shallIsaymypersonaldignity？Ladiesandgentlemen，Godblessyouall!’
Bythistime，theexceedingmortificationundergonebytheBosomhadoccasionedthewithdrawalofthegreaterpartofthecompanyintootherrooms。Thefewwhohadlingeredthuslongfollowedtherest，andLittleDorritandherfatherwerelefttotheservantsandthemselves。Dearestandmostprecioustoher，hewouldcomewithhernow，wouldhenot？Herepliedtoherfervidentreaties，thathewouldneverbeabletogetupthenarrowstairswithoutBob；wherewasBob，wouldnobodyfetchBob？UnderpretenceoflookingforBob，shegothimoutagainstthestreamofgaycompanynowpouringinfortheeveningassembly，andgothimintoacoachthathadjustsetdownitsload，andgothimhome。
ThebroadstairsofhisRomanpalacewerecontractedinhisfailingsighttothenarrowstairsofhisLondonprison；andhewouldsuffernoonebuthertotouchhim，hisbrotherexcepted。Theygothimuptohisroomwithouthelp，andlaidhimdownonhisbed。Andfromthathourhispoormaimedspirit，onlyrememberingtheplacewhereithadbrokenitswings，cancelledthedreamthroughwhichithadsincegroped，andknewofnothingbeyondtheMarshalsea。Whenheheardfootstepsinthestreet，hetookthemfortheoldwearytreadintheyards。Whenthehourcameforlockingup，hesupposedallstrangerstobeexcludedforthenight。Whenthetimeforopeningcameagain，hewassoanxioustoseeBob，thattheywerefaintopatchupanarrativehowthatBob——manyayeardeadthen，gentleturnkey——hadtakencold，buthopedtobeoutto-morrow，orthenextday，orthenextatfurthest。
Hefellawayintoaweaknesssoextremethathecouldnotraisehishand。Buthestillprotectedhisbrotheraccordingtohislongusage；andwouldsaywithsomecomplacency，fiftytimesaday，whenhesawhimstandingbyhisbed，’MygoodFrederick，sitdown。Youareveryfeebleindeed。’
TheytriedhimwithMrsGeneral，buthehadnotthefaintestknowledgeofher。Someinjurioussuspicionlodgeditselfinhisbrain，thatshewantedtosupplantMrsBangham，andthatshewasgiventodrinking。Hechargedherwithitinnomeasuredterms；
andwassourgentwithhisdaughtertogoroundtotheMarshalandentreathimtoturnherout，thatshewasneverreproducedafterthefirstfailure。
Savingthatheonceasked’ifTiphadgoneoutside？’theremembranceofhistwochildrennotpresentseemedtohavedepartedfromhim。Butthechildwhohaddonesomuchforhimandhadbeensopoorlyrepaid，wasneveroutofhismind。Notthathesparedher，orwasfearfulofherbeingspentbywatchingandfatigue；hewasnotmoretroubledonthatscorethanhehadusuallybeen。No；
helovedherinhisoldway。Theywereinthejailagain，andshetendedhim，andhehadconstantneedofher，andcouldnotturnwithouther；andheeventoldher，sometimes，thathewascontenttohaveundergoneagreatdealforhersake。Astoher，shebentoverhisbedwithherquietfaceagainsthis，andwouldhavelaiddownherownlifetorestorehim。
Whenhehadbeensinkinginthispainlesswayfortwoorthreedays，sheobservedhimtobetroubledbythetickingofhiswatch——
apompousgoldwatchthatmadeasgreatato-doaboutitsgoingasifnothingelsewentbutitselfandTime。Shesufferedittorundown；buthewasstilluneasy，andshowedthatwasnotwhathewanted。Atlengthherousedhimselftoexplainthathewantedmoneytoberaisedonthiswatch。Hewasquitepleasedwhenshepretendedtotakeitawayforthepurpose，andafterwardshadarelishforhislittletastesofwineandjelly，thathehadnothadbefore。
Hesoonmadeitplainthatthiswasso；for，inanotherdayortwohesentoffhissleeve-buttonsandfinger-rings。Hehadanamazingsatisfactioninentrustingherwiththeseerrands，andappearedtoconsideritequivalenttomakingthemostmethodicalandprovidentarrangements。Afterhistrinkets，orsuchofthemashehadbeenabletoseeabouthim，weregone，hisclothesengagedhisattention；anditisaslikelyasnotthathewaskeptaliveforsomedaysbythesatisfactionofsendingthem，piecebypiece，toanimaginarypawnbroker’s。
ThusfortendaysLittleDorritbentoverhispillow，layinghercheekagainsthis。Sometimesshewassowornoutthatforafewminutestheywouldslumbertogether。Thenshewouldawake；torecollectwithfast-flowingsilenttearswhatitwasthattouchedherface，andtosee，stealingoverthecherishedfaceuponthepillow，adeepershadowthantheshadowoftheMarshalseaWall。
Quietly，quietly，allthelinesoftheplanofthegreatCastlemeltedoneafteranother。Quietly，quietly，theruledandcross-
ruledcountenanceonwhichtheyweretraced，becamefairandblank。
Quietly，quietly，thereflectedmarksoftheprisonbarsandofthezig-zagirononthewall-top，fadedaway。Quietly，quietly，thefacesubsidedintoafaryoungerlikenessofherownthanshehadeverseenunderthegreyhair，andsanktorest。
Atfirstherunclewasstarkdistracted。’Omybrother!O
William，William!Youtogobeforeme；youtogoalone；youtogo，andItoremain!You，sofarsuperior，sodistinguished，sonoble；
I，apooruselesscreaturefitfornothing，andwhomnoonewouldhavemissed!’
Itdidher，forthetime，thegoodofhavinghimtothinkofandtosuccour。
’Uncle，dearuncle，spareyourself，spareme!’
Theoldmanwasnotdeaftothelastwords。Whenhedidbegintorestrainhimself，itwasthathemightspareher。Hehadnocareforhimself；but，withalltheremainingpowerofthehonestheart，stunnedsolongandnowawakingtobebroken，hehonouredandblessedher。
’OGod，’hecried，beforetheylefttheroom，withhiswrinkledhandsclaspedoverher。’Thouseestthisdaughterofmydeardeadbrother!AllthatIhavelookedupon，withmyhalf-blindandsinfuleyes，Thouhastdiscernedclearly，brightly。NotahairofherheadshallbeharmedbeforeThee。Thouwiltupholdherheretoherlasthour。AndIknowThouwiltrewardherhereafter!’
Theyremainedinadimroomnear，untilitwasalmostmidnight，quietandsadtogether。Attimeshisgriefwouldseekreliefinaburstlikethatinwhichithadfounditsearliestexpression；but，besidesthathislittlestrengthwouldsoonhavebeenunequaltosuchstrains，heneverfailedtorecallherwords，andtoreproachhimselfandcalmhimself。Theonlyutterancewithwhichheindulgedhissorrow，wasthefrequentexclamationthathisbrotherwasgone，alone；thattheyhadbeentogetherintheoutsetoftheirlives，thattheyhadfallenintomisfortunetogether，thattheyhadkepttogetherthroughtheirmanyyearsofpoverty，thattheyhadremainedtogethertothatday；andthathisbrotherwasgonealone，alone!
Theyparted，heavyandsorrowful。Shewouldnotconsenttoleavehimanywherebutinhisownroom，andshesawhimliedowninhisclothesuponhisbed，andcoveredhimwithherownhands。Thenshesankuponherownbed，andfellintoadeepsleep：thesleepofexhaustionandrest，thoughnotofcompletereleasefromapervadingconsciousnessofaffliction。Sleep，goodLittleDorrit。
Sleepthroughthenight!
Itwasamoonlightnight；butthemoonroselate，beinglongpastthefull。Whenitwashighinthepeacefulfirmament，itshonethroughhalf-closedlatticeblindsintothesolemnroomwherethestumblingsandwanderingsofalifehadsolatelyended。Twoquietfigureswerewithintheroom；twofigures，equallystillandimpassive，equallyremovedbyanuntraversabledistancefromtheteemingearthandallthatitcontains，thoughsoontolieinit。
Onefigurereposeduponthebed。Theother，kneelingonthefloor，droopedoverit；thearmseasilyandpeacefullyrestingonthecoverlet；thefaceboweddown，sothatthelipstouchedthehandoverwhichwithitslastbreathithadbent。ThetwobrotherswerebeforetheirFather；farbeyondthetwilightjudgmentofthisworld；highaboveitsmistsandobscurities。
CHAPTER20
IntroducesthenextThepassengerswerelandingfromthepacketonthepieratCalais。
Alow-lyingplaceandalow-spiritedplaceCalaiswas，withthetideebbingouttowardslowwater-mark。Therehadbeennomorewateronthebarthanhadsufficedtofloatthepacketin；andnowthebaritself，withashallowbreakofseaoverit，lookedlikealazymarinemonsterjustrisentothesurface，whoseformwasindistinctlyshownasitlayasleep。Themeagrelighthouseallinwhite，hauntingtheseaboardasifitweretheghostofanedificethathadoncehadcolourandrotundity，droppedmelancholytearsafteritslatebuffetingbythewaves。Thelongrowsofgauntblackpiles，slimyandwetandweather-worn，withfuneralgarlandsofseaweedtwistedaboutthembythelatetide，mighthaverepresentedanunsightlymarinecemetery。Everywave-dashed，storm-beatenobject，wassolowandsolittle，underthebroadgreysky，inthenoiseofthewindandsea，andbeforethecurlinglinesofsurf，makingatitferociously，thatthewonderwastherewasanyCalaisleft，andthatitslowgatesandlowwallandlowroofsandlowditchesandlowsand-hillsandlowrampartsandflatstreets，hadnotyieldedlongagototheunderminingandbesiegingsea，likethefortificationschildrenmakeonthesea-shore。
Afterslippingamongoozypilesandplanks，stumblingupwetstepsandencounteringmanysaltdifficulties，thepassengersenteredontheircomfortlessperegrinationalongthepier；wherealltheFrenchvagabondsandEnglishoutlawsinthetownhalfthepopulationattendedtopreventtheirrecoveryfrombewilderment。
AfterbeingminutelyinspectedbyalltheEnglish，andclaimedandreclaimedandcounter-claimedasprizesbyalltheFrenchinahand-to-handscufflethreequartersofamilelong，theywereatlastfreetoenterthestreets，andtomakeoffintheirvariousdirections，hotlypursued。
Clennam，harassedbymoreanxietiesthanone，wasamongthisdevotedband。Havingrescuedthemostdefencelessofhiscompatriotsfromsituationsofgreatextremity，henowwenthiswayalone，orasnearlyaloneashecouldbe，withanativegentlemaninasuitofgreaseandacapofthesamematerial，givingchaseatadistanceofsomefiftyyards，andcontinuallycallingafterhim，’Hi!Ice-say!You!Seer!Ice-say!NiceOatel!’
Eventhishospitableperson，however，wasleftbehindatlast，andClennampursuedhisway，unmolested。TherewasatranquilairinthetownaftertheturbulenceoftheChannelandthebeach，anditsdulnessinthatcomparisonwasagreeable。Hemetnewgroupsofhiscountrymen，whohadallastragglingairofhavingatonetimeoverblownthemselves，likecertainuncomfortablekindsofflowers，andofbeingnowmereweeds。Theyhadallanair，too，ofloungingoutalimitedround，dayafterday，whichstronglyremindedhimoftheMarshalsea。But，takingnofurthernoteofthemthanwassufficienttogivebirthtothereflection，hesoughtoutacertainstreetandnumberwhichhekeptinhismind。
’SoPanckssaid，’hemurmuredtohimself，ashestoppedbeforeadullhouseansweringtotheaddress。’Isupposehisinformationtobecorrectandhisdiscovery，amongMrCasby’sloosepapers，indisputable；but，withoutit，Ishouldhardlyhavesupposedthistobealikelyplace。’
Adeadsortofhouse，withadeadwalloverthewayandadeadgatewayattheside，whereapendantbell-handleproducedtwodeadtinkles，andaknockerproducedadead，flat，surface-tapping，thatseemednottohavedepthenoughinittopenetrateeventhecrackeddoor。However，thedoorjarredopenonadeadsortofspring；andhecloseditbehindhimasheenteredadullyard，soonbroughttoaclosebyanotherdeadwall，whereanattempthadbeenmadetotrainsomecreepingshrubs，whichweredead；andtomakealittlefountaininagrotto，whichwasdry；andtodecoratethatwithalittlestatue，whichwasgone。
Theentrytothehousewasontheleft，anditwasgarnishedastheoutergatewaywas，withtwoprintedbillsinFrenchandEnglish，announcingFurnishedApartmentstolet，withimmediatepossession。
Astrongcheerfulpeasantwoman，allstocking，petticoat，whitecap，andear-ring，stoodhereinadarkdoorway，andsaidwithapleasantshowofteeth，’Ice-say!Seer!Who？’
Clennam，replyinginFrench，saidtheEnglishlady；hewishedtoseetheEnglishlady。’Enterthenandascend，ifyouplease，’
returnedthepeasantwoman，inFrenchlikewise。Hedidboth，andfollowedherupadarkbarestaircasetoabackroomonthefirst-
floor。Hence，therewasagloomyviewoftheyardthatwasdull，andoftheshrubsthatweredead，andofthefountainthatwasdry，andofthepedestalofthestatuethatwasgone。
’MonsieurBlandois，’saidClennam。