Крошка Доррит

           Afterpainfullyholdinghisheadalittlewhile,heturnedittohisvisitor,andsaid,withanefforttobeeasy:

           ‘Andhowisyourfather,YoungJohn?How—ha—howaretheyall,YoungJohn?’

           ‘Thankyou,sir,They’reallprettywell,sir.They’renotanywayscomplaining.’

           ‘Hum.Youareinyour—ha—oldbusinessIsee,John?’saidMrDorrit,withaglanceattheoffendingbundlehehadanathematised.

           ‘Partly,sir.Iaminmy’—Johnhesitatedalittle—‘father’sbusinesslikewise.’

           ‘Ohindeed!’saidMrDorrit.‘Doyou—hahum—goupontheha—’

           ‘Lock,sir?Yes,sir.’

           ‘Muchtodo,John?’

           ‘Yes,sir;we’reprettyheavyatpresent.Idon’tknowhowitis,butwegenerallyareprettyheavy.’

           ‘Atthistimeoftheyear,YoungJohn?’

           ‘Mostlyatalltimesoftheyear,sir.Idon’tknowthetimethatmakesmuchdifferencetous.Iwishyougoodnight,sir.’

           ‘Stayamoment,John—ha—stayamoment.Hum.Leavemethecigars,John,I—ha—beg.’

           ‘Certainly,sir.’Johnputthem,withatremblinghand,onthetable.

           ‘Stayamoment,YoungJohn;stayanothermoment.Itwouldbea—ha—agratificationtometosendalittle—hum—Testimonial,bysuchatrustymessenger,tobedividedamong—hahum—them—them—accordingtotheirwants.Wouldyouobjecttotakeit,John?’

           ‘Notinanyways,sir.There’smanyofthem,I’msure,thatwouldbethebetterforit.’

           ‘Thankyou,John.I—ha—I’llwriteit,John.’

           Hishandshooksothathewasalongtimewritingit,andwroteitinatremulousscrawlatlast.