Foritwasareg’largoodsecret，thatwas!’criedMaggy，huggingherself。
ArthurlookedatLittleDorritforhelptocomprehendthis，andwasstruckbyseeinghersotimidandred。But，whenshetoldhimthatitwasonlyaFairyTaleshehadonedaymadeupforMaggy，andthattherewasnothinginitwhichshewouldn’tbeashamedtotellagaintoanybodyelse，evenifshecouldrememberit，heleftthesubjectwhereitwas。
However，hereturnedtohisownsubjectbyfirstentreatinghertoseehimoftener，andtorememberthatitwasimpossibletohaveastrongerinterestinherwelfarethanhehad，ortobemoresetuponpromotingitthanhewas。Whensheansweredfervently，shewellknewthat，sheneverforgotit，hetoucheduponhissecondandmoredelicatepoint——thesuspicionhehadformed。
’LittleDorrit，’hesaid，takingherhandagain，andspeakinglowerthanhehadspokenyet，sothatevenMaggyinthesmallroomcouldnothearhim，’anotherword。Ihavewantedverymuchtosaythistoyou；Ihavetriedforopportunities。Don’tmindme，who，forthematterofyears，mightbeyourfatheroryouruncle。Alwaysthinkofmeasquiteanoldman。Iknowthatallyourdevotioncentresinthisroom，andthatnothingtothelastwillevertemptyouawayfromthedutiesyoudischargehere。IfIwerenotsureofit，Ishould，beforenow，haveimploredyou，andimploredyourfather，toletmemakesomeprovisionforyouinamoresuitableplace。Butyoumayhaveaninterest——Iwillnotsay，now，thougheventhatmightbe——mayhave，atanothertime，aninterestinsomeoneelse；aninterestnotincompatiblewithyouraffectionhere。’
Shewasvery，verypale，andsilentlyshookherhead。