’Oyes!’saidArthurClennam。
’Well，sir，thisisMrsPlornish’sfather。’
’Indeed？Iamgladtoseehim。’
’Youwouldbemoregladifyouknewhismanygoodqualities，MrClennam。’
’IhopeIshallcometoknowthemthroughknowinghim，’saidArthur，secretlypityingthebowedandsubmissivefigure。
’Itisaholidaywithhim，andhecomestoseehisoldfriends，whoarealwaysgladtoseehim，’observedtheFatheroftheMarshalsea。
Thenheaddedbehindhishand，’Union，pooroldfellow。Outfortheday。’
BythistimeMaggy，quietlyassistedbyherLittleMother，hadspreadtheboard，andtherepastwasready。Itbeinghotweatherandtheprisonveryclose，thewindowwasaswideopenasitcouldbepushed。’IfMaggywillspreadthatnewspaperonthewindow-
sill，mydear，’remarkedtheFathercomplacentlyandinahalfwhispertoLittleDorrit，’myoldpensionercanhavehisteathere，whilewearehavingours。’
So，withagulfbetweenhimandthegoodcompanyofaboutafootinwidth，standardmeasure，MrsPlornish’sfatherwashandsomelyregaled。ClennamhadneverseenanythinglikehismagnanimousprotectionbythatotherFather，heoftheMarshalsea；andwaslostinthecontemplationofitsmanywonders。
Themoststrikingofthesewasperhapstherelishingmannerinwhichheremarkedonthepensioner’sinfirmitiesandfailings，asifhewereagraciousKeepermakingarunningcommentaryonthedeclineoftheharmlessanimalheexhibited。
’Notreadyformorehamyet，Nandy？Why，howslowyouare!Hislastteeth，’heexplainedtothecompany，’aregoing，pooroldboy。’
Atanothertime，hesaid，’Noshrimps，Nandy？’andonhisnotinstantlyreplying，observed，’Hishearingisbecomingverydefective。He’llbedeafdirectly。’
Atanothertimeheaskedhim，’Doyouwalkmuch，Nandy，abouttheyardwithinthewallsofthatplaceofyours？’
’No，sir；no。Ihaven’tanygreatlikingforthat。’
’No，tobesure，’heassented。’Verynatural。’Thenheprivatelyinformedthecircle’Legsgoing。’
Onceheaskedthepensioner，inthatgeneralclemencywhichaskedhimanythingtokeephimafloat，howoldhisyoungergrandchildwas？
’JohnEdward，’saidthepensioner，slowlylayingdownhisknifeandforktoconsider。’Howold，sir？Letmethinknow。’
TheFatheroftheMarshalseatappedhisforehead’Memoryweak。’
’JohnEdward，sir？Well，Ireallyforget。Icouldn’tsayatthisminute，sir，whetherit’stwoandtwomonths，orwhetherit’stwoandfivemonths。It’soneortheother。’
’Don’tdistressyourselfbyworryingyourmindaboutit，’hereturned，withinfiniteforbearance。’Facultiesevidentlydecaying——oldmanrustsinthelifeheleads!’
Themoreofthesediscoveriesthathepersuadedhimselfhemadeinthepensioner，thebetterheappearedtolikehim；andwhenhegotoutofhischairafterteatobidthepensionergood-bye，onhisintimatingthathefeared，honouredsir，histimewasrunningout，hemadehimselflookaserectandstrongaspossible。
’Wedon’tcallthisashilling，Nandy，youknow，’hesaid，puttingoneinhishand。’Wecallittobacco。’
’Honouredsir，Ithankyou。Itshallbuytobacco。MythanksanddutytoMissAmyandMissFanny。Iwishyougoodnight，MrClennam。’
’Andmindyoudon’tforgetus，youknow，Nandy，’saidtheFather。
’Youmustcomeagain，mind，wheneveryouhaveanafternoon。Youmustnotcomeoutwithoutseeingus，orweshallbejealous。Goodnight，Nandy。Beverycarefulhowyoudescendthestairs，Nandy；
theyareratherunevenandworn。’Withthathestoodonthelanding，watchingtheoldmandown：andwhenhecameintotheroomagain，said，withasolemnsatisfactiononhim，’Amelancholysightthat，MrClennam，thoughonehastheconsolationofknowingthathedoesn’tfeelithimself。Thepooroldfellowisadismalwreck。
Spiritbrokenandgone——pulverised——crushedoutofhim，sir，completely!’
AsClennamhadapurposeinremaining，hesaidwhathecouldresponsivetothesesentiments，andstoodatthewindowwiththeirenunciator，whileMaggyandherLittleMotherwashedthetea-
serviceandcleareditaway。HenoticedthathiscompanionstoodatthewindowwiththeairofanaffableandaccessibleSovereign，andthat，whenanyofhispeopleintheyardbelowlookedup，hisrecognitionoftheirsalutesjuststoppedshortofablessing。
WhenLittleDorrithadherworkonthetable，andMaggyhersonthebedstead，Fannyfelltotyingherbonnetasapreliminarytoherdeparture。Arthur，stillhavinghispurpose，stillremained。Atthistimethedooropened，withoutanynotice，andMrTipcamein。
HekissedAmyasshestarteduptomeethim，noddedtoFanny，noddedtohisfather，gloomedonthevisitorwithoutfurtherrecognition，andsatdown。
’Tip，dear，’saidLittleDorrit，mildly，shockedbythis，’don’tyousee——’
’Yes，Isee，Amy。Ifyourefertothepresenceofanyvisitoryouhavehere——Isay，ifyourefertothat，’answeredTip，jerkinghisheadwithemphasistowardshisshouldernearestClennam，’Isee!’
’Isthatallyousay？’
’That’sallIsay。AndIsuppose，’addedtheloftyyoungman，afteramoment’spause，’thatvisitorwillunderstandme，whenI
saythat’sallIsay。Inshort，Isupposethevisitorwillunderstandthathehasn’tusedmelikeagentleman。’
’Idonotunderstandthat，’observedtheobnoxiouspersonagereferredtowithtranquillity。
’No？Why，then，tomakeitclearertoyou，sir，IbegtoletyouknowthatwhenIaddresswhatIcallaproperly-wordedappeal，andanurgentappeal，andadelicateappeal，toanindividual，forasmalltemporaryaccommodation，easilywithinhispower——easilywithinhispower，mind!——andwhenthatindividualwritesbackwordtomethathebegstobeexcused，Iconsiderthathedoesn’ttreatmelikeagentleman。’
TheFatheroftheMarshalsea，whohadsurveyedhissoninsilence，nosoonerheardthissentiment，thanhebeganinangryvoice：——
’Howdareyou——’Buthissonstoppedhim。
’Now，don’taskmehowIdare，father，becausethat’sbosh。AstothefactofthelineofconductIchoosetoadopttowardstheindividualpresent，yououghttobeproudofmyshowingaproperspirit。’
’Ishouldthinkso!’criedFanny。
’Aproperspirit？’saidtheFather。’Yes，aproperspirit；abecomingspirit。Isitcometothisthatmysonteachesme——ME——
spirit!’
’Now，don’tletusbotheraboutit，father，orhaveanyrowonthesubject。Ihavefullymadeupmymindthattheindividualpresenthasnottreatedmelikeagentleman。Andthere’sanendofit。’
’Butthereisnotanendofit，sir，’returnedtheFather。’Butthereshallnotbeanendofit。Youhavemadeupyourmind？Youhavemadeupyourmind？’
’Yes，Ihave。What’sthegoodofkeepingonlikethat？’
’Because，’returnedtheFather，inagreatheat，’youhadnorighttomakeupyourmindtowhatismonstrous，towhatis——ha——immoral，towhatis——hum——parricidal。No，MrClennam，Ibeg，sir。Don’taskmetodesist；thereisa——hum——ageneralprincipleinvolvedhere，whichrisesevenaboveconsiderationsof——ha——hospitality。
Iobjecttotheassertionmadebymyson。I——ha——Ipersonallyrepelit。’
’Why，whatisittoyou，father？’returnedtheson，overhisshoulder。
’Whatisittome，sir？Ihavea——hum——aspirit，sir，thatwillnotendureit。I，’hetookouthispocket-handkerchiefagainanddabbedhisface。’Iamoutragedandinsultedbyit。LetmesupposethecasethatImyselfmayatacertaintime——ha——ortimes，havemadea——hum——anappeal，andaproperly-wordedappeal，andadelicateappeal，andanurgentappealtosomeindividualforasmalltemporaryaccommodation。Letmesupposethatthataccommodationcouldhavebeeneasilyextended，andwasnotextended，andthatthatindividualinformedmethathebeggedtobeexcused。AmItobetoldbymyownson，thatIthereforereceivedtreatmentnotduetoagentleman，andthatI——ha——Isubmittedtoit？’
HisdaughterAmygentlytriedtocalmhim，buthewouldnotonanyaccountbecalmed。Hesaidhisspiritwasup，andwouldn’tendurethis。
Washetobetoldthat，hewishedtoknowagain，byhisownsononhisownhearth，tohisownface？Wasthathumiliationtobeputuponhimbyhisownblood？
’Youareputtingitonyourself，father，andgettingintoallthisinjuryofyourownaccord!’saidtheyounggentlemanmorosely。
’WhatIhavemadeupmymindabouthasnothingtodowithyou。
WhatIsaidhadnothingtodowithyou。Whyneedyougotryingonotherpeople’shats？’
’Ireplyithaseverythingtodowithme，’returnedtheFather。’I
pointouttoyou，sir，withindignation，that——hum——the——ha——
delicacyandpeculiarityofyourfather’spositionshouldstrikeyoudumb，sir，ifnothingelseshould，inlayingdownsuch——ha——
suchunnaturalprinciples。Besides；ifyouarenotfilial，sir，ifyoudiscardthatduty，youareatleast——hum——notaChristian？Areyou——ha——anAtheist？AndisitChristian，letmeaskyou，tostigmatiseanddenounceanindividualforbeggingtobeexcusedthistime，whenthesameindividualmay——ha——respondwiththerequiredaccommodationnexttime？IsitthepartofaChristiannotto——hum——nottotryhimagain？’Hehadworkedhimselfintoquiteareligiousglowandfervour。
’Iseepreciouswell，’saidMrTip，rising，’thatIshallgetnosensibleorfairargumenthereto-night，andsothebestthingI
candoistocut。Goodnight，Amy。Don’tbevexed。Iamverysorryithappenshere，andyouhere，uponmysoulIam；butIcan’taltogetherpartwithmyspirit，evenforyoursake，oldgirl。’
Withthosewordsheputonhishatandwentout，accompaniedbyMissFanny；whodidnotconsideritspiritedonherparttotakeleaveofClennamwithanylessopposingdemonstrationthanastare，importingthatshehadalwaysknownhimforoneofthelargebodyofconspirators。
Whentheyweregone，theFatheroftheMarshalseawasatfirstinclinedtosinkintodespondencyagain，andwouldhavedoneso，butthatagentlemanopportunelycameupwithinaminuteortwotoattendhimtotheSnuggery。ItwasthegentlemanClennamhadseenonthenightofhisownaccidentaldetentionthere，whohadthatimpalpablegrievanceaboutthemisappropriatedFundonwhichtheMarshalwassupposedtobatten。HepresentedhimselfasdeputationtoescorttheFathertotheChair，itbeinganoccasiononwhichhehadpromisedtopresideovertheassembledCollegiansintheenjoymentofalittleHarmony。