hat
rose into the sky had lost its dingy hue and taken a brightness upon it.
The beauties of the sunset had not faded from the long light films of
cloud that lay at peace in the horizon. From a radiant centre, over
the whole length and breadth of the tranquil firmament, great shoots of
light streamed among the early stars, like signs of the blessed later
covenant of peace and hope that changed the crown of thorns into a
glory.

Less remarkable, now that she was not alone and it was darker, Mrs
Clennam hurried on at Little Dorrit's side, unmolested. They left the
great thoroughfare at the turning by which she had entered it, and wound
their way down among the silent, empty, cross-streets. Their feet were
at the gateway, when there was a sudden noise like thunder.

'What was that! Let us make haste in,' cried Mrs Clennam.

They were in the gateway. Little Dorrit, with a piercing cry, held her
back.

In one swift instant the old house was before them, with the man lying
smoking in the window; another thundering sound, and it heaved, surged
outward, opened asunder in fifty places, collapsed, and fell. Deafened
by the noise, stifled, choked, and blinded by the dust, they hid their
faces and stood rooted to the spot. The dust storm, driving between them
and the placid sky, parted for a moment and showed them the stars. As
they looked up, wildly crying for help, the great pile of chimneys,
which was then alone left standing like a tower in a whirlwind, rocked,
broke, and hailed itself down upon the heap of ruin, as if every
tumbling fragment were intent on burying the crushed wretch deeper.

So blackened by the flying particles of rubbish as to be unrecognisable,
they ran back from the gateway into the street, crying and shrieking.
There, Mrs Clennam dropped upon the stones; and she never from that hour
moved so much as a finger again, or had the power to speak one word.
For upwards of three years she reclined in a wheeled chair, looking
attentively at those about her and appearing to understand what they
said; but the rigid silence she had so long held was evermore enforced
upon her, and except that she could move her eyes and faintly express a
negative and affirmative with her head, she lived and died a statue.

Affery had been looking for them at the prison, and had caught sight
of them at a distance on the bridge. She came up to receive her old
mistress in her arms, to help to carry her into a neighbouring house,
an