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is it； Young John？'
'A letter for you； sir； being left in the Lodge just this minute； and a
message with it； I thought； happening to be there myself； sir； I would
bring it to your room。' The speaker's attention was much distracted by
the piteous spectacle of Little Dorrit at her father's feet； with her
head turned away。
'Indeed； John？ Thank you。'
'The letter is from Mr Clennam； sir……it's the answer……and the message
was； sir； that Mr Clennam also sent his pliments； and word that he
would do himself the pleasure of calling this afternoon； hoping to see
you； and likewise；' attention more distracted than before； 'Miss Amy。'
'Oh！' As the Father glanced into the letter （there was a bank…note in
it）； he reddened a little； and patted Amy on the head afresh。 'Thank
you； Young John。 Quite right。 Much obliged to you for your attention。 No
one waiting？'
'No； sir； no one waiting。'
'Thank you； John。 How is your mother； Young John？'
'Thank you； sir； she's not quite as well as we could wish……in fact； we
none of us are； except father……but she's pretty well； sir。' 'Say we sent
our remembrances； will you？ Say kind remembrances； if you please； Young
John。'
'Thank you； sir； I will。' And Mr Chivery junior went his way； having
spontaneously posed on the spot an entirely new epitaph for himself；
to the effect that Here lay the body of John Chivery； Who； Having
at such a date； Beheld the idol of his life； In grief and tears； And
feeling unable to bear the harrowing spectacle； Immediately repaired to
the abode of his inconsolable parents； And terminated his existence by
his own rash act。
'There； there； Amy！' said the Father； when Young John had closed the
door； 'let us say no more about it。' The last few minutes had improved
his spirits remarkably； and he e。 'Where is my old
pensioner all this while？ We must not leave him by himself any longer；
or he will begin to suppose he is not wele； and that would pain me。
Will you fetch him； my child； or shall I？'
'If you wouldn't mind； father；' said Little Dorrit； trying to bring her
sobbing to a close。
'Certainly I will go； my dear。 I forgot； your eyes are rather red。
There！ Cheer up； Amy。 Don't be uneasy about me。 I am quite myself again；
my love； quite myself。 Go to your room； Amy； and make yourself look
fortable and pleasant to receive Mr Clennam。'
'I would rather stay in my own room； Father；' returned Little Dorrit；
finding it more difficult than before to regain her posure。 'I would
far rather not see Mr Clennam。'
'Oh； fie； fie； my dear； that's folly。 Mr Clennam is a very gentlemanly
man……very gentlemanly。 A little reserved at times； but I will say
extremely gentlemanly。 I couldn't think of your not being here to
receive Mr Clennam； my dear； especially this afternoon。 So go and
freshen yourself up； Amy； go and freshen yourself up； like a good girl。'
Thus directed； Little Dorrit dutifully rose and obeyed： only pausing
for a moment as she went out of the room； to give her sister a kiss of
reconciliation。 Upon which； that young lady； feeling much harassed
in her mind； and having for the time worn out the wish with which she
generally relieved it； conceived and executed the brilliant idea of
wishing Old Nandy dead； rather than that he should e bothering there
like a disgusting； tiresome； wicked wretch； and making mischief between
two sisters。
The Father of the Marshalsea； even humming a tune； and wearing his black
velvet cap a little on one side； so much improved were his spirits； went
down into the yard； and found his old pensioner standing there hat in
hand just within the gate； as he had stood all this time。 'e； Nandy！'
said he； with great suavity。 'e up…stairs； Nandy； you know the way；
why don't you e up…stairs？' He went the length； on this occasion；
of giving him his hand and saying； 'How are you； Nandy？ Are you pretty
well？' To which that vocalist returned； 'I thank you； honoured sir； I am
all the better for seeing your honour。' As they went along the yard； the
Father of the Marshalsea presented him to a Collegian of recent date。
'An old acquaintance of mine； sir； an old pensioner。' And then said； 'Be
covered； my good Nandy； put your hat on；' with great consideration。
His patronage did not stop here； for he charged Maggy to get the tea
ready； and instructed her to buy certain tea…cakes； fresh butter；
eggs； cold ham； and shrimps： to purchase which collation he gave her a
bank…note for ten pounds； laying strict injunctions on her to be careful
of the change。 These preparations were in an advanced stage of progress；
and his daughter Amy had e back with her work； when Clennam presented
himself； whom he most graciously received； and besought to join their
meal。
'Amy； my love； you know Mr Clennam even better than I have the happiness
of doing。 Fanny； my dear； you are acquainted with Mr Clennam。' Fanny
acknowledged him haughtily； the position she tacitly took up in all such
cases being that there was a vast conspiracy to insult the family by not
understanding it； or sufficiently deferring to it； and here was one of
the conspirators。
'This； Mr Clennam； you must know； is an old pensioner of mine； Old
Nandy； a very faithful old man。' （He always spoke of him as an object
of great antiquity； but he was two or three years younger than himself。）
'Let me see。 You know Plornish； I think？ I think my daughter Amy has
mentioned to me that you know poor Plornish？'
'O yes！' said Arthur Clennam。
'Well； sir； this is Mrs Plornish's father。'
'Indeed？ I am glad to see him。'
'You would be more glad if you kner
Clennam。'
'I hope I shall e to know them through knowing him；' said Arthur；
secretly pitying the bowed and submissive figure。
'It is a holiday with him； and he es to see his old friends； who are
always glad to see him；' observed the Father of the Marshalsea。
Then he added behind his hand； （'Union； poor old fellow。 Out for the
day。'）
By this time Maggy； quietly assisted by her Little Mother； had spread
the board； and the repast was ready。 It being hot weather and the prison
very close； the window was as wide open as it could be pushed。 'If Maggy
will spread that newspaper on the window…sill； my dear；' remarked the
Father placently and in a half whisper to Little Dorrit； 'my old
pensioner can have his tea there； while we are having ours。'
So； with a gulf between him and the good pany of about a foot in
width； standard measure； Mrs Plornish's father was handsomely regaled。
Clennam had never seen anything like his magnanimous protection by that
other Father； he of the Marshalsea； and was lost in the contemplation of
its many wonders。
The most striking of these was perhaps the relishing manner in which he
remarked on the pensioner's infirmities and failings； as if he were
a gracious Keeper making a running mentary on the decline of the
harmless animal he exhibited。
'Not ready for more ham yet； Nandy？ Why； how slow you are！ （His last
teeth；' he explained to the pany； 'are going； poor old boy。'）
At another time； he said； 'No shrimps； Nandy？' and on his not instantly
replying； observed； （'His hearing is being very defective。 He'll be
deaf directly。'）
At another time he asked him； 'Do you walk much； Nandy； about the yard
within the walls of that place of yours？'
'No； sir； no。 I haven't any great liking for that。'
'No； to be sure；' he assented。 'Very natural。' Then he privately
informed the circle （'Legs going。'）
Once he asked the pensioner； in that general clemency which asked him
anything to keep him afloat； how old his younger grandchild was？
'John Edward；' said the pensioner； slowly laying down his knife and fork
to consider。 'How old； sir？ Let me think now。'
The Father of the Marshalsea tapped his forehead （'Memory weak。'）
'John Edward； sir？ Well； I really forget。 I couldn't say at this minute；
sir； whether it's two and two months； or whether it's two and five
months。 It's one or the other。'
'Don't distress yourself by worrying your mind about it；' he returned；
with infinite forbearance。 （'Faculties evidently decaying……old man rusts
in the life he leads！'）
The more of these discoveries that he persuaded himself he made in the