Foritwasareg’largoodsecret，thatwas!’criedMaggy，huggingherself。
ArthurlookedatLittleDorritforhelptocomprehendthis，andwasstruckbyseeinghersotimidandred。But，whenshetoldhimthatitwasonlyaFairyTaleshehadonedaymadeupforMaggy，andthattherewasnothinginitwhichshewouldn’tbeashamedtotellagaintoanybodyelse，evenifshecouldrememberit，heleftthesubjectwhereitwas。
However，hereturnedtohisownsubjectbyfirstentreatinghertoseehimoftener，andtorememberthatitwasimpossibletohaveastrongerinterestinherwelfarethanhehad，ortobemoresetuponpromotingitthanhewas。Whensheansweredfervently，shewellknewthat，sheneverforgotit，hetoucheduponhissecondandmoredelicatepoint——thesuspicionhehadformed。
’LittleDorrit，’hesaid，takingherhandagain，andspeakinglowerthanhehadspokenyet，sothatevenMaggyinthesmallroomcouldnothearhim，’anotherword。Ihavewantedverymuchtosaythistoyou；Ihavetriedforopportunities。Don’tmindme，who，forthematterofyears，mightbeyourfatheroryouruncle。Alwaysthinkofmeasquiteanoldman。Iknowthatallyourdevotioncentresinthisroom，andthatnothingtothelastwillevertemptyouawayfromthedutiesyoudischargehere。IfIwerenotsureofit，Ishould，beforenow，haveimploredyou，andimploredyourfather，toletmemakesomeprovisionforyouinamoresuitableplace。Butyoumayhaveaninterest——Iwillnotsay，now，thougheventhatmightbe——mayhave，atanothertime，aninterestinsomeoneelse；aninterestnotincompatiblewithyouraffectionhere。’
Shewasvery，verypale，andsilentlyshookherhead。
’Itmaybe，dearLittleDorrit。’
’No。No。No。’Sheshookherhead，aftereachslowrepetitionoftheword，withanairofquietdesolationthatherememberedlongafterwards。Thetimecamewhenheremembereditwell，longafterwards，withinthoseprisonwalls；withinthatveryroom。
’But，ifitevershouldbe，tellmeso，mydearchild。Entrustthetruthtome，pointouttheobjectofsuchaninteresttome，andI
willtrywithallthezeal，andhonour，andfriendshipandrespectthatIfeelforyou，goodLittleDorritofmyheart，todoyoualastingservice。’
’Othankyou，thankyou!But，Ono，Ono，Ono!’Shesaidthis，lookingathimwithherwork-wornhandsfoldedtogether，andinthesameresignedaccentsasbefore。
’Ipressfornoconfidencenow。Ionlyaskyoutoreposeunhesitatingtrustinme。’
’CanIdolessthanthat，whenyouaresogood!’
’Thenyouwilltrustmefully？Willhavenosecretunhappiness，oranxiety，concealedfromme？’
’Almostnone。’
’Andyouhavenonenow？’
Sheshookherhead。Butshewasverypale。
’WhenIliedownto-night，andmythoughtscomeback——astheywill，fortheydoeverynight，evenwhenIhavenotseenyou——tothissadplace，Imaybelievethatthereisnogriefbeyondthisroom，now，anditsusualoccupants，whichpreysonLittleDorrit’smind？’
Sheseemedtocatchatthesewords——thatheremembered，too，longafterwards——andsaid，morebrightly，’Yes，MrClennam；yes，youmay!’
Thecrazystaircase，usuallynotslowtogivenoticewhenanyonewascomingupordown，herecreakedunderaquicktread，andafurthersoundwashearduponit，asifalittlesteam-enginewithmoresteamthanitknewwhattodowith，wereworkingtowardstheroom。Asitapproached，whichitdidveryrapidly，itlabouredwithincreasedenergy；and，afterknockingatthedoor，itsoundedasifitwerestoopingdownandsnortinginatthekeyhole。
BeforeMaggycouldopenthedoor，MrPancks，openingitfromwithout，stoodwithoutahatandwithhisbareheadinthewildestcondition，lookingatClennamandLittleDorrit，overhershoulder。
Hehadalightedcigarinhishand，andbroughtwithhimairsofaleandtobaccosmoke。
’Pancksthegipsy，’heobservedoutofbreath，’fortune-telling。’
Hestooddingilysmiling，andbreathinghardatthem，withamostcuriousair；asif，insteadofbeinghisproprietor’sgrubber，hewerethetriumphantproprietoroftheMarshalsea，theMarshal，alltheturnkeys，andalltheCollegians。Inhisgreatself-
satisfactionheputhiscigartohislipsbeingevidentlynosmoker，andtooksuchapullatit，withhisrighteyeshutuptightforthepurpose，thatheunderwentaconvulsionofshudderingandchoking。Buteveninthemidstofthatparoxysm，hestillessayedtorepeathisfavouriteintroductionofhimself，’Pa-ancksthegi-ipsy，fortune-telling。’
’Iamspendingtheeveningwiththerestof’em，’saidPancks。
’I’vebeensinging。I’vebeentakingapartinWhitesandandgreysand。Idon’tknowanythingaboutit。Nevermind。I’lltakeanypartinanything。It’sallthesame，ifyou’reloudenough。’
AtfirstClennamsupposedhimtobeintoxicated。Buthesoonperceivedthatthoughhemightbealittletheworseorbetter
forale，thestapleofhisexcitementwasnotbrewedfrommalt，ordistilledfromanygrainorberry。
’Howd’yedo，MissDorrit？’saidPancks。’Ithoughtyouwouldn’tmindmyrunninground，andlookinginforamoment。MrClennamI
heardwashere，fromMrDorrit。Howareyou，Sir？’
Clennamthankedhim，andsaidhewasgladtoseehimsogay。
’Gay!’saidPancks。’I’minwonderfulfeather，sir。Ican’tstopaminute，orIshallbemissed，andIdon’twant’emtomissme——
Eh，MissDorrit？’
Heseemedtohaveaninsatiatedelightinappealingtoherandlookingather；excitedlystickinghishairupatthesamemoment，likeadarkspeciesofcockatoo。
’Ihaven’tbeenherehalfanhour。IknewMrDorritwasinthechair，andIsaid，“I’llgoandsupporthim!“IoughttobedowninBleedingHeartYardbyrights；butIcanworrythemto-morrow——Eh，MissDorrit？’
Hislittleblackeyessparkledelectrically。Hisveryhairseemedtosparkleasheroughenedit。Hewasinthathighly-chargedstatethatonemighthaveexpectedtodrawsparksandsnapsfromhimbypresentingaknuckletoanypartofhisfigure。
’Capitalcompanyhere，’saidPancks——’Eh，MissDorrit？’
Shewashalfafraidofhim，andirresolutewhattosay。Helaughed，withanodtowardsClennam。
’Don’tmindhim，MissDorrit。He’soneofus。Weagreedthatyoushouldn’ttakeontomindmebeforepeople，butwedidn’tmeanMrClennam。He’soneofus。He’sinit。An’tyou，MrClennam？——Eh，MissDorrit？’
TheexcitementofthisstrangecreaturewasfastcommunicatingitselftoClennam。LittleDorritwithamazement，sawthis，andobservedthattheyexchangedquicklooks。
’Iwasmakingaremark，’saidPancks，’butIdeclareIforgetwhatitwas。Oh，Iknow!Capitalcompanyhere。I’vebeentreating’emallround——Eh，MissDorrit？’
’Verygenerousofyou，’shereturned，noticinganotherofthequicklooksbetweenthetwo。
’Notatall，’saidPancks。’Don’tmentionit。I’mcomingintomyproperty，that’sthefact。Icanaffordtobeliberal。IthinkI’llgive’ematreathere。Tableslaidintheyard。Breadinstacks。Pipesinfaggots。Tobaccoinhayloads。Roastbeefandplum-puddingforeveryone。Quartofdoublestoutahead。Pintofwinetoo，iftheylikeit，andtheauthoritiesgivepermission——
Eh，MissDorrit？’
Shewasthrownintosuchaconfusionbyhismanner，orratherbyClennam’sgrowingunderstandingofhismannerforshelookedtohimaftereveryfreshappealandcockatoodemonstrationonthepartofMrPancks，thatsheonlymovedherlipsinanswer，withoutforminganyword。
’Andoh，by-the-bye!’saidPancks，’youweretolivetoknowwhatwasbehindusonthatlittlehandofyours。Andsoyoushall，youshall，mydarling——Eh，MissDorrit？’
Hehadsuddenlycheckedhimself。Wherehegotalltheadditionalblackprongsfrom，thatnowflewupalloverhisheadlikethemyriadsofpointsthatbreakoutinthelargechangeofagreatfirework，wasawonderfulmystery。
’ButIshallbemissed；’hecamebacktothat；’andIdon’twant’emtomissme。MrClennam，youandImadeabargain。Isaidyoushouldfindmesticktoit。Youshallfindmesticktoitnow，sir，ifyou’llstepoutoftheroomamoment。MissDorrit，Iwishyougoodnight。MissDorrit，Iwishyougoodfortune。’
Herapidlyshookherbybothhands，andpuffeddownstairs。Arthurfollowedhimwithsuchahurriedstep，thathehadverynearlytumbledoverhimonthelastlanding，androlledhimdownintotheyard。
’Whatisit，forHeaven’ssake!’Arthurdemanded，whentheyburstouttherebothtogether。
’Stopamoment，sir。MrRugg。Letmeintroducehim。’Withthosewordshepresentedanothermanwithoutahat，andalsowithacigar，andalsosurroundedwithahaloofaleandtobaccosmoke，whichman，thoughnotsoexcitedashimself，wasinastatewhichwouldhavebeenakintolunacybutforitsfadingintosobermethodwhencomparedwiththerampancyofMrPancks。
’MrClennam，MrRugg，’saidPancks。’Stopamoment。Cometothepump。’
Theyadjournedtothepump。MrPancks，instantlyputtinghisheadunderthespout，requestedMrRuggtotakeagoodstrongturnatthehandle。MrRuggcomplyingtotheletter，MrPanckscameforthsnortingandblowingtosomepurpose，anddriedhimselfonhishandkerchief。
’Iamtheclearerforthat，’hegaspedtoClennamstandingastonished。’Butuponmysoul，tohearherfathermakingspeechesinthatchair，knowingwhatweknow，andtoseeherupinthatroominthatdress，knowingwhatweknow，isenoughto——givemeaback，MrRugg——alittlehigher，sir，——that’lldo!’
Thenandthere，onthatMarshalseapavement，intheshadesofevening，didMrPancks，ofallmankind，flyovertheheadandshouldersofMrRuggofPentonville，GeneralAgent，Accountant，andRecovererofDebts。Alightingonhisfeet，hetookClennambythebutton-hole，ledhimbehindthepump，andpantinglyproducedfromhispocketabundleofpapers。MrRugg，also，pantinglyproducedfromhispocketabundleofpapers。
’Stay!’saidClennaminawhisper。’Youhavemadeadiscovery。’
MrPancksanswered，withanunctionwhichthereisnolanguagetoconvey，’Weratherthinkso。’
’Doesitimplicateanyone？’
’Howimplicate，sir？’
’Inanysuppressionorwrongdealingofanykind？’
’Notabitofit。’
’ThankGod!’saidClennamtohimself。’Nowshowme。’
’Youaretounderstand’——snortedPancks，feverishlyunfoldingpapers，andspeakinginshorthigh-pressureblastsofsentences，’Where’sthePedigree？Where’sSchedulenumberfour，MrRugg？Oh!
allright!Hereweare——Youaretounderstandthatwearethisverydayvirtuallycomplete。Weshan’tbelegallyforadayortwo。Callitattheoutsideaweek。We’vebeenatitnightanddayforIdon’tknowhowlong。MrRugg，youknowhowlong？Nevermind。Don’tsay。You’llonlyconfuseme。Youshalltellher，MrClennam。Nottillwegiveyouleave。Where’sthatroughtotal，MrRugg？Oh!Hereweare!Theresir!That’swhatyou’llhavetobreaktoher。Thatman’syourFatheroftheMarshalsea!’