'Do I? I hope I may! I am afraid you fancy too much, sir, and make me

out too powerful. If you were in prison, could I bring such comfort to

you?' 'Yes, Little Dorrit, I am sure of it.'

He gathered from a tremor on her lip, and a passing shadow of great

agitation on her face, that her mind was with her father. He remained

silent for a few moments, that she might regain her composure. The

Little Dorrit, trembling on his arm, was less in unison than ever with

Mrs Chivery's theory, and yet was not irreconcilable with a new fancy

which sprung up within him, that there might be some one else in the

hopeless--newer fancy still--in the hopeless unattainable distance.

They turned, and Clennam said, Here was Maggy coming! Little Dorrit

looked up, surprised, and they confronted Maggy, who brought herself

at sight of them to a dead stop. She had been trotting along, so

preoccupied and busy that she had not recognised them until they turned

upon her. She was now in a moment so conscience-stricken that her very

basket partook of the change.

'Maggy, you promised me to stop near father.'

'So I would, Little Mother, only he wouldn't let me. If he takes and

sends me out I must go. If he takes and says, "Maggy, you hurry away and

back with that letter, and you shall have a sixpence if the answer's a

good 'un," I must take it. Lor, Little Mother, what's a poor thing of

ten year old to do? And if Mr Tip--if he happens to be a coming in as

I come out, and if he says "Where are you going, Maggy?" and if I says,

"I'm a going So and So," and if he says, "I'll have a Try too," and if

he goes into the George and writes a letter and if he gives it me and

says, "Take that one to the same place, and if the answer's a good 'un

I'll give you a shilling," it ain't my fault, mother!'

Arthur read, in Little Dorrit's downcast eyes, to whom she foresaw that

the letters were addressed.

'I'm a going So and So. There! That's where I am a going to,' said

Maggy. 'I'm a going So and So. It ain't you, Little Mother, that's got

anything to do with it--it's you, you know,' said Maggy, addressing

Arthur. 'You'd better come, So and So, and let me take and give 'em to

you.' 'We will not be so particular as that, Maggy. Give them me here,' said

Clennam in a low voice.




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