’Ihavetakentheliberty，sir，of——’
’Eh？’TheFatheroftheMarshalseaalwayslifteduphiseyebrowsatthispoint，andbecameamiablydistraughtandsmilinglyabsentinmind。
’——Afewcigars，sir。’
’Oh!’Forthemoment，excessivelysurprised。’Thankyou，YoungJohn，thankyou。Butreally，IamafraidIamtoo——No？Wellthen，Iwillsaynomoreaboutit。Putthemonthemantelshelf，ifyouplease，YoungJohn。Andsitdown，sitdown。Youarenotastranger，John。’
’Thankyou，sir，Iamsure——Miss；’hereYoungJohnturnedthegreathatroundandrounduponhisleft-hand，likeaslowlytwirlingmouse-cage；’MissAmyquitewell，sir？’
’Yes，John，yes；verywell。Sheisout。’
’Indeed，sir？’
’Yes，John。MissAmyisgoneforanairing。Myyoungpeopleallgooutagooddeal。Butattheirtimeoflife，it’snatural，John。’
’Verymuchso，Iamsure，sir。’
’Anairing。Anairing。Yes。’Hewasblandlytappinghisfingersonthetable，andcastinghiseyesupatthewindow。’AmyhasgoneforanairingontheIronBridge。ShehasbecomequitepartialtotheIronBridgeoflate，andseemstoliketowalktherebetterthananywhere。’Hereturnedtoconversation。’Yourfatherisnotondutyatpresent，Ithink，John？’
’No，sir，hecomesonlaterintheafternoon。’Anothertwirlofthegreathat，andthenYoungJohnsaid，rising，’IamafraidI
mustwishyougoodday，sir。’
’Sosoon？Goodday，YoungJohn。Nay，nay，’withtheutmostcondescension，’nevermindyourglove，John。Shakehandswithiton。Youarenostrangerhere，youknow。’
Highlygratifiedbythekindnessofhisreception，YoungJohndescendedthestaircase。OnhiswaydownhemetsomeCollegiansbringingupvisitorstobepresented，andatthatmomentMrDorrithappenedtocalloverthebanisterswithparticulardistinctness，’Muchobligedtoyouforyourlittletestimonial，John!’
LittleDorrit’sloververysoonlaiddownhispennyonthetollplateoftheIronBridge，andcameuponitlookingabouthimforthewell-knownandwell-belovedfigure。Atfirsthefearedshewasnotthere；butashewalkedontowardstheMiddlesexside，hesawherstandingstill，lookingatthewater。Shewasabsorbedinthought，andhewonderedwhatshemightbethinkingabout。Therewerethepilesofcityroofsandchimneys，morefreefromsmokethanonweek-days；andtherewerethedistantmastsandsteeples。
Perhapsshewasthinkingaboutthem。
LittleDorritmusedsolong，andwassoentirelypreoccupied，thatalthoughherloverstoodquietforwhathethoughtwasalongtime，andtwiceorthriceretiredandcamebackagaintotheformerspot，stillshedidnotmove。So，intheend，hemadeuphismindtogoon，andseemtocomeuponhercasuallyinpassing，andspeaktoher。Theplacewasquiet，andnoworneverwasthetimetospeaktoher。
Hewalkedon，andshedidnotappeartohearhisstepsuntilhewascloseuponher。Whenhesaid’MissDorrit!’shestartedandfellbackfromhim，withanexpressioninherfaceoffrightandsomethinglikedislikethatcausedhimunutterabledismay。Shehadoftenavoidedhimbefore——always，indeed，foralong，longwhile。
Shehadturnedawayandglidedoffsooftenwhenshehadseenhimcomingtowardher，thattheunfortunateYoungJohncouldnotthinkitaccidental。Buthehadhopedthatitmightbeshyness，herretiringcharacter，herforeknowledgeofthestateofhisheart，anythingshortofaversion。Now，thatmomentarylookhadsaid，’You，ofallpeople!Iwouldratherhaveseenanyoneonearththanyou!’
Itwasbutamomentarylook，inasmuchasshecheckedit，andsaidinhersoftlittlevoice，’Oh，MrJohn!Isityou？’Butshefeltwhatithadbeen，ashefeltwhatithadbeen；andtheystoodlookingatoneanotherequallyconfused。
’MissAmy，IamafraidIdisturbedyoubyspeakingtoyou。’
’Yes，rather。I——Icameheretobealone，andIthoughtIwas。’
’MissAmy，Itookthelibertyofwalkingthisway，becauseMrDorritchancedtomention，whenIcalleduponhimjustnow，thatyou——’
Shecausedhimmoredismaythanbeforebysuddenlymurmuring，’O
father，father!’inaheartrendingtone，andturningherfaceaway。
’MissAmy，IhopeIdon’tgiveyouanyuneasinessbynamingMrDorrit。IassureyouIfoundhimverywellandinthebestofSpirits，andheshowedmeevenmorethanhisusualkindness；beingsoverykindastosaythatIwasnotastrangerthere，andinallwaysgratifyingmeverymuch。’
Totheinexpressibleconsternationofherlover，LittleDorrit，withherhandstoheravertedface，androckingherselfwhereshestoodasifshewereinpain，murmured，’Ofather，howcanyou!O
dear，dearfather，howcanyou，canyou，doit!’
Thepoorfellowstoodgazingather，overflowingwithsympathy，butnotknowingwhattomakeofthis，until，havingtakenoutherhandkerchiefandputittoherstillavertedface，shehurriedaway。Atfirstheremainedstockstill；thenhurriedafterher。
’MissAmy，pray!Willyouhavethegoodnesstostopamoment？
MissAmy，ifitcomestothat，letMEgo。Ishallgooutofmysenses，ifIhavetothinkthatIhavedrivenyouawaylikethis。’
HistremblingvoiceandunfeignedearnestnessbroughtLittleDorrittoastop。’Oh，Idon’tknowwhattodo，’shecried，’Idon’tknowwhattodo!’
ToYoungJohn，whohadneverseenherbereftofherquietself-
command，whohadseenherfromherinfancyeversoreliableandself-suppressed，therewasashockinherdistress，andinhavingtoassociatehimselfwithitasitscause，thatshookhimfromhisgreathattothepavement。Hefeltitnecessarytoexplainhimself。Hemightbemisunderstood——supposedtomeansomething，ortohavedonesomething，thathadneverenteredintohisimagination。Hebeggedhertohearhimexplainhimself，asthegreatestfavourshecouldshowhim。
’MissAmy，Iknowverywellthatyourfamilyisfarabovemine。Itwerevaintoconcealit。ThereneverwasaChiveryagentlemanthateverIheardof，andIwillnotcommitthemeannessofmakingafalserepresentationonasubjectsomomentous。MissAmy，Iknowverywellthatyourhigh-souledbrother，andlikewiseyourspiritedsister，spurnmefromaheight。WhatIhavetodoistorespectthem，towishtobeadmittedtotheirfriendship，tolookupattheeminenceonwhichtheyareplacedfrommylowlierstation——for，whetherviewedastobaccoorviewedasthelock，Iwellknowitislowly——andeverwishthemwellandhappy。’
Therereallywasagenuinenessinthepoorfellow，andacontrastbetweenthehardnessofhishatandthesoftnessofhisheartalbeit，perhaps，ofhishead，too，thatwasmoving。LittleDorritentreatedhimtodisparageneitherhimselfnorhisstation，and，aboveallthings，todivesthimselfofanyideathatshesupposedherstobesuperior。Thisgavehimalittlecomfort。
’MissAmy，’hethenstammered，’Ihavehadforalongtime——agestheyseemtome——Revolvingages——aheart-cherishedwishtosaysomethingtoyou。MayIsayit？’
LittleDorritinvoluntarilystartedfromhissideagain，withthefaintestshadowofherformerlook；conqueringthat，shewentonatgreatspeedhalfacrosstheBridgewithoutreplying!
’MayI——MissAmy，Ibutaskthequestionhumbly——mayIsayit？I
havebeensounluckyalreadyingivingyoupainwithouthavinganysuchintentions，beforetheholyHeavens!thatthereisnofearofmysayingitunlessIhaveyourleave。Icanbemiserablealone，Icanbecutupbymyself，whyshouldIalsomakemiserableandcutuponethatIwouldflingmyselfoffthatparapettogivehalfamoment’sjoyto!Notthatthat’smuchtodo，forI’ddoitfortwopence。’
Themournfulnessofhisspirits，andthegorgeousnessofhisappearance，mighthavemadehimridiculous，butthathisdelicacymadehimrespectable。LittleDorritlearntfromitwhattodo。
’Ifyouplease，JohnChivery，’shereturned，trembling，butinaquietway，’sinceyouaresoconsiderateastoaskmewhetheryoushallsayanymore——ifyouplease，no。’
’Never，MissAmy？’
’No，ifyouplease。Never。’
’OLord!’gaspedYoungJohn。
’Butperhapsyouwillletme，instead，saysomethingtoyou。I
wanttosayitearnestly，andwithasplainameaningasitispossibletoexpress。Whenyouthinkofus，John——Imeanmybrother，andsister，andme——don’tthinkofusasbeinganydifferentfromtherest；for，whateverweoncewerewhichIhardlyknowweceasedtobelongago，andnevercanbeanymore。Itwillbemuchbetterforyou，andmuchbetterforothers，ifyouwilldothatinsteadofwhatyouaredoingnow。’
YoungJohndolefullyprotestedthathewouldtrytobearitinmind，andwouldbeheartilygladtodoanythingshewished。
’Astome，’saidLittleDorrit，’thinkaslittleofmeasyoucan；
theless，thebetter。Whenyouthinkofmeatall，John，letitonlybeasthechildyouhaveseengrowupintheprisonwithonesetofdutiesalwaysoccupyingher；asaweak，retired，contented，unprotectedgirl。Iparticularlywantyoutoremember，thatwhenIcomeoutsidethegate，Iamunprotectedandsolitary。’
Hewouldtrytodoanythingshewished。ButwhydidMissAmysomuchwanthimtorememberthat？
’Because，’returnedLittleDorrit，’IknowIcanthenquitetrustyounottoforgetto-day，andnottosayanymoretome。YouaresogenerousthatIknowIcantrusttoyouforthat；andIdoandIalwayswill。Iamgoingtoshowyou，atonce，thatIfullytrustyou。IlikethisplacewherewearespeakingbetterthananyplaceIknow；’herslightcolourhadfaded，butherloverthoughthesawitcomingbackjustthen；’andImaybeoftenhere。Iknowitisonlynecessaryformetotellyouso，tobequitesurethatyouwillnevercomehereagaininsearchofme。AndIam——quitesure!’
Shemightrelyuponit，saidYoungJohn。Hewasamiserablewretch，butherwordwasmorethanalawforhim。
’Andgood-bye，John，’saidLittleDorrit。’AndIhopeyouwillhaveagoodwifeoneday，andbeahappyman。Iamsureyouwilldeservetobehappy，andyouwillbe，John。’
Assheheldoutherhandtohimwiththesewords，theheartthatwasunderthewaistcoatofsprigs——mereslop-work，ifthetruthmustbeknown——swelledtothesizeoftheheartofagentleman；andthepoorcommonlittlefellow，havingnoroomtoholdit，burstintotears。
’Oh，don’tcry，’saidLittleDorritpiteously。’Don’t，don’t!
Good-bye，John。Godblessyou!’
’Good-bye，MissAmy。Good-bye!’
Andsohelefther：firstobservingthatshesatdownonthecornerofaseat，andnotonlyrestedherlittlehandupontheroughwall，butlaidherfaceagainstittoo，asifherheadwereheavy，andhermindweresad。
Itwasanaffectingillustrationofthefallacyofhumanprojects，tobeholdherlover，withthegreathatpulledoverhiseyes，thevelvetcollarturnedupasifitrained，theplum-colouredcoatbuttonedtoconcealthesilkenwaistcoatofgoldensprigs，andthelittledirection-postpointinginexorablyhome，creepingalongbytheworstback-streets，andcomposing，ashewent，thefollowingnewinscriptionforatombstoneinStGeorge’sChurchyard：
’HereliethemortalremainsOfJOHNCHIVERY，Neveranythingworthmentioning，Whodiedabouttheendoftheyearonethousandeighthundredandtwenty-six，Ofabrokenheart，RequestingwithhislastbreaththatthewordAMYmightbeinscribedoverhisashes，whichwasaccordinglydirectedtobedone，ByhisafflictedParents。’