Itwasastrangelyunrealridethroughtheoldsqualidstreets，withasensationofbeingraisedoutofthemintoanairyworldofwealthandgrandeur。WhenArthurtoldherthatshewouldsoonrideinherowncarriagethroughverydifferentscenes，whenallthefamiliarexperienceswouldhavevanishedaway，shelookedfrightened。Butwhenhesubstitutedherfatherforherself，andtoldherhowhewouldrideinhiscarriage，andhowgreatandgrandhewouldbe，hertearsofjoyandinnocentpridefellfast。Seeingthatthehappinesshermindcouldrealisewasallshininguponhim，Arthurkeptthatsinglefigurebeforeher；andsotheyrodebrightlythroughthepoorstreetsintheprisonneighbourhoodtocarryhimthegreatnews。
WhenMrChivery，whowasonduty，admittedthemintotheLodge，hesawsomethingintheirfaceswhichfilledhimwithastonishment。
Hestoodlookingafterthem，whentheyhurriedintotheprison，asthoughheperceivedthattheyhadcomebackaccompaniedbyaghosta-piece。TwoorthreeCollegianswhomtheypassed，lookedafterthemtoo，andpresentlyjoiningMrChivery，formedalittlegroupontheLodgesteps，inthemidstofwhichtherespontaneouslyoriginatedawhisperthattheFatherwasgoingtogethisdischarge。Withinafewminutes，itwasheardintheremotestroomintheCollege。
LittleDorritopenedthedoorfromwithout，andtheybothentered。
Hewassittinginhisoldgreygownandhisoldblackcap，inthesunlightbythewindow，readinghisnewspaper。Hisglasseswereinhishand，andhehadjustlookedround；surprisedatfirst，nodoubt，byherstepuponthestairs，notexpectingheruntilnight；
surprisedagain，byseeingArthurClennaminhercompany。Astheycamein，thesameunwontedlookinbothofthemwhichhadalreadycaughtattentionintheyardbelow，struckhim。Hedidnotriseorspeak，butlaiddownhisglassesandhisnewspaperonthetablebesidehim，andlookedatthemwithhismouthalittleopenandhislipstrembling。WhenArthurputouthishand，hetouchedit，butnotwithhisusualstate；andthenheturnedtohisdaughter，whohadsatdownclosebesidehimwithherhandsuponhisshoulder，andlookedattentivelyinherface。
’Father!Ihavebeenmadesohappythismorning!’
’Youhavebeenmadesohappy，mydear？’
’ByMrClennam，father。Hebroughtmesuchjoyfulandwonderfulintelligenceaboutyou!Ifhehadnotwithhisgreatkindnessandgentleness，preparedmeforit，father——preparedmeforit，father——IthinkIcouldnothaveborneit。’
Heragitationwasexceedinglygreat，andthetearsrolleddownherface。Heputhishandsuddenlytohisheart，andlookedatClennam。
’Composeyourself，sir，’saidClennam，’andtakealittletimetothink。Tothinkofthebrightestandmostfortunateaccidentsoflife。Wehaveallheardofgreatsurprisesofjoy。Theyarenotatanend，sir。Theyarerare，butnotatanend。’
’MrClennam？Notatanend？Notatanendfor——’Hetouchedhimselfuponthebreast，insteadofsaying’me。’
’No，’returnedClennam。
’Whatsurprise，’heasked，keepinghislefthandoverhisheart，andtherestoppinginhisspeech，whilewithhisrighthandheputhisglassesexactlylevelonthetable：’whatsuchsurprisecanbeinstoreforme？’
’Letmeanswerwithanotherquestion。Tellme，MrDorrit，whatsurprisewouldbethemostunlookedforandthemostacceptabletoyou。Donotbeafraidtoimagineit，ortosaywhatitwouldbe。’
HelookedsteadfastlyatClennam，and，solookingathim，seemedtochangeintoaveryoldhaggardman。Thesunwasbrightuponthewallbeyondthewindow，andonthespikesattop。Heslowlystretchedoutthehandthathadbeenuponhisheart，andpointedatthewall。
’Itisdown，’saidClennam。’Gone!’
Heremainedinthesameattitude，lookingsteadfastlyathim。
’Andinitsplace，’saidClennam，slowlyanddistinctly，’arethemeanstopossessandenjoytheutmostthattheyhavesolongshutout。MrDorrit，thereisnotthesmallestdoubtthatwithinafewdaysyouwillbefree，andhighlyprosperous。Icongratulateyouwithallmysoulonthischangeoffortune，andonthehappyfutureintowhichyouaresoontocarrythetreasureyouhavebeenblestwithhere——thebestofalltherichesyoucanhaveelsewhere——thetreasureatyourside。’
Withthosewords，hepressedhishandandreleasedit；andhisdaughter，layingherfaceagainsthis，encircledhiminthehourofhisprosperitywithherarms，asshehadinthelongyearsofhisadversityencircledhimwithherloveandtoilandtruth；andpouredoutherfullheartingratitude，hope，joy，blissfulecstasy，andallforhim。
’IshallseehimasIneversawhimyet。Ishallseemydearlove，withthedarkcloudclearedaway。Ishallseehim，asmypoormothersawhimlongago。Omydear，mydear!Ofather，father!
OthankGod，thankGod!’
Heyieldedhimselftoherkissesandcaresses，butdidnotreturnthem，exceptthatheputanarmabouther。Neitherdidhesayoneword。HissteadfastlookwasnowdividedbetweenherandClennam，andhebegantoshakeasifhewereverycold。ExplainingtoLittleDorritthathewouldruntothecoffee-houseforabottleofwine，Arthurfetcheditwithallthehastehecoulduse。Whileitwasbeingbroughtfromthecellartothebar，anumberofexcitedpeopleaskedhimwhathadhappened；whenhehurriedlyinformedthemthatMrDorrithadsucceededtoafortune。
Oncomingbackwiththewineinhishand，hefoundthatshehadplacedherfatherinhiseasychair，andhadloosenedhisshirtandneckcloth。Theyfilledatumblerwithwine，andheldittohislips。Whenhehadswallowedalittle，hetooktheglasshimselfandemptiedit。Soonafterthat，heleanedbackinhischairandcried，withhishandkerchiefbeforehisface。
AfterthishadlastedawhileClennamthoughtitagoodseasonfordivertinghisattentionfromthemainsurprise，byrelatingitsdetails。Slowly，therefore，andinaquiettoneofvoice，heexplainedthemasbesthecould，andenlargedonthenatureofPancks’sservice。
’Heshallbe——ha——heshallbehandsomelyrecompensed，sir，’saidtheFather，startingupandmovinghurriedlyabouttheroom。
’Assureyourself，MrClennam，thateverybodyconcernedshallbe——
ha——shallbenoblyrewarded。Noone，mydearsir，shallsaythathehasanunsatisfiedclaimagainstme。Ishallrepaythe——hum——
theadvancesIhavehadfromyou，sir，withpeculiarpleasure。I
begtobeinformedatyourearliestconvenience，whatadvancesyouhavemademyson。’
Hehadnopurposeingoingabouttheroom，buthewasnotstillamoment。
’Everybody，’hesaid，’shallberemembered。Iwillnotgoawayfromhereinanybody’sdebt。Allthepeoplewhohavebeen——ha——
wellbehavedtowardsmyselfandmyfamily，shallberewarded。
Chiveryshallberewarded。YoungJohnshallberewarded。I
particularlywish，andintend，toactmunificently，MrClennam。’
’Willyouallowme，’saidArthur，layinghispurseonthetable，’tosupplyanypresentcontingencies，MrDorrit？Ithoughtitbesttobringasumofmoneyforthepurpose。’
’Thankyou，sir，thankyou。Iacceptwithreadiness，atthepresentmoment，whatIcouldnotanhouragohaveconscientiouslytaken。Iamobligedtoyouforthetemporaryaccommodation。
Exceedinglytemporary，butwelltimed——welltimed。’Hishandhadcloseduponthemoney，andhecarrieditaboutwithhim。’Besokind，sir，astoaddtheamounttothoseformeradvancestowhichIhavealreadyreferred；beingcareful，ifyouplease，nottoomitadvancesmadetomyson。AmereverbalstatementofthegrossamountisallIshall——ha——allIshallrequire。’
Hiseyefelluponhisdaughteratthispoint，andhestoppedforamomenttokissher，andtopatherhead。
’Itwillbenecessarytofindamilliner，mylove，andtomakeaspeedyandcompletechangeinyourveryplaindress。SomethingmustbedonewithMaggytoo，whoatpresentis——ha——barelyrespectable，barelyrespectable。Andyoursister，Amy，andyourbrother。Andmybrother，youruncle——poorsoul，Itrustthiswillrousehim——messengersmustbedespatchedtofetchthem。Theymustbeinformedofthis。Wemustbreakittothemcautiously，buttheymustbeinformeddirectly。Weoweitasadutytothemandtoourselves，fromthismoment，nottoletthem——hum——nottoletthemdoanything。’
Thiswasthefirstintimationhehadevergiven，thathewasprivytothefactthattheydidsomethingforalivelihood。
Hewasstilljoggingabouttheroom，withthepurseclutchedinhishand，whenagreatcheeringaroseintheyard。’Thenewshasspreadalready，’saidClennam，lookingdownfromthewindow。’Willyoushowyourselftothem，MrDorrit？Theyareveryearnest，andtheyevidentlywishit。’
’I——hum——ha——IconfessIcouldhavedesired，Amymydear，’hesaid，joggingaboutinamorefeverishflutterthanbefore，’tohavemadesomechangeinmydressfirst，andtohaveboughta——
hum——awatchandchain。Butifitmustbedoneasitis，it——ha——
itmustbedone。Fastenthecollarofmyshirt，mydear。MrClennam，wouldyouobligeme——hum——withablueneckclothyouwillfindinthatdraweratyourelbow。Buttonmycoatacrossatthechest，mylove。Itlooks——ha——itlooksbroader，buttoned。’
Withhistremblinghandhepushedhisgreyhairup，andthen，takingClennamandhisdaughterforsupporters，appearedatthewindowleaningonanarmofeach。TheCollegianscheeredhimveryheartily，andhekissedhishandtothemwithgreaturbanityandprotection。Whenhewithdrewintotheroomagain，hesaid’Poorcreatures!’inatoneofmuchpityfortheirmiserablecondition。
LittleDorritwasdeeplyanxiousthatheshouldliedowntocomposehimself。OnArthur’sspeakingtoherofhisgoingtoinformPancksthathemightnowappearassoonashewould，andpursuethejoyfulbusinesstoitsclose，sheentreatedhiminawhispertostaywithheruntilherfathershouldbequitecalmandatrest。Heneedednosecondentreaty；andshepreparedherfather’sbed，andbeggedhimtoliedown。Foranotherhalf-hourormorehewouldbepersuadedtodonothingbutgoabouttheroom，discussingwithhimselftheprobabilitiesforandagainsttheMarshal’sallowingthewholeoftheprisonerstogotothewindowsoftheofficialresidencewhichcommandedthestreet，toseehimselfandfamilydepartforeverinacarriage——which，hesaid，hethoughtwouldbeaSightforthem。Butgraduallyhebegantodroopandtire，andatlaststretchedhimselfuponthebed。
Shetookherfaithfulplacebesidehim，fanninghimandcoolinghisforehead；andheseemedtobefallingasleepalwayswiththemoneyinhishand，whenheunexpectedlysatupandsaid：
’MrClennam，Ibegyourpardon。AmItounderstand，mydearsir，thatIcould——ha——couldpassthroughtheLodgeatthismoment，and——hum——takeawalk？’
’Ithinknot，MrDorrit，’wastheunwillingreply。’Therearecertainformstobecompleted；andalthoughyourdetentionhereisnowinitselfaform，Ifearitisonethatforalittlelongerhastobeobservedtoo。’
Atthisheshedtearsagain。
’Itisbutafewhours，sir，’Clennamcheerfullyurgeduponhim。
’Afewhours，sir，’hereturnedinasuddenpassion。’Youtalkveryeasilyofhours，sir!Howlongdoyousuppose，sir，thatanhouristoamanwhoischokingforwantofair？’
Itwashislastdemonstrationforthattime；as，aftersheddingsomemoretearsandquerulouslycomplainingthathecouldn’tbreathe，heslowlyfellintoaslumber。Clennamhadabundantoccupationforhisthoughts，ashesatinthequietroomwatchingthefatheronhisbed，andthedaughterfanninghisface。