’Thankyou，John。I——ha——I’llwriteit，John。’
Hishandshooksothathewasalongtimewritingit，andwroteitinatremulousscrawlatlast。Itwasachequeforonehundredpounds。Hefoldeditup，putitinYoungjohn’shand，andpressedthehandinhis。
’Ihopeyou’ll——ha——overlook——hum——whathaspassed，John。’
’Don’tspeakofit，sir，onanyaccounts。Idon’tinanywaysbearmalice，I’msure。’
ButnothingwhileJohnwastherecouldchangeJohn’sfacetoitsnaturalcolourandexpression，orrestoreJohn’snaturalmanner。
’And，John，’saidMrDorrit，givinghishandafinalpressure，andreleasingit，’Ihopewe——ha——agreethatwehavespokentogetherinconfidence；andthatyouwillabstain，ingoingout，fromsayinganythingtoanyonethatmight——hum——suggestthat——ha——onceI——’
’Oh!Iassureyou，sir，’returnedJohnChivery，’inmypoorhumbleway，sir，I’mtooproudandhonourabletodoit，sir。’
MrDorritwasnottooproudandhonourabletolistenatthedoorthathemightascertainforhimselfwhetherJohnreallywentstraightout，orlingeredtohaveanytalkwithanyone。Therewasnodoubtthathewentdirectoutatthedoor，andawaydownthestreetwithaquickstep。Afterremainingaloneforanhour，MrDorritrangfortheCourier，whofoundhimwithhischaironthehearth-rug，sittingwithhisbacktowardshimandhisfacetothefire。’Youcantakethatbundleofcigarstosmokeonthejourney，ifyoulike，’saidMrDorrit，withacarelesswaveofhishand。
’Ha——broughtby——hum——littleofferingfrom——ha——sonofoldtenantofmine。’
Nextmorning’ssunsawMrDorrit’sequipageupontheDoverroad，whereeveryred-jacketedpostilionwasthesignofacruelhouse，establishedfortheunmercifulplunderingoftravellers。Thewholebusinessofthehumanrace，betweenLondonandDover，beingspoliation，MrDorritwaswaylaidatDartford，pillagedatGravesend，rifledatRochester，fleecedatSittingbourne，andsackedatCanterbury。However，itbeingtheCourier’sbusinesstogethimoutofthehandsofthebanditti，theCourierbroughthimoffateverystage；andsothered-jacketswentgleamingmerrilyalongthespringlandscape，risingandfallingtoaregularmeasure，betweenMrDorritinhissnugcornerandthenextchalkyriseinthedustyhighway。
Anotherday’ssunsawhimatCalais。AndhavingnowgottheChannelbetweenhimselfandJohnChivery，hebegantofeelsafe，andtofindthattheforeignairwaslightertobreathethantheairofEngland。
OnagainbytheheavyFrenchroadsforParis。Havingnowquiterecoveredhisequanimity，MrDorrit，inhissnugcorner，felltocastle-buildingasherodealong。Itwasevidentthathehadaverylargecastleinhand。Alldaylonghewasrunningtowersup，takingtowersdown，addingawinghere，puttingonabattlementthere，lookingtothewalls，strengtheningthedefences，givingornamentaltouchestotheinterior，makinginallrespectsasuperbcastleofit。Hispreoccupiedfacesoclearlydenotedthepursuitinwhichhewasengaged，thateverycrippleatthepost-houses，notblind，whoshovedhislittlebatteredtin-boxinatthecarriagewindowforCharityinthenameofHeaven，CharityinthenameofourLady，CharityinthenameofalltheSaints，knewaswellwhatworkhewasat，astheircountrymanLeBruncouldhaveknownithimself，thoughhehadmadethatEnglishtravellerthesubjectofaspecialphysiognomicaltreatise。
ArrivedatParis，andrestingtherethreedays，MrDorritstrolledmuchaboutthestreetsalone，lookinginattheshop-windows，andparticularlythejewellers’windows。Ultimately，hewentintothemostfamousjeweller’s，andsaidhewantedtobuyalittlegiftforalady。
Itwasacharminglittlewomantowhomhesaidit——asprightlylittlewoman，dressedinperfecttaste，whocameoutofagreenvelvetbowertoattenduponhim，frompostingupsomedaintylittlebooksofaccountwhichonecouldhardlysupposetoberuledfortheentryofanyarticlesmorecommercialthankisses，atadaintylittleshiningdeskwhichlookedinitselflikeasweetmeat。
Forexample，then，saidthelittlewoman，whatspeciesofgiftdidMonsieurdesire？Alove-gift？
MrDorritsmiled，andsaid，Eh，well!Perhaps。Whatdidheknow？
Itwasalwayspossible；thesexbeingsocharming。Wouldsheshowhimsome？
Mostwillingly，saidthelittlewoman。Flatteredandenchantedtoshowhimmany。Butpardon!Tobeginwith，hewouldhavethegreatgoodnesstoobservethattherewerelove-gifts，andtherewerenuptialgifts。Forexample，theseravishingear-ringsandthisnecklacesosuperbtocorrespond，werewhatonecalledalove-
gift。Thesebroochesandtheserings，ofabeautysograciousandcelestial，werewhatonecalled，withthepermissionofMonsieur，nuptialgifts。
Perhapsitwouldbeagoodarrangement，MrDorrithinted，smiling，topurchaseboth，andtopresentthelove-giftfirst，andtofinishwiththenuptialoffering？
AhHeaven!saidthelittlewoman，layingthetipsofthefingersofhertwolittlehandsagainsteachother，thatwouldbegenerousindeed，thatwouldbeaspecialgallantry!Andwithoutdoubttheladysocrushedwithgiftswouldfindthemirresistible。
MrDorritwasnotsureofthat。But，forexample，thesprightlylittlewomanwasverysureofit，shesaid。SoMrDorritboughtagiftofeachsort，andpaidhandsomelyforit。Ashestrolledbacktohishotelafterwards，hecarriedhisheadhigh：havingplainlygotuphiscastlenowtoamuchloftieraltitudethanthetwosquaretowersofNotreDame。
Buildingawaywithallhismight，butreservingtheplansofhiscastleexclusivelyforhisowneye，MrDorritpostedawayforMarseilles。Buildingon，buildingon，busily，busily，frommorningtonight。Fallingasleep，andleavinggreatblocksofbuildingmaterialsdanglingintheair；wakingagain，toresumeworkandgetthemintotheirplaces。WhattimetheCourierintherumble，smokingYoungjohn’sbestcigars，leftalittlethreadofthinlightsmokebehind——perhapsashebuiltacastleortwowithstraypiecesofMrDorrit’smoney。
Notafortifiedtownthattheypassedinalltheirjourneywasasstrong，notaCathedralsummitwasashigh，asMrDorrit’scastle。
NeithertheSaonenortheRhonespedwiththeswiftnessofthatpeerlessbuilding；norwastheMediterraneandeeperthanitsfoundations；norwerethedistantlandscapesontheCorniceroad，northehillsandbayofGenoatheSuperb，morebeautiful。MrDorritandhismatchlesscastleweredisembarkedamongthedirtywhitehousesanddirtierfelonsofCivitaVecchia，andthencescrambledontoRomeastheycould，throughthefilththatfesteredontheway。
TheStormingoftheCastleintheAirThesunhadgonedownfullfourhours，anditwaslaterthanmosttravellerswouldlikeittobeforfindingthemselvesoutsidethewallsofRome，whenMrDorrit’scarriage，stillonitslastwearisomestage，rattledoverthesolitaryCampagna。Thesavageherdsmenandthefierce-lookingpeasantswhohadchequeredthewaywhilethelightlasted，hadallgonedownwiththesun，andleftthewildernessblank。Atsometurnsoftheroad，apaleflareonthehorizon，likeanexhalationfromtheruin-sownland，showedthatthecitywasyetfaroff；butthispoorreliefwasrareandshort-lived。Thecarriagedippeddownagainintoahollowoftheblackdrysea，andforalongtimetherewasnothingvisiblesaveitspetrifiedswellandthegloomysky。
MrDorrit，thoughhehadhiscastle-buildingtoengagehismind，couldnotbequiteeasyinthatdesolateplace。Hewasfarmorecurious，ineveryswerveofthecarriage，andeverycryofthepostilions，thanhehadbeensincehequittedLondon。Thevaletontheboxevidentlyquaked。TheCourierintherumblewasnotaltogethercomfortableinhismind。AsoftenasMrDorritletdowntheglassandlookedbackathimwhichwasveryoften，hesawhimsmokingJohnChiveryout，itistrue，butstillgenerallystandingupthewhileandlookingabouthim，likeamanwhohadhissuspicions，andkeptuponhisguard。ThenwouldMrDorrit，pullinguptheglassagain，reflectthatthosepostilionswerecut-throatlookingfellows，andthathewouldhavedonebettertohavesleptatCivitaVecchia，andhavestartedbetimesinthemorning。But，forallthis，heworkedathiscastleintheintervals。
Andnow，fragmentsofruinousenclosure，yawningwindow-gapandcrazywall，desertedhouses，leakingwells，brokenwater-tanks，spectralcypress-trees，patchesoftangledvine，andthechangingofthetracktoalong，irregular，disorderedlanewhereeverythingwascrumblingaway，fromtheunsightlybuildingstothejoltingroad——now，theseobjectsshowedthattheywerenearingRome。Andnow，asuddentwistandstoppageofthecarriageinspiredMrDorritwiththemistrustthatthebrigandmomentwascomefortwistinghimintoaditchandrobbinghim；until，lettingdowntheglassagainandlookingout，heperceivedhimselfassailedbynothingworsethanafuneralprocession，whichcamemechanicallychauntingby，withanindistinctshowofdirtyvestments，luridtorches，swingingcensers，andagreatcrossbornebeforeapriest。Hewasanuglypriestbytorchlight；ofaloweringaspect，withanoverhangingbrow；andashiseyesmetthoseofMrDorrit，lookingbareheadedoutofthecarriage，hislips，movingastheychaunted，seemedtothreatenthatimportanttraveller；likewisetheactionofhishand，whichwasinfacthismannerofreturningthetraveller’ssalutation，seemedtocomeinaidofthatmenace。SothoughtMrDorrit，madefancifulbythewearinessofbuildingandtravelling，asthepriestdriftedpasthim，andtheprocessionstraggledaway，takingitsdeadalongwithit。Upontheirso-differentwaywentMrDorrit’scompanytoo；andsoon，withtheircoachloadofluxuriesfromthetwogreatcapitalsofEurope，theywereliketheGothsreversedbeatingatthegatesofRome。
MrDorritwasnotexpectedbyhisownpeoplethatnight。Hehadbeen；buttheyhadgivenhimupuntilto-morrow，notdoubtingthatitwaslaterthanhewouldcare，inthoseparts，tobeout。Thus，whenhisequipagestoppedathisowngate，noonebuttheporterappearedtoreceivehim。WasMissDorritfromhome？heasked。
No。Shewaswithin。Good，saidMrDorrittotheassemblingservants；letthemkeepwheretheywere；letthemhelptounloadthecarriage；hewouldfindMissDorritforhimself。
Sohewentuphisgrandstaircase，slowly，andtired，andlookedintovariouschamberswhichwereempty，untilhesawalightinasmallante-room。Itwasacurtainednook，likeatent，withintwootherrooms；anditlookedwarmandbrightincolour，asheapproacheditthroughthedarkavenuetheymade。
Therewasadrapeddoorway，butnodoor；andashestoppedhere，lookinginunseen，hefeltapang。Surelynotlikejealousy？Forwhylikejealousy？Therewasonlyhisdaughterandhisbrotherthere：he，withhischairdrawntothehearth，enjoyingthewarmthoftheeveningwoodfire；sheseatedatalittletable，busiedwithsomeembroiderywork。Allowingforthegreatdifferenceinthestill-lifeofthepicture，thefiguresweremuchthesameasofold；hisbrotherbeingsufficientlylikehimselftorepresenthimself，foramoment，inthecomposition。Sohadhesatmanyanight，overacoalfirefaraway；sohadshesat，devotedtohim。
Yetsurelytherewasnothingtobejealousofintheoldmiserablepoverty。Whence，then，thepanginhisheart？
’Doyouknow，uncle，Ithinkyouaregrowingyoungagain？’
Heruncleshookhisheadandsaid，’Sincewhen，mydear；sincewhen？’
’Ithink，’returnedLittleDorrit，plyingherneedle，’thatyouhavebeengrowingyoungerforweekspast。Socheerful，uncle，andsoready，andsointerested。’
’Mydearchild——allyou。’
’Allme，uncle!’
’Yes，yes。Youhavedonemeaworldofgood。Youhavebeensoconsiderateofme，andsotenderwithme，andsodelicateintryingtohideyourattentionsfromme，thatI——well，well，well!It’streasuredup，mydarling，treasuredup。’
’Thereisnothinginitbutyourownfreshfancy，uncle，’saidLittleDorrit，cheerfully。
’Well，well，well!’murmuredtheoldman。’ThankGod!’