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false friend and the present high price of provisions； had reduced
him to the verge of ruin； unless he could by a quarter before six that
evening raise the sum of eight pounds。 This sum； Mr Clennam would be
happy to learn； he had； through the promptitude of several friends
who had a lively confidence in his probity； already raised； with the
exception of a trifling balance of one pound seventeen and fourpence；
the loan of which balance； for the period of one month； would be fraught
with the usual beneficent consequences。
These letters Clennam answered with the aid of his pencil and
pocket…book； on the spot； sending the father what he asked for； and
excusing himself from pliance with the demand of the son。 He then
missioned Maggy to return with his replies； and gave her the
shilling of which the failure of her supplemental enterprise would have
disappointed her otherwise。
When he rejoined Little Dorrit； and they had begun walking as before；
she said all at once：
'I think I had better go。 I had better go home。'
'Don't be distressed；' said Clennam； 'I have answered the letters。 They
were nothing。 You know what they were。 They were nothing。'
'But I am afraid；' she returned； 'to leave him； I am afraid to leave
any of them。 When I am gone； they pervert……but they don't mean it……even
Maggy。'
'It was a very innocent mission that she undertook； poor thing。 And
in keeping it secret from you； she supposed； no doubt； that she was only
saving you uneasiness。'
'Yes； I hope so； I hope so。 But I had better go home！ It was but the
other day that my sister told me I had bee so used to the prison that
I had its tone and character。 It must be so。 I am sure it must be when I
see these things。 My place is there。 I am better there； it is unfeeling
in me to be here； when I can do the least thing there。 Good…bye。 I had
far better stay at home！'
The agonised way in which she poured this out； as if it burst of itself
from her suppressed heart； made it difficult for Clennam to keep the
tears from his eyes as he saw and heard her。
'Don't call it home； my child！' he entreated。 'It is always painful to
me to hear you call it home。'
'But it is home！ What else can I call home？ Why should I ever forget it
for a single moment？'
'You never do； dear Little Dorrit； in any good and true service。'
'I hope not； O I hope not！ But it is better for me to stay there； much
better； much more dutiful； much happier。 Please don't go with me； let me
go by myself。 Good…bye； God bless you。 Thank you； thank you。'
He felt that it was better to respect her entreaty； and did not move
while her slight form 。 When it had fluttered
out of sight； he turned his face towards the water and stood thinking。
She would have been distressed at any time by this discovery of the
letters； but so much so； and in that unrestrainable way？
No。
When she had seen her father begging with his threadbare disguise on；
when she had entreated him not to give her father money； she had
been distressed； but not like this。 Something had made her keenly and
additionally sensitive just now。 Now； was there some one in the hopeless
unattainable distance？ Or had the suspicion been brought into his mind；
by his own associations of the troubled river running beneath the bridge
with the same river higher up； its changeless tune upon the prow of the
ferry…boat； so many miles an hour the peaceful flowing of the stream；
here the rushes； there the lilies； nothing uncertain or unquiet？
He thought of his poor child； Little Dorrit； for a long time there； he
thought of her going home； he thought of her in the night； he thought
of her when the day came round again。 And the poor child Little Dorrit
thought of him……too faithfully； ah； too faithfully！……in the shadow of
the Marshalsea wall。
CHAPTER 23。 Machinery in Motion
Mr Meagles bestirred himself with such prompt activity in the matter of
the negotiation with Daniel Doyce which Clennam had entrusted to him；
that he soon brought it into business train； and called on Clennam at
nine o'clock one morning to make his report。 'Doyce is highly gratified
by your good opinion；' he opened the business by saying； 'and desires
nothing so much as that you should examine the affairs of the Works for
yourself； and entirely understand them。 He has handed me the keys of
all his books and papers……here they are jingling in this pocket……and the
only charge he has given me is 〃Let Mr Clennam have the means of putting
himself on a perfect equality with me as to knowing whatever I know。
If it should e to nothing after all； he will respect my confidence。
Unless I was sure of that to begin with； I should have nothing to do
with him。〃 And there； you see；' said Mr Meagles； 'you have Daniel Doyce
all over。'
'A very honourable character。'
'Oh； yes； to be sure。 Not a doubt of it。 Odd； but very honourable。 Very
odd though。 Now； would you believe； Clennam；' said Mr Meagles； with
a hearty enjoyment of his friend's eccentricity； 'that I had a whole
morning in What's…his…name Yard……'
'Bleeding Heart？'
'A whole morning in Bleeding Heart Yard； before I could induce him to
pursue the subject at all？'
'How was that？'
'How was that； my friend？ I no sooner mentioned your name in connection
with it than he declared off。'
'Declared off on my account？'
'I no sooner mentioned your name； Clennam； than he said； 〃That will
never do！〃 What did he mean by that？ I asked him。 No matter； Meagles；
that would never do。 Why would it never do？ You'll hardly believe it；
Clennam；' said Mr Meagles； laughing within himself； 'but it came out
that it would never do； because you and he； walking down to Twickenham
together； had glided into a friendly conversation in the course of which
he had referred to his intention of taking a partner； supposing at the
time that you were as firmly and finally settled as St Paul's Cathedral。
〃Whereas；〃 says he； 〃Mr Clennam might now believe； if I entertained his
proposition； that I had a sinister and designing motive in what was open
free speech。 Which I can't bear；〃 says he； 〃which I really am too proud
to bear。〃'
'I should as soon suspect……'
'Of course you would；' interrupted Mr Meagles； 'and so I told him。 But
it took a morning to scale that wall； and I doubt if any other man
than myself （he likes me of old） could have got his leg over it。 Well；
Clennam。 This business…like obstacle surmounted； he then stipulated that
before resuming with you I should look over the books and form my own
opinion。 I looked over the books； and formed my own opinion。 〃Is it； on
the whole； for； or against？〃 says he。 〃For；〃 says I。 〃Then；〃 says he；
〃you may now； my good friend； give Mr Clennam the means of forming
his opinion。 To enable him to do which； without bias and with perfect
freedom； I shall go out of town for a week。〃 And he's gone；' said Mr
Meagles； that's the rich conclusion of the thing。'
'Leaving me；' said Clennam； 'with a high sense； I must say； of his
candour and his……'
'Oddity；' Mr Meagles struck in。 'I should think so！'
It was not exactly the word on Clennam's lips； but he forbore to
interrupt his good…humoured friend。
'And now；' added Mr Meagles； 'you can begin to look into matters as soon
as you think proper。 I have undertaken to explain where you may want
explanation； but to be strictly impartial； and to do nothing more。'
They began their perquisitions in Bleeding Heart Yard that same
forenoon。 Little peculiarities were easily to be detected by experienced
eyes in Mr Doyce's way of managing his affairs； but they almost always
involved some ingenious simplification of a difficulty； and some plain
road to the desired end。 That his papers were in arrear； and that he
stood in need of assistance to develop the capacity of his business； was
clear enough； but all the results of his undertakings during many years
were distinctly set forth； and were ascertainable with ease。 Nothing had
been done for the purposes of the pending investigation； everything was
in its genuine working dress； and in a certain honest rugged order。 The
calculations and entries； in his own hand； of which there were many；
were bluntly written； and wit