Vol.1 f.069 recto

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He felt himself quite lost in wonder at the manner of the man, and [????] that probability of his daughter’s having
had some reserve as to [????????????] her family history, [???] should be so far out of his mind.

She [?took the seat?] filled his glass, put all the little matters on the table ready to his hand, and then sat beside him while he ate his supper. Evidently in observance of their nightly
custom, she [?took?] put some bread before herself, and [?put her ??????] touched his glass with her lips; but Arthur saw that she was troubled
and [????????????] took nothing. Her look at her father , half [????????????] admiring him and proud of him, half ashamed for
him, all [???????] devoted and[????] loving , went to his[?heart?] inmost heart.

The [?William Dorrit?] Father of the Marshalsea condescended towards [????????????] his brother as an amiable, well-meaning lowly man; a private character, who had not arrived at distinction.[??] “Frederick,” said he, “you and Fanny sup at your lodgings to-night,
I know. What have you done with Fanny, Frederick?”

“She is walking with Tip.”

“Tip—as you may know—is my son, Mr Clennam. He has been a little wild, [???]and difficult to settle,
but his introduction to the world was rather’—he shrugged his shoulders with a faint sigh , and looked round the room
[????] — ’a little adverse.[????? ?????] Your first visit here, sir?”

“My first.”

[?The sight of?]“You could hardly have been here[?????????] since [??????? ?????] your boyhood without
my knowledge. It very seldom happens that anybody— [??????????]of any pretensions— any pretensions [ ?????] —comes here
without being presented to me.”

“As many as forty or fifty in a day have been introduced to my brother,” said Frederick, lighting up
with a ray of pride.

“Yes!” [????]the Father of the Marshalsea assented . [?'Yes! ????? ???? ??????] We have even exceeded that number. On a fine Sunday
in term time,[??????????] it is [???] quite a Levee—quite a Levee. [?????? ??????]Amy, [????????????] my dear , I have been trying half
the day to remember the name of the gentleman from [????????] Camberwell who was introduced to me last
Christmas week by that agreeable coal-merchant who was remanded for six months.”

“I don’t remember his name, father.”

“Frederick, do you remember his name?”

Frederick doubted [?if he ??????] if he had ever heard [of] it. No one could doubt that Frederick
was the last person [in the world] upon earth to put [???] such a question to, with any hope of [???????answer] information.

“I mean,” said [?the Father of the Marshalsea?] his brother, “the gentleman who did that [??]handsome
[????????????] action with so much delicacy. Ha! [??????] Tush! The name has quite escaped me. Mr Clennam,[????????????]
[????????????] as I have happened to
mention handsome and delicate action, you may like, perhaps, to know what [????????????] it was.”

“Very much,” said Arthur, [???????] withdrawing his eyes from the delicate head [????????????] beginning to droop and the
pale face [????????????] with a new solicitude [???????] stealing over it.

“It is so [????????????] generous, and shows so much fine feeling, that it is almost a duty to mention
it [???]. I said at the time [?????]that I [??????] always would mention it on [?????]every suitable occasion, without
regard to personal sensitiveness [????????????]. A—well—a—it’s of no use to disguise
the fact—you must know, Mr Clennam, that it does sometimes occur that people who come here desire
to [????] offer some little—Testimonial—to the Father of the place.”

To see her [??????????] hand upon his arm[?????] in mute entreaty half-repressed, and
[?????] her timid little shrinking figure turning away, was to see a [?sight that ??????]sad, sad sight.

“Sometimes,” he went on in a low, soft voice, [??????] agitated, and clearing his throat every now and then;