Witharemembranceofherfather’soldlifeinprisonhangingaboutherliketheburdenofasorrowfultune，LittleDorritwouldwakefromadreamofherbirth-placeintoawholeday’sdream。Thepaintedroominwhichsheawoke，oftenahumbledstate-chamberinadilapidatedpalace，wouldbeginit；withitswildredautumnalvine-leavesoverhangingtheglass，itsorange-treesonthecrackedwhiteterraceoutsidethewindow，agroupofmonksandpeasantsinthelittlestreetbelow，miseryandmagnificencewrestlingwitheachotheruponeveryroodofgroundintheprospect，nomatterhowwidelydiversified，andmiserythrowingmagnificencewiththestrengthoffate。Tothiswouldsucceedalabyrinthofbarepassagesandpillaredgalleries，withthefamilyprocessionalreadypreparinginthequadranglebelow，throughthecarriagesandluggagebeingbroughttogetherbytheservantsfortheday’sjourney。Thenbreakfastinanotherpaintedchamber，damp-stainedandofdesolateproportions；andthenthedeparture，which，tohertimidityandsenseofnotbeinggrandenoughforherplaceintheceremonies，wasalwaysanuneasything。ForthenthecourierwhohimselfwouldhavebeenaforeigngentlemanofhighmarkintheMarshalseawouldpresenthimselftoreportthatallwasready；andthenherfather’svaletwouldpompouslyinducthimintohistravelling-cloak；andthenFanny’smaid，andherownmaidwhowasaweightonLittleDorrit’smind——absolutelymadehercryatfirst，sheknewsolittlewhattodowithher，wouldbeinattendance；
andthenherbrother’smanwouldcompletehismaster’sequipment；
andthenherfatherwouldgivehisarmtoMrsGeneral，andherunclewouldgivehistoher，and，escortedbythelandlordandInnservants，theywouldswoopdown-stairs。There，acrowdwouldbecollectedtoseethementertheircarriages，which，amidstmuchbowing，andbegging，andprancing，andlashing，andclattering，theywoulddo；andsotheywouldbedrivenmadlythroughnarrowunsavourystreets，andjerkedoutatthetowngate。
Amongtheday’sunrealitieswouldberoadswherethebrightredvineswereloopedandgarlandedtogetherontreesformanymiles；
woodsofolives；whitevillagesandtownsonhill-sides，lovelywithout，butfrightfulintheirdirtandpovertywithin；crossesbytheway；deepbluelakeswithfairyislands，andclusteringboatswithawningsofbrightcoloursandsailsofbeautifulforms；vastpilesofbuildingmoulderingtodust；hanging-gardenswheretheweedshadgrownsostrongthattheirstems，likewedgesdrivenhome，hadsplitthearchandrentthewall；stone-terracedlanes，withthelizardsrunningintoandoutofeverychink；beggarsofallsortseverywhere：pitiful，picturesque，hungry，merry；childrenbeggarsandagedbeggars。Oftenatposting-housesandotherhaltingplaces，thesemiserablecreatureswouldappeartohertheonlyrealitiesoftheday；andmanyatime，whenthemoneyshehadbroughttogivethemwasallgivenaway，shewouldsitwithherfoldedhands，thoughtfullylookingaftersomediminutivegirlleadinghergreyfather，asifthesightremindedherofsomethinginthedaysthatweregone。