’OhnonsensemydearchildIcanneverhearofthat，’saidFlora，turningontheurninthemostrecklessmanner，andmakingherselfwinkbysplashinghotwaterintohereyesasshebentdowntolookintotheteapot。’YouarecominghereonthefootingofafriendandcompanionyouknowifyouwillletmetakethatlibertyandI
shouldbeashamedofmyselfindeedifyoucouldcomehereuponanyother，besideswhichArthurClennamspokeinsuchterms——youaretiredmydear。’
’No，ma’am。’
’YouturnsopaleyouhavewalkedtoofarbeforebreakfastandI
daresayliveagreatwayoffandoughttohavehadaride，’saidFlora，’deardearisthereanythingthatwoulddoyougood？’
’IndeedIamquitewell，ma’am。Ithankyouagainandagain，butIamquitewell。’
’ThentakeyourteaatonceIbeg，’saidFlora，’andthiswingoffowlandbitofham，don’tmindmeorwaitforme，becauseIalwayscarryinthistraymyselftoMrF。’sAuntwhobreakfastsinbedandacharmingoldladytooandveryclever，PortraitofMrF。behindthedoorandverylikethoughtoomuchforeheadandastoapillarwithamarblepavementandbalustradesandamountain，Ineversawhimnearitnornotlikelyinthewinetrade，excellentmanbutnotatallinthatway。’
LittleDorritglancedattheportrait，veryimperfectlyfollowingthereferencestothatworkofart。
’MrF。wassodevotedtomethathenevercouldbearmeoutofhissight，’saidFlora，’thoughofcourseIamunabletosayhowlongthatmighthavelastedifhehadn’tbeencutshortwhileIwasanewbroom，worthymanbutnotpoeticalmanlyprosebutnotromance。’
LittleDorritglancedattheportraitagain。Theartisthadgivenitaheadthatwouldhavebeen，inanintellectualpointofview，top-heavyforShakespeare。
’Romance，however，’Florawenton，busilyarrangingMrF。’sAunt’stoast，’asIopenlysaidtoMrF。whenheproposedtomeandyouwillbesurprisedtohearthatheproposedseventimesonceinahackney-coachonceinaboatonceinapewonceonadonkeyatTunbridgeWellsandtherestonhisknees，RomancewasfledwiththeearlydaysofArthurClennam，ourparentstoreusasunderwebecamemarbleandsternrealityusurpedthethrone，MrF。saidverymuchtohiscreditthathewasperfectlyawareofitandevenpreferredthatstateofthingsaccordinglythewordwasspokenthefiatwentforthandsuchislifeyouseemydearandyetwedonotbreakbutbend，praymakeagoodbreakfastwhileIgoinwiththetray。’
Shedisappeared，leavingLittleDorrittoponderoverthemeaningofherscatteredwords。Shesooncamebackagain；andatlastbegantotakeherownbreakfast，talkingallthewhile。
’Yousee，mydear，’saidFlora，measuringoutaspoonfulortwoofsomebrownliquidthatsmeltlikebrandy，andputtingitintohertea，’IamobligedtobecarefultofollowthedirectionsofmymedicalmanthoughtheflavourisanythingbutagreeablebeingapoorcreatureanditmaybehaveneverrecoveredtheshockreceivedinyouthfromtoomuchgivingwaytocryinginthenextroomwhenseparatedfromArthur，haveyouknownhimlong？’
AssoonasLittleDorritcomprehendedthatshehadbeenaskedthisquestion——forwhichtimewasnecessary，thegallopingpaceofhernewpatronesshavingleftherfarbehind——sheansweredthatshehadknownMrClennameversincehisreturn。
’Tobesureyoucouldn’thaveknownhimbeforeunlessyouhadbeeninChinaorhadcorrespondedneitherofwhichislikely，’returnedFlora，’fortravelling-peopleusuallygetmoreorlessmahoganyandyouarenotatallsoandastocorrespondingwhatabout？that’sverytrueunlesstea，soitwasathismother’swasitreallythatyouknewhimfirst，highlysensibleandfirmbutdreadfullysevere——oughttobethemotherofthemanintheironmask。“
’MrsClennamhasbeenkindtome，’saidLittleDorrit。
’Really？IamsureIamgladtohearitbecauseasArthur’smotherit’snaturallypleasanttomyfeelingstohaveabetteropinionofherthanIhadbefore，thoughwhatshethinksofmewhenIrunonasIamcertaintodoandshesitsgloweringatmelikeFateinago-cart——shockingcomparisonreally——invalidandnotherfault——I
neverknoworcanimagine。’
’ShallIfindmyworkanywhere，ma’am？’askedLittleDorrit，lookingtimidlyabout；’canIgetit？’
’Youindustriouslittlefairy，’returnedFlora，taking，inanothercupoftea，anotherofthedosesprescribedbyhermedicalman，’there’snottheslightesthurryandit’sbetterthatweshouldbeginbybeingconfidentialaboutourmutualfriend——toocoldawordformeatleastIdon’tmeanthat，veryproperexpressionmutualfriend——thanbecomethroughmereformalitiesnotyoubutmeliketheSpartanboywiththefoxbitinghim，whichIhopeyou’llexcusemybringingupforofallthetiresomeboysthatwillgotumblingintoeverysortofcompanythatboy’sthetiresomest。’
LittleDorrit，herfaceverypale，satdownagaintolisten。
’Hadn’tIbetterworkthewhile？’sheasked。’Icanworkandattendtoo。Iwouldrather，ifImay。’
Herearnestnesswassoexpressiveofherbeinguneasywithoutherwork，thatFloraanswered，’Wellmydearwhateveryoulikebest，’
andproducedabasketofwhitehandkerchiefs。LittleDorritgladlyputitbyherside，tookoutherlittlepocket-housewife，threadedtheneedle，andbegantohem。
’Whatnimblefingersyouhave，’saidFlora，’butareyousureyouarewell？’
’Ohyes，indeed!’
Floraputherfeetuponthefender，andsettledherselfforathoroughgoodromanticdisclosure。Shestartedoffatscore，tossingherhead，sighinginthemostdemonstrativemanner，makingagreatdealofuseofhereyebrows，andoccasionally，butnotoften，glancingatthequietfacethatbentoverthework。
’Youmustknowmydear，’saidFlora，’butthatIhavenodoubtyouknowalreadynotonlybecauseIhavealreadythrownitoutinageneralwaybutbecauseIfeelIcarryitstampedinburningwhat’shisnamesuponmybrowthatbeforeIwasintroducedtothelateMrF。IhadbeenengagedtoArthurClennam——MrClennaminpublicwherereserveisnecessaryArthurhere——wewereallinalltooneanotheritwasthemorningoflifeitwasblissitwasfrenzyitwaseverythingelseofthatsortinthehighestdegree，whenrentasunderweturnedtostoneinwhichcapacityArthurwenttoChinaandIbecamethestatuebrideofthelateMrF。’
Flora，utteringthesewordsinadeepvoice，enjoyedherselfimmensely。
’Topaint，’saidshe，’theemotionsofthatmorningwhenallwasmarblewithinandMrF。’sAuntfollowedinaglass-coachwhichitstandstoreasonmusthavebeeninshamefulrepairoritnevercouldhavebrokendowntwostreetsfromthehouseandMrF。’sAuntbroughthomelikethefifthofNovemberinarush-bottomedchairI
willnotattempt，sufficeittosaythatthehollowformofbreakfasttookplaceinthedining-roomdownstairsthatpapapartakingtoofreelyofpickledsalmonwasillforweeksandthatMrF。andmyselfwentuponacontinentaltourtoCalaiswherethepeoplefoughtforusonthepieruntiltheyseparatedusthoughnotforeverthatwasnotyettobe。’
Thestatuebride，hardlypausingforbreath，wenton，withthegreatestcomplacency，inaramblingmannersometimesincidentaltofleshandblood。
’Iwilldrawaveiloverthatdreamylife，MrF。wasingoodspiritshisappetitewasgoodhelikedthecookeryheconsideredthewineweakbutpalatableandallwaswell，wereturnedtotheimmediateneighbourhoodofNumberThirtyLittleGoslingStreetLondonDocksandsettleddown，erewehadyetfullydetectedthehousemaidinsellingthefeathersoutofthesparebedGoutflyingupwardssoaredwithMrF。toanothersphere。’
Hisrelict，withaglanceathisportrait，shookherheadandwipedhereyes。
’IreverethememoryofMrF。asanestimablemanandmostindulgenthusband，onlynecessarytomentionAsparagusanditappearedortohintatanylittledelicatethingtodrinkanditcamelikemagicinapintbottleitwasnotecstasybutitwascomfort，Ireturnedtopapa’sroofandlivedsecludedifnothappyduringsomeyearsuntilonedaypapacamesmoothlyblunderinginandsaidthatArthurClennamawaitedmebelow，IwentbelowandfoundhimaskmenotwhatIfoundhimexceptthathewasstillunmarriedstillunchanged!’
ThedarkmysterywithwhichFloranowenshroudedherselfmighthavestoppedotherfingersthanthenimblefingersthatworkednearher。
Theyworkedonwithoutpause，andthebusyheadbentoverthemwatchingthestitches。
’Askmenot，’saidFlora，’ifIlovehimstillorifhestilllovesmeorwhattheendistobeorwhen，wearesurroundedbywatchfuleyesanditmaybethatwearedestinedtopineasunderitmaybenevermoretobereunitednotawordnotabreathnotalooktobetrayusallmustbesecretasthetombwondernotthereforethatevenifIshouldseemcomparativelycoldtoArthurorArthurshouldseemcomparativelycoldtomewehavefatalreasonsitisenoughifweunderstandthemhush!’
AllofwhichFlorasaidwithsomuchheadlongvehemenceasifshereallybelievedit。Thereisnotmuchdoubtthatwhensheworkedherselfintofullmermaidcondition，shedidactuallybelievewhatevershesaidinit。
’Hush!’repeatedFlora，’Ihavenowtoldyouall，confidenceisestablishedbetweenushush，forArthur’ssakeIwillalwaysbeafriendtoyoumydeargirlandinArthur’snameyoumayalwaysrelyuponme。’
Thenimblefingerslaidasidethework，andthelittlefigureroseandkissedherhand。’Youareverycold，’saidFlora，changingtoherownnaturalkind-heartedmanner，andgaininggreatlybythechange。’Don’tworkto-day。IamsureyouarenotwellIamsureyouarenotstrong。’
’ItisonlythatIfeelalittleovercomebyyourkindness，andbyMrClennam’skindnessinconfidingmetoonehehasknownandlovedsolong。’
’Wellreallymydear，’saidFlora，whohadadecidedtendencytobealwayshonestwhenshegaveherselftimetothinkaboutit，’it’saswelltoleavethatalonenow，forIcouldn’tundertaketosayafterall，butitdoesn’tsignifyliedownalittle!’
’IhavealwaysbeenstrongenoughtodowhatIwanttodo，andI
shallbequitewelldirectly，’returnedLittleDorrit，withafaintsmile。’Youhaveoverpoweredmewithgratitude，that’sall。IfI
keepnearthewindowforamomentIshallbequitemyself。’
Floraopenedawindow，satherinachairbyit，andconsideratelyretiredtoherformerplace。Itwasawindyday，andtheairstirringonLittleDorrit’sfacesoonbrightenedit。Inaveryfewminutesshereturnedtoherbasketofwork，andhernimblefingerswereasnimbleasever。
Quietlypursuinghertask，sheaskedFloraifMrClennamhadtoldherwhereshelived？WhenFlorarepliedinthenegative，LittleDorritsaidthatsheunderstoodwhyhehadbeensodelicate，butthatshefeltsurehewouldapproveofherconfidinghersecrettoFlora，andthatshewouldthereforedosonowwithFlora’spermission。Receivinganencouraginganswer，shecondensedthenarrativeofherlifeintoafewscantywordsaboutherselfandaglowingeulogyuponherfather；andFloratookitallinwithanaturaltendernessthatquiteunderstoodit，andinwhichtherewasnoincoherence。
Whendinner-timecame，Floradrewthearmofhernewchargethroughhers，andledherdown-stairs，andpresentedhertothePatriarchandMrPancks，whowerealreadyinthedining-roomwaitingtobegin。MrF。’sAuntwas，forthetime，laidupinordinaryinherchamber。Bythosegentlemenshewasreceivedaccordingtotheircharacters；thePatriarchappearingtodohersomeinestimableserviceinsayingthathewasgladtoseeher，gladtoseeher；andMrPancksblowingoffhisfavouritesoundasasalute。
Inthatnewpresenceshewouldhavebeenbashfulenoughunderanycircumstances，andparticularlyunderFlora’sinsistingonherdrinkingaglassofwineandeatingofthebestthatwasthere；butherconstraintwasgreatlyincreasedbyMrPancks。Thedemeanourofthatgentlemanatfirstsuggestedtohermindthathemightbeatakeroflikenesses，sointentlydidhelookather，andsofrequentlydidheglanceatthelittlenote-bookbyhisside。
Observingthathemadenosketch，however，andthathetalkedaboutbusinessonly，shebegantohavesuspicionsthatherepresentedsomecreditorofherfather’s，thebalanceduetowhomwasnotedinthatpocketvolume。RegardedfromthispointofviewMrPancks’spuffingsexpressedinjuryandimpatience，andeachofhisloudersnortsbecameademandforpayment。