Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 8. The Lock

           Whethercoffinswerekeptreadyforpeoplewhomightdiethere,wheretheywerekept,howtheywerekept,wherepeoplewhodiedintheprisonwereburied,howtheyweretakenout,whatformswereobserved,whetheranimplacablecreditorcouldarrestthedead?Astoescaping,whatchancestherewereofescape?Whetheraprisonercouldscalethewallswithacordandgrapple,howhewoulddescendupontheotherside?whetherhecouldalightonahousetop,stealdownastaircase,lethimselfoutatadoor,andgetlostinthecrowd?AstoFireintheprison,ifoneweretobreakoutwhilehelaythere?

           Andtheseinvoluntarystartsoffancywere,afterall,butthesettingofapictureinwhichthreepeoplekeptbeforehim.Hisfather,withthesteadfastlookwithwhichhehaddied,propheticallydarkenedforthintheportrait;hismother,withherarmup,wardingoffhissuspicion;LittleDorrit,withherhandonthedegradedarm,andherdroopingheadturnedaway.

           Whatifhismotherhadanoldreasonshewellknewforsofteningtothispoorgirl!Whatiftheprisonernowsleepingquietly—Heavengrantit!—bythelightofthegreatDayofjudgmentshouldtracebackhisfalltoher.Whatifanyactofhersandofhisfather’s,shouldhaveevenremotelybroughtthegreyheadsofthosetwobrotherssolow!

           Aswiftthoughtshotintohismind.Inthatlongimprisonmenthere,andinherownlongconfinementtoherroom,didhismotherfindabalancetobestruck?‘IadmitthatIwasaccessorytothatman’scaptivity.Ihavesufferedforitinkind.Hehasdecayedinhisprison:Iinmine.Ihavepaidthepenalty

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