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The sun had set, and the streets were di unused to thehbourhood of the old house it attracted little attention, for there

were only a few straggling people to notice it; but, ascending froe, and passing into

the great main road, it became surrounded by astonishment

Resolute and wild of look, rapid of foot and yet weak and uncertain,

conspicuously dressed in its black garaunt and of an unearthly paleness, it pressed forward,

taking nothan a sleep-walker More re than if it had been

lifted on a pedestal to be seen, the figure attracted all eyes

Saunterers pricked up their attention to observe it; busy people,

crossing it, slackened their pace and turned their heads; co aside, whispered one another to look at this

spectral woure as it

passed see the iddy by the turbulent irruption of thisfaces

into her cell of years, by the confusing sensation of being in the air,

and the yetafoot, by the unexpected

changes in half-remembered objects, and the want of likeness between the

controllable pictures her iination had often drawn of the life fro rush of the reality, she

held her way as if she were environed by distracting thoughts, rather

than by external hue and gone soht onward, she remembered that she

must ask for a direction; and it was only then, when she stopped and

turned to look about her for a pro place of inquiry, that she

found herself surrounded by an eager glare of faces

'Why are you encircling

None of those ere nearest answered; but fro there

arose a shrill cry of ''Cause you're mad!'

'I am sure as sane as any one here I want to find the Marshalsea

prison'

The shrill outer circle again retorted, 'Then that 'ud show you was ht opposite!'

A short, h to her, as

a whooping ensued on this reply, and said: 'Was it the Marshalsea you

wanted? I' on duty there Come across with me'

She laid her hand upon his arm, and he took her over the way; the crowd,

rather injured by the near prospect of losing her, pressing before and

behind and on either side, and reco an adjournment to Bedlam

After a momentary whirl in the outer court-yard, the prison-door opened,

and shut upon thee, which seee and peace, a yellow la with the prison shadows

'Why, John!' said the turnkey who ad, father; only this lady not knowing her way, and being badgered

by the boys Who did you want,ht your

name be?'

'Mrs Clenna ether, and hesitated 'Yes She had better be

told it is hisin the

country at present, the Marshal has given Miss Dorrit one of the rooms

in his house to use when she likes Don't you think you had better conified her assent, and he unlocked a door and conducted her up

a side staircase into a dwelling-house above He showed her into a

darkening roo

prison-yard, with its in out

of s cooing away, and generally wearing out their i The air was heavy and hot; the closeness

of the place, oppressive; and from without there arose a rush of

free sounds, like the jarring s in a headache and

heartache She stood at the ildered, looking down into this

prison as it were out of her own different prison, when a soft word or

two of surprise made her start, and Little Dorrit stood before her

'Is it possible, Mrs Clennam, that you are so happily recovered as--'

Little Dorrit stopped, for there was neither happiness nor health in the

face that turned to her 'This is not recovery; it is not strength; I

don't knohat it is' With an agitated wave of her hand, she put all

that aside 'You have a packet left with you which you were to give to

Arthur, if it was not reclaiht'

'Yes'

'I reclaiave it into her hand, which

re it

'Have you any idea of its contents?'

Frightened by her being there with that neer Of Moveth, and which was unreal

to look upon, as though a picture or statue had been animated, Little

Dorrit answered 'No'

'Read them'

Little Dorrit took the packet from the still outstretched hand, and

broke the seal Mrs Clennaave her the inner packet that was

addressed to herself, and held the other The shadow of the wall and of

the prison buildings, which made the room sombre at noon,apace, save in the

In the here a little of the bright su sky

could shine upon her, Little Dorrit stood, and read After a broken

exclamation or so of wonder and of terror, she read in silence When

she had finished, she looked round, and her old mistress bowed herself

before her

'You knohat I have done'

'I think so I ah my mind is so hurried, and so sorry,

and has so much to pity that it has not been able to follow all I have

read,' said Little Dorrit tremulously

'I will restore to you what I have withheld froive me?'

'I can, and Heaven knows I do! Do not kiss my dress and kneel to ive you freely without that'

'I have more yet to ask'

'Not in that posture,' said Little Dorrit 'It is unnatural to see your

grey hair lower than mine Pray rise; let me help you' With that she

raised her up, and stood rather shrinking froreat petition that I reat supplication that I address to your entle heart, is, that you will not disclose this to Arthur until I am

dead If you think, when you have had tiood to knohile I am yet alive, then tell him But

you will not think that; and in such case, will you promise me to spare

me until I am dead?'

'I ahts,'

returned Little Dorrit, 'that I can scarcely give you a steady answer

If I should be quite sure that to be acquainted with it will do Mr

Clennaood--'

'I know you are attached to hiht that he should be the first consideration I

ask that But, having regarded hi that you may spare

me for the little time I shall remain on earth, will you do it?'

'I will'

'GOD bless you!'

She stood in the shadow so that she was only a veiled forht; but the sound of her voice, in saying those three

grateful words, was at once fervent and broken--broken by emotion as

unfamiliar to her frozen eyes as action to her frozen lier tone, 'that I can

better bear to be known to you whoed ainst the Lord, but she wronged me What Arthur's father

was to e day I was his dread, and that

she e of both, and that is referable to her

You love Arthur (I can see the blush upon your face; may it be the dawn

of happier days to both of you!), and you will have thought already that

he is as merciful and kind as you, and why do I not trust ht so?'

'No thought,' said Little Dorrit, 'can be quite a stranger to e that Mr Clennaenerous and good'

'I do not doubt it Yet Arthur is, of the whole world, the one person

from whom I would conceal this, while I am in it I kept over him as

a child, in the days of his first re hand I was stern with hiressions

of the parents are visited on their offspring, and that there was an

angry mark upon hi the weakness of his father yearning to unbend to hiht work out his release in bondage and

hardship I have seen hi up atto softenof her auditress stopped her for a looood Not for the satisfaction of my injury What was I, and

as the worth of that, before the curse of Heaven! I have seen that

child grow up; not to be pious in a chosen way (his mother's influence

lay too heavy on hiht, and

to be submissive to ht--so frail we are, and so do the corrupt affections of the flesh

ith our trusts and tasks; but he always respected me and ordered

himself dutifully to me He does to this hour With an e of, he has turned

away froone his separate road; but even that he has done