ArthurClennammovedtoattracthisattention，andthegreyeyebrowsturnedtowardshim。
’Ibegyourpardon，’saidClennam，’Ifearyoudidnothearmeannounced？’
’No，sir，Ididnot。Didyouwishtoseeme，sir？’
’Iwishedtopaymyrespects。’
MrCasbyseemedafeather’sweightdisappointedbythelastwords，havingperhapspreparedhimselfforthevisitor’swishingtopaysomethingelse。’HaveIthepleasure，sir，’heproceeded——’takeachair，ifyouplease——haveIthepleasureofknowing——？Ah!
truly，yes，IthinkIhave!IbelieveIamnotmistakeninsupposingthatIamacquaintedwiththosefeatures？IthinkI
addressagentlemanofwhosereturntothiscountryIwasinformedbyMrFlintwinch？’
’Thatisyourpresentvisitor。’
’Really!MrClennam？’
’Noother，MrCasby。’
’MrClennam，Iamgladtoseeyou。Howhaveyoubeensincewemet？’
Withoutthinkingitworthwhiletoexplainthatinthecourseofsomequarterofacenturyhehadexperiencedoccasionalslightfluctuationsinhishealthandspirits，Clennamansweredgenerallythathehadneverbeenbetter，orsomethingequallytothepurpose；
andshookhandswiththepossessorof’thathead’asitsheditspatriarchallightuponhim。
’Weareolder，MrClennam，’saidChristopherCasby。
’Weare——notyounger，’saidClennam。Afterthiswiseremarkhefeltthathewasscarcelyshiningwithbrilliancy，andbecameawarethathewasnervous。
’Andyourrespectedfather，’saidMrCasby，’isnomore!Iwasgrievedtohearit，MrClennam，Iwasgrieved。’
Arthurrepliedintheusualwaythathefeltinfinitelyobligedtohim。
’Therewasatime，’saidMrCasby，’whenyourparentsandmyselfwerenotonfriendlyterms。Therewasalittlefamilymisunderstandingamongus。Yourrespectedmotherwasratherjealousofherson，maybe；whenIsayherson，Imeanyourworthyself，yourworthyself。’
Hissmoothfacehadabloomuponitlikeripewall-fruit。Whatwithhisbloomingface，andthathead，andhisblueeyes，heseemedtobedeliveringsentimentsofrarewisdomandvirtue。Inlikemanner，hisphysiognomicalexpressionseemedtoteemwithbenignity。Nobodycouldhavesaidwherethewisdomwas，orwherethevirtuewas，orwherethebenignitywas；buttheyallseemedtobesomewhereabouthim。
’Thosetimes，however，’pursuedMrCasby，’arepastandgone，pastandgone。Idomyselfthepleasureofmakingavisittoyourrespectedmotheroccasionally，andofadmiringthefortitudeandstrengthofmindwithwhichshebearshertrials，bearshertrials。’Whenhemadeoneoftheselittlerepetitions，sittingwithhishandscrossedbeforehim，hediditwithhisheadononeside，andagentlesmile，asifhehadsomethinginhisthoughtstoosweetlyprofoundtobeputintowords。Asifhedeniedhimselfthepleasureofutteringit，lestheshouldsoartoohigh；andhismeeknessthereforepreferredtobeunmeaning。
’Ihaveheardthatyouwerekindenoughononeofthoseoccasions，’
saidArthur，catchingattheopportunityasitdriftedpasthim，’tomentionLittleDorrittomymother。’
’Little——Dorrit？That’stheseamstresswhowasmentionedtomebyasmalltenantofmine？Yes，yes。Dorrit？That’sthename。Ah，yes，yes!YoucallherLittleDorrit？’
Noroadinthatdirection。Nothingcameofthecross-cut。Itlednofurther。
’MydaughterFlora，’saidMrCasby，’asyoumayhaveheardprobably，MrClennam，wasmarriedandestablishedinlife，severalyearsago。Shehadthemisfortunetoloseherhusbandwhenshehadbeenmarriedafewmonths。Sheresideswithmeagain。Shewillbegladtoseeyou，ifyouwillpermitmetoletherknowthatyouarehere。’
’Byallmeans，’returnedClennam。’Ishouldhavepreferredtherequest，ifyourkindnesshadnotanticipatedme。’
UponthisMrCasbyroseupinhislistshoes，andwithaslow，heavystephewasofanelephantinebuild，madeforthedoor。Hehadalongwide-skirtedbottle-greencoaton，andabottle-greenpairoftrousers，andabottle-greenwaistcoat。ThePatriarchswerenotdressedinbottle-greenbroadcloth，andyethisclotheslookedpatriarchal。
Hehadscarcelylefttheroom，andallowedthetickingtobecomeaudibleagain，whenaquickhandturnedalatchkeyinthehouse-
door，openedit，andshutit。Immediatelyafterwards，aquickandeagershortdarkmancameintotheroomwithsomuchwayuponhimthathewaswithinafootofClennambeforehecouldstop。
’Halloa!’hesaid。
Clennamsawnoreasonwhyheshouldnotsay’Halloa!’too。
’What’sthematter？’saidtheshortdarkman。
’Ihavenotheardthatanythingisthematter，’returnedClennam。
’Where’sMrCasby？’askedtheshortdarkman，lookingabout。
’Hewillbeheredirectly，ifyouwanthim。’
’_I_wanthim？’saidtheshortdarkman。’Don’tyou？’
ThiselicitedawordortwoofexplanationfromClennam，duringthedeliveryofwhichtheshortdarkmanheldhisbreathandlookedathim。Hewasdressedinblackandrustyirongrey；hadjetblackbeadsofeyes；ascrubbylittleblackchin；wiryblackhairstrikingoutfromhisheadinprongs，likeforksorhair-pins；andacomplexionthatwasverydingybynature，orverydirtybyart，oracompoundofnatureandart。Hehaddirtyhandsanddirtybrokennails，andlookedasifhehadbeeninthecoals；hewasinaperspiration，andsnortedandsniffedandpuffedandblew，likealittlelabouringsteam-engine。
’Oh!’saidhe，whenArthurtoldhimhowhecametobethere。’Verywell。That’sright。IfheshouldaskforPancks，willyoubesogoodastosaythatPancksiscomein？’Andso，withasnortandapuff，heworkedoutbyanotherdoor。
Now，intheolddaysathome，certainaudaciousdoubtsrespectingthelastofthePatriarchs，whichwereafloatintheair，had，bysomeforgottenmeans，comeincontactwithArthur’ssensorium。Hewasawareofmotesandspecksofsuspicionintheatmosphereofthattime；seenthroughwhichmedium，ChristopherCasbywasamereInnsignpost，withoutanyInn——aninvitationtorestandbethankful，whentherewasnoplacetoputupat，andnothingwhatevertobethankfulfor。HeknewthatsomeofthesespecksevenrepresentedChristopherascapableofharbouringdesignsin’thathead，’andasbeingacraftyimpostor。Othermotestherewerewhichshowedhimasaheavy，selfish，driftingBooby，who，havingstumbled，inthecourseofhisunwieldyjostlingsagainstothermen，onthediscoverythattogetthroughlifewitheaseandcredit，hehadbuttoholdhistongue，keepthebaldpartofhisheadwellpolished，andleavehishairalone，hadhadjustcunningenoughtoseizetheideaandsticktoit。Itwassaidthathisbeingtown-agenttoLordDecimusTiteBarnaclewasreferable，nottohishavingtheleastbusinesscapacity，buttohislookingsosupremelybenignantthatnobodycouldsupposethepropertyscrewedorjobbedundersuchaman；also，thatforsimilarreasonshenowgotmoremoneyoutofhisownwretchedlettings，unquestioned，thananybodywithalessnobbyandlessshiningcrowncouldpossiblyhavedone。Inaword，itwasrepresentedClennamcalledtomind，aloneinthetickingparlourthatmanypeopleselecttheirmodels，muchasthepainters，justnowmentioned，selecttheirs；andthat，whereasintheRoyalAcademysomeeviloldruffianofaDog-stealerwillannuallybefoundembodyingallthecardinalvirtues，onaccountofhiseyelashes，orhischin，orhislegstherebyplantingthornsofconfusioninthebreastsofthemoreobservantstudentsofnature，so，inthegreatsocialExhibition，accessoriesareoftenacceptedinlieuoftheinternalcharacter。
Callingthesethingstomind，andrangingMrPancksinarowwiththem，ArthurClennamleanedthisdaytotheopinion，withoutquitedecidingonit，thatthelastofthePatriarchswasthedriftingBoobyaforesaid，withtheoneideaofkeepingthebaldpartofhisheadhighlypolished：andthat，muchasanunwieldyshipintheThamesrivermaysometimesbeseenheavilydrivingwiththetide，broadsideon，sternfirst，initsownwayandinthewayofeverythingelse，thoughmakingagreatshowofnavigation，whenallofasudden，alittlecoalysteam-tugwillbeardownuponit，takeitintow，andbustleoffwithit；similarlythecumbrousPatriarchhadbeentakenintowbythesnortingPancks，andwasnowfollowinginthewakeofthatdingylittlecraft。
ThereturnofMrCasbywithhisdaughterFlora，putanendtothesemeditations。Clennam’seyesnosoonerfelluponthesubjectofhisoldpassionthanitshiveredandbroketopieces。
Mostmenwillbefoundsufficientlytruetothemselvestobetruetoanoldidea。Itisnoproofofaninconstantmind，butexactlytheopposite，whentheideawillnotbearclosecomparisonwiththereality，andthecontrastisafatalshocktoit。SuchwasClennam’scase。Inhisyouthhehadardentlylovedthiswoman，andhadheapeduponherallthelocked-upwealthofhisaffectionandimagination。Thatwealthhadbeen，inhisdeserthome，likeRobinsonCrusoe’smoney；exchangeablewithnoone，lyingidleinthedarktorust，untilhepoureditoutforher。Eversincethatmemorabletime，thoughhehad，untilthenightofhisarrival，ascompletelydismissedherfromanyassociationwithhisPresentorFutureasifshehadbeendeadwhichshemighteasilyhavebeenforanythingheknew，hehadkepttheoldfancyofthePastunchanged，initsoldsacredplace。Andnow，afterall，thelastofthePatriarchscoollywalkedintotheparlour，sayingineffect，’Begoodenoughtothrowitdownanddanceuponit。ThisisFlora。’
Flora，alwaystall，hadgrowntobeverybroadtoo，andshortofbreath；butthatwasnotmuch。Flora，whomhehadleftalily，hadbecomeapeony；butthatwasnotmuch。Flora，whohadseemedenchantinginallshesaidandthought，wasdiffuseandsilly。
Thatwasmuch。Flora，whohadbeenspoiledandartlesslongago，wasdeterminedtobespoiledandartlessnow。Thatwasafatalblow。
ThisisFlora!
’Iamsure，’giggledFlora，tossingherheadwithacaricatureofhergirlishmanner，suchasamummermighthavepresentedatherownfuneral，ifshehadlivedanddiedinclassicalantiquity，’I
amashamedtoseeMrClennam，Iamamerefright，Iknowhe’llfindmefearfullychanged，Iamactuallyanoldwoman，it’sshockingtobefoundout，it’sreallyshocking!’
Heassuredherthatshewasjustwhathehadexpectedandthattimehadnotstoodstillwithhimself。
’Oh!Butwithagentlemanit’ssodifferentandreallyyoulooksoamazinglywellthatyouhavenorighttosayanythingofthekind，while，astome，youknow——oh!’criedFlorawithalittlescream，’Iamdreadful!’
ThePatriarch，apparentlynotyetunderstandinghisownpartinthedramaunderrepresentation，glowedwithvacantserenity。
’Butifwetalkofnothavingchanged，’saidFlora，who，whatevershesaid，neveroncecametoafullstop，’lookatPapa，isnotPapapreciselywhathewaswhenyouwentaway，isn’titcruelandunnaturalofPapatobesuchareproachtohisownchild，ifwegooninthiswaymuchlongerpeoplewhodon’tknowuswillbegintosupposethatIamPapa’sMama!’
Thatmustbealongtimehence，Arthurconsidered。
’OhMrClennamyouinsincerestofcreatures，’saidFlora，’I
perceivealreadyyouhavenotlostyouroldwayofpayingcompliments，youroldwaywhenyouusedtopretendtobesosentimentallystruckyouknow——atleastIdon’tmeanthat，I——ohI