in at the door to see it done, with Flora
gallantly supported on one arm and Maggy on the other, and a back-ground
of John Chivery and father and other turnkeys who had run round for the
moment, deserting the parent Marshalsea for its happy child. Nor had
Flora the least signs of seclusion upon her, notwithstanding her recent
declaration; but, on the contrary, was wonderfully smart, and enjoyed
the ceremonies mightily, though in a fluttered way.

Little Dorrit's old friend held the inkstand as she signed her name, and
the clerk paused in taking off the good clergyman's surplice, and all
the witnesses looked on with special interest. 'For, you see,' said
Little Dorrit's old friend, 'this young lady is one of our curiosities,
and has come now to the third volume of our Registers. Her birth is in
what I call the first volume; she lay asleep, on this very floor,
with her pretty head on what I call the second volume; and she's now
a-writing her little name as a bride in what I call the third volume.'

They all gave place when the signing was done, and Little Dorrit and her
husband walked out of the church alone. They paused for a moment on the
steps of the portico, looking at the fresh perspective of the street in
the autumn morning sun's bright rays, and then went down.

Went down into a modest life of usefulness and happiness. Went down
to give a mother's care, in the fulness of time, to Fanny's neglected
children no less than to their own, and to leave that lady going into
Society for ever and a day. Went down to give a tender nurse and friend
to Tip for some few years, who was never vexed by the great exactions he
made of her in return for the riches he might have given her if he had
ever had them, and who lovingly closed his eyes upon the Marshalsea
and all its blighted fruits. They went quietly down into the roaring
streets, inseparable and blessed; and as they passed along in sunshine
and shade, the noisy and the eager, and the arrogant and the froward and
the vain, fretted and chafed, and made their usual uproar.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Dorrit, by Charles Dickens

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