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well indeed； and was in high condition。 Nevertheless； he did not e
forth from his own rooms until late in the afternoon； and； although he
then caused himself to be magnificently arrayed for a drive with
Mrs General and his daughter； his appearance was scarcely up to his
description of himself。 As the family had no visitors that day； its four
members dined alone together。 He conducted Mrs General to the seat at
his right hand with immense ceremony； and Little Dorrit could not
but notice as she followed with her uncle； both that he was again
elaborately dressed； and that his manner towards Mrs General was very
particular。 The perfect formation of that acplished lady's surface
rendered it difficult to displace an atom of its genteel glaze； but
Little Dorrit thought she descried a slight thaw of triumph in a corner
of her frosty eye。
Notwithstanding what may be called in these pages the Pruney and
Prismatic nature of the family banquet； Mr Dorrit several times fell
asleep while it was in progress。 His fits of dozing were as sudden as
they had been overnight； and were as short and profound。 When the first
of these slumberings seized him； Mrs General looked almost amazed： but；
on each recurrence of the symptoms； she told her polite beads； Papa；
Potatoes； Poultry； Prunes； and Prism； and； by dint of going through that
infallible performance very slowly； appeared to finish her rosary at
about the same time as Mr Dorrit started from his sleep。
He was again painfully aware of a somnolent tendency in Frederick （which
had no existence out of his own imagination）； and after dinner； when
Frederick had withdrawn； privately apologised to Mrs General for the
poor man。 'The most estimable and affectionate of brothers；' he said；
'but……ha； hum……broken up altogether。 Unhappily； declining fast。'
'Mr Frederick； sir；' quoth Mrs General； 'is habitually absent and
drooping； but let us hope it is not so bad as that。'
Mr Dorrit； however； was determined not to let him off。 'Fast declining；
madam。 A wreck。 A ruin。 Mouldering away before our eyes。 Hum。 Good
Frederick！'
'You left Mrs Sparkler quite well and happy； I trust？' said Mrs General；
after heaving a cool sigh for Frederick。
'Surrounded；' replied Mr Dorrit； 'by……ha……all that can charm the taste；
and……hum……elevate the mind。 Happy； my dear madam； in a……hum……husband。'
Mrs General was a little fluttered； seeming delicately to put the word
away with her gloves； as if there were no knowing what it might lead to。
'Fanny；' Mr Dorrit continued。 'Fanny； Mrs General； has high
qualities。 Ha。 Ambition……hum……purpose； consciousness of……ha……position；
determination to support that position……ha； hum……grace； beauty； and
native nobility。'
'No doubt；' said Mrs General （with a little extra stiffness）。
'bined ；' said Mr Dorrit； 'Fanny
has……ha……manifested one blemish which has made me……hum……made me uneasy；
and……ha……I must add； angry； but which I trust may now be considered
at an end； even as to herself； and which is undoubtedly at an end as
to……ha……others。'
'To what； Mr Dorrit；' returned Mrs General； with her gloves again
somewhat excited； 'can you allude？ I am at a loss to……'
'Do not say that； my dear madam；' interrupted Mr Dorrit。
Mrs General's voice； as it died away； pronounced the words； 'at a loss
to imagine。'
After which Mr Dorrit was seized with a doze for about a minute； out of
which he sprang with spasmodic nimbleness。
'I refer； Mrs General； to that……ha……strong spirit of opposition；
or……hum……I might say……ha……jealousy in Fanny； which has occasionally
risen against the……ha……sense I entertain of……hum……the claims of……ha……the
lady with whom I have now the honour of muning。'
'Mr Dorrit；' returned Mrs General； 'is ever but too obliging； ever but
too appreciative。 If there have been moments when I have imagined that
Miss Dorrit has indeed resented the favourable opinion Mr Dorrit has
formed of my services； I have found； in that only too high opinion； my
consolation and repense。'
'Opinion of your services； madam？' said Mr Dorrit。
'Of；' Mrs General repeated； in an elegantly impressive manner； 'my
services。'
'Of your services alone； dear madam？' said Mr Dorrit。
'I presume；' retorted Mrs General； in her former impressive manner； 'of
my services alone。 For； to what else；' said Mrs General； with a slightly
interrogative action of her gloves； 'could I impute……'
'To……ha……yourself； Mrs General。 Ha； hum。 To yourself and your merits；'
was Mr Dorrit's rejoinder。
'Mr Dorrit will pardon me；' said Mrs General； 'if I remark that this
is not a time or place for the pursuit of the present conversation。
Mr Dorrit will excuse me if I remind him that Miss Dorrit is in the
adjoining room； and is visible to myself while I utter her name。 Mr
Dorrit will forgive me if I observe that I am agitated； and that I find
there are moments when weaknesses I supposed myself to have subdued；
return with redoubled power。 Mr Dorrit will allow me to withdraw。'
'Hum。 Perhaps we may resume this……ha……interesting conversation；' said
Mr Dorrit； 'at another time； unless it should be； what I hope it is
not……hum……in any way disagreeable to……ah……Mrs General。' 'Mr Dorrit；'
said Mrs General； casting down her eyes as she rose with a bend； 'must
ever claim my homage and obedience。'
Mrs General then took herself off in a stately way； and not with that
amount of trepidation upon her which might have been expected in a less
remarkable woman。 Mr Dorrit； who had conducted his part of the dialogue
with a certain majestic and admiring condescension……much as some people
may be seen to conduct themselves in Church； and to perform their part
in the service……appeared； on the whole； very well satisfied with himself
and with Mrs General too。 On the return of that lady to tea； she had
touched herself up with a little powder and pomatum； and was not without
moral enchantment likewise： the latter showing itself in much sweet
patronage of manner towards Miss Dorrit； and in an air of as tender
interest in Mr Dorrit as was consistent with rigid propriety。 At the
close of the evening； when she rose to retire； Mr Dorrit took her by the
hand as if he were going to lead her out into the Piazza of the people
to walk a minuet by moonlight； and with great solemnity conducted her to
the room door； where he raised her knuckles to his lips。 Having parted
from her with what may be conjectured to have been a rather bony kiss of
a cosmetic flavour； he gave his daughter his blessing； graciously。 And
having thus hinted that there was something remarkable in the wind； he
again went to bed。
He remained in the seclusion of his own chamber next morning； but； early
in the afternoon； sent down his best pliments to Mrs General； by Mr
Tinkler； and begged she would acpany Miss Dorrit on an airing
without him。 His daughter was dressed for Mrs Merdle's dinner before he
appeared。 He then presented himself in a refulgent condition as to his
attire； but looking indefinably shrunken and old。 However； as he was
plainly determined to be angry with her if she so much as asked him how
he was； she only ventured to kiss his cheek； before acpanying him to
Mrs Merdle's with an anxious heart。
The distance that they had to go was very short； but he was at his
building work again before the carriage had half traversed it。 Mrs
Merdle received him with great distinction； the bosom was in admirable
preservation； and on the best terms with itself； the dinner was very
choice； and the pany was very select。
It was principally English； saving that it prised the usual French
Count and the usual Italian Marchese……decorative social milestones；
always to be found in certain places； and varying very little in
appearance。 The table was long； and the dinner was long； and Little
Dorrit； overshadowed by a large pair of black whiskers and a large white
cravat； lost sight of her father altogether； until a servant put a scrap
of paper in her hand； erdle that she
would read it directly。 Mrs Merdle had written on it in pencil； 'Pray
e and speak to Mr Dorrit； I doubt if he is well。'
She was hurrying to him； unobserved； when he got up out of his chair；
and leaning over the table called to her； supposing her to be still in
her place：
'Amy； Amy； my child！'
The action was so unusual； to say nothing of his strange eager
appearance and strange eager voice； that it instantaneously caused a
profound silence。
'Amy； my dear；' he repeated。 'Will you go and see if Bob is on the
lock？'
She was at his side； and touching him； but he still perversely supposed
her to be in her seat； and called out； still leaning over the table；
'Amy； Amy。 I don't feel quite myself。 Ha。 I don't know what's the matter
with me。 I particularly wish to see Bob。 Ha。 Of all the turnkeys； he's
as much my friend as yours。 See if Bob is in the lodge； and beg him to
e to me。'
All the guests were now in consternation； and everybody rose。
'Dear father； I am not there； I am here； by you。'
'Oh！ You are here； Amy！ Good。 Hum。 Good。 Ha。 Call Bob。 If he has been
relieved； and is not on the lock； tell Mrs Bangham to go and fetch him。'
She was gently trying to get him away； but he resisted； and would not
go。
'I tell you； child；' he said petulantly； 'I can't be got up the narrow
stairs without Bob。 Ha。 Send for Bob。 Hum。 Send for Bob……best of all the
turnkeys……send for Bob！'
He looked confusedly about him； and； being conscious of the number of
faces by which he was surrounded； addressed them：
'Ladies and gentlemen； the duty……ha……devolves upon me of……hum……weling
you to the Marshalsea！ Wele to the Marshalsea！ The space
is……ha……limited……limited……the parade might be wider； but you will
find it apparently grow larger after a time……a time； ladies and
gentlemen……and the air is； all things considered； very good。 It blows
over the……ha……Surrey hills。 Blows over the Surrey hills。 This is the
Snuggery。 Hum。 Supported by a small subscription of the……ha……Collegiate
body。 In return for which……hot water……general kitchen……and little
domestic advantages。 Those who are habituated to the……ha……Marshalsea；
are pleased to call me its father。 I am accustomed to be plimented by
strangers as the……ha……Father of the Marshalsea。 Certainly； if years of
residence may establish a claim to so……ha……honourable a title； I may
accept the……hum……conferred distinction。 My child； ladies and gentlemen。
My daughter。 Born here！'
She was not ashamed of it； or ashamed of him。 She was pale and
frightened； but she had no other care than to soothe him and get him
away； for his own dear sake。 She was between him and the wondering
faces； turned round upon his breast with her own face raised to his。 He
held her clasped in his left arm； and between whiles her low voice was
heard tenderly imploring him to go away with her。
'Born here；' he repeated； shedding tears。 'Bred here。 Ladies and
gentlemen； my daughter。 Child of an unfortunate father； but……ha……always
a gentleman。 Poor； no doubt； but……hum……proud。 Always proud。 It
has bee a……hum……not infrequent custom for my……ha……personal
admirers……personal admirers solely……to be pleased to express
their desire to acknowledge my semi…official position here；
by offering……ha……little tributes； which usually take the form
of……ha……voluntary recognitions of my humble endeavours to……hum……to
uphold a Tone here……a Tone……I beg it to be understood that I do not
consider myself promised。 Ha。 Not promised。 Ha。 Not a beggar。 No；
I repudiate the title！ At the same time far be it from me to……hum……to
put upon the fine feelings by which my partial friends are actuated；
the slight of scrupling to admit that those offerings are……hum……highly
acceptable。 On the contrary； they are most acceptable。 In my child's
name； if not in my own； I make the admission in the fullest manner； at
the same time reserving……ha……shall I say my personal dignity？ Ladies and
gentlemen； God bless you all！'
By this time； the exceeding mortification undergone by the Bosom had
occasioned the withdrawal of the greater part of the pany into other
rooms。 The few who had lingered thus long followed the rest； and Little
Dorrit and her father were left to the servants and themselves。 Dearest
and most precious to her； he would e wi