Chapter 31 - Page 2

near prospect of losing her, pressing
before and behind and on either side, and recommending an
adjournment to Bedlam. After a momentary whirl in the outer court-
yard, the prison-door opened, and shut upon them. In the Lodge,
which seemed by contrast with the outer noise a place of refuge and
peace, a yellow lamp was already striving with the prison shadows.

'Why, John!' said the turnkey who admitted them. 'What is it?'

'Nothing, father; only this lady not knowing her way, and being
badgered by the boys. Who did you want, ma'am?'

'Miss Dorrit. Is she here?'

The young man became more interested. 'Yes, she is here. What
might your name be?'

'Mrs Clennam.'

'Mr Clennam's mother?' asked the young man.

She pressed her lips together, and hesitated. 'Yes. She had
better be told it is his mother.'

'You see,' said the young man,'the Marshal's family living in 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 come up there, and let me bring Miss Dorrit?'

She signified 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 room, and left her. The room looked down into the
darkening prison-yard, with its inmates strolling here and there,
leaning out of windows communing as much apart as they could with
friends who were going away, and generally wearing out their
imprisonment as they best might that summer evening. 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 memory
of such things in a headache and heartache. She stood at the
window, bewildered, 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 know what 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 reclaimed before this place closed to-night.'

'Yes.'

'I reclaim it.'

Little Dorrit took it from her bosom, and gave it into her hand,
which remained stretched out after receiving it.

'Have you any idea of its contents?'

Frightened by her being there with that new power Of Movement in
her, which, as she said herself, was not strength, and which was
unreal to look upon, as