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Fanny bade her father good night； and whisked off airily。 Tip had
already clattered down…stairs。 'Now； Mr Clennam；' said the uncle；
looking back as he shuffled out after them； 'the lock； sir； the lock。'
Mr Clennam had two things to do before he followed； one； to offer his
testimonial to the Father of the Marshalsea； without giving pain to his
child； the other to say something to that child； though it were but a
word； in explanation of his having e there。
'Allow me；' said the Father； 'to see you down…stairs。'
She had slipped out after the rest； and they were alone。 'Not on any
account；' said the visitor； hurriedly。 'Pray allow me to……' chink；
chink； chink。
'Mr Clennam；' said the Father； 'I am deeply； deeply……' But his visitor
had shut up his hand to stop the clinking； and had gone down…stairs with
great speed。
He saw no Little Dorrit on his way down； or in the yard。 The last two or
three stragglers were hurrying to the lodge； and he was following；
when he caught sight of her in the doorway of the first house from the
entrance。 He turned back hastily。
'Pray forgive me；' he said； 'for speaking to you here； pray forgive me
for ing here at all！ I followed you to…night。 I did so； that I might
endeavour to render you and your family some service。 You know the
terms on which I and my mother are； and may not be surprised that I
have preserved our distant relations at her house； lest I should
unintentionally make her jealous； or resentful； or do you any injury in
her estimation。 What I have seen here； in this short time； has greatly
increased my heartfelt wish to be a friend to you。 It would repense
me for much disappointment if I could hope to gain your confidence。'
She was scared at first； but seemed to take courage while he spoke to
her。
'You are very good； sir。 You speak very earnestly to me。 But I……but I
wish you had not watched me。'
He understood the emotion with which she said it； to arise in her
father's behalf； and he respected it； and was silent。
'Mrs Clennam has been of great service to me； I don't know what we
should have done without the employment she has given me； I am afraid
it may not be a good return to bee secret with her； I can say no more
to…night； sir。 I am sure you mean to be kind to us。 Thank you； thank
you。' 'Let me ask you one question before I leave。 Have you known my
mother long？'
'I think two years； sir；……The bell has stopped。'
'How did you know her first？ Did she send here for you？'
'No。 She does not even know that I live here。 We have a friend； father
and I……a poor labouring man； but the best of friends……and I wrote out
that I wished to do needlework； and gave his address。 And he got what
I wrote out displayed at a few places where it cost nothing； and Mrs
Clennam found me that way； and sent for me。 The gate will be locked；
sir！'
She was so tremulous and agitated； and he was so moved by passion for
her； and by deep interest in her story as it dawned upon him； that he
could scarcely tear himself away。 But the stoppage of the bell； and the
quiet in the prison； were a warning to depart； and with a few hurried
words of kindness he left her gliding back to her father。
But he remained too late。 The inner gate was locked； and the lodge
closed。 After a little fruitless knocking with his hand； he was standing
there with the disagreeable conviction upon him that he had got to get
through the night； when a voice accosted him from behind。
'Caught； eh？' said the voice。 'You won't go home till morning。 Oh！ It's
you； is it； Mr Clennam？'
The voice was Tip's； and they stood looking at one another in the
prison…yard； as it began to rain。
'You've done it；' observed Tip； 'you must be sharper than that next
time。'
'But you are locked in too；' said Arthur。
'I believe I am！' said Tip； sarcastically。 'About！ But not in your way。
I belong to the shop； only my sister has a theory that our governor must
never know it。 I don't see why； myself。'
'Can I get any shelter？' asked Arthur。 'What had I better do？'
'We had better get hold of Amy first of all；' said Tip； referring any
difficulty to her as a matter of course。
'I would rather walk about all night……it's not much to do……than give
that trouble。'
'You needn't do that； if you don't mind paying for a bed。 If you don't
mind paying； they'll make you up one on the Snuggery table； under the
circumstances。 If you'll e along； I'll introduce you there。'
As they passed down the yard； Arthur looked up at the window of the room
he had lately left； where the light was still burning。 'Yes； sir；' said
Tip； following his glance。 'That's the governor's。 She'll sit with him
for another hour reading yesterday's paper to him； or something of that
sort； and then she'll e out like a little ghost； and vanish away
without a sound。'
'I don't understand you。'
'The governor sleeps up in the room； and she has a lodging at the
turnkey's。 First house there；' said Tip； pointing out the doorway into
which she had retired。 'First house； sky parlour。 She pays twice as much
for it as she would for one twice as good outside。 But she stands by the
governor； poor dear girl； day and night。'
This brought them to the tavern…establishment at the upper end of the
prison； where the collegians had just vacated their social evening club。
The apartment on the ground…floor in which it was held； was the Snuggery
in question； the presidential tribune of the chairman； the pewter…pots；
glasses； pipes； tobacco…ashes； and general flavour of members； were
still as that convivial institution had left them on its adjournment。
The Snuggery had two of the qualities popularly held to be essential to
grog for ladies； in respect that it was hot and strong； but in the third
point of analogy； requiring plenty of it； the Snuggery was defective；
being but a cooped…up apartment。
The unaccustomed visitor from outside； naturally assumed everybody here
to be prisoners……landlord； waiter； barmaid； potboy； and all。 Whether
they were or not； did not appear； but they all had a weedy look。 The
keeper of a chandler's shop in a front parlour； who took in gentlemen
boarders； lent his assistance in making the bed。 He had been a tailor in
his time； and had kept a phaeton； he said。 He boasted that he stood up
litigiously for the interests of the college； and he had undefined and
undefinable ideas that the marshal intercepted a 'Fund；' which ought to
e to the collegians。 He liked to believe this； and always impressed
the shadowy grievance on new…ers and strangers； though he could not；
for his life； have explained what Fund he meant； or how the notion had
got rooted in his soul。 He had fully convinced himself； notwithstanding；
that his own proper share of the Fund was three and ninepence a week；
and that in this amount he； as an individual collegian； was swindled by
the marshal； regularly every Monday。 Apparently； he helped to make the
bed； that he might not lose an opportunity of stating this case； after
which unloading of his mind； and after announcing （as it seemed he
always did； without anything ing of it） that he was going to write a
letter to the papers and show the marshal up； he fell into miscellaneous
conversation with the rest。 It was evident from the general tone of the
whole party； that they had e to regard insolvency as the normal state
of mankind； and the payment of debts as a disease that occasionally
broke out。 In this strange scene； and with these strange spectres
flitting about him； Arthur Clennam looked on at the preparations as if
they were part of a dream。 Pending which； the long…initiated Tip； with
an awful enjoyment of the Snuggery's resources； pointed out the mon
kitchen fire maintained by subscription of collegians； the boiler for
hot water supported in like manner； and other premises generally tending
to the deduction that the way to be healthy； wealthy； and wise； was to
e to the Marshalsea。
The two tables put together in a corner； were； at length； converted into
a very fair bed； and the stranger was left to the Windsor chairs；
the presidential tribune； the beery atmosphere； sawdust； pipe…lights；
spittoons and repose。 But the last item was long； long； long； in linking
itself to the rest。 The novelty of the place； the ing upon it without
preparation； the sense of being locked up； the remembrance of that room
up…stairs； of the two brothers； and above all of the retiring childish
form； and the face in which he now saw years of insufficient food； if
not of want； kept him waking and unhappy。
Speculations； too； bearing the strangest relations towards the prison；
but always concerning the prison； ran like nightmares through his mind
while he lay awake。 Whether coffins were kept ready for people who might
die there； where they were kept； how they were kept； where people who
died in the prison were buried； how they were taken out； what forms were
observed； whether an implacable creditor could arrest the dead？ As to
escaping； what chances there were of escape？ Whether a prisoner could
scale the walls with a cord and grapple； how he would descend upon
the other side？ whether he could alight on a housetop； steal down a
staircase； let himself out at a door； and get lost in the crowd？ As to
Fire in the prison； if one were to break out while he lay there？
And these involuntary starts of fancy were； after all； but the setting
of a picture in which three people kept before him。 His father； with the
steadfast look with which he had died； prophetically darkened forth in
the portrait； his mother； with her arm up； warding off his suspicion；
Little Dorrit； with her hand on the degraded arm； and her drooping head
turned away。
What if his mother had an old reason she well knew for softening to
this poor girl！ What if the prisoner now sleeping quietly……Heaven grant
it！……by the light of the great Day of judgment should trace back his
fall to her。 What if any act of hers and of his father's； should have
even remotely brought the grey heads of those two brothers so low！
A swift thought shot into his mind。 In that long imprisonment here； and
in her own long confinement to her room； did his mother find a balance
to be struck？ 'I admit that I was accessory to that man's captivity。 I
have suffered for it in kind。 He has decayed in his prison： I in mine。 I
have paid the penalty。'
When all the other thoughts had faded out； this one held possession
of him。 When he fell asleep； she came before him in her wheeled chair；
warding him off with this justification。 When he awoke； and sprang up
causelessly frightened； the words were in his ears； as if her voice had
slowly spoken them at his pillow； to break his rest： 'He withers away in
his prison； I wither away in mine； inexorable justice is done； what do I
owe on this score！'
CHAPTER 9。 Little Mother
The morning light was in no hurry to climb the prison wall and look in
at the Snuggery windows； and when it did e； it would have been more
wele if it had e alone； instead of bringing a rush of rain with
it。 But the equinoctial gales were blowing out at sea； and the impartial
south…west wind； in its flight； would not neglect even the narrow
Marshalsea。 While it roared through the steeple of St George's Church；
and twirled all the cowls in the neighbourhood； it made a swoop to beat
the Southwark smoke into the jail； and； plunging down the chimneys
of the few early collegians who were yet lighting their fires； half
suffocated them。 Arthur Clennam would have been little disposed to
linger in bed； though his bed had been in a more private situation； and
less affected by the raking out of yesterday's fire； the kindling of
to…day's under the collegiate boiler； the filling of that Spartan vessel
at the pump； the sweeping and sawdusting of the mon room； and other
such preparations。 Heartily glad to see the morning； though little
rested by the night； he turned out as soon as he could distinguish
objects about him； and paced the yard for two heavy hours before the
gate was opened。
The walls were so near to one another； and the wild clouds hurried
over them so fast； that it gave him a sensation like the beginning of
sea…sickness to look up at the gusty sky。 The rain； carried aslant by
flaws of w