesobthatcheckedtheclumsylaugh。Thedirtygatewaywiththewindandrainwhistlingthroughit，andthebasketofmuddypotatoeswaitingtobespiltagainortakenup，neverseemedthecommonholeitreallywas，whenhelookedbacktoitbytheselights。Never，never!
Theywereveryneartheendoftheirwalk，andtheynowcameoutofthegatewaytofinishit。NothingwouldserveMaggybutthattheymuststopatagrocer’swindow，shortoftheirdestination，forhertoshowherlearning。Shecouldreadafterasort；andpickedoutthefatfiguresintheticketsofprices，forthemostpartcorrectly。Shealsostumbled，withalargebalanceofsuccessagainstherfailures，throughvariousphilanthropicrecommendationstoTryourMixture，TryourFamilyBlack，TryourOrange-flavouredPekoe，challengingcompetitionattheheadofFloweryTeas；andvariouscautionstothepublicagainstspuriousestablishmentsandadulteratedarticles。WhenhesawhowpleasurebroughtarosytintintoLittleDorrit’sfacewhenMaggymadeahit，hefeltthathecouldhavestoodtheremakingalibraryofthegrocer’swindowuntiltherainandwindweretired。
Thecourt-yardreceivedthematlast，andtherehesaidgoodbyetoLittleDorrit。Littleasshehadalwayslooked，shelookedlessthaneverwhenhesawhergoingintotheMarshalsealodgepassage，thelittlemotherattendedbyherbigchild。
Thecagedooropened，andwhenthesmallbird，rearedincaptivity，hadtamelyflutteredin，hesawitshutagain；andthenhecameaway。
ContainingthewholeScienceofGovernmentTheCircumlocutionOfficewasaseverybodyknowswithoutbeingtoldthemostimportantDepartmentunderGovernment。NopublicbusinessofanykindcouldpossiblybedoneatanytimewithouttheacquiescenceoftheCircumlocutionOffice。Itsfingerwasinthelargestpublicpie，andinthesmallestpublictart。ItwasequallyimpossibletodotheplainestrightandtoundotheplainestwrongwithouttheexpressauthorityoftheCircumlocutionOffice。IfanotherGunpowderPlothadbeendiscoveredhalfanhourbeforethelightingofthematch，nobodywouldhavebeenjustifiedinsavingtheparliamentuntiltherehadbeenhalfascoreofboards，halfabushelofminutes，severalsacksofofficialmemoranda，andafamily-vaultfullofungrammaticalcorrespondence，onthepartoftheCircumlocutionOffice。
Thisgloriousestablishmenthadbeenearlyinthefield，whentheonesublimeprincipleinvolvingthedifficultartofgoverningacountry，wasfirstdistinctlyrevealedtostatesmen。Ithadbeenforemosttostudythatbrightrevelationandtocarryitsshininginfluencethroughthewholeoftheofficialproceedings。Whateverwasrequiredtobedone，theCircumlocutionOfficewasbeforehandwithallthepublicdepartmentsintheartofperceiving——HOWNOT
Throughthisdelicateperception，throughthetactwithwhichitinvariablyseizedit，andthroughthegeniuswithwhichitalwaysactedonit，theCircumlocutionOfficehadrisentoovertopallthepublicdepartments；andthepublicconditionhadrisentobe——whatitwas。
ItistruethatHownottodoitwasthegreatstudyandobjectofallpublicdepartmentsandprofessionalpoliticiansallroundtheCircumlocutionOffice。Itistruethateverynewpremierandeverynewgovernment，cominginbecausetheyhadupheldacertainthingasnecessarytobedone，werenosoonercomeinthantheyappliedtheirutmostfacultiestodiscoveringHownottodoit。Itistruethatfromthemomentwhenageneralelectionwasover，everyreturnedmanwhohadbeenravingonhustingsbecauseithadn’tbeendone，andwhohadbeenaskingthefriendsofthehonourablegentlemanintheoppositeinterestonpainofimpeachmenttotellhimwhyithadn’tbeendone，andwhohadbeenassertingthatitmustbedone，andwhohadbeenpledginghimselfthatitshouldbedone，begantodevise，Howitwasnottobedone。ItistruethatthedebatesofbothHousesofParliamentthewholesessionthrough，uniformlytendedtotheprotracteddeliberation，Hownottodoit。
Itistruethattheroyalspeechattheopeningofsuchsessionvirtuallysaid，Mylordsandgentlemen，youhaveaconsiderablestrokeofworktodo，andyouwillpleasetoretiretoyourrespectivechambers，anddiscuss，Hownottodoit。Itistruethattheroyalspeech，atthecloseofsuchsession，virtuallysaid，Mylordsandgentlemen，youhavethroughseverallaboriousmonthsbeenconsideringwithgreatloyaltyandpatriotism，Hownottodoit，andyouhavefoundout；andwiththeblessingofProvidenceupontheharvestnatural，notpolitical，Inowdismissyou。Allthisistrue，buttheCircumlocutionOfficewentbeyondit。
BecausetheCircumlocutionOfficewentonmechanically，everyday，keepingthiswonderful，all-sufficientwheelofstatesmanship，Hownottodoit，inmotion。BecausetheCircumlocutionOfficewasdownuponanyill-advisedpublicservantwhowasgoingtodoit，orwhoappearedtobebyanysurprisingaccidentinremotedangerofdoingit，withaminute，andamemorandum，andaletterofinstructionsthatextinguishedhim。ItwasthisspiritofnationalefficiencyintheCircumlocutionOfficethathadgraduallyledtoitshavingsomethingtodowitheverything。Mechanicians，naturalphilosophers，soldiers，sailors，petitioners，memorialists，peoplewithgrievances，peoplewhowantedtopreventgrievances，peoplewhowantedtoredressgrievances，jobbingpeople，jobbedpeople，peoplewhocouldn’tgetrewardedformerit，andpeoplewhocouldn’tgetpunishedfordemerit，wereallindiscriminatelytuckedupunderthefoolscappaperoftheCircumlocutionOffice。
NumbersofpeoplewerelostintheCircumlocutionOffice。
Unfortunateswithwrongs，orwithprojectsforthegeneralwelfareandtheyhadbetterhavehadwrongsatfirst，thanhavetakenthatbitterEnglishrecipeforcertainlygettingthem，whoinslowlapseoftimeandagonyhadpassedsafelythroughotherpublicdepartments；who，accordingtorule，hadbeenbulliedinthis，over-reachedbythat，andevadedbytheother；gotreferredatlasttotheCircumlocutionOffice，andneverreappearedinthelightofday。Boardssatuponthem，secretariesminuteduponthem，commissionersgabbledaboutthem，clerksregistered，entered，checked，andtickedthemoff，andtheymeltedaway。Inshort，allthebusinessofthecountrywentthroughtheCircumlocutionOffice，exceptthebusinessthatnevercameoutofit；anditsnamewasLegion。
Sometimes，angryspiritsattackedtheCircumlocutionOffice。
Sometimes，parliamentaryquestionswereaskedaboutit，andevenparliamentarymotionsmadeorthreatenedaboutitbydemagoguessolowandignorantastoholdthattherealrecipeofgovernmentwas，Howtodoit。Thenwouldthenoblelord，orrighthonourablegentleman，inwhosedepartmentitwastodefendtheCircumlocutionOffice，putanorangeinhispocket，andmakearegularfield-dayoftheoccasion。Thenwouldhecomedowntothathousewithaslapuponthetable，andmeetthehonourablegentlemanfoottofoot。
ThenwouldhebetheretotellthathonourablegentlemanthattheCircumlocutionOfficenotonlywasblamelessinthismatter，butwascommendableinthismatter，wasextollabletotheskiesinthismatter。Thenwouldhebetheretotellthathonourablegentlemanthat，althoughtheCircumlocutionOfficewasinvariablyrightandwhollyright，itneverwassorightasinthismatter。Thenwouldhebetheretotellthathonourablegentlemanthatitwouldhavebeenmoretohishonour，moretohiscredit，moretohisgoodtaste，moretohisgoodsense，moretohalfthedictionaryofcommonplaces，ifhehadlefttheCircumlocutionOfficealone，andneverapproachedthismatter。ThenwouldhekeeponeeyeuponacoachorcrammerfromtheCircumlocutionOfficesittingbelowthebar，andsmashthehonourablegentlemanwiththeCircumlocutionOfficeaccountofthismatter。Andalthoughoneoftwothingsalwayshappened；namely，eitherthattheCircumlocutionOfficehadnothingtosayandsaidit，orthatithadsomethingtosayofwhichthenoblelord，orrighthonourablegentleman，blunderedonehalfandforgottheother；theCircumlocutionOfficewasalwaysvotedimmaculatebyanaccommodatingmajority。
SuchanurseryofstatesmenhadtheDepartmentbecomeinvirtueofalongcareerofthisnature，thatseveralsolemnlordshadattainedthereputationofbeingquiteunearthlyprodigiesofbusiness，solelyfromhavingpractised，Hownottodoit，astheheadoftheCircumlocutionOffice。Astotheminorpriestsandacolytesofthattemple，theresultofallthiswasthattheystooddividedintotwoclasses，and，downtothejuniormessenger，eitherbelievedintheCircumlocutionOfficeasaheaven-borninstitutionthathadanabsoluterighttodowhateveritliked；ortookrefugeintotalinfidelity，andconsidereditaflagrantnuisance。
TheBarnaclefamilyhadforsometimehelpedtoadministertheCircumlocutionOffice。TheTiteBarnacleBranch，indeed，consideredthemselvesinageneralwayashavingvestedrightsinthatdirection，andtookitillifanyotherfamilyhadmuchtosaytoit。TheBarnacleswereaveryhighfamily，andaverylargefamily。Theyweredispersedalloverthepublicoffices，andheldallsortsofpublicplaces。EitherthenationwasunderaloadofobligationtotheBarnacles，ortheBarnacleswereunderaloadofobligationtothenation。Itwasnotquiteunanimouslysettledwhich；theBarnacleshavingtheiropinion，thenationtheirs。
TheMrTiteBarnaclewhoattheperiodnowinquestionusuallycoachedorcrammedthestatesmanattheheadoftheCircumlocutionOffice，whenthatnobleorrighthonourableindividualsatalittleuneasilyinhissaddlebyreasonofsomevagabondmakingatiltathiminanewspaper，wasmoreflushofbloodthanmoney。AsaBarnaclehehadhisplace，whichwasasnugthingenough；andasaBarnaclehehadofcourseputinhissonBarnacleJuniorintheoffice。ButhehadintermarriedwithabranchoftheStiltstalkings，whowerealsobetterendowedinasanguineouspointofviewthanwithrealorpersonalproperty，andofthismarriagetherehadbeenissue，Barnaclejuniorandthreeyoungladies。WhatwiththepatricianrequirementsofBarnaclejunior，thethreeyoungladies，MrsTiteBarnacleneeStiltstalking，andhimself，MrTiteBarnaclefoundtheintervalsbetweenquarterdayandquarterdayratherlongerthanhecouldhavedesired；acircumstancewhichhealwaysattributedtothecountry’sparsimony。
ForMrTiteBarnacle，MrArthurClennammadehisfifthinquiryonedayattheCircumlocutionOffice；havingonpreviousoccasionsawaitedthatgentlemansuccessivelyinahall，aglasscase，awaitingroom，andafire-proofpassagewheretheDepartmentseemedtokeepitswind。OnthisoccasionMrBarnaclewasnotengaged，ashehadbeenbefore，withthenobleprodigyattheheadoftheDepartment；butwasabsent。BarnacleJunior，however，wasannouncedasalesserstar，yetvisibleabovetheofficehorizon。