Surelythegoodsofthisworld，itoccurredinanaccidentalwaytoBishoptoremark，couldscarcelybedirectedintohappierchannelsthanwhentheyaccumulatedunderthemagictouchofthewiseandsagacious，who，whiletheyknewthejustvalueofrichesBishoptriedheretolookasifhewereratherpoorhimself，wereawareoftheirimportance，judiciouslygovernedandrightlydistributed，tothewelfareofourbrethrenatlarge。
MrMerdlewithhumilityexpressedhisconvictionthatBishopcouldn’tmeanhim，andwithinconsistencyexpressedhishighgratificationinBishop’sgoodopinion。
Bishopthen——jauntilysteppingoutalittlewithhiswell-shapedrightleg，asthoughhesaidtoMrMerdle’don’tmindtheapron；amereform!’putthiscasetohisgoodfriend：
Whetherithadoccurredtohisgoodfriend，thatSocietymightnotunreasonablyhopethatonesoblestinhisundertakings，andwhoseexampleonhispedestalwassoinfluentialwithit，wouldshedalittlemoneyinthedirectionofamissionorsotoAfrica？
MrMerdlesignifyingthattheideashouldhavehisbestattention，Bishopputanothercase：
WhetherhisgoodfriendhadatallinterestedhimselfintheproceedingsofourCombinedAdditionalEndowedDignitariesCommittee，andwhetherithadoccurredtohimthattoshedalittlemoneyinthatdirectionmightbeagreatconceptionfinelyexecuted？
MrMerdlemadeasimilarreply，andBishopexplainedhisreasonforinquiring。
Societylookedtosuchmenashisgoodfriendtodosuchthings。
ItwasnotthatHElookedtothem，butthatSocietylookedtothem。
justasitwasnotOurCommitteewhowantedtheAdditionalEndowedDignitaries，butitwasSocietythatwasinastateofthemostagonisinguneasinessofminduntilitgotthem。Hebeggedtoassurehisgoodfriendthathewasextremelysensibleofhisgoodfriend’sregardonalloccasionsforthebestinterestsofSociety；
andheconsideredthathewasatonceconsultingthoseinterestsandexpressingthefeelingofSociety，whenhewishedhimcontinuedprosperity，continuedincreaseofriches，andcontinuedthingsingeneral。
Bishopthenbetookhimselfup-stairs，andtheothermagnatesgraduallyfloatedupafterhimuntiltherewasnooneleftbelowbutMrMerdle。Thatgentleman，afterlookingatthetable-clothuntilthesoulofthechiefbutlerglowedwithanobleresentment，wentslowlyupaftertherest，andbecameofnoaccountinthestreamofpeopleonthegrandstaircase。MrsMerdlewasathome，thebestofthejewelswerehungouttobeseen，Societygotwhatitcamefor，MrMerdledranktwopennyworthofteainacornerandgotmorethanhewanted。
Amongtheeveningmagnateswasafamousphysician，whokneweverybody，andwhomeverybodyknew。Onenteringatthedoor，hecameuponMrMerdledrinkinghisteainacorner，andtouchedhimonthearm。
MrMerdlestarted。’Oh!It’syou!’
’Anybetterto-day？’
’No，’saidMrMerdle，’Iamnobetter。’
’ApityIdidn’tseeyouthismorning。Praycometometo-morrow，orletmecometoyou。’
’Well!’hereplied。’Iwillcometo-morrowasIdriveby。’
BarandBishophadbothbeenbystandersduringthisshortdialogue，andasMrMerdlewassweptawaybythecrowd，theymadetheirremarksuponittothePhysician。Barsaid，therewasacertainpointofmentalstrainbeyondwhichnomancouldgo；thatthepointvariedwithvarioustexturesofbrainandpeculiaritiesofconstitution，ashehadhadoccasiontonoticeinseveralofhislearnedbrothers；butthepointofendurancepassedbyaline’sbreadth，depressionanddyspepsiaensued。Nottointrudeonthesacredmysteriesofmedicine，hetookit，nowwiththejurydroopandpersuasiveeye-glass，thatthiswasMerdle’scase？Bishopsaidthatwhenhewasayoungman，andhadfallenforabriefspaceintothehabitofwritingsermonsonSaturdays，ahabitwhichallyoungsonsofthechurchshouldsedulouslyavoid，hehadfrequentlybeensensibleofadepression，arisingashesupposedfromanover-
taxedintellect，uponwhichtheyolkofanew-laidegg，beatenupbythegoodwomaninwhosehouseheatthattimelodged，withaglassofsoundsherry，nutmeg，andpowderedsugaractedlikeacharm。Withoutpresumingtooffersosimplearemedytotheconsiderationofsoprofoundaprofessorofthegreathealingart，hewouldventuretoinquirewhetherthestrain，beingbywayofintricatecalculations，thespiritsmightnothumanlyspeakingberestoredtotheirtonebyagentleandyetgenerousstimulant？
’Yes，’saidthephysician，’yes，youarebothright。ButImayaswelltellyouthatIcanfindnothingthematterwithMrMerdle。
Hehastheconstitutionofarhinoceros，thedigestionofanostrich，andtheconcentrationofanoyster。Astonerves，MrMerdleisofacooltemperament，andnotasensitiveman：isaboutasinvulnerable，Ishouldsay，asAchilles。Howsuchamanshouldsupposehimselfunwellwithoutreason，youmaythinkstrange。ButIhavefoundnothingthematterwithhim。Hemayhavesomedeep-
seatedreconditecomplaint。Ican’tsay。Ionlysay，thatatpresentIhavenotfounditout。’
TherewasnoshadowofMrMerdle’scomplaintonthebosomnowdisplayingpreciousstonesinrivalrywithmanysimilarsuperbjewel-stands；therewasnoshadowofMrMerdle’scomplaintonyoungSparklerhoveringabouttherooms，monomaniacallyseekinganysufficientlyineligibleyoungladywithnononsenseabouther；
therewasnoshadowofMrMerdle’scomplaintontheBarnaclesandStiltstalkings，ofwhomwholecolonieswerepresent；oronanyofthecompany。Evenonhimself，itsshadowwasfaintenoughashemovedaboutamongthethrong，receivinghomage。
MrMerdle’scomplaint。Societyandhehadsomuchtodowithoneanotherinallthingselse，thatitishardtoimaginehiscomplaint，ifhehadone，beingsolelyhisownaffair。Hadhethatdeep-seatedreconditecomplaint，anddidanydoctorfinditout？
Patience。inthemeantime，theshadowoftheMarshalseawallwasarealdarkeninginfluence，andcouldbeseenontheDorritFamilyatanystageofthesun’scourse。
APuzzleMrClennamdidnotincreaseinfavourwiththeFatheroftheMarshalseaintheratioofhisincreasingvisits。HisobtusenessonthegreatTestimonialquestionwasnotcalculatedtoawakenadmirationinthepaternalbreast，buthadratheratendencytogiveoffenceinthatsensitivequarter，andtoberegardedasapositiveshortcominginpointofgentlemanlyfeeling。Animpressionofdisappointment，occasionedbythediscoverythatMrClennamscarcelypossessedthatdelicacyforwhich，intheconfidenceofhisnature，hehadbeeninclinedtogivehimcredit，begantodarkenthefatherlymindinconnectionwiththatgentleman。Thefatherwentsofarastosay，inhisprivatefamilycircle，thathefearedMrClennamwasnotamanofhighinstincts。
Hewashappy，heobserved，inhispubliccapacityasleaderandrepresentativeoftheCollege，toreceiveMrClennamwhenhecalledtopayhisrespects；buthedidn’tfindthathegotonwithhimpersonally。Thereappearedtobesomethinghedidn’tknowwhatitwaswantinginhim。Howbeit，thefatherdidnotfailinanyoutwardshowofpoliteness，but，onthecontrary，honouredhimwithmuchattention；perhapscherishingthehopethat，althoughnotamanofasufficientlybrilliantandspontaneousturnofmindtorepeathisformertestimonialunsolicited，itmightstillbewithinthecompassofhisnaturetobearthepartofaresponsivegentleman，inanycorrespondencethatwaytending。
Inthethreefoldcapacity，ofthegentlemanfromoutsidewhohadbeenaccidentallylockedinonthenightofhisfirstappearance，ofthegentlemanfromoutsidewhohadinquiredintotheaffairsoftheFatheroftheMarshalseawiththestupendousideaofgettinghimout，andofthegentlemanfromoutsidewhotookaninterestinthechildoftheMarshalsea，Clennamsoonbecameavisitorofmark。
HewasnotsurprisedbytheattentionshereceivedfromMrChiverywhenthatofficerwasonthelock，forhemadelittledistinctionbetweenMrChivery’spolitenessandthatoftheotherturnkeys。ItwasononeparticularafternoonthatMrChiverysurprisedhimallatonce，andstoodforthfromhiscompanionsinboldrelief。
MrChivery，bysomeartfulexerciseofhispowerofclearingtheLodge，hadcontrivedtoriditofallsaunteringCollegians；sothatClennam，comingoutoftheprison，shouldfindhimondutyalone。
’PrivateIaskyourpardon，sir，’saidMrChiveryinasecretmanner；’butwhichwaymightyoubegoing？’
’IamgoingovertheBridge。’HesawinMrChivery，withsomeastonishment，quiteanAllegoryofSilence，ashestoodwithhiskeyonhislips。
’PrivateIaskyourpardonagain，’saidMrChivery，’butcouldyougoroundbyHorsemongerLane？Couldyoubyanymeansfindtimetolookinatthataddress？’handinghimalittlecard，printedforcirculationamongtheconnectionofChiveryandCo。，Tobacconists，ImportersofpureHavannahCigars，BengalCheroots，andfine-
flavouredCubas，DealersinFancySnuffs，&C。&C。
’PrivateItan’ttobaccobusiness，’saidMrChivery。’Thetruthis，it’smywife。She’swishfultosayawordtoyou，sir，uponapointrespecting——yes，’saidMrChivery，answeringClennam’slookofapprehensionwithanod，’respectingher。’
’Iwillmakeapointofseeingyourwifedirectly。’
’Thankyou，sir。Muchobliged。Itan’tabovetenminutesoutofyourway。PleasetoaskforMrsChivery!’Theseinstructions，MrChivery，whohadalreadylethimout，cautiouslycalledthroughalittleslideintheouterdoor，whichhecoulddrawbackfromwithinfortheinspectionofvisitorswhenitpleasedhim。
ArthurClennam，withthecardinhishand，betookhimselftotheaddresssetforthuponit，andspeedilyarrivedthere。Itwasaverysmallestablishment，whereinadecentwomansatbehindthecounterworkingatherneedle。Littlejarsoftobacco，littleboxesofcigars，alittleassortmentofpipes，alittlejarortwoofsnuff，andalittleinstrumentlikeashoeinghornforservingitout，composedtheretailstockintrade。
Arthurmentionedhisname，andhishavingpromisedtocall，onthesolicitationofMrChivery。AboutsomethingrelatingtoMissDorrit，hebelieved。MrsChiveryatoncelaidasideherwork，roseupfromherseatbehindthecounter，anddeploringlyshookherhead。
’Youmayseehimnow，’saidshe，’ifyou’llcondescendtotakeapeep。’
Withthesemysteriouswords，sheprecededthevisitorintoalittleparlourbehindtheshop，withalittlewindowinitcommandingaverylittledullback-yard。Inthisyardawashofsheetsandtable-clothstriedinvain，forwantofairtogetitselfdriedonalineortwo；andamongthoseflappingarticleswassittinginachair，likethelastmarinerleftaliveonthedeckofadampshipwithoutthepoweroffurlingthesails，alittlewoe-begoneyoungman。
’OurJohn，’saidMrsChivery。
Nottobedeficientininterest，Clennamaskedwhathemightbedoingthere？