upon it。 One of our curiosities mustn't be cold when we have it in our
power to warm her up fortable。 e along。'
He was a very good old fellow； in his familiar way； and having stirred
the vestry fire； he looked round the shelves of registers for a
particular volume。 'Here you are； you see；' he said； taking it down and
turning the leaves。 'Here you'll find yourself； as large as life。 Amy；
daughter of William and Fanny Dorrit。 Born； Marshalsea Prison； Parish of
St George。 And we tell people that you have lived there； without so much
as a day's or a night's absence； ever since。 Is it true？'
'Quite true； till last night。' 'Lord！' But his surveying her with an
admiring gaze suggested Something else to him； to wit： 'I am sorry to
see； though； that you are faint and tired。 Stay a bit。 I'll get some
cushions out of the church； and you and your friend shall lie down
before the fire。
Don't be afraid of not going in to join your father when the gate opens。
I'll call you。'
He soon brought in the cushions； and strewed them on the ground。
'There you are； you see。 Again as large as life。 Oh； never mind
thanking。 I've daughters of my own。 And though they weren't born in the
Marshalsea Prison； they might have been； if I had been； in my ways of
carrying on； of your father's breed。 Stop a bit。 I must put something
under the cushion for your head。 Here's a burial volume； just the
thing！ We have got Mrs Bangham in this book。 But what makes these books
interesting to most people is……not who's in 'em； but who isn't……who's
ing； you know； and when。 That's the interesting question。'
mendingly looking back at the pillow he had improvised； he left them
to their hour's repose。 Maggy was snoring already； and Little Dorrit
was soon fast asleep with her head resting on that sealed book of Fate；
untroubled by its mysterious blank leaves。
This was Little Dorrit's party。 The shame； desertion； wretchedness； and
exposure of the great capital； the wet； the cold； the slow hours； and
the swift clouds of the dismal night。 This was the party from which
Little Dorrit went home； jaded； in the first grey mist of a rainy
morning。
CHAPTER 15。 Mrs Flintwinch has another Dream
The debilitated old house in the city； wrapped in its mantle of soot；
and leaning heavily on the crutches that had partaken of its decay and
worn out with it； never knew a healthy or a cheerful interval； let what
would betide。 If the sun ever touched it； it was but with a ray； and
that was gone in half an hour； if the moonlight ever fell upon it； it
was only to put a few patches on its doleful cloak； and make it look
more wretched。 The stars； to be sure； coldly watched it when the nights
and the smoke were clear enough； and all bad weather stood by it with
a rare fidelity。 You should alike find rain； hail； frost； and thaw
lingering in that dismal enclosure when they had vanished from other
places； and as to snow； you should see it there for weeks； long after
it had changed from yellow to black； slowly weeping away its grimy life。
The place had no other adherents。 As to street noises； the rumbling of
wheels in the lane merely rushed in at the gateway in going past； and
rushed out again： making the listening Mistress Affery feel as if she
were deaf； and recovered the sense of hearing by instantaneous flashes。
So with whistling； singing； talking； laughing； and all pleasant human
sounds。 They leaped the gap in a moment； and went upon their way。 The
varying light of fire and candle in Mrs Clennam's room made the greatest
change that ever broke the dead monotony of the spot。 In her two long
narrow windows； the fire shone sullenly all day； and sullenly all night。
On rare occasions it flashed up passionately； as she did； but for the
most part it was suppressed； like her； and preyed upon itself evenly and
slowly。 During many hours of the short winter days； however； when it was
dusk there early in the afternoon； changing distortions of herself
in her wheeled chair； of Mr Flintwinch with his wry neck； of Mistress
Affery ing and going； would be thrown upon the house wall that was
over the gateway； and would hover there like shadows from a great magic
lantern。 As the room…ridden invalid settled for the night； these would
gradually disappear： Mistress Affery's magnified shadow always flitting
about； last； until it finally glided away into the air； as though she
were off upon a witch excursion。 Then the solitary light would burn
unchangingly； until it burned pale before the dawn； and at last died
under the breath of Mrs Affery； as her shadow descended on it from the
witch…region of sleep。
Strange； if the little sick…room fire were in effect a beacon fire；
summoning some one； and that the most unlikely some one in the world；
to the spot that MUST be e to。 Strange； if the little sick…room light
were in effect a watch…light； burning in that place every night until
an appointed event should be watched out！ Which of the vast multitude
of travellers； under the sun and the stars； climbing the dusty hills
and toiling along the weary plains； journeying by land and journeying by
sea； ing and going so strangely； to meet and to act and react on one
another； which of the host may； with no suspicion of the journey's end；
be travelling surely hither？
Time shall show us。 The post of honour and the post of shame； the
general's station and the drummer's； a peer's statue in Westminster
Abbey and a seaman's hammock in the bosom of the deep； the mitre and
the workhouse； the woolsack and the gallows； the throne and the
guillotine……the travellers to all are on the great high road； but it
has wonderful divergencies； and only Time shall show us whither each
traveller is bound。
On a wintry afternoon at twilight； Mrs Flintwinch； having been heavy all
day； dreamed this dream：
She thought she was in the kitchen getting the kettle ready for tea； and
was warming herself with her feet upon the fender and the skirt of her
gown tucked up； before the collapsed fire in the middle of the grate；
bordered on either hand by a deep cold black ravine。 She thought that
as she sat thus； musing upon the question whether life was not for some
people a rather dull invention； she was frightened by a sudden noise
behind her。 She thought that she had been similarly frightened once last
week； and that the noise was of a mysterious kind……a sound of rustling
and of three or four quick beats like a rapid step； while a shock or
tremble was municated to her heart； as if the step had shaken the
floor； or even as if she had been touched by some awful hand。 She
thought that this revived within her certain old fears of hers that
the house was haunted； and that she flew up the kitchen stairs without
knowing how she got up； to be nearer pany。
Mistress Affery thought that on reaching the hall； she saw the door of
her liege lord's office standing open； and the room empty。 That she went
to the ripped…up window in the little room by the street door to connect
her palpitating heart； through the glass； with living things beyond
and outside the haunted house。 That she then saw； on the wall over the
gateway； the shadows of the two clever ones in conversation above。 That
she then went upstairs with her shoes in her hand； partly to be near
the clever ones as a match for most ghosts； and partly to hear what they
were talking about。
'None of your nonsense with me；' said Mr Flintwinch。 'I won't take it
from you。'
Mrs Flintwinch dreamed that she stood behind the door； which was just
ajar； and most distinctly heard her husband say these bold words。
'Flintwinch；' returned Mrs Clennam； in her usual strong low voice；
'there is a demon of anger in you。 Guard against it。'
'I don't care whether there's one or a dozen；' said Mr Flintwinch；
forcibly suggesting in his tone that the higher number was nearer the
mark。 'If there was fifty； they should all say； None of your nonsense
with me； I won't take it from you……I'd make 'em say it； whether they
liked it or not。'
'What have I done； you wrathful man？' her strong voice asked。
'Done？' said Mr Flintwinch。 'Dropped down upon me。'
'If you mean； remonstrated with you……'
'Don't put words into my mouth that I don't mean；' said Jeremiah；
sticking to his figurative expression with tenacious and imperable
obstinacy： 'I mean dropped down upon me。'
'I remonstrated with you；' she began again； 'because……'
'I won't have it！' cried Jeremiah。 'You dropped down upon me。'
'I dropped down upon you； then； you ill…conditioned man；' （Jeremiah
chuckled at having forced her to adopt his phrase；） 'for having been
needlessly significant to Arthur that morning。 I have a right to
plain of it as almost a breach of confidence。 You did not mean it……'
'I won't have it！' interposed the contradictory Jeremiah； flinging back
the concession。 'I did mean it。'
'I suppose I must leave you to speak in soliloquy if you choose；' she
replied； after a pause that seemed an angry one。 'It is useless my
addressing myself to a rash and headstrong old man who has a set purpose
not to hear me。'
'Now； I won't take that from you either；' said Jeremiah。 'I have no such
purpose。 I have told you I did mean it。 Do you wish to know why I meant
it； you rash and headstrong old woman？'
'After all； you only restore me my own words；' she said； struggling with
her indignation。 'Yes。'
'This is why； then。 Because you hadn't cleared his father to him； and
you ought to have done it。 Because； before you went into any tantrum
about yourself； who are……'
'Hold there； Flintwinch！' she cried out in a changed voice： 'you may go
a word too far。'
The old man seemed to think so。 There was another pause； and he had
altered his position in the room； when he spoke again more mildly：
'I was going to tell you why it was。 Because； before you took your own
part； I thought you ought to have taken the part of Arthur's father。
Arthur's father！ I had no particular love for Arthur's father。 I served
Arthur's father's uncle； in this house； when Arthur's father was not
much above me……was poorer as far as his pocket went……and when his uncle
might as soon have left me his heir as have left him。 He starved in the
parlour； and I starv