Five-and-TwentyAfrequentlyrecurringdoubt，whetherMrPancks’sdesiretocollectinformationrelativetotheDorritfamilycouldhaveanypossiblebearingonthemisgivingshehadimpartedtohismotheronhisreturnfromhislongexile，causedArthurClennammuchuneasinessatthisperiod。WhatMrPancksalreadyknewabouttheDorritfamily，whatmorehereallywantedtofindout，andwhyheshouldtroublehisbusyheadaboutthematall，werequestionsthatoftenperplexedhim。MrPanckswasnotamantowastehistimeandtroubleinresearchespromptedbyidlecuriosity。ThathehadaspecificobjectClennamcouldnotdoubt。AndwhethertheattainmentofthatobjectbyMrPancks’sindustrymightbringtolight，insomeuntimelyway，secretreasonswhichhadinducedhismothertotakeLittleDorritbythehand，wasaseriousspeculation。
Notthatheeverwaveredeitherinhisdesireorhisdeterminationtorepairawrongthathadbeendoneinhisfather’stime，shouldawrongcometolight，andbereparable。Theshadowofasupposedactofinjustice，whichhadhungoverhimsincehisfather’sdeath，wassovagueandformlessthatitmightbetheresultofarealitywidelyremotefromhisideaofit。But，ifhisapprehensionsshouldprovetobewellfounded，hewasreadyatanymomenttolaydownallhehad，andbegintheworldanew。Asthefiercedarkteachingofhischildhoodhadneversunkintohisheart，sothatfirstarticleinhiscodeofmoralswas，thathemustbegin，inpracticalhumility，withlookingwelltohisfeetonEarth，andthathecouldnevermountonwingsofwordstoHeaven。Dutyonearth，restitutiononearth，actiononearth；thesefirst，asthefirststeepstepsupward。Straitwasthegateandnarrowwastheway；farstraiterandnarrowerthanthebroadhighroadpavedwithvainprofessionsandvainrepetitions，motesfromothermen’seyesandliberaldeliveryofotherstothejudgment——allcheapmaterialscostingabsolutelynothing。
No。Itwasnotaselfishfearorhesitationthatrenderedhimuneasy，butamistrustlestPancksmightnotobservehispartoftheunderstandingbetweenthem，and，makinganydiscovery，mighttakesomecourseuponitwithoutimpartingittohim。Ontheotherhand，whenherecalledhisconversationwithPancks，andthelittlereasonhehadtosupposethattherewasanylikelihoodofthatstrangepersonagebeingonthattrackatall，thereweretimeswhenhewonderedthathemadesomuchofit。Labouringinthissea，asallbarkslabourincrossseas，hetossedaboutandcametonohaven。
TheremovalofLittleDorritherselffromtheircustomaryassociation，didnotmendthematter。Shewassomuchout，andsomuchinherownroom，thathebegantomissherandtofindablankinherplace。Hehadwrittentohertoinquireifshewerebetter，andshehadwrittenback，verygratefullyandearnestlytellinghimnottobeuneasyonherbehalf，forshewasquitewell；buthehadnotseenher，forwhat，intheirintercourse，wasalongtime。
Hereturnedhomeoneeveningfromaninterviewwithherfather，whohadmentionedthatshewasoutvisiting——whichwaswhathealwayssaidwhenshewashardatworktobuyhissupper——andfoundMrMeaglesinanexcitedstatewalkingupanddownhisroom。Onhisopeningthedoor，MrMeaglesstopped，facedround，andsaid：
’Clennam!——Tattycoram!’
’What’sthematter？’
’Lost!’
’Why，blessmyheartalive!’criedClennaminamazement。’Whatdoyoumean？’
’Wouldn’tcountfive-and-twenty，sir；couldn’tbegottodoit；
stoppedateight，andtookherselfoff。’
’Leftyourhouse？’
’Nevertocomeback，’saidMrMeagles，shakinghishead。’Youdon’tknowthatgirl’spassionateandproudcharacter。Ateamofhorsescouldn’tdrawherbacknow；theboltsandbarsoftheoldBastillecouldn’tkeepher。’
’Howdidithappen？Praysitdownandtellme。’
’Astohowithappened，it’snotsoeasytorelate：becauseyoumusthavetheunfortunatetemperamentofthepoorimpetuousgirlherself，beforeyoucanfullyunderstandit。Butitcameaboutinthisway。PetandMotherandIhavebeenhavingagooddealoftalktogetheroflate。I’llnotdisguisefromyou，Clennam，thatthoseconversationshavenotbeenofasbrightakindasIcouldwish；theyhavereferredtoourgoingawayagain。Inproposingtodowhich，Ihavehad，infact，anobject。’
Nobody’sheartbeatquickly。
’Anobject，’saidMrMeagles，afteramoment’spause，’thatIwillnotdisguisefromyou，either，Clennam。There’saninclinationonthepartofmydearchildwhichIamsorryfor。Perhapsyouguesstheperson。HenryGowan。’
’Iwasnotunpreparedtohearit。’
’Well!’saidMrMeagles，withaheavysigh，’IwishtoGodyouhadneverhadtohearit。However，soitis。MotherandIhavedoneallwecouldtogetthebetterofit，Clennam。Wehavetriedtenderadvice，wehavetriedtime，wehavetriedabsence。Asyet，ofnouse。Ourlateconversationshavebeenuponthesubjectofgoingawayforanotheryearatleast，inorderthattheremightbeanentireseparationandbreakingoffforthatterm。Uponthatquestion，Pethasbeenunhappy，andthereforeMotherandIhavebeenunhappy。’
Clennamsaidthathecouldeasilybelieveit。
’Well!’continuedMrMeaglesinanapologeticway，’Iadmitasapracticalman，andIamsureMotherwouldadmitasapracticalwoman，thatwedo，infamilies，magnifyourtroublesandmakemountainsofourmolehillsinawaythatiscalculatedtoberathertryingtopeoplewholookon——tomereoutsiders，youknow，Clennam。
Still，Pet’shappinessorunhappinessisquitealifeordeathquestionwithus；andwemaybeexcused，Ihope，formakingmuchofit。Atallevents，itmighthavebeenbornebyTattycoram。Now，don’tyouthinkso？’
’Idoindeedthinkso，’returnedClennam，inmostemphaticrecognitionofthisverymoderateexpectation。
’No，sir，’saidMrMeagles，shakinghisheadruefully。’Shecouldn’tstandit。Thechafingandfiringofthatgirl，thewearingandtearingofthatgirlwithinherownbreast，hasbeensuchthatIhavesoftlysaidtoheragainandagaininpassingher，’Five-and-twenty，Tattycoram，five-and-twenty!“Iheartilywishshecouldhavegoneoncountingfive-and-twentydayandnight，andthenitwouldn’thavehappened。’
MrMeagleswithadespondentcountenanceinwhichthegoodnessofhisheartwasevenmoreexpressedthaninhistimesofcheerfulnessandgaiety，strokedhisfacedownfromhisforeheadtohischin，andshookhisheadagain。
’IsaidtoMothernotthatitwasnecessary，forshewouldhavethoughtitallforherself，wearepracticalpeople，mydear，andweknowherstory；weseeinthisunhappygirlsomereflectionofwhatwasraginginhermother’sheartbeforeeversuchacreatureasthispoorthingwasintheworld；we’llglosshertemperover，Mother，wewon’tnoticeitatpresent，mydear，we’lltakeadvantageofsomebetterdispositioninheranothertime。Sowesaidnothing。But，dowhatwewould，itseemsasifitwastobe；
shebrokeoutviolentlyonenight。’
’How，andwhy？’
’IfyouaskmeWhy，’saidMrMeagles，alittledisturbedbythequestion，forhewasfarmoreintentonsofteninghercasethanthefamily’s，’IcanonlyreferyoutowhatIhavejustrepeatedashavingbeenprettynearmywordstoMother。AstoHow，wehadsaidGoodnighttoPetinherpresenceveryaffectionately，Imustallow，andshehadattendedPetup-stairs——youremembershewashermaid。PerhapsPet，havingbeenoutofsorts，mayhavebeenalittlemoreinconsideratethanusualinrequiringservicesofher：
butIdon’tknowthatIhaveanyrighttosayso；shewasalwaysthoughtfulandgentle。’
’Thegentlestmistressintheworld。’
’Thankyou，Clennam，’saidMrMeagles，shakinghimbythehand；
’youhaveoftenseenthemtogether。Well!WepresentlyheardthisunfortunateTattycoramloudandangry，andbeforewecouldaskwhatwasthematter，Petcamebackinatremble，sayingshewasfrightenedofher。CloseafterhercameTattycoraminaflamingrage。“Ihateyouallthree，“saysshe，stampingherfootatus。
“Iamburstingwithhateofthewholehouse。“’
’Uponwhichyou——？’
’I？’saidMrMeagles，withaplaingoodfaiththatmighthavecommandedthebeliefofMrsGowanherself。’Isaid，countfive-
and-twenty，Tattycoram。’
MrMeaglesagainstrokedhisfaceandshookhishead，withanairofprofoundregret。
’Shewassousedtodoit，Clennam，thateventhen，suchapictureofpassionasyouneversaw，shestoppedshort，lookedmefullintheface，andcountedasImadeouttoeight。Butshecouldn’tcontrolherselftogoanyfurther。Thereshebrokedown，poorthing，andgavetheotherseventeentothefourwinds。Thenitallburstout。Shedetestedus，shewasmiserablewithus，shecouldn’tbearit，shewouldn’tbearit，shewasdeterminedtogoaway。Shewasyoungerthanheryoungmistress，andwouldsheremaintoseeheralwaysheldupastheonlycreaturewhowasyoungandinteresting，andtobecherishedandloved？No。Shewouldn’t，shewouldn’t，shewouldn’t!Whatdidwethinkshe，Tattycoram，mighthavebeenifshehadbeencaressedandcaredforinherchildhood，likeheryoungmistress？Asgoodasher？Ah!Perhapsfiftytimesasgood。Whenwepretendedtobesofondofoneanother，weexultedoverher；thatwaswhatwedid；weexultedoverherandshamedher。Andallinthehousedidthesame。Theytalkedabouttheirfathersandmothers，andbrothersandsisters；
theylikedtodragthemupbeforeherface。TherewasMrsTickit，onlyyesterday，whenherlittlegrandchildwaswithher，hadbeenamusedbythechild’stryingtocallherTattycorambythewretchednamewegaveher；andhadlaughedatthename。Why，whodidn’t；andwhowerewethatweshouldhavearighttonameherlikeadogoracat？Butshedidn’tcare。Shewouldtakenomorebenefitsfromus；shewouldflingushernamebackagain，andshewouldgo。Shewouldleaveusthatminute，nobodyshouldstopher，andweshouldneverhearofheragain。’
MrMeagleshadrecitedallthiswithsuchavividremembranceofhisoriginal，thathewasalmostasflushedandhotbythistimeashedescribedhertohavebeen。
’Ah，well!’hesaid，wipinghisface。’Itwasofnousetryingreasonthen，withthatvehementpantingcreatureHeavenknowswhathermother’sstorymusthavebeen；soIquietlytoldherthatsheshouldnotgoatthatlatehourofnight，andIgaveherMYhandandtookhertoherroom，andlockedthehousedoors。Butshewasgonethismorning。’
’Andyouknownomoreofher？’
’Nomore，’returnedMrMeagles。’Ihavebeenhuntingaboutallday。Shemusthavegoneveryearlyandverysilently。Ihavefoundnotraceofherdownaboutus。’
’Stay!Youwant，’saidClennam，afteramoment’sreflection，’toseeher？Iassumethat？’
’Yes，assuredly；Iwanttogiveheranotherchance；MotherandPetwanttogiveheranotherchance；come!Youyourself，’saidMrMeagles，persuasively，asiftheprovocationtobeangrywerenothisownatall，’wanttogivethepoorpassionategirlanotherchance，Iknow，Clennam。’
’ItwouldbestrangeandhardindeedifIdidnot，’saidClennam，’whenyouareallsoforgiving。WhatIwasgoingtoaskyouwas，haveyouthoughtofthatMissWade？’
’Ihave。IdidnotthinkofheruntilIhadpervadedthewholeofourneighbourhood，andIdon’tknowthatIshouldhavedonesothenbutforfindingMotherandPet，whenIwenthome，fulloftheideathatTattycorammusthavegonetoher。Then，ofcourse，IrecalledwhatshesaidthatdayatdinnerwhenyouwerefirstwithUS。’