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over his head； 'I have been on the wrong side of the Lock myself； and
in that way we e to know Miss Dorrit。 Me and my wife； we are well
acquainted with Miss Dorrit。' 'Intimate！' cried Mrs Plornish。 Indeed；
she was so proud of the acquaintance； that she had awakened some
bitterness of spirit in the Yard by magnifying to an enormous amount the
sum for which Miss Dorrit's father had bee insolvent。 The Bleeding
Hearts resented her claiming to know people of such distinction。
'It was her father that I got acquainted with first。 And through getting
acquainted with him； you see……why……I got acquainted with her；' said
Plornish tautologically。
'I see。'
'Ah！ And there's manners！ There's polish！ There's a gentleman to have
run to seed in the Marshalsea jail！ Why； perhaps you are not aware；'
said Plornish； lowering his voice； and speaking with a perverse
admiration of what he ought to have pitied or despised； 'not aware that
Miss Dorrit and her sister dursn't let him know that they work for a
living。 No！' said Plornish； looking with a ridiculous triumph first at
his wife； and then all round the room。 'Dursn't let him know it； they
dursn't！'
'Without admiring him for that；' Clennam quietly observed； 'I am very
sorry for him。' The remark appeared to suggest to Plornish； for the
first time； that it might not be a very fine trait of character after
all。 He pondered about it for a moment； and gave it up。
'As to me；' he resumed； 'certainly Mr Dorrit is as affable with me； I
am sure； as I can possibly expect。 Considering the differences and
distances betwixt us； more so。 But it's Miss Dorrit that we were
speaking of。'
'True。 Pray how did you introduce her at my mother's！'
Mr Plornish picked a bit of lime out of his whisker； put it between his
lips； turned it with his tongue like a sugar…plum； considered； found
himself unequal to the task of lucid explanation； and appealing to his
wife； said； 'Sally； you may as well mention how it was； old woman。'
'Miss Dorrit；' said Sally； hushing the baby from side to side； and
laying her chin upon the little hand as it tried to disarrange the gown
again； 'came here one afternoon with a bit of writing； telling that
how she wished for needlework； and asked if it would be considered any
ill…conwenience in case she was to give her address here。' （Plornish
repeated； her address here； in a low voice； as if he were making
responses at church。） 'Me and Plornish says； No； Miss Dorrit； no
ill…conwenience；' （Plornish repeated； no ill…conwenience；） 'and she
wrote it in； according。 Which then me and Plornish says； Ho Miss
Dorrit！' （Plornish repeated； Ho Miss Dorrit。） 'Have you thought of
copying it three or four times； as the way to make it known in more
places than one？ No； says Miss Dorrit； I have not； but I will。 She
copied it out according； on this table； in a sweet writing； and
Plornish； he took it where he worked； having a job just then；' （Plornish
repeated job just then；） 'and likewise to the landlord of the Yard；
through which it was that Mrs Clennam first happened to employ Miss
Dorrit。' Plornish repeated； employ Miss Dorrit； and Mrs Plornish having
e to an end； feigned to bite the fingers of the little hand as she
kissed it。
'The landlord of the Yard；' said Arthur Clennam； 'is……'
'He is Mr Casby； by name； he is；' said Plornish； 'and Pancks； he
collects the rents。 That；' added Mr Plornish； dwelling on the subject
with a slow thoughtfulness that appeared to have no connection with any
specific object； and to lead him nowhere； 'that is about what they are；
you may believe me or not； as you think proper。'
'Ay？' returned Clennam； thoughtful in his turn。 'Mr Casby； too！ An old
acquaintance of mine； long ago！'
Mr Plornish did not see his road to any ment on this fact； and made
none。 As there truly was no reason why he should have the least interest
in it； Arthur Clennam went on to the present purport of his visit；
namely； to make Plornish the instrument of effecting Tip's release；
with as little detriment as possible to the self…reliance and
self…helpfulness of the young man； supposing him to possess any remnant
of those qualities： without doubt a very wide stretch of supposition。
Plornish； having been made acquainted with the cause of action from the
Defendant's own mouth； gave Arthur to understand that the Plaintiff
was a 'Chaunter'……meaning； not a singer of anthems； but a seller of
horses……and that he （Plornish） considered that ten shillings in the
pound 'would settle handsome；' and that more would be a waste of money。
The Principal and instrument soon drove off together to a stable…yard in
High Holborn； where a remarkably fine grey gelding； worth； at the lowest
figure； seventy…five guineas （not taking into account the value of the
shot he had been made to swallow for the improvement of his form）； was
to be parted with for a twenty…pound note； in consequence of his having
run away last week with Mrs Captain Barbary of Cheltenham； who wasn't up
to a horse of his courage； and who； in mere spite； insisted on selling
him for that ridiculous sum： or； in other words； on giving him away。
Plornish； going up this yard alone and leaving his Principal outside；
found a gentleman with tight drab legs； a rather old hat； a little
hooked stick； and a blue neckerchief （Captain Maroon of Gloucestershire；
a private friend of Captain Barbary）； who happened to be there； in
a friendly way； to mention these little circumstances concerning the
remarkably fine grey gelding to any real judge of a horse and quick
snapper…up of a good thing； who might look in at that address as per
advertisement。 This gentleman； happening also to be the Plaintiff in the
Tip case； referred Mr Plornish to his solicitor； and declined to treat
with Mr Plornish； or even to endure his presence in the yard； unless
he appeared there with a twenty…pound note： in which case only； the
gentleman would augur from appearances that he meant business； and
might be induced to talk to him。 On this hint； Mr Plornish retired
to municate with his Principal； and presently came back with the
required credentials。 Then said Captain Maroon； 'Now； how much time do
you want to make the other twenty in？ Now； I'll give you a month。' Then
said Captain Maroon； when that wouldn't suit； 'Now； I'll tell what I'll
do with you。 You shall get me a good bill at four months； made payable
at a banking…house； for the other twenty！' Then said Captain Maroon；
when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now； e； Here's the last I've got to say
to you。 You shall give me another ten down； and I'll run my pen clean
through it。' Then said Captain Maroon when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now；
I'll tell you what it is； and this shuts it up； he has used me bad； but
I'll let him off for another five down and a bottle of wine； and if you
mean done； say done； and if you don't like it； leave it。' Finally said
Captain Maroon； when THAT wouldn't suit either； 'Hand over； then！'……And
in consideration of the first offer； gave a receipt in full and
discharged the prisoner。
'Mr Plornish；' said Arthur； 'I trust to you； if you please； to keep my
secret。 If you will undertake to let the young man know that he is free；
and to tell him that you were employed to pound for the debt by
some one whom you are not at liberty to name； you will not only do me a
service； but may do him one； and his sister also。'
'The last reason； sir；' said Plornish； 'would be quite sufficient。 Your
wishes shall be attended to。'
'A Friend has obtained his discharge； you can say if you please。 A
Friend who hopes that for his sister's sake； if for no one else's； he
will make good use of his liberty。'
'Your wishes； sir； shall be attended to。'
'And if you will be so good； in your better knowledge of the family； as
to municate freely with me； and to point out to me any means by which
you think I may be delicately and really useful to Little Dorrit； I
shall feel under an obligation to you。'
'Don't name it； sir；' returned Plornish； 'it'll be ekally a pleasure an
a……it'l be ekally a pleasure and a……' Finding himself unable to balance
his sentence after two efforts； Mr Plornish wisely dropped it。 He took
Clennam's card and appropriate pec