’Thetruthis，hehastwicetakenhisdaughterabroadinthehopeofseparatingherfromMrGowan。Heratherthinkssheisdisposedtolikehim，andhehaspainfuldoubtsIquiteagreewithhim，asIdaresayyoudoofthehopefulnessofsuchamarriage。’
’There——’Clennamchoked，andcoughed，andstopped。
’Yes，youhavetakencold，’saidDanielDoyce。Butwithoutlookingathim。
’Thereisanengagementbetweenthem，ofcourse？’saidClennamairily。
’No。AsIamtold，certainlynot。Ithasbeensolicitedonthegentleman’spart，butnonehasbeenmade。Sincetheirrecentreturn，ourfriendhasyieldedtoaweeklyvisit，butthatistheutmost。Minniewouldnotdeceiveherfatherandmother。Youhavetravelledwiththem，andIbelieveyouknowwhatabondthereisamongthem，extendingevenbeyondthispresentlife。AllthatthereisbetweenMissMinnieandMrGowan，Ihavenodoubtwesee。’
’Ah!Weseeenough!’criedArthur。
MrDoycewishedhimGoodNightinthetoneofamanwhohadheardamournful，nottosaydespairing，exclamation，andwhosoughttoinfusesomeencouragementandhopeintothemindofthepersonbywhomithadbeenuttered。Suchtonewasprobablyapartofhisoddity，asoneofacrotchetyband；forhowcouldhehaveheardanythingofthatkind，withoutClennam’shearingittoo？
Therainfellheavilyontheroof，andpatteredontheground，anddrippedamongtheevergreensandtheleaflessbranchesofthetrees。Therainfellheavily，drearily。Itwasanightoftears。
IfClennamhadnotdecidedagainstfallinginlovewithPet；ifhehadhadtheweaknesstodoit；ifhehad，littlebylittle，persuadedhimselftosetalltheearnestnessofhisnature，allthemightofhishope，andallthewealthofhismaturedcharacter，onthatcast；ifhehaddonethisandfoundthatallwaslost；hewouldhavebeen，thatnight，unutterablymiserable。Asitwas——Asitwas，therainfellheavily，drearily。
LittleDorrit’sLoverLittleDorrithadnotattainedhertwenty-secondbirthdaywithoutfindingalover。EvenintheshallowMarshalsea，theeveryoungArchershotoffafewfeatherlessarrowsnowandthenfromamouldybow，andwingedaCollegianortwo。
LittleDorrit’slover，however，wasnotaCollegian。Hewasthesentimentalsonofaturnkey。Hisfatherhoped，inthefulnessoftime，toleavehimtheinheritanceofanunstainedkey；andhadfromhisearlyyouthfamiliarisedhimwiththedutiesofhisoffice，andwithanambitiontoretaintheprison-lockinthefamily。Whilethesuccessionwasyetinabeyance，heassistedhismotherintheconductofasnugtobaccobusinessroundthecornerofHorsemongerLanehisfatherbeinganon-residentturnkey，whichcouldusuallycommandaneatconnectionwithintheCollegewalls。
Yearsagone，whentheobjectofhisaffectionswaswonttositinherlittlearm-chairbythehighLodge-fender，YoungJohnfamilyname，Chivery，ayearolderthanherself，hadeyedherwithadmiringwonder。Whenhehadplayedwithherintheyard，hisfavouritegamehadbeentocounterfeitlockingherupincorners，andtocounterfeitlettingheroutforrealkisses。Whenhegrewtallenoughtopeepthroughthekeyholeofthegreatlockofthemaindoor，hehaddiverstimessetdownhisfather’sdinner，orsupper，togetonasitmightontheoutersidethereof，whilehestoodtakingcoldinoneeyebydintofpeepingatherthroughthatairyperspective。
IfYoungJohnhadeverslackenedinhistruthinthelesspenetrabledaysofhisboyhood，whenyouthispronetowearitsbootsunlacedandishappilyunconsciousofdigestiveorgans，hehadsoonstrungitupagainandscrewedittight。Atnineteen，hishandhadinscribedinchalkonthatpartofthewallwhichfrontedherlodgings，ontheoccasionofherbirthday，’WelcomesweetnurslingoftheFairies!’Attwenty-three，thesamehandfalteringlypresentedcigarsonSundaystotheFatheroftheMarshalsea，andFatherofthequeenofhissoul。
YoungJohnwassmallofstature，withratherweaklegsandveryweaklighthair。Oneofhiseyesperhapstheeyethatusedtopeepthroughthekeyholewasalsoweak，andlookedlargerthantheother，asifitcouldn’tcollectitself。YoungJohnwasgentlelikewise。Buthewasgreatofsoul。Poetical，expansive，faithful。
Thoughtoohumblebeforetherulerofhishearttobesanguine，YoungJohnhadconsideredtheobjectofhisattachmentinallitslightsandshades。Followingitouttoblissfulresults，hehaddescried，withoutself-commendation，afitnessinit。Saythingsprospered，andtheywereunited。She，thechildoftheMarshalsea；
he，thelock-keeper。Therewasafitnessinthat。Sayhebecamearesidentturnkey。Shewouldofficiallysucceedtothechambershehadrentedsolong。Therewasabeautifulproprietyinthat。
Itlookedoverthewall，ifyoustoodontip-toe；and，withatrellis-workofscarletbeansandacanaryorso，wouldbecomeaveryArbour。Therewasacharmingideainthat。Then，beingallinalltooneanother，therewasevenanappropriategraceinthelock。Withtheworldshutoutexceptthatpartofitwhichwouldbeshutin；withitstroublesanddisturbancesonlyknowntothembyhearsay，astheywouldbedescribedbythepilgrimstarryingwiththemontheirwaytotheInsolventShrine；withtheArbourabove，andtheLodgebelow；theywouldglidedownthestreamoftime，inpastoraldomestichappiness。YoungJohndrewtearsfromhiseyesbyfinishingthepicturewithatombstoneintheadjoiningchurchyard，closeagainsttheprisonwall，bearingthefollowingtouchinginscription：’SacredtotheMemoryOfJOHNCHIVERY，SixtyyearsTurnkey，andfiftyyearsHeadTurnkey，OftheneighbouringMarshalsea，Whodepartedthislife，universallyrespected，onthethirty-firstofDecember，Onethousandeighthundredandeighty-
six，Agedeighty-threeyears。Alsoofhistrulybelovedandtrulylovingwife，AMY，whosemaidennamewasDORRIT，Whosurvivedhislossnotquiteforty-eighthours，AndwhobreathedherlastintheMarshalseaaforesaid。Thereshewasborn，Thereshelived，Thereshedied。’
TheChiveryparentswerenotignorantoftheirson’sattachment——
indeedithad，onsomeexceptionaloccasions，thrownhimintoastateofmindthathadimpelledhimtoconducthimselfwithirascibilitytowardsthecustomers，anddamagethebusiness——butthey，intheirturns，hadworkeditouttodesirableconclusions。
MrsChivery，aprudentwoman，haddesiredherhusbandtotakenoticethattheirjohn’sprospectsoftheLockwouldcertainlybestrengthenedbyanalliancewithMissDorrit，whohadherselfakindofclaimupontheCollegeandwasmuchrespectedthere。MrsChiveryhaddesiredherhusbandtotakenoticethatif，ontheonehand，theirJohnhadmeansandapostoftrust，ontheotherhand，MissDorrithadfamily；andthatherMrsChivery’ssentimentwas，thattwohalvesmadeawhole。MrsChivery，speakingasamotherandnotasadiplomatist，hadthen，fromadifferentpointofview，desiredherhusbandtorecollectthattheirJohnhadneverbeenstrong，andthathislovehadfrettedandworritedhimenoughasitwas，withouthisbeingdriventodohimselfamischief，asnobodycouldn’tsayhewouldn’tbeifhewascrossed。TheseargumentshadsopowerfullyinfluencedthemindofMrChivery，whowasamanoffewwords，thathehadonsundrySundaymornings，givenhisboywhathetermed’aluckytouch，’signifyingthatheconsideredsuchcommendationofhimtoGoodFortune，preparatorytohisthatdaydeclaringhispassionandbecomingtriumphant。ButYoungJohnhadnevertakencouragetomakethedeclaration；anditwasprincipallyontheseoccasionsthathehadreturnedexcitedtothetobaccoshop，andflownatthecustomers。
Inthisaffair，asineveryother，LittleDorritherselfwasthelastpersonconsidered。Herbrotherandsisterwereawareofit，andattainedasortofstationbymakingapegofitonwhichtoairthemiserablyraggedoldfictionofthefamilygentility。Hersisterassertedthefamilygentilitybyfloutingthepoorswainasheloiteredabouttheprisonforglimpsesofhisdear。Tipassertedthefamilygentility，andhisown，bycomingoutinthecharacterofthearistocraticbrother，andloftilyswaggeringinthelittleskittlegroundrespectingseizuresbythescruffoftheneck，whichtherewereloomingprobabilitiesofsomegentlemanunknownexecutingonsomelittlepuppynotmentioned。ThesewerenottheonlymembersoftheDorritfamilywhoturnedittoaccount。
No，no。TheFatheroftheMarshalseawassupposedtoknownothingaboutthematter，ofcourse：hispoordignitycouldnotseesolow。
Buthetookthecigars，onSundays，andwasgladtogetthem；andsometimesevencondescendedtowalkupanddowntheyardwiththedonorwhowasproudandhopefulthen，andbenignantlytosmokeoneinhissociety。WithnolessreadinessandcondescensiondidhereceiveattentionsfromChiverySenior，whoalwaysrelinquishedhisarm-chairandnewspapertohim，whenhecameintotheLodgeduringoneofhisspellsofduty；andwhohadevenmentionedtohim，that，ifhewouldlikeatanytimeafterduskquietlytostepoutintothefore-courtandtakealookatthestreet，therewasnotmuchtopreventhim。Ifhedidnotavailhimselfofthislattercivility，itwasonlybecausehehadlosttherelishforit；
inasmuchashetookeverythingelsehecouldget，andwouldsayattimes，’Extremelycivilperson，Chivery；veryattentivemanandveryrespectful。YoungChivery，too；reallyalmostwithadelicateperceptionofone’spositionhere。Averywellconductedfamilyindeed，theChiveries。Theirbehaviourgratifiesme。’
ThedevotedYoungJohnallthistimeregardedthefamilywithreverence。Heneverdreamedofdisputingtheirpretensions，butdidhomagetothemiserableMumbojumbotheyparaded。Astoresentinganyaffrontfromherbrother，hewouldhavefelt，evenifhehadnotnaturallybeenofamostpacificdisposition，thattowaghistongueorlifthishandagainstthatsacredgentlemanwouldbeanunhallowedact。Hewassorrythathisnoblemindshouldtakeoffence；still，hefeltthefacttobenotincompatiblewithitsnobility，andsoughttopropitiateandconciliatethatgallantsoul。Herfather，agentlemaninmisfortune——agentlemanofafinespiritandcourtlymanners，whoalwaysborewithhim——hedeeplyhonoured。Hersisterheconsideredsomewhatvainandproud，butayoungladyofinfiniteaccomplishments，whocouldnotforgetthepast。ItwasaninstinctivetestimonytoLittleDorrit’sworthanddifferencefromalltherest，thatthepooryoungfellowhonouredandlovedherforbeingsimplywhatshewas。
ThetobaccobusinessroundthecornerofHorsemongerLanewascarriedoutinaruralestablishmentonestoryhigh，whichhadthebenefitoftheairfromtheyardsofHorsemongerLanejail，andtheadvantageofaretiredwalkunderthewallofthatpleasantestablishment。Thebusinesswasoftoomodestacharactertosupportalife-sizeHighlander，butitmaintainedalittleoneonabracketonthedoor-post，wholookedlikeafallenCherubthathadfounditnecessarytotaketoakilt。
Fromtheportalthusdecorated，oneSundayafteranearlydinnerofbakedviands，YoungJohnissuedforthonhisusualSundayerrand；
notempty-handed，butwithhisofferingofcigars。Hewasneatlyattiredinaplum-colouredcoat，withaslargeacollarofblackvelvetashisfigurecouldcarry；asilkenwaistcoat，bedeckedwithgoldensprigs；achasteneckerchiefmuchinvogueatthatday，representingapreserveoflilacpheasantsonabuffground；
pantaloonssohighlydecoratedwithside-stripesthateachlegwasathree-stringedlute；andahatofstateveryhighandhard。WhentheprudentMrsChiveryperceivedthatinadditiontotheseadornmentsherJohncarriedapairofwhitekidgloves，andacanelikealittlefinger-post，surmountedbyanivoryhandmarshallinghimthewaythatheshouldgo；andwhenshesawhim，inthisheavymarchingorder，turnthecornertotheright；sheremarkedtoMrChivery，whowasathomeatthetime，thatshethoughtsheknewwhichwaythewindblew。
TheCollegianswereentertainingaconsiderablenumberofvisitorsthatSundayafternoon，andtheirFatherkepthisroomforthepurposeofreceivingpresentations。Aftermakingthetouroftheyard，LittleDorrit’sloverwithahurriedheartwentup-stairs，andknockedwithhisknucklesattheFather’sdoor。
’Comein，comein!’saidagraciousvoice。TheFather’svoice，herfather’s，theMarshalsea’sfather’s。Hewasseatedinhisblackvelvetcap，withhisnewspaper，three-and-sixpenceaccidentallyleftonthetable，andtwochairsarranged。EverythingpreparedforholdinghisCourt。
’Ah，YoungJohn!Howdoyoudo，howdoyoudo!’
’Prettywell，Ithankyou，sir。Ihopeyouarethesame。’
’Yes，JohnChivery；yes。Nothingtocomplainof。’