Early in the morning, Little Dorrit, leaving Maggy in high domestic

trust, set off for the Patriarchal tent. She went by the Iron Bridge,

though it cost her a penny, and walked more slowly in that part of her

journey than in any other. At five minutes before eight her hand was on

the Patriarchal knocker, which was quite as high as she could reach.

She gave Mrs Finching's card to the young woman who opened the door, and

the young woman told her that 'Miss Flora'--Flora having, on her return

to the parental roof, reinvested herself with the title under which she

had lived there--was not yet out of her bedroom, but she was to please

to walk up into Miss Flora's sitting-room. She walked up into

Miss Flora's sitting-room, as in duty bound, and there found a

breakfast-table comfortably laid for two, with a supplementary tray

upon it laid for one.

The young woman, disappearing for a few moments,

returned to say that she was to please to take a chair by the fire,

and to take off her bonnet and make herself at home. But Little Dorrit,

being bashful, and not used to make herself at home on such occasions,

felt at a loss how to do it; so she was still sitting near the door with

her bonnet on, when Flora came in in a hurry half an hour afterwards.

Flora was so sorry to have kept her waiting, and good gracious why did

she sit out there in the cold when she had expected to find her by the

fire reading the paper, and hadn't that heedless girl given her the

message then, and had she really been in her bonnet all this time, and

pray for goodness sake let Flora take it off! Flora taking it off in the

best-natured manner in the world, was so struck with the face disclosed,

that she said, 'Why, what a good little thing you are, my dear!' and

pressed her face between her hands like the gentlest of women.

It was the word and the action of a moment. Little Dorrit had hardly

time to think how kind it was, when Flora dashed at the breakfast-table

full of business, and plunged over head and ears into loquacity.

'Really so sorry that I should happen to be late on this morning of all

mornings because my intention and my wish was to be ready to meet you

when you came in and to say that any one that interested Arthur Clennam

half so much must interest me and that I gave you the heartiest welcome

and was so glad, instead of which they never called me and there I

still am snoring I dare say if the truth was known and if you don't like

either cold fowl or hot boiled ham which many people don't I dare say

besides Jews and theirs are scruples of conscience which we must all

respect though I must say I wish they had them equally strong when they

sell us false articles for real that certainly ain't worth the money I

shall be quite vexed,' said Flora.




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