Itwasplainenough，nevertheless，asLittleDorrithadsaid；overalime-splashedgatewayinthecorner，withinwhichPlornishkeptaladderandabarrelortwo。ThelasthouseinBleedingHeartYardwhichshehaddescribedashisplaceofhabitation，wasalargehouse，letofftovarioustenants；butPlornishingeniouslyhintedthathelivedintheparlour，bymeansofapaintedhandunderhisname，theforefingerofwhichhandonwhichtheartisthaddepictedaringandamostelaboratenailofthegenteelestformreferredallinquirerstothatapartment。
Partingfromhiscompanions，afterarranginganothermeetingwithMrMeagles，Clennamwentaloneintotheentry，andknockedwithhisknucklesattheparlour-door。Itwasopenedpresentlybyawomanwithachildinherarms，whoseunoccupiedhandwashastilyrearrangingtheupperpartofherdress。ThiswasMrsPlornish，andthismaternalactionwastheactionofMrsPlornishduringalargepartofherwakingexistence。
WasMrPlornishathome？’Well，sir，’saidMrsPlornish，acivilwoman，’nottodeceiveyou，he’sgonetolookforajob。’
’Nottodeceiveyou’wasamethodofspeechwithMrsPlornish。Shewoulddeceiveyou，underanycircumstances，aslittleasmightbe；
butshehadatrickofansweringinthisprovisionalform。
’Doyouthinkhewillbebacksoon，ifIwaitforhim？’
’Ihavebeenexpectinghim，’saidMrsPlornish，’thishalfanhour，atanyminuteoftime。Walkin，sir。’
Arthurenteredtheratherdarkandcloseparlourthoughitwasloftytoo，andsatdowninthechairsheplacedforhim。
’Nottodeceiveyou，sir，Inoticeit，’saidMrsPlornish，’andI
takeitkindofyou。’
Hewasatalosstounderstandwhatshemeant；andbyexpressingasmuchinhislooks，elicitedherexplanation。
’Itain’tmanythatcomesintoapoorplace，thatdeemsitworththeirwhiletomovetheirhats，’saidMrsPlornish。’Butpeoplethinkmoreofitthanpeoplethink。’
Clennamreturned，withanuncomfortablefeelinginsoveryslightacourtesybeingunusual，Wasthatall!Andstoopingdowntopinchthecheekofanotheryoungchildwhowassittingonthefloor，staringathim，askedMrsPlornishhowoldthatfineboywas？
’Fouryearjustturned，sir，’saidMrsPlornish。’HeISafinelittlefellow，ain’the，sir？Butthisoneisrathersickly。’Shetenderlyhushedthebabyinherarms，asshesaidit。’Youwouldn’tmindmyaskingifithappenedtobeajobasyouwascomeabout，sir，wouldyou？’askedMrsPlornishwistfully。
Sheaskeditsoanxiously，thatifhehadbeeninpossessionofanykindoftenement，hewouldhavehaditplasteredafootdeepratherthananswerNo。ButhewasobligedtoanswerNo；andhesawashadeofdisappointmentonherface，asshecheckedasigh，andlookedatthelowfire。Thenhesaw，also，thatMrsPlornishwasayoungwoman，madesomewhatslatternlyinherselfandherbelongingsbypoverty；andsodraggedatbypovertyandthechildrentogether，thattheirunitedforceshadalreadydraggedherfaceintowrinkles。
’Allsuchthingsasjobs，’saidMrsPlornish，’seemstometohavegoneunderground，theydoindeed。’HereinMrsPlornishlimitedherremarktotheplasteringtrade，andspokewithoutreferencetotheCircumlocutionOfficeandtheBarnacleFamily。
’Isitsodifficulttogetwork？’askedArthurClennam。
’Plornishfindsitso，’shereturned。’Heisquiteunfortunate。
Reallyheis。’
Reallyhewas。Hewasoneofthosemanywayfarersontheroadoflife，whoseemtobeafflictedwithsupernaturalcorns，renderingitimpossibleforthemtokeepupevenwiththeirlamecompetitors。
Awilling，working，softhearted，nothard-headedfellow，Plornishtookhisfortuneassmoothlyascouldbeexpected；butitwasaroughone。Itsorarelyhappenedthatanybodyseemedtowanthim，itwassuchanexceptionalcasewhenhispowerswereinanyrequest，thathismistymindcouldnotmakeouthowithappened。
Hetookitasitcame，therefore；hetumbledintoallkindsofdifficulties，andtumbledoutofthem；and，bytumblingthroughlife，gothimselfconsiderablybruised。
’It’snotforwantoflookingafterjobs，Iamsure，’saidMrsPlornish，liftinguphereyebrows，andsearchingforasolutionoftheproblembetweenthebarsofthegrate；’noryetforwantofworkingatthemwhentheyaretobegot。Nooneeverheardmyhusbandcomplainofwork。’
Somehoworother，thiswasthegeneralmisfortuneofBleedingHeartYard。Fromtimetotimetherewerepubliccomplaints，patheticallygoingabout，oflabourbeingscarce——whichcertainpeopleseemedtotakeextraordinarilyill，asthoughtheyhadanabsoluterighttoitontheirownterms——butBleedingHeartYard，thoughaswillingaYardasanyinBritain，wasneverthebetterforthedemand。
Thathigholdfamily，theBarnacles，hadlongbeentoobusywiththeirgreatprincipletolookintothematter；andindeedthematterhadnothingtodowiththeirwatchfulnessinout-generallingallotherhigholdfamiliesexcepttheStiltstalkings。
WhileMrsPlornishspokeinthesewordsofherabsentlord，herlordreturned。Asmooth-cheeked，fresh-coloured，sandy-whiskeredmanofthirty。Longinthelegs，yieldingattheknees，foolishintheface，flannel-jacketed，lime-whitened。
’ThisisPlornish，sir。’
’Icame，’saidClennam，rising，’tobegthefavourofalittleconversationwithyouonthesubjectoftheDorritfamily。’
Plornishbecamesuspicious。Seemedtoscentacreditor。Said，’Ah，yes。Well。Hedidn’tknowwhatsatisfactionhecouldgiveanygentleman，respectingthatfamily。Whatmightitbeabout，now？’
’Iknowyoubetter，’saidClennam，smiling，’thanyousuppose。’
Plornishobserved，notSmilinginreturn，Andyethehadn’tthepleasureofbeingacquaintedwiththegentleman，neither。
’No，’saidArthur，’Iknowyourkindofficesatsecondhand，butonthebestauthority；throughLittleDorrit——Imean，’heexplained，’MissDorrit。’
’MrClennam，isit？Oh!I’veheardofyou，Sir。’
’AndIofyou，’saidArthur。
’Pleasetositdownagain，Sir，andconsideryourselfwelcome——
Why，yes，’saidPlornish，takingachair，andliftingtheelderchilduponhisknee，thathemighthavethemoralsupportofspeakingtoastrangeroverhishead，’IhavebeenonthewrongsideoftheLockmyself，andinthatwaywecometoknowMissDorrit。Meandmywife，wearewellacquaintedwithMissDorrit。’
’Intimate!’criedMrsPlornish。Indeed，shewassoproudoftheacquaintance，thatshehadawakenedsomebitternessofspiritintheYardbymagnifyingtoanenormousamountthesumforwhichMissDorrit’sfatherhadbecomeinsolvent。TheBleedingHeartsresentedherclaimingtoknowpeopleofsuchdistinction。
’ItwasherfatherthatIgotacquaintedwithfirst。Andthroughgettingacquaintedwithhim，yousee——why——Igotacquaintedwithher，’saidPlornishtautologically。
’Isee。’
’Ah!Andthere’smanners!There’spolish!There’sagentlemantohaveruntoseedintheMarshalseajail!Why，perhapsyouarenotaware，’saidPlornish，loweringhisvoice，andspeakingwithaperverseadmirationofwhatheoughttohavepitiedordespised，’notawarethatMissDorritandhersisterdursn’tlethimknowthattheyworkforaliving。No!’saidPlornish，lookingwitharidiculoustriumphfirstathiswife，andthenallroundtheroom。
’Dursn’tlethimknowit，theydursn’t!’
’Withoutadmiringhimforthat，’Clennamquietlyobserved，’Iamverysorryforhim。’TheremarkappearedtosuggesttoPlornish，forthefirsttime，thatitmightnotbeaveryfinetraitofcharacterafterall。Heponderedaboutitforamoment，andgaveitup。
’Astome，’heresumed，’certainlyMrDorritisasaffablewithme，Iamsure，asIcanpossiblyexpect。Consideringthedifferencesanddistancesbetwixtus，moreso。Butit’sMissDorritthatwewerespeakingof。’
’True。Prayhowdidyouintroduceheratmymother’s!’
MrPlornishpickedabitoflimeoutofhiswhisker，putitbetweenhislips，turneditwithhistonguelikeasugar-plum，considered，foundhimselfunequaltothetaskoflucidexplanation，andappealingtohiswife，said，’Sally，youmayaswellmentionhowitwas，oldwoman。’
’MissDorrit，’saidSally，hushingthebabyfromsidetoside，andlayingherchinuponthelittlehandasittriedtodisarrangethegownagain，’camehereoneafternoonwithabitofwriting，tellingthathowshewishedforneedlework，andaskedifitwouldbeconsideredanyill-conwenienceincaseshewastogiveheraddresshere。’Plornishrepeated，heraddresshere，inalowvoice，asifheweremakingresponsesatchurch。’MeandPlornishsays，No，MissDorrit，noill-conwenience，’Plornishrepeated，noill-
conwenience，’andshewroteitin，according。WhichthenmeandPlornishsays，HoMissDorrit!’Plornishrepeated，HoMissDorrit。’Haveyouthoughtofcopyingitthreeorfourtimes，asthewaytomakeitknowninmoreplacesthanone？No，saysMissDorrit，Ihavenot，butIwill。Shecopieditoutaccording，onthistable，inasweetwriting，andPlornish，hetookitwhereheworked，havingajobjustthen，’Plornishrepeatedjobjustthen，
’andlikewisetothelandlordoftheYard；throughwhichitwasthatMrsClennamfirsthappenedtoemployMissDorrit。’Plornishrepeated，employMissDorrit；andMrsPlornishhavingcometoanend，feignedtobitethefingersofthelittlehandasshekissedit。
’ThelandlordoftheYard，’saidArthurClennam，’is——’
’HeisMrCasby，byname，heis，’saidPlornish，’andPancks，hecollectstherents。That，’addedMrPlornish，dwellingonthesubjectwithaslowthoughtfulnessthatappearedtohavenoconnectionwithanyspecificobject，andtoleadhimnowhere，’thatisaboutwhattheyare，youmaybelievemeornot，asyouthinkproper。’
’Ay？’returnedClennam，thoughtfulinhisturn。’MrCasby，too!
Anoldacquaintanceofmine，longago!’
MrPlornishdidnotseehisroadtoanycommentonthisfact，andmadenone。Astheretrulywasnoreasonwhyheshouldhavetheleastinterestinit，ArthurClennamwentontothepresentpurportofhisvisit；namely，tomakePlornishtheinstrumentofeffectingTip’srelease，withaslittledetrimentaspossibletotheself-
relianceandself-helpfulnessoftheyoungman，supposinghimtopossessanyremnantofthosequalities：withoutdoubtaverywidestretchofsupposition。Plornish，havingbeenmadeacquaintedwiththecauseofactionfromtheDefendant’sownmouth，gaveArthurtounderstandthatthePlaintiffwasa’Chaunter’——meaning，notasingerofanthems，butasellerofhorses——andthathePlornish
consideredthattenshillingsinthepound’wouldsettlehandsome，’