’Mine？’Helookedfirstathisownfigure，andthenathisbrother’s，andthen，drawingalongbreath，cried，’Hah，tobesure!Yes，yes，yes。’
’Yourposition，mydearFrederick，isnowafineone。Yourposition，asmybrother，isaveryfineone。AndIknowthatitbelongstoyourconscientiousnaturetotrytobecomeworthyofit，mydearFrederick，andtotrytoadornit。Tobenodiscredittoit，buttoadornit。’
’William，’saidtheotherweakly，andwithasigh，’Iwilldoanythingyouwish，mybrother，provideditliesinmypower。Praybesokindastorecollectwhatalimitedpowermineis。Whatwouldyouwishmetodoto-day，brother？Saywhatitis，onlysaywhatitis。’
’MydearestFrederick，nothing。Itisnotworthtroublingsogoodaheartasyourswith。’
’Praytroubleit，’returnedtheother。’Itfindsitnotrouble，William，todoanythingitcanforyou。’
Williampassedhishandacrosshiseyes，andmurmuredwithaugustsatisfaction，’Blessingsonyourattachment，mypoordearfellow!’
Thenhesaidaloud，’Well，mydearFrederick，ifyouwillonlytry，aswewalkout，toshowthatyouarealivetotheoccasion——thatyouthinkaboutit——’
’Whatwouldyouadvisemetothinkaboutit？’returnedhissubmissivebrother。
’Oh!mydearFrederick，howcanIansweryou？Icanonlysaywhat，inleavingthesegoodpeople，Ithinkmyself。’
’That’sit!’criedhisbrother。’Thatwillhelpme。’
’IfindthatIthink，mydearFrederick，andwithmixedemotionsinwhichasoftenedcompassionpredominates，Whatwilltheydowithoutme!’
’True，’returnedhisbrother。’Yes，yes，yes，yes。I’llthinkthataswego，Whatwilltheydowithoutmybrother!Poorthings!
Whatwilltheydowithouthim!’
Twelveo’clockhavingjuststruck，andthecarriagebeingreportedreadyintheoutercourt-yard，thebrothersproceededdown-stairsarm-in-arm。EdwardDorrit，EsquireonceTip，andhissisterFannyfollowed，alsoarm-in-arm；MrPlornishandMaggy，towhomhadbeenentrustedtheremovalofsuchofthefamilyeffectsaswereconsideredworthremoving，followed，bearingbundlesandburdenstobepackedinacart。
Intheyard，weretheCollegiansandturnkeys。Intheyard，wereMrPancksandMrRugg，cometoseethelasttouchgiventotheirwork。Intheyard，wasYoungJohnmakinganewepitaphforhimself，ontheoccasionofhisdyingofabrokenheart。Intheyard，wasthePatriarchalCasby，lookingsotremendouslybenevolentthatmanyenthusiasticCollegiansgraspedhimferventlybythehand，andthewivesandfemalerelativesofmanymoreCollegianskissedhishand，nothingdoubtingthathehaddoneitall。Intheyard，wasthemanwiththeshadowygrievancerespectingtheFundwhichtheMarshalembezzled，whohadgotupatfiveinthemorningtocompletethecopyingofaperfectlyunintelligiblehistoryofthattransaction，whichhehadcommittedtoMrDorrit’scare，asadocumentofthelastimportance，calculatedtostuntheGovernmentandeffecttheMarshal’sdownfall。Intheyard，wastheinsolventwhoseutmostenergieswerealwayssetongettingintodebt，whobrokeintoprisonwithasmuchpainsasothermenhavebrokenoutofit，andwhowasalwaysbeingclearedandcomplimented；whiletheinsolventathiselbow——amerelittle，snivelling，strivingtradesman，halfdeadofanxiouseffortstokeepoutofdebt——founditahardmatter，indeed，togetaCommissionertoreleasehimwithmuchreproofandreproach。Intheyard，wasthemanofmanychildrenandmanyburdens，whosefailureastonishedeverybody；intheyard，wasthemanofnochildrenandlargeresources，whosefailureastonishednobody。There，werethepeoplewhowerealwaysgoingoutto-morrow，andalwaysputtingitoff；there，werethepeoplewhohadcomeinyesterday，andwhoweremuchmorejealousandresentfulofthisfreakoffortunethantheseasonedbirds。
There，weresomewho，inpuremeannessofspirit，cringedandbowedbeforetheenrichedCollegianandhisfamily；there，wereotherswhodidsoreallybecausetheireyes，accustomedtothegloomoftheirimprisonmentandpoverty，couldnotsupportthelightofsuchbrightsunshine。There，weremanywhoseshillingshadgoneintohispockettobuyhimmeatanddrink；butnonewhowerenowobtrusivelyHailfellowwellmet!withhim，onthestrengthofthatassistance。Itwasrathertoberemarkedofthecagedbirds，thattheywerealittleshyofthebirdabouttobesograndlyfree，andthattheyhadatendencytowithdrawthemselvestowardsthebars，andseemalittleflutteredashepassed。
Throughthesespectatorsthelittleprocession，headedbythetwobrothers，movedslowlytothegate。MrDorrit，yieldingtothevastspeculationhowthepoorcreaturesweretogetonwithouthim，wasgreat，andsad，butnotabsorbed。HepattedchildrenontheheadlikeSirRogerdeCoverleygoingtochurch，hespoketopeopleinthebackgroundbytheirChristiannames，hecondescendedtoallpresent，andseemedfortheirconsolationtowalkencircledbythelegendingoldencharacters，’Becomforted，mypeople!Bearit!’
Atlastthreehonestcheersannouncedthathehadpassedthegate，andthattheMarshalseawasanorphan。Beforetheyhadceasedtoringintheechoesoftheprisonwalls，thefamilyhadgotintotheircarriage，andtheattendanthadthestepsinhishand。
Then，andnotbefore，’GoodGracious!’criedMissFannyallatonce，’Where’sAmy!’
Herfatherhadthoughtshewaswithhersister。Hersisterhadthoughtshewas’somewhereorother。’Theyhadalltrustedtofindingher，astheyhadalwaysdone，quietlyintherightplaceattherightmoment。Thisgoingawaywasperhapstheveryfirstactionoftheirjointlivesthattheyhadgotthroughwithouther。
Aminutemighthavebeenconsumedintheascertainingofthesepoints，whenMissFanny，who，fromherseatinthecarriage，commandedthelongnarrowpassageleadingtotheLodge，flushedindignantly。
’NowIdosay，Pa，’criedshe，’thatthisisdisgraceful!’
’Whatisdisgraceful，Fanny？’
’Idosay，’sherepeated，’thisisperfectlyinfamous!Reallyalmostenough，evenatsuchatimeasthis，tomakeonewishonewasdead!HereisthatchildAmy，inheruglyoldshabbydress，whichshewassoobstinateabout，Pa，whichIoverandoveragainbeggedandprayedhertochange，andwhichsheoverandoveragainobjectedto，andpromisedtochangeto-day，sayingshewishedtowearitaslongaseversheremainedintherewithyou——whichwasabsolutelyromanticnonsenseofthelowestkind——hereisthatchildAmydisgracingustothelastmomentandatthelastmoment，bybeingcarriedoutinthatdressafterall。AndbythatMrClennamtoo!’
Theoffencewasproved，asshedeliveredtheindictment。Clennamappearedatthecarriage-door，bearingthelittleinsensiblefigureinhisarms。
’Shehasbeenforgotten，’hesaid，inatoneofpitynotfreefromreproach。’IranuptoherroomwhichMrChiveryshowedmeandfoundthedooropen，andthatshehadfaintedonthefloor，dearchild。Sheappearedtohavegonetochangeherdress，andtohavesunkdownoverpowered。Itmayhavebeenthecheering，oritmayhavehappenedsooner。Takecareofthispoorcoldhand，MissDorrit。Don’tletitfall。’
’Thankyou，sir，’returnedMissDorrit，burstingintotears。’I
believeIknowwhattodo，ifyouwillgivemeleave。DearAmy，openyoureyes，that’salove!Oh，Amy，Amy，Ireallyamsovexedandashamed!Dorouseyourself，darling!Oh，whyaretheynotdrivingon!Pray，Pa，dodriveon!’
Theattendant，gettingbetweenClennamandthecarriage-door，withasharp’Byyourleave，sir!’bundledupthesteps，andtheydroveaway。
BOOKTHESECOND
RICHES
FellowTravellersIntheautumnoftheyear，DarknessandNightwerecreepinguptothehighestridgesoftheAlps。
ItwasvintagetimeinthevalleysontheSwisssideofthePassoftheGreatSaintBernard，andalongthebanksoftheLakeofGeneva。
Theairtherewaschargedwiththescentofgatheredgrapes。
Baskets，troughs，andtubsofgrapesstoodinthedimvillagedoorways，stoppedthesteepandnarrowvillagestreets，andhadbeencarryingalldayalongtheroadsandlanes。Grapes，splitandcrushedunderfoot，layabouteverywhere。Thechildcarriedinaslingbytheladenpeasantwomantoilinghome，wasquietedwithpicked-upgrapes；theidiotsunninghisbiggoitreundertheleavesofthewoodenchaletbythewaytotheWaterfall，satMunchinggrapes；thebreathofthecowsandgoatswasredolentofleavesandstalksofgrapes；thecompanyineverylittlecabaretwereeating，drinking，talkinggrapes。Apitythatnoripetouchofthisgenerousabundancecouldbegiventothethin，hard，stonywine，whichafterallwasmadefromthegrapes!
Theairhadbeenwarmandtransparentthroughthewholeofthebrightday。Shiningmetalspiresandchurch-roofs，distantandrarelyseen，hadsparkledintheview；andthesnowymountain-topshadbeensoclearthatunaccustomedeyes，cancellingtheinterveningcountry，andslightingtheirruggedheightsforsomethingfabulous，wouldhavemeasuredthemaswithinafewhourseasyreach。Mountain-peaksofgreatcelebrityinthevalleys，whencenotraceoftheirexistencewasvisiblesometimesformonthstogether，hadbeensincemorningplainandnearinthebluesky。
Andnow，whenitwasdarkbelow，thoughtheyseemedsolemnlytorecede，likespectreswhoweregoingtovanish，asthereddyeofthesunsetfadedoutofthemandleftthemcoldlywhite，theywereyetdistinctlydefinedintheirlonelinessabovethemistsandshadows。
Seenfromthesesolitudes，andfromthePassoftheGreatSaintBernard，whichwasoneofthem，theascendingNightcameupthemountainlikearisingwater。WhenitatlastrosetothewallsoftheconventoftheGreatSaintBernard，itwasasifthatweather-
beatenstructurewereanotherArk，andfloatedontheshadowywaves。
Darkness，outstrippingsomevisitorsonmules，hadrisenthustotheroughconventwalls，whenthosetravellerswereyetclimbingthemountain。Astheheatoftheglowingdaywhentheyhadstoppedtodrinkatthestreamsofmeltediceandsnow，waschangedtothesearchingcoldofthefrostyrarefiednightairatagreatheight，sothefreshbeautyofthelowerjourneyhadyieldedtobarrennessanddesolation。Acraggytrack，upwhichthemulesinsinglefilescrambledandturnedfromblocktoblock，asthoughtheywereascendingthebrokenstaircaseofagiganticruin，wastheirwaynow。Notreesweretobeseen，noranyvegetablegrowthsaveapoorbrownscrubbymoss，freezinginthechinksofrock。Blackenedskeletonarmsofwoodbythewaysidepointedupwardtotheconventasiftheghostsofformertravellersoverwhelmedbythesnowhauntedthesceneoftheirdistress。Icicle-hungcavesandcellarsbuiltforrefugesfromsuddenstorms，werelikesomanywhispersoftheperilsoftheplace；never-restingwreathsandmazesofmistwanderedabout，huntedbyamoaningwind；andsnow，thebesettingdangerofthemountain，againstwhichallitsdefencesweretaken，driftedsharplydown。
Thefileofmules，jadedbytheirday’swork，turnedandwoundslowlyupthedeepascent；theforemostledbyaguideonfoot，inhisbroad-brimmedhatandroundjacket，carryingamountainstaffortwouponhisshoulder，withwhomanotherguideconversed。Therewasnospeakingamongthestringofriders。Thesharpcold，thefatigueofthejourney，andanewsensationofacatchinginthebreath，partlyasiftheyhadjustemergedfromveryclearcrispwater，andpartlyasiftheyhadbeensobbing，keptthemsilent。
Atlength，alightonthesummitoftherockystaircasegleamedthroughthesnowandmist。Theguidescalledtothemules，themulesprickeduptheirdroopingheads，thetravellers’tongueswereloosened，andinasuddenburstofslipping，climbing，jingling，clinking，andtalking，theyarrivedattheconventdoor。