MrFlintwinchwasthefirsttostir。’Affery，mywoman，’saidhe，sidlingatherwithhisfistsclenched，andhiselbowsquiveringwithimpatiencetoshakeher，’youareatyouroldtricks。You’llbewalkinginyoursleepnext，mywoman，andplayingthewholeroundofyourdistemperedantics。Youmusthavesomephysic。WhenIhaveshownthisgentlemanout，I’llmakeyouupsuchacomfortabledose，mywoman；suchacomfortabledose!’
ItdidnotappearaltogethercomfortableinexpectationtoMistressAffery；butJeremiah，withoutfurtherreferencetohishealingmedicine，tookanothercandlefromMrsClennam’stable，andsaid，’Now，sir；shallIlightyoudown？’
MrDorritprofessedhimselfobliged，andwentdown。MrFlintwinchshuthimout，andchainedhimout，withoutamoment’slossoftime。
Hewasagainpassedbythetwomen，onegoingoutandtheothercomingin；gotintothevehiclehehadleftwaiting，andwasdrivenaway。
Beforehehadgonefar，thedriverstoppedtolethimknowthathehadgivenhisname，number，andaddresstothetwomen，ontheirjointrequisition；andalsotheaddressatwhichhehadtakenMrDorritup，thehouratwhichhehadbeencalledfromhisstandandthewaybywhichhehadcome。Thisdidnotmakethenight’sadventurerunanylesshotlyinMrDorrit’smind，eitherwhenhesatdownbyhisfireagain，orwhenhewenttobed。Allnighthehauntedthedismalhouse，sawthetwopeopleresolutelywaiting，heardthewomanwithherapronoverherfacecryoutaboutthenoise，andfoundthebodyofthemissingBlandois，nowburiedinthecellar，andnowbrickedupinawall。
ACastleintheAirManifoldarethecaresofwealthandstate。MrDorrit’ssatisfactioninrememberingthatithadnotbeennecessaryforhimtoannouncehimselftoClennamandCo。，ortomakeanallusiontohishavinghadanyknowledgeoftheintrusivepersonofthatname，hadbeendampedover-night，whileitwasstillfresh，byadebatethatarosewithinhimwhetherornoheshouldtaketheMarshalseainhiswayback，andlookattheoldgate。Hehaddecidednottodoso；andhadastonishedthecoachmanbybeingveryfiercewithhimforproposingtogooverLondonBridgeandrecrosstheriverbyWaterlooBridge——acoursewhichwouldhavetakenhimalmostwithinsightofhisoldquarters。Still，forallthat，thequestionhadraisedaconflictinhisbreast；and，forsomeoddreasonornoreason，hewasvaguelydissatisfied。EvenattheMerdledinner-
tablenextday，hewassooutofsortsaboutitthathecontinuedatintervalstoturnitoverandover，inamannerfrightfullyinconsistentwiththegoodsocietysurroundinghim。ItmadehimhottothinkwhattheChiefButler’sopinionofhimwouldhavebeen，ifthatillustriouspersonagecouldhaveplumbedwiththatheavyeyeofhisthestreamofhismeditations。
Thefarewellbanquetwasofagorgeousnature，andwounduphisvisitinamostbrilliantmanner。Fannycombinedwiththeattractionsofheryouthandbeauty，acertainweightofself-
sustainmentasifshehadbeenmarriedtwentyyears。Hefeltthathecouldleaveherwithaquietmindtotreadthepathsofdistinction，andwished——butwithoutabatementofpatronage，andwithoutprejudicetotheretiringvirtuesofhisfavouritechild——
thathehadsuchanotherdaughter。
’Mydear，’hetoldheratparting，’ourfamilylookstoyouto——ha——assertitsdignityand——hum——maintainitsimportance。I
knowyouwillneverdisappointit。’
’No，papa，’saidFanny，’youmayrelyuponthat，Ithink。MybestlovetodearestAmy，andIwillwritetoherverysoon。’
’ShallIconveyanymessageto——ha——anybodyelse？’askedMrDorrit，inaninsinuatingmanner。
’Papa，’saidFanny，beforewhomMrsGeneralinstantlyloomed，’no，Ithankyou。Youareverykind，Pa，butImustbegtobeexcused。
Thereisnoothermessagetosend，Ithankyou，dearpapa，thatitwouldbeatallagreeabletoyoutotake。’
Theypartedinanouterdrawing-room，whereonlyMrSparklerwaitedonhislady，anddutifullybidedhistimeforshakinghands。WhenMrSparklerwasadmittedtothisclosingaudience，MrMerdlecamecreepinginwithnotmuchmoreappearanceofarmsinhissleevesthanifhehadbeenthetwinbrotherofMissBiffin，andinsistedonescortingMrDorritdown-stairs。AllMrDorrit’sprotestationsbeinginvain，heenjoyedthehonourofbeingaccompaniedtothehall-doorbythisdistinguishedman，whoasMrDorrittoldhiminshakinghandsonthestephadreallyoverwhelmedhimwithattentionsandservicesduringthismemorablevisit。Thustheyparted；MrDorritenteringhiscarriagewithaswellingbreast，notatallsorrythathisCourier，whohadcometotakeleaveinthelowerregions，shouldhaveanopportunityofbeholdingthegrandeurofhisdeparture。
TheaforesaidgrandeurwasyetfulluponMrDorritwhenhealightedathishotel。HelpedoutbytheCourierandsomehalf-dozenofthehotelservants，hewaspassingthroughthehallwithaserenemagnificence，whenlo!asightpresenteditselfthatstruckhimdumbandmotionless。JohnChivery，inhisbestclothes，withhistallhatunderhisarm，hisivory-handledcanegenteellyembarrassinghisdeportment，andabundleofcigarsinhishand!
’Now，youngman，’saidtheporter。’Thisisthegentleman。Thisyoungmanhaspersistedinwaiting，sir，sayingyouwouldbegladtoseehim。’
MrDorritglaredontheyoungman，choked，andsaid，inthemildestoftones，’Ah!YoungJohn!ItisYoungJohn，Ithink；isitnot？’
’Yes，sir，’returnedYoungJohn。
’I——ha——thoughtitwasYoungjohn!’saidMrDorrit。’Theyoungmanmaycomeup，’turningtotheattendants，ashepassedon：’ohyes，hemaycomeup。LetYoungJohnfollow。Iwillspeaktohimabove。’
YoungJohnfollowed，smilingandmuchgratified。MrDorrit’sroomswerereached。Candleswerelighted。Theattendantswithdrew。
’Now，sir，’saidMrDorrit，turningrounduponhimandseizinghimbythecollarwhentheyweresafelyalone。’Whatdoyoumeanbythis？’
Theamazementandhorrordepictedintheunfortunatejohn’sface——
forhehadratherexpectedtobeembracednext——wereofthatpowerfullyexpressivenaturethatMrDorritwithdrewhishandandmerelyglaredathim。
’Howdareyoudothis？’saidMrDorrit。’Howdoyoupresumetocomehere？Howdareyouinsultme？’
’Iinsultyou，sir？’criedYoungJohn。’Oh!’
’Yes，sir，’returnedMrDorrit。’Insultme。Yourcominghereisanaffront，animpertinence，anaudacity。Youarenotwantedhere。
Whosentyouhere？What——ha——theDevildoyoudohere？’
’Ithought，sir，’saidYoungJohn，withaspaleandshockedafaceaseverhadbeenturnedtoMrDorrit’sinhislife——eveninhisCollegelife：’Ithought，sir，youmightn’tobjecttohavethegoodnesstoacceptabundle——’
’Damnyourbundle，sir!’criedMrDorrit，inirrepressiblerage。
’I——hum——don’tsmoke。’
’Ihumblybegyourpardon，sir。Youusedto。’
’Tellmethatagain，’criedMrDorrit，quitebesidehimself，’andI’lltakethepokertoyou!’
JohnChiverybackedtothedoor。
’Stop，sir!’criedMrDorrit。’Stop!Sitdown。Confoundyou，sitdown!’
JohnChiverydroppedintothechairnearestthedoor，andMrDorritwalkedupanddowntheroom；rapidlyatfirst；then，moreslowly。
Once，hewenttothewindow，andstoodtherewithhisforeheadagainsttheglass。Allofasudden，heturnedandsaid：
’Whatelsedidyoucomefor，Sir？’
’Nothingelseintheworld，sir。Ohdearme!Onlytosay，Sir，thatIhopedyouwaswell，andonlytoaskifMissAmywasWell？’
’What’sthattoyou，sir？’retortedMrDorrit。
’It’snothingtome，sir，byrights。Ineverthoughtoflesseningthedistancebetwixtus，Iamsure。Iknowit’saliberty，sir，butIneverthoughtyou’dhavetakenitill。Uponmywordandhonour，sir，’saidYoungJohn，withemotion，’inmypoorway，Iamtooproudtohavecome，Iassureyou，ifIhadthoughtso。’
MrDorritwasashamed。Hewentbacktothewindow，andleanedhisforeheadagainsttheglassforsometime。Whenheturned，hehadhishandkerchiefinhishand，andhehadbeenwipinghiseyeswithit，andhelookedtiredandill。
’YoungJohn，Iamverysorrytohavebeenhastywithyou，but——ha——
someremembrancesarenothappyremembrances，and——hum——youshouldn’thavecome。’
’Ifeelthatnow，sir，’returnedJohnChivery；’butIdidn’tbefore，andHeavenknowsImeantnoharm，sir。’
’No。No，’saidMrDorrit。’Iam——hum——sureofthat。Ha。Givemeyourhand，YoungJohn，givemeyourhand。’
YoungJohngaveit；butMrDorrithaddrivenhisheartoutofit，andnothingcouldchangehisfacenow，fromitswhite，shockedlook。
’There!’saidMrDorrit，slowlyshakinghandswithhim。’Sitdownagain，YoungJohn。’
’Thankyou，sir——butI’dratherstand。’
MrDorritsatdowninstead。Afterpainfullyholdinghisheadalittlewhile，heturnedittohisvisitor，andsaid，withanefforttobeeasy：
’Andhowisyourfather，YoungJohn？How——ha——howaretheyall，YoungJohn？’
’Thankyou，sir，They’reallprettywell，sir。They’renotanywayscomplaining。’
’Hum。Youareinyour——ha——oldbusinessIsee，John？’saidMrDorrit，withaglanceattheoffendingbundlehehadanathematised。
’Partly，sir。Iaminmy’——Johnhesitatedalittle——’father’sbusinesslikewise。’
’Ohindeed!’saidMrDorrit。’Doyou——hahum——goupontheha——’
’Lock，sir？Yes，sir。’
’Muchtodo，John？’
’Yes，sir；we’reprettyheavyatpresent。Idon’tknowhowitis，butwegenerallyAREprettyheavy。’
’Atthistimeoftheyear，YoungJohn？’
’Mostlyatalltimesoftheyear，sir。Idon’tknowthetimethatmakesmuchdifferencetous。Iwishyougoodnight，sir。’
’Stayamoment，John——ha——stayamoment。Hum。Leavemethecigars，John，I——ha——beg。’
’Certainly，sir。’Johnputthem，withatremblinghand，onthetable。
’Stayamoment，YoungJohn；stayanothermoment。Itwouldbea——ha——agratificationtometosendalittle——hum——Testimonial，bysuchatrustymessenger，tobedividedamong——hahum——them——them——
accordingtotheirwants。Wouldyouobjecttotakeit，John？’
’Notinanyways，sir。There’smanyofthem，I’msure，thatwouldbethebetterforit。’