ArthurforhislifecouldnothavesaidwithconfidencewhetherPancksreallythoughtsoornot。
’Whenthatwasgone，sir，’resumedPancks，’anditdidgo，thoughIdribbleditoutlikesomuchblood，IhadtakenMrRuggintothesecret。IproposedtoborrowofMrRuggorofMissRugg；it’sthesamething；shemadealittlemoneybyaspeculationintheCommonPleasonce。Helentitatten，andthoughtthatprettyhigh。ButMrRugg’sared-hairedman，sir，andgetshishaircut。Andastothecrownofhishat，it’shigh。Andastothebrimofhishat，it’snarrow。Andthere’snomorebenevolencebubblingoutofhim，thanoutofaninepin。’
’Yourownrecompenseforallthis，MrPancks，’saidClennam，’oughttobealargeone。’
’Idon’tmistrustgettingit，sir，’saidPancks。’Ihavemadenobargain。Iowedyouoneonthatscore；nowIhavepaidit。Moneyoutofpocketmadegood，timefairlyallowedfor，andMrRugg’sbillsettled，athousandpoundswouldbeafortunetome。ThatmatterIplaceinyourhands。Iauthorizeyounowtobreakallthistothefamilyinanywayyouthinkbest。MissAmyDorritwillbewithMrsFinchingthismorning。Thesoonerdonethebetter。
Can’tbedonetoosoon。’
ThisconversationtookplaceinClennam’sbed-room，whilehewasyetinbed。ForMrPanckshadknockedupthehouseandmadehiswayin，veryearlyinthemorning；and，withoutoncesittingdownorstandingstill，haddeliveredhimselfofthewholeofhisdetailsillustratedwithavarietyofdocumentsatthebedside。
Henowsaidhewould’goandlookupMrRugg’，fromwhomhisexcitedstateofmindappearedtorequireanotherback；andbundlinguphispapers，andexchangingonemoreheartyshakeofthehandwithClennam，hewentatfullspeeddown-stairs，andsteamedoff。
Clennam，ofcourse，resolvedtogodirecttoMrCasby’s。Hedressedandgotoutsoquicklythathefoundhimselfatthecornerofthepatriarchalstreetnearlyanhourbeforehertime；buthewasnotsorrytohavetheopportunityofcalminghimselfwithaleisurelywalk。
Whenhereturnedtothestreet，andhadknockedatthebrightbrassknocker，hewasinformedthatshehadcome，andwasshownup-stairstoFlora’sbreakfast-room。LittleDorritwasnotthereherself，butFlorawas，andtestifiedthegreatestamazementatseeinghim。
’Goodgracious，Arthur——DoyceandClennam!’criedthatlady，’whowouldhaveeverthoughtofseeingsuchasightasthisandprayexcuseawrapperforuponmywordIreallyneverandafadedchecktoowhichisworsebutourlittlefriendismakingmea，notthatIneedmindmentioningittoyouforyoumustknowthattherearesuchthingsaskirt，andhavingarrangedthatatryingonshouldtakeplaceafterbreakfastisthereasonthoughIwishnotsobadlystarched。’
’Ioughttomakeanapology，’saidArthur，’forsoearlyandabruptavisit；butyouwillexcuseitwhenItellyouthecause。’
’IntimesforeverfledArthur，’returnedMrsFinching，’prayexcusemeDoyceandClennaminfinitelymorecorrectandthoughunquestionablydistantstill’tisdistancelendsenchantmenttotheview，atleastIdon’tmeanthatandifIdidIsupposeitwoulddependconsiderablyonthenatureoftheview，butI’mrunningonagainandyouputitalloutofmyhead。’
Sheglancedathimtenderly，andresumed：
’IntimesforeverfledIwasgoingtosayitwouldhavesoundedstrangeindeedforArthurClennam——DoyceandClennamnaturallyquitedifferent——tomakeapologiesforcominghereatanytime，butthatispastandwhatispastcanneverberecalledexceptinhisowncaseaspoorMrF。saidwhenhewasinspiritsCucumberandthereforeneverateit。’
ShewasmakingtheteawhenArthurcamein，andnowhastilyfinishedthatoperation。
’Papa，’shesaid，allmysteryandwhisper，assheshutdownthetea-potlid，’issittingprosinglybreakinghisnewlaidegginthebackparlourovertheCityarticleexactlyliketheWoodpeckerTappingandneedneverknowthatyouarehere，andourlittlefriendyouarewellawaremaybefullytrustedwhenshecomesdownfromcuttingoutonthelargetableoverhead。’
Arthurthentoldher，inthefewestwords，thatitwastheirlittlefriendhecametosee；andwhathehadtoannouncetotheirlittlefriend。Atwhichastoundingintelligence，Floraclaspedherhands，fellintoatremble，andshedtearsofsympathyandpleasure，likethegood-naturedcreatureshereallywas。
’Forgoodnesssakeletmegetoutofthewayfirst，’saidFlora，puttingherhandstoherearsandmovingtowardsthedoor，’orI
knowIshallgooffdeadandscreamingandmakeeverybodyworse，andthedearlittlethingonlythismorninglookingsoniceandneatandgoodandyetsopoorandnowafortuneisshereallyanddeservesittoo!andmightImentionittoMrF。’sAuntArthurnotDoyceandClennamforthisonceorifobjectionablenotonanyaccount。’
Arthurnoddedhisfreepermission，sinceFlorashutoutallverbalcommunication。Floranoddedinreturntothankhim，andhurriedoutoftheroom。
LittleDorrit’sstepwasalreadyonthestairs，andinanothermomentshewasatthedoor。Dowhathecouldtocomposehisface，hecouldnotconveysomuchofanordinaryexpressionintoit，butthatthemomentshesawitshedroppedherwork，andcried，’MrClennam!What’sthematter？’
’Nothing，nothing。Thatis，nomisfortunehashappened。Ihavecometotellyousomething，butitisapieceofgreatgood-
fortune。’
’Good-fortune？’
’Wonderfulfortune!’
Theystoodinawindow，andhereyes，fulloflight，werefixeduponhisface。Heputanarmabouther，seeingherlikelytosinkdown。Sheputahanduponthatarm，partlytorestuponit，andpartlysotopreservetheirrelativepositionsasthatherintentlookathimshouldbeshakenbynochangeofattitudeineitherofthem。Herlipsseemedtorepeat’Wonderfulfortune？’Herepeateditagain，aloud。
’DearLittleDorrit!Yourfather。’
Theiceofthepalefacebrokeattheword，andlittlelightsandshootsofexpressionpassedalloverit。Theywereallexpressionsofpain。Herbreathwasfaintandhurried。Herheartbeatfast。
Hewouldhaveclaspedthelittlefigurecloser，buthesawthattheeyesappealedtohimnottobemoved。
’Yourfathercanbefreewithinthisweek。Hedoesnotknowit；wemustgotohimfromhere，totellhimofit。Yourfatherwillbefreewithinafewdays。Yourfatherwillbefreewithinafewhours。Rememberwemustgotohimfromhere，totellhimofit!’
Thatbroughtherback。Hereyeswereclosing，buttheyopenedagain。
’Thisisnotallthegood-fortune。Thisisnotallthewonderfulgood-fortune，mydearLittleDorrit。ShallItellyoumore？’
Herlipsshaped’Yes。’
’Yourfatherwillbenobeggarwhenheisfree。Hewillwantfornothing。ShallItellyoumore？Remember!Heknowsnothingofit；wemustgotohim，fromhere，totellhimofit!’
Sheseemedtoentreathimforalittletime。Heheldherinhisarm，and，afterapause，bentdownhiseartolisten。
’Didyouaskmetogoon？’
’Yes。’
’Hewillbearichman。Heisarichman。Agreatsumofmoneyiswaitingtobepaidovertohimashisinheritance；youareallhenceforthverywealthy。Bravestandbestofchildren，IthankHeaventhatyouarerewarded!’
Ashekissedher，sheturnedherheadtowardshisshoulder，andraisedherarmtowardshisneck；criedout’Father!Father!
Father!’andswoonedaway。
UponwhichFlorareturnedtotakecareofher，andhoveredaboutheronasofa，interminglingkindofficesandincoherentscrapsofconversationinamannersoconfounding，thatwhethershepressedtheMarshalseatotakeaspoonfulofunclaimeddividends，foritwoulddohergood；orwhethershecongratulatedLittleDorrit’sfatheroncomingintopossessionofahundredthousandsmelling-
bottles；orwhethersheexplainedthatsheputseventy-fivethousanddropsofspiritsoflavenderonfiftythousandpoundsoflumpsugar，andthatsheentreatedLittleDorrittotakethatgentlerestorative；orwhethershebathedtheforeheadsofDoyceandClennaminvinegar，andgavethelateMrF。moreair；noonewithanysenseofresponsibilitycouldhaveundertakentodecide。
Atributarystreamofconfusion，moreover，pouredinfromanadjoiningbedroom，whereMrF。’sAuntappeared，fromthesoundofhervoice，tobeinahorizontalposture，awaitingherbreakfast；
andfromwhichbowerthatinexorableladysnappedoffshorttaunts，whenevershecouldgetahearing，as，’Don’tbelieveit’shisdoing!’and’Heneedn’ttakenocredittohimselfforit!’and’It’llbelongenough，Iexpect，aforehe’llgiveupanyofhisownmoney!’alldesignedtodisparageClennam’sshareinthediscovery，andtorelievethoseinveteratefeelingswithwhichMrF。’sAuntregardedhim。
ButLittleDorrit’ssolicitudetogettoherfather，andtocarrythejoyfultidingstohim，andnottoleavehiminhisjailamomentwiththishappinessinstoreforhimandstillunknowntohim，didmoreforherspeedyrestorationthanalltheskillandattentiononearthcouldhavedone。’Comewithmetomydearfather。Praycomeandtellmydearfather!’werethefirstwordsshesaid。Herfather，herfather。Shespokeofnothingbuthim，thoughtofnothingbuthim。Kneelingdownandpouringoutherthankfulnesswithupliftedhands，herthankswereforherfather。
Flora’stendernesswasquiteovercomebythis，andshelaunchedoutamongthecupsandsaucersintoawonderfulflowoftearsandspeech。
’Ideclare，’shesobbed，’IneverwassocutupsinceyourmamaandmypapanotDoyceandClennamforthisoncebutgivethepreciouslittlethingacupofteaandmakeherputittoherlipsatleastprayArthurdo，notevenMrF。’slastillnessforthatwasofanotherkindandgoutisnotachild’saffectionthoughverypainfulforallpartiesandMrF。amartyrwithhisleguponarestandthewinetradeinitselfinflammatoryfortheywilldoitmoreorlessamongthemselvesandwhocanwonder，itseemslikeadreamIamsuretothinkofnothingatallthismorningandnowMinesofmoneyisitreally，butyoumustknowmydarlinglovebecauseyouneverwillbestrongenoughtotellhimallaboutituponteaspoons，mightn’titbeevenbesttotrythedirectionsofmyownmedicalmanforthoughtheflavourisanythingbutagreeablestillIforcemyselftodoitasaprescriptionandfindthebenefit，you’drathernotwhynomydearI’drathernotbutstillIdoitasaduty，everybodywillcongratulateyousomeinearnestandsomenotandmanywillcongratulateyouwithalltheirheartsbutnonemoresoIdoassureyoufromthebottomofmyownIdomyselfthoughsensibleofblunderingandbeingstupid，andwillbejudgedbyArthurnotDoyceandClennamforthisoncesogood-byedarlingandGodblessyouandmayyoubeveryhappyandexcusetheliberty，vowingthatthedressshallneverbefinishedbyanybodyelsebutshallbelaidbyforakeepsakejustasitisandcalledLittleDorritthoughwhythatstrangestofdenominationsatanytimeI
neverdidmyselfandnowInevershall!’
ThusFlora，intakingleaveofherfavourite。LittleDorritthankedher，andembracedher，overandoveragain；andfinallycameoutofthehousewithClennam，andtookcoachfortheMarshalsea。