a-days。Themurderous-headedstatuesofthewickedEmperorsoftheSoldiery，whomsculptorshadnotbeenabletoflatteroutoftheirvillainoushideousness，mighthavecomeofftheirpedestalstorunawaywiththeBride。Thechokedoldfountain，whereerstthegladiatorswashed，mighthaveleapedintolifeagaintohonourtheceremony。TheTempleofVestamighthavesprungupanewfromitsruins，expresslytolenditscountenancetotheoccasion。Mighthavedone；butdidnot。Likesentientthings——evenlikethelordsandladiesofcreationsometimes——mighthavedonemuch，butdidnothing。Thecelebrationwentoffwithadmirablepomp；monksinblackrobes，whiterobes，andrussetrobesstoppedtolookafterthecarriages；wanderingpeasantsinfleecesofsheep，beggedandpipedunderthehouse-windows；theEnglishvolunteersdefiled；thedayworeontothehourofvespers；thefestivalworeaway；thethousandchurchesrangtheirbellswithoutanyreferencetoit；andStPeterdeniedthathehadanythingtodowithit。
ButbythattimetheBridewasneartheendofthefirstday’sjourneytowardsFlorence。ItwasthepeculiarityofthenuptialsthattheywereallBride。NobodynoticedtheBridegroom。NobodynoticedthefirstBridesmaid。FewcouldhaveseenLittleDorritwhoheldthatpostfortheglare，evensupposingmanytohavesoughther。So，theBridehadmountedintoherhandsomechariot，incidentallyaccompaniedbytheBridegroom；andafterrollingforafewminutessmoothlyoverafairpavement，hadbeguntojoltthroughaSloughofDespond，andthroughalong，longavenueofwrackandruin。Othernuptialcarriagesaresaidtohavegonethesameroad，beforeandsince。
IfLittleDorritfoundherselfleftalittlelonelyandalittlelowthatnight，nothingwouldhavedonesomuchagainstherfeelingofdepressionasthebeingabletositatworkbyherfather，asintheoldtime，andhelphimtohissupperandhisrest。Butthatwasnottobethoughtofnow，whentheysatinthestate-equipagewithMrsGeneralonthecoach-box。Andastosupper!IfMrDorrithadwantedsupper，therewasanItaliancookandtherewasaSwissconfectioner，whomusthaveputoncapsashighasthePope’sMitre，andhaveperformedthemysteriesofAlchemistsinacopper-
saucepanedlaboratorybelow，beforehecouldhavegotit。
Hewassententiousanddidacticthatnight。Ifhehadbeensimplyloving，hewouldhavedoneLittleDorritmoregood；butsheacceptedhimashewas——whenhadshenotacceptedhimashewas!——
andmadethemostandbestofhim。MrsGeneralatlengthretired。
Herretirementforthenightwasalwaysherfrostiestceremony，asifshefeltitnecessarythatthehumanimaginationshouldbechilledintostonetopreventitsfollowingher。Whenshehadgonethroughherrigidpreliminaries，amountingtoasortofgenteelplatoon-exercise，shewithdrew。LittleDorritthenputherarmroundherfather’sneck，tobidhimgoodnight。
’Amy，mydear，’saidMrDorrit，takingherbythehand，’thisisthecloseofaday，thathas——ha——greatlyimpressedandgratifiedme。’
’Alittletiredyou，dear，too？’
’No，’saidMrDorrit，’no：Iamnotsensibleoffatiguewhenitarisesfromanoccasionso——hum——repletewithgratificationofthepurestkind。’
LittleDorritwasgladtofindhiminsuchheart，andsmiledfromherownheart。
’Mydear，’hecontinued，’thisisanoccasion——ha——teemingwithagoodexample。Withagoodexample，myfavouriteandattachedchild——hum——toyou。’
LittleDorrit，flutteredbyhiswords，didnotknowwhattosay，thoughhestoppedasifheexpectedhertosaysomething。
’Amy，’heresumed；’yourdearsister，ourFanny，hascontractedhahum——amarriage，eminentlycalculatedtoextendthebasisofour——
ha——connection，andto——hum——consolidateoursocialrelations。Mylove，Itrustthatthetimeisnotfardistantwhensome——ha——
eligiblepartnermaybefoundforyou。’
’Ohno!Letmestaywithyou。IbegandpraythatImaystaywithyou!Iwantnothingbuttostayandtakecareofyou!’Shesaiditlikeoneinsuddenalarm。
’Nay，Amy，Amy，’saidMrDorrit。’Thisisweakandfoolish，weakandfoolish。Youhavea——ha——responsibilityimposeduponyoubyyourposition。Itistodevelopthatposition，andbe——hum——
worthyofthatposition。Astotakingcareofme；Ican——ha——takecareofmyself。Or，’headdedafteramoment，’ifIshouldneedtobetakencareof，I——hum——can，withthe——ha——blessingofProvidence，betakencareof，I——hahum——Icannot，mydearchild，thinkofengrossing，and——ha——asitwere，sacrificingyou。’
Owhatatimeofdayatwhichtobeginthatprofessionofself-
denial；atwhichtomakeit，withanairoftakingcreditforit；
atwhichtobelieveit，ifsuchathingcouldbe!
’Don’tspeak，Amy。IpositivelysayIcannotdoit。I——ha——mustnotdoit。My——hum——consciencewouldnotallowit。Itherefore，mylove，taketheopportunityaffordedbythisgratifyingandimpressiveoccasionof——ha——solemnlyremarking，thatitisnowacherishedwishandpurposeofminetoseeyou——ha——eligiblyI
repeateligiblymarried。’
’Ohno，dear!Pray!’
’Amy，’saidMrDorrit，’Iamwellpersuadedthatifthetopicwerereferredtoanypersonofsuperiorsocialknowledge，ofsuperiordelicacyandsense——letussay，forinstance，to——ha——MrsGeneral——
thattherewouldnotbetwoopinionsastothe——hum——affectionatecharacterandproprietyofmysentiments。But，asIknowyourlovinganddutifulnaturefrom——hum——fromexperience，Iamquitesatisfiedthatitisnecessarytosaynomore。Ihave——hum——nohusbandtoproposeatpresent，mydear：Ihavenotevenoneinview。Imerelywishthatweshould——ha——understandeachother。
Hum。Goodnight，mydearandsoleremainingdaughter。Goodnight。
Godblessyou!’
IfthethoughteverenteredLittleDorrit’sheadthatnight，thathecouldgiveheruplightlynowinhisprosperity，andwhenhehaditinhismindtoreplaceherwithasecondwife，shedroveitaway。Faithfultohimstill，asintheworsttimesthroughwhichshehadbornehimsingle-handed，shedrovethethoughtaway；andentertainednoharderreflection，inhertearfulunrest，thanthathenowsaweverythingthroughtheirwealth，andthroughthecarehealwayshaduponhimthattheyshouldcontinuerich，andgrowricher。
Theysatintheirequipageofstate，withMrsGeneralonthebox，forthreeweekslonger，andthenhestartedforFlorencetojoinFanny。LittleDorritwouldhavebeengladtobearhimcompanysofar，onlyforthesakeofherownlove，andthentohaveturnedbackalone，thinkingofdearEngland。But，thoughtheCourierhadgoneonwiththeBride，theValetwasnextintheline；andthesuccessionwouldnothavecometoher，aslongasanyonecouldbegotformoney。
MrsGeneraltooklifeeasily——aseasily，thatis，asshecouldtakeanything——whentheRomanestablishmentremainedintheirsoleoccupation；andLittleDorritwouldoftenrideoutinahiredcarriagethatwasleftthem，andalightaloneandwanderamongtheruinsofoldRome。TheruinsofthevastoldAmphitheatre，oftheoldTemples，oftheoldcommemorativeArches，oftheoldtroddenhighways，oftheoldtombs，besidesbeingwhattheywere，toherwereruinsoftheoldMarshalsea——ruinsofherownoldlife——ruinsofthefacesandformsthatofoldpeopledit——ruinsofitsloves，hopes，cares，andjoys。Tworuinedspheresofactionandsufferingwerebeforethesolitarygirloftensittingonsomebrokenfragment；andinthelonelyplaces，underthebluesky，shesawthembothtogether。
Up，then，wouldcomeMrsGeneral；takingallthecolouroutofeverything，asNatureandArthadtakenitoutofherself；writingPrunesandPrism，inMrEustace’stext，wherevershecouldlayahand；lookingeverywhereforMrEustaceandcompany，andseeingnothingelse；scratchingupthedriestlittlebonesofantiquity，andboltingthemwholewithoutanyhumanvisitings——likeaGhouleingloves。
CHAPTER16
GettingonThenewlymarriedpair，ontheirarrivalinHarleyStreet，CavendishSquare，London，werereceivedbytheChiefButler。Thatgreatmanwasnotinterestedinthem，butonthewholeenduredthem。Peoplemustcontinuetobemarriedandgiveninmarriage，orChiefButlerswouldnotbewanted。Asnationsaremadetobetaxed，sofamiliesaremadetobebutlered。TheChiefButler，nodoubt，reflectedthatthecourseofnaturerequiredthewealthypopulationtobekeptup，onhisaccount。
HethereforecondescendedtolookatthecarriagefromtheHall-
doorwithoutfrowningatit，andsaid，inaveryhandsomeway，tooneofhismen，’Thomas，helpwiththeluggage。’HeevenescortedtheBrideup-stairsintoMrMerdle’spresence；butthismustbeconsideredasanactofhomagetothesexofwhichhewasanadmirer，beingnotoriouslycaptivatedbythecharmsofacertainDuchess，andnotasacommittalofhimselfwiththefamily。
MrMerdlewasslinkingaboutthehearthrug，waitingtowelcomeMrsSparkler。Hishandseemedtoretreatuphissleeveasheadvancedtodoso，andhegavehersuchasuperfluityofcoat-cuffthatitwaslikebeingreceivedbythepopularconceptionofGuyFawkes。
Whenheputhislipstohers，besides，hetookhimselfintocustodybythewrists，andbackedhimselfamongtheottomansandchairsandtablesasifhewerehisownPoliceofficer，sayingtohimself，’Now，noneofthat!Come!I’vegotyou，youknow，andyougoquietlyalongwithme!’
MrsSparkler，installedintheroomsofstate——theinnermostsanctuaryofdown，silk，chintz，andfinelinen——feltthatsofarhertriumphwasgood，andherwaymade，stepbystep。Onthedaybeforehermarriage，shehadbestowedonMrsMerdle’smaidwithanairofgraciousindifference，inMrsMerdle’spresence，atriflinglittlekeepsakebracelet，bonnet，andtwodresses，allnewaboutfourtimesasvaluableasthepresentformerlymadebyMrsMerdletoher。ShewasnowestablishedinMrsMerdle’sownrooms，towhichsomeextratoucheshadbeengiventorenderthemmoreworthyofheroccupation。Inhermind’seye，assheloungedthere，surroundedbyeveryluxuriousaccessorythatwealthcouldobtainorinventiondevise，shesawthefairbosomthatbeatinunisonwiththeexultationofherthoughts，competingwiththebosomthathadbeenfamoussolong，outshiningit，anddeposingit。Happy？Fannymusthavebeenhappy。Nomorewishingone’sselfdeadnow。
TheCourierhadnotapprovedofMrDorrit’sstayinginthehouseofafriend，andhadpreferredtotakehimtoanhotelinBrookStreet，GrosvenorSquare。MrMerdleorderedhiscarriagetobereadyearlyinthemorningthathemightwaituponMrDorritimmediatelyafterbreakfast。
Brightthecarriagelooked，sleekthehorseslooked，gleamingtheharnesslooked，lusciousandlastingtheliverieslooked。Arich，responsibleturn-out。AnequipageforaMerdle。Earlypeoplelookedafteritasitrattledalongthestreets，andsaid，withaweintheirbreath，’Therehegoes!’
Therehewent，untilBrookStreetstoppedhim。Then，forthfromitsmagnificentcasecamethejewel；notlustrousinitself，butquitethecontrary。
Commotionintheofficeofthehotel。Merdle!Thelandlord，thoughagentlemanofahaughtyspiritwhohadjustdrivenapairofthorough-bredhorsesintotown，turnedouttoshowhimup-
stairs。Theclerksandservantscuthimoffbyback-passages，andwerefoundaccidentallyhoveringindoorwaysandangles，thattheymightlookuponhim。Merdle!Oyesun，moon，andstars，thegreatman!Therichman，whohadinamannerrevisedtheNewTestament，andalreadyenteredintothekingdomofHeaven。Themanwhocouldhaveanyonehechosetodinewithhim，andwhohadmadethemoney!
Ashewentupthestairs，peoplewerealreadypostedonthelowerstairs，thathisshadowmightfalluponthemwhenhecamedown。SowerethesickbroughtoutandlaidinthetrackoftheApostle——whohadNOTgotintothegoodsociety，andhadNOTmadethemoney。
MrDorrit，dressing-gownedandnewspapered，wasathisbreakfast。
TheCourier，withagitationinhisvoice，announced’MissMairdale!’MrDorrit’soverwroughtheartboundedasheleapedup。
’MrMerdle，thisis——ha——indeedanhonour。Permitmetoexpressthe——hum——sense，thehighsense，Ientertainofthis——hahum——
highlygratifyingactofattention。Iamwellaware，sir，ofthemanydemandsuponyourtime，andits——ha——enormousvalue，’MrDorritcouldnotsayenormousroundlyenoughforhisownsatisfaction。’Thatyoushould——ha——atthisearlyhour，bestowanyofyourpricelesstimeuponme，is——ha——acomplimentthatI