"  The  fact  is,  besides,  Arthur,"  said  Mr.  Meagles,  the  old  cloud
coming  over  his  face,  "that  my  son-in-law  is  already  in  debt  again,
and  that  I  suppose  I  must  clear  him  again.  It  may  be  as  well,  even
on  this  account,  that  I  should  step  over  there,  and  look  him  up  in  a
friendly  way.     Then  again,  here's  Mother  foolishly  anxious  (and  yet


LITTLE   DORRIT.  o05

naturally  too)  about  Pet' s  state  of  health,  and  that  she  should  not  be
left  to  feel  lonesome  at  the  present  time.  It's  undeniably  a  long  way
off,  Arthur,  and  a  strange  place  for  the  poor  love  under  all  the  circum-
stances. Let  her  be  as  well  cared  for  as  any  lady  in  that  land,  still  it
is  a  long  way  off.  Just  as  Home  is  Home  though  it's  never  so  Homely,
why  you  see,"  said  Mr.  Meagles,  adding  a  new  version  to  the  proverb,
"  Koine  is  Borne  though  it's  never  so  Homely."

"  All  perfectly  true,"  observed  Arthur,  "and  all  sufficient  reasons
for  going."

"  I  am  glad  you  think  so  ;  it  decides  me.  Mother,  my  dear,  you
may  get  ready.  We  have  lost  our  pleasant  interpreter  (she  spoke
three  foreign  languages  beautifully,  Arthur;  you  have  heard  her
many  a  time),  and  you  must  pull  me  through  it,  Mother,  as  well  as
you  can.  I  require  a  deal  of  pulling  through,  Arthur,"  said  Mr.
