he could not see her face; but her touch was tender and quiet,
and in the expression of her dejected figure there was no blame - nothing but
love. He began to whimper, just as he had done that night in the prison when she
afterwards sat at his bedside till morning; exclaimed that he was a poor ruin
and a poor wretch in the midst of his wealth; and clasped her in his arms.
»Hush, hush, my own dear! Kiss me!« was all she said to him. His tears were soon
dried, much sooner than on the former occasion; and he was presently afterwards
very high with his valet, as a way of righting himself for having shed any.
    With one remarkable exception, to be recorded in its place, this was the
only time, in his life of freedom and fortune, when he spoke to his daughter Amy
of the old days.
    But, now, the breakfast hour arrived; and with it Miss Fanny from her
apartment, and Mr. Edward from his apartment. Both these young persons of
distinction were something the worse for late hours. As to Miss Fanny, she had
become the victim of an insatiate mania for what she called going into society;
and would have gone into it headforemost fifty times between sunset and sunrise,
if so many opportunities had been at her disposal. As to Mr. Edward, he, too,
had a large acquaintance, and was generally engaged (for the most part, in
diceing circles, or others of a kindred nature), during the greater part of
every night. For, this gentleman, when his fortunes changed, had stood at the
great advantage of being already prepared for the highest associates, and having
little to learn: so much was he indebted to the happy accidents which had made
him acquainted with horse-dealing and billiard-marking.
    At breakfast, Mr. Frederick Dorrit likewise appeared. As the old gentleman
inhabited the highest story of the palace, where he might have practised
pistol-shooting without much chance of discovery by the other inmates, his
younger niece had taken courage to propose the restoration to him of his
clarionet: which Mr. Dorrit had ordered to be confiscated, but which she had
ventured to preserve. Notwithstanding some objections from Miss Fanny, that it
was a low instrument, and that she detested the sound of it, the concession had
been made. But, it was then discovered that he had had enough of it, and never
played it, now that it was no longer his means of getting bread. He had
insensibly acquired a