LittleDorrithadbeenthinkingtoo。Aftersoftlyputtinghisgreyhairaside，andtouchinghisforeheadwithherlips，shelookedtowardsArthur，whocamenearertoher，andpursuedinalowwhisperthesubjectofherthoughts。
’MrClennam，willhepayallhisdebtsbeforeheleaveshere？’
’Nodoubt。All。’
’Allthedebtsforwhichhehadbeenimprisonedhere，allmylifeandlonger？’
’Nodoubt。’
Therewassomethingofuncertaintyandremonstranceinherlook；
somethingthatwasnotallsatisfaction。Hewonderedtodetectit，andsaid：
’Youaregladthatheshoulddoso？’
’Areyou？’askedLittleDorrit，wistfully。
’AmI？Mostheartilyglad!’
’ThenIknowIoughttobe。’
’Andareyounot？’
’Itseemstomehard，’saidLittleDorrit，’thatheshouldhavelostsomanyyearsandsufferedsomuch，andatlastpayallthedebtsaswell。Itseemstomehardthatheshouldpayinlifeandmoneyboth。’
’Mydearchild——’Clennamwasbeginning。
’Yes，IknowIamwrong，’shepleadedtimidly，’don’tthinkanyworseofme；ithasgrownupwithmehere。’
Theprison，whichcouldspoilsomanythings，hadtaintedLittleDorrit’smindnomorethanthis。Engenderedastheconfusionwas，incompassionforthepoorprisoner，herfather，itwasthefirstspeckClennamhadeverseen，itwasthelastspeckClennameversaw，oftheprisonatmosphereuponher。
Hethoughtthis，andforeboretosayanotherword。Withthethought，herpurityandgoodnesscamebeforehimintheirbrightestlight。Thelittlespotmadethemthemorebeautiful。
Wornoutwithherownemotions，andyieldingtothesilenceoftheroom，herhandslowlyslackenedandfailedinitsfanningmovement，andherheaddroppeddownonthepillowatherfather’sside。
Clennamrosesoftly，openedandclosedthedoorwithoutasound，andpassedfromtheprison，carryingthequietwithhimintotheturbulentstreets。
TheMarshalseabecomesanOrphanAndnowthedayarrivedwhenMrDorritandhisfamilyweretoleavetheprisonforever，andthestonesofitsmuch-troddenpavementweretoknowthemnomore。
Theintervalhadbeenshort，buthehadgreatlycomplainedofitslength，andhadbeenimperiouswithMrRuggtouchingthedelay。HehadbeenhighwithMrRugg，andhadthreatenedtoemploysomeoneelse。HehadrequestedMrRuggnottopresumeupontheplaceinwhichhefoundhim，buttodohisduty，sir，andtodoitwithpromptitude。HehadtoldMrRuggthatheknewwhatlawyersandagentswere，andthathewouldnotsubmittoimposition。Onthatgentleman’shumblyrepresentingthatheexertedhimselftotheutmost，MissFannywasveryshortwithhim；desiringtoknowwhatlesshecoulddo，whenhehadbeentoldadozentimesthatmoneywasnoobject，andexpressinghersuspicionthatheforgotwhomhetalkedto。
TowardstheMarshal，whowasaMarshalofmanyyears’standing，andwithwhomhehadneverhadanypreviousdifference，MrDorritcomportedhimselfwithseverity。Thatofficer，onpersonallytenderinghiscongratulations，offeredthefreeuseoftworoomsinhishouseforMrDorrit’soccupationuntilhisdeparture。MrDorritthankedhimatthemoment，andrepliedthathewouldthinkofit；buttheMarshalwasnosoonergonethanhesatdownandwrotehimacuttingnote，inwhichheremarkedthathehadneveronanyformeroccasionhadthehonourofreceivinghiscongratulationswhichwastrue，thoughindeedtherehadnotbeenanythingparticulartocongratulatehimupon，andthathebegged，onbehalfofhimselfandfamily，torepudiatetheMarshal’soffer，withallthosethankswhichitsdisinterestedcharacteranditsperfectindependenceofallworldlyconsiderationsdemanded。
Althoughhisbrothershowedsodimaglimmeringofinterestintheiralteredfortunesthatitwasverydoubtfulwhetherheunderstoodthem，MrDorritcausedhimtobemeasuredfornewraimentbythehosiers，tailors，hatters，andbootmakerswhomhecalledinforhimself；andorderedthathisoldclothesshouldbetakenfromhimandburned。MissFannyandMrTiprequirednodirectioninmakinganappearanceofgreatfashionandelegance；
andthethreepassedthisintervaltogetheratthebesthotelintheneighbourhood——thoughtruly，asMissFannysaid，thebestwasveryindifferent。Inconnectionwiththatestablishment，MrTiphiredacabriolet，horse，andgroom，averyneatturnout，whichwasusuallytobeobservedfortwoorthreehoursatatimegracingtheBoroughHighStreet，outsidetheMarshalseacourt-yard。A
modestlittlehiredchariotandpairwasalsofrequentlytobeseenthere；inalightingfromandenteringwhichvehicle，MissFannyflutteredtheMarshal’sdaughtersbythedisplayofinaccessiblebonnets。
Agreatdealofbusinesswastransactedinthisshortperiod。
Amongotheritems，MessrsPeddleandPool，solicitors，ofMonumentYard，wereinstructedbytheirclientEdwardDorrit，Esquire，toaddressalettertoMrArthurClennam，enclosingthesumoftwenty-
fourpoundsnineshillingsandeightpence，beingtheamountofprincipalandinterestcomputedattherateoffivepercent。perannum，inwhichtheirclientbelievedhimselftobeindebtedtoMrClennam。Inmakingthiscommunicationandremittance，MessrsPeddleandPoolwerefurtherinstructedbytheirclienttoremindMrClennamthatthefavouroftheadvancenowrepaidincludinggate-feeshadnotbeenaskedofhim，andtoinformhimthatitwouldnothavebeenacceptedifithadbeenopenlyprofferedinhisname。Withwhichtheyrequestedastampedreceipt，andremainedhisobedientservants。Agreatdealofbusinesshadlikewisetobedone，withintheso-soon-to-be-orphanedMarshalsea，byMrDorritsolongitsFather，chieflyarisingoutofapplicationsmadetohimbyCollegiansforsmallsumsofmoney。Totheseherespondedwiththegreatestliberality，andwithnolackofformality；alwaysfirstwritingtoappointatimeatwhichtheapplicantmightwaituponhiminhisroom，andthenreceivinghiminthemidstofavastaccumulationofdocuments，andaccompanyinghisdonationforhesaidineverysuchcase，’itisadonation，notaloan’withagreatdealofgoodcounsel：totheeffectthathe，theexpiringFatheroftheMarshalsea，hopedtobelongremembered，asanexamplethatamanmightpreservehisownandthegeneralrespecteventhere。
TheCollegianswerenotenvious。BesidesthattheyhadapersonalandtraditionalregardforaCollegianofsomanyyears’standing，theeventwascreditabletotheCollege，andmadeitfamousinthenewspapers。Perhapsmoreofthemthought，too，thanwerequiteawareofit，thatthethingmightinthelotteryofchanceshavehappenedtothemselves，orthatsomethingofthesortmightyethappentothemselvessomedayorother。Theytookitverywell。
Afewwerelowatthethoughtofbeingleftbehind，andbeingleftpoor；buteventhesedidnotgrudgethefamilytheirbrilliantreverse。Theremighthavebeenmuchmoreenvyinpoliterplaces。
ItseemsprobablethatmediocrityoffortunewouldhavebeendisposedtobelessmagnanimousthantheCollegians，wholivedfromhandtomouth——fromthepawnbroker’shandtotheday’sdinner。
Theygotupanaddresstohim，whichtheypresentedinaneatframeandglassthoughitwasnotafterwardsdisplayedinthefamilymansionorpreservedamongthefamilypapers；andtowhichhereturnedagraciousanswer。Inthatdocumentheassuredthem，inaRoyalmanner，thathereceivedtheprofessionoftheirattachmentwithafullconvictionofitssincerity；andagaingenerallyexhortedthemtofollowhisexample——which，atleastinsofarascomingintoagreatpropertywasconcerned，thereisnodoubttheywouldhavegladlyimitated。Hetookthesameoccasionofinvitingthemtoacomprehensiveentertainment，tobegiventothewholeCollegeintheyard，andatwhichhesignifiedhewouldhavethehonouroftakingapartingglasstothehealthandhappinessofallthosewhomhewasabouttoleavebehind。
Hedidnotinpersondineatthispublicrepastittookplaceattwointheafternoon，andhisdinnersnowcameinfromthehotelatsix，buthissonwassogoodastotaketheheadoftheprincipaltable，andtobeveryfreeandengaging。Hehimselfwentaboutamongthecompany，andtooknoticeofindividuals，andsawthattheviandswereofthequalityhehadordered，andthatallwereserved。Onthewhole，hewaslikeabaronoftheoldentimeinararegoodhumour。Attheconclusionoftherepast，hepledgedhisguestsinabumperofoldMadeira；andtoldthemthathehopedtheyhadenjoyedthemselves，andwhatwasmore，thattheywouldenjoythemselvesfortherestoftheevening；thathewishedthemwell；
andthathebadethemwelcome。
Hishealthbeingdrunkwithacclamations，hewasnotsobaronialafterallbutthatintryingtoreturnthankshebrokedown，inthemannerofamereserfwithaheartinhisbreast，andweptbeforethemall。Afterthisgreatsuccess，whichhesupposedtobeafailure，hegavethem’MrChiveryandhisbrotherofficers；’whomhehadbeforehandpresentedwithtenpoundseach，andwhowereallinattendance。MrChiveryspoketothetoast，saying，Whatyouundertaketolockup，lockup；butrememberthatyouare，inthewordsofthefetteredAfrican，amanandabrotherever。Thelistoftoastsdisposedof，MrDorriturbanelywentthroughthemotionsofplayingagameofskittleswiththeCollegianwhowasthenextoldestinhabitanttohimself；andleftthetenantrytotheirdiversions。
Butalltheseoccurrencesprecededthefinalday。Andnowthedayarrivedwhenheandhisfamilyweretoleavetheprisonforever，andwhenthestonesofitsmuch-troddenpavementweretoknowthemnomore。
Noonwasthehourappointedforthedeparture。Asitapproached，therewasnotaCollegianwithindoors，noraturnkeyabsent。ThelatterclassofgentlemenappearedintheirSundayclothes，andthegreaterpartoftheCollegianswerebrightenedupasmuchascircumstancesallowed。Twoorthreeflagswereevendisplayed，andthechildrenputonoddsandendsofribbon。MrDorrithimself，atthistryingtime，preservedaseriousbutgracefuldignity。Muchofhisgreatattentionwasgiventohisbrother，astowhosebearingonthegreatoccasionhefeltanxious。
’MydearFrederick，’saidhe，’ifyouwillgivemeyourarmwewillpassamongourfriendstogether。Ithinkitisrightthatweshouldgooutarminarm，mydearFrederick。’
’Hah!’saidFrederick。’Yes，yes，yes，yes。’
’Andif，mydearFrederick——ifyoucould，withoutputtinganygreatconstraintuponyourself，throwalittleprayexcuseme，Frederick，alittlePolishintoyourusualdemeanour——’
’William，William，’saidtheother，shakinghishead，’it’sforyoutodoallthat。Idon’tknowhow。Allforgotten，forgotten!’
’But，mydearfellow，’returnedWilliam，’forthatveryreason，iffornoother，youmustpositivelytrytorouseyourself。Whatyouhaveforgottenyoumustnowbegintorecall，mydearFrederick。
Yourposition——’
’Eh？’saidFrederick。
’Yourposition，mydearFrederick。’