MrsFlintwinchgoesonDreamingThehouseinthecitypreserveditsheavydulnessthroughallthesetransactions，andtheinvalidwithinitturnedthesameunvaryingroundoflife。Morning，noon，andnight，morning，noon，andnight，eachrecurringwithitsaccompanyingmonotony，alwaysthesamereluctantreturnofthesamesequencesofmachinery，likeadraggingpieceofclockwork。
Thewheeledchairhaditsassociatedremembrancesandreveries，onemaysuppose，aseveryplacethatismadethestationofahumanbeinghas。Picturesofdemolishedstreetsandalteredhouses，astheyformerlywerewhentheoccupantofthechairwasfamiliarwiththem，imagesofpeopleastheytoousedtobe，withlittleornoallowancemadeforthelapseoftimesincetheywereseen；ofthese，theremusthavebeenmanyinthelongroutineofgloomydays。Tostoptheclockofbusyexistenceatthehourwhenwewerepersonallysequesteredfromit，tosupposemankindstrickenmotionlesswhenwewerebroughttoastand-still，tobeunabletomeasurethechangesbeyondourviewbyanylargerstandardthantheshrunkenoneofourownuniformandcontractedexistence，istheinfirmityofmanyinvalids，andthementalunhealthinessofalmostallrecluses。
Whatscenesandactorsthesternwomanmostreviewed，asshesatfromseasontoseasoninheronedarkroom，noneknewbutherself。
MrFlintwinch，withhiswrypresencebroughttobearuponherdailylikesomeeccentricmechanicalforce，wouldperhapshavescreweditoutofher，iftherehadbeenlessresistanceinher；butshewastoostrongforhim。SofarasMistressAfferywasconcerned，toregardherliege-lordandherdisabledmistresswithafaceofblankwonder，togoaboutthehouseafterdarkwithherapronoverherhead，alwaystolistenforthestrangenoisesandsometimestohearthem，andnevertoemergefromherghostly，dreamy，sleep-
wakingstate，wasoccupationenoughforher。
Therewasafairstrokeofbusinessdoing，asMistressAfferymadeout，forherhusbandhadabundantoccupationinhislittleoffice，andsawmorepeoplethanhadbeenusedtocomethereforsomeyears。Thismighteasilybe，thehousehavingbeenlongdeserted；
buthedidreceiveletters，andcomers，andkeepbooks，andcorrespond。Moreover，hewentabouttoothercounting-houses，andtowharves，anddocks，andtotheCustomHouse，’andtoGarraway’sCoffeeHouse，andtheJerusalemCoffeeHouse，andon’Change；sothathewasmuchinandout。Hebegan，too，sometimesofanevening，whenMrsClennamexpressednoparticularwishforhissociety，toresorttoatavernintheneighbourhoodtolookattheshippingnewsandclosingpricesintheeveningpaper，andeventoexchangeSmallsocialitieswithmercantileSeaCaptainswhofrequentedthatestablishment。Atsomeperiodofeveryday，heandMrsClennamheldacouncilonmattersofbusiness；anditappearedtoAffery，whowasalwaysgropingabout，listeningandwatching，thatthetwocleveronesweremakingmoney。
ThestateofmindintowhichMrFlintwinch’sdazedladyhadfallen，hadnowbeguntobesoexpressedinallherlooksandactionsthatshewasheldinverylowaccountbythetwocleverones，asaperson，neverofstrongintellect，whowasbecomingfoolish。
Perhapsbecauseherappearancewasnotofacommercialcast，orperhapsbecauseitoccurredtohimthathishavingtakenhertowifemightexposehisjudgmenttodoubtinthemindsofcustomers，MrFlintwinchlaidhiscommandsuponherthatsheshouldholdherpeaceonthesubjectofherconjugalrelations，andshouldnolongercallhimJeremiahoutofthedomestictrio。Herfrequentforgetfulnessofthisadmonitionintensifiedherstartledmanner，sinceMrFlintwinch’shabitofavenginghimselfonherremissnessbymakingspringsafterheronthestaircase，andshakingher，occasionedhertobealwaysnervouslyuncertainwhenshemightbethuswaylaidnext。
LittleDorrithadfinishedalongday’sworkinMrsClennam’sroom，andwasneatlygatheringuphershredsandoddsandendsbeforegoinghome。MrPancks，whomAfferyhadjustshownin，wasaddressinganinquirytoMrsClennamonthesubjectofherhealth，coupledwiththeremarkthat，’happeningtofindhimselfinthatdirection，’hehadlookedintoinquire，onbehalfofhisproprietor，howshefoundherself。MrsClennam，withadeepcontractionofherbrows，waslookingathim。
’MrCasbyknows，’saidshe，’thatIamnotsubjecttochanges。ThechangethatIawaithereisthegreatchange。’
’Indeed，ma’am？’returnedMrPancks，withawanderingeyetowardsthefigureofthelittleseamstressonherkneepickingthreadsandfrayingofherworkfromthecarpet。’Youlooknicely，ma’am。’
’IbearwhatIhavetobear，’sheanswered。’Doyouwhatyouhavetodo。’
’Thankyou，ma’am，’saidMrPancks，’suchismyendeavour。’
’Youareofteninthisdirection，areyounot？’askedMrsClennam。
’Why，yes，ma’am，’saidPancks，’rathersolately；Ihavelatelybeenroundthiswayagooddeal，owingtoonethingandanother。’
’BegMrCasbyandhisdaughternottotroublethemselves，bydeputy，aboutme。Whentheywishtoseeme，theyknowIamheretoseethem。Theyhavenoneedtotroublethemselvestosend。Youhavenoneedtotroubleyourselftocome。’
’Nottheleasttrouble，ma’am，’saidMrPancks。’Youreallyarelookinguncommonlynicely，ma’am。’
’Thankyou。Goodevening。’
Thedismissal，anditsaccompanyingfingerpointedstraightatthedoor，wassocurtanddirectthatMrPancksdidnotseehiswaytoprolonghisvisit。Hestirreduphishairwithhissprightliestexpression，glancedatthelittlefigureagain，said’Goodevening，ma’am；don’tcomedown，MrsAffery，Iknowtheroadtothedoor，’
andsteamedout。MrsClennam，herchinrestingonherhand，followedhimwithattentiveanddarklydistrustfuleyes；andAfferystoodlookingatherasifshewerespell-bound。
Slowlyandthoughtfully，MrsClennam’seyesturnedfromthedoorbywhichPanckshadgoneout，toLittleDorrit，risingfromthecarpet。Withherchindroopingmoreheavilyonherhand，andhereyesvigilantandlowering，thesickwomansatlookingatheruntilsheattractedherattention。LittleDorritcolouredundersuchagaze，andlookeddown。MrsClennamstillsatintent。
’LittleDorrit，’shesaid，whensheatlastbrokesilence，’whatdoyouknowofthatman？’
’Idon’tknowanythingofhim，ma’am，exceptthatIhaveseenhimabout，andthathehasspokentome。’
’Whathashesaidtoyou？’
’Idon’tunderstandwhathehassaid，heissostrange。Butnothingroughordisagreeable。’
’Whydoeshecomeheretoseeyou？’
’Idon’tknow，ma’am，’saidLittleDorrit，withperfectfrankness。
’Youknowthathedoescomeheretoseeyou？’
’Ihavefanciedso，’saidLittleDorrit。’Butwhyheshouldcomehereoranywhereforthat，ma’am，Ican’tthink。’
MrsClennamcasthereyestowardstheground，andwithherstrong，setface，asintentuponasubjectinhermindasithadlatelybeenupontheformthatseemedtopassoutofherview，satabsorbed。Someminuteselapsedbeforeshecameoutofthisthoughtfulness，andresumedherhardcomposure。
LittleDorritinthemeanwhilehadbeenwaitingtogo，butafraidtodisturbherbymoving。Shenowventuredtoleavethespotwhereshehadbeenstandingsinceshehadrisen，andtopassgentlyroundbythewheeledchair。Shestoppedatitssidetosay’Goodnight，ma’am。’
MrsClennamputoutherhand，andlaiditonherarm。LittleDorrit，confusedunderthetouch，stoodfaltering。PerhapssomemomentaryrecollectionofthestoryofthePrincessmayhavebeeninhermind。
’Tellme，LittleDorrit，’saidMrsClennam，’haveyoumanyfriendsnow？’
’Veryfew，ma’am。Besidesyou，onlyMissFloraand——onemore。’
’Meaning，’saidMrsClennam，withherunbentfingeragainpointingtothedoor，’thatman？’
’Ohno，ma’am!’
’Somefriendofhis，perhaps？’
’Noma’am。’LittleDorritearnestlyshookherhead。’Ohno!Nooneatalllikehim，orbelongingtohim。’
’Well!’saidMrsClennam，almostsmiling。’Itisnoaffairofmine。Iask，becauseItakeaninterestinyou；andbecauseI
believeIwasyourfriendwhenyouhadnootherwhocouldserveyou。Isthatso？’
’Yes，ma’am；indeeditis。Ihavebeenheremanyatimewhen，butforyouandtheworkyougaveme，weshouldhavewantedeverything。’
’We，’repeatedMrsClennam，lookingtowardsthewatch，onceherdeadhusband’s，whichalwayslayuponhertable。’Aretheremanyofyou？’
’OnlyfatherandI，now。Imean，onlyfatherandItokeepregularlyoutofwhatweget。’
’Haveyouundergonemanyprivations？Youandyourfatherandwhoelsetheremaybeofyou？’askedMrsClennam，speakingdeliberately，andmeditativelyturningthewatchoverandover。
’Sometimesithasbeenratherhardtolive，’saidLittleDorrit，inhersoftvoice，andtimiduncomplainingway；’butIthinknotharder——astothat——thanmanypeoplefindit。’
’That’swellsaid!’MrsClennamquicklyreturned。’That’sthetruth!Youareagood，thoughtfulgirl。Youareagratefulgirltoo，orImuchmistakeyou。’
’Itisonlynaturaltobethat。Thereisnomeritinbeingthat，’
saidLittleDorrit。’Iamindeed。’
MrsClennam，withagentlenessofwhichthedreamingAfferyhadneverdreamedhertobecapable，drewdownthefaceofherlittleseamstress，andkissedherontheforehead。’Nowgo，LittleDorrit，’saidshe，’oryouwillbelate，poorchild!’
InallthedreamsMistressAfferyhadbeenpilingupsinceshefirstbecamedevotedtothepursuit，shehaddreamednothingmoreastonishingthanthis。HerheadachedwiththeideathatshewouldfindtheothercleveronekissingLittleDorritnext，andthenthetwocleveronesembracingeachotheranddissolvingintotearsoftendernessforallmankind。Theideaquitestunnedher，assheattendedthelightfootstepsdownthestairs，thatthehousedoormightbesafelyshut。
OnopeningittoletLittleDorritout，shefoundMrPancks，insteadofhavinggonehisway，asinanylesswonderfulplaceandamonglesswonderfulphenomenahemighthavebeenreasonablyexpectedtodo，flutteringupanddownthecourtoutsidethehouse。
ThemomenthesawLittleDorrit，hepassedherbriskly，saidwithhisfingertohisnoseasMrsAfferydistinctlyheard，’Pancksthegipsy，fortune-telling，’andwentaway。’Lordsaveus，here’sagipsyandafortune-tellerinitnow!’criedMistressAffery。
’Whatnext!Shestoodattheopendoor，staggeringherselfwiththisenigma，onarainy，thunderyevening。Thecloudswereflyingfast，andthewindwascomingupingusts，bangingsomeneighbouringshuttersthathadbrokenloose，twirlingtherustychimney-cowlsandweather-cocks，andrushingroundandroundaconfinedadjacentchurchyardasifithadamindtoblowthedeadcitizensoutoftheirgraves。Thelowthunder，mutteringinallquartersoftheskyatonce，seemedtothreatenvengeanceforthisattempteddesecration，andtomutter，’Letthemrest!Letthemrest!’