’Stopamoment，Amy，andletthemgetawaybeforeus，’whisperedFanny。Theyweresoonleftalone；nothingmoreimportanthappening，inthemeantime，thantheboylookingroundhisoldbeam，andsaying，’Everybodyatelevento-morrow，ladies!’andthegentlemanwiththeblackhairlookingroundhisoldbeam，andsaying，’Everybodyatelevento-morrow，darlings!’eachinhisownaccustomedmanner。
Whentheywerealone，somethingwasrolleduporbyothermeansgotoutoftheway，andtherewasagreatemptywellbeforethem，lookingdownintothedepthsofwhichFannysaid，’Now，uncle!’
LittleDorrit，ashereyesbecameusedtothedarkness，faintlymadehimoutatthebottomofthewell，inanobscurecornerbyhimself，withhisinstrumentinitsraggedcaseunderhisarm。
Theoldmanlookedasiftheremotehighgallerywindows，withtheirlittlestripofsky，mighthavebeenthepointofhisbetterfortunes，fromwhichhehaddescended，untilhehadgraduallysunkdownbelowtheretothebottom。Hehadbeeninthatplacesixnightsaweekformanyyears，buthadneverbeenobservedtoraisehiseyesabovehismusic-book，andwasconfidentlybelievedtohaveneverseenaplay。Therewerelegendsintheplacethathedidnotsomuchasknowthepopularheroesandheroinesbysight，andthatthelowcomedianhad’mugged’athiminhisrichestmannerfiftynightsforawager，andhehadshownnotraceofconsciousness。
Thecarpentershadajoketotheeffectthathewasdeadwithoutbeingawareofit；andthefrequentersofthepitsupposedhimtopasshiswholelife，nightandday，andSundayandall，intheorchestra。Theyhadtriedhimafewtimeswithpinchesofsnuffofferedovertherails，andhehadalwaysrespondedtothisattentionwithamomentarywakingupofmannerthathadthepalephantomofagentlemaninit：beyondthishenever，onanyoccasion，hadanyotherpartinwhatwasgoingonthanthepartwrittenoutfortheclarionet；inprivatelife，wheretherewasnopartfortheclarionet，hehadnopartatall。Somesaidhewaspoor，somesaidhewasawealthymiser；buthesaidnothing，neverlifteduphisbowedhead，nevervariedhisshufflinggaitbygettinghisspringlessfootfromtheground。Thoughexpectingnowtobesummonedbyhisniece，hedidnothearheruntilshehadspokentohimthreeorfourtimes；norwasheatallsurprisedbythepresenceoftwoniecesinsteadofone，butmerelysaidinhistremulousvoice，’Iamcoming，Iamcoming!’andcreptforthbysomeundergroundwaywhichemittedacellaroussmell。
’Andso，Amy，’saidhersister，whenthethreetogetherpassedoutatthedoorthathadsuchashame-facedconsciousnessofbeingdifferentfromotherdoors：theuncleinstinctivelytakingAmy’sarmasthearmtobereliedon：’so，Amy，youarecuriousaboutme？’
Shewaspretty，andconscious，andratherflaunting；andthecondescensionwithwhichsheputasidethesuperiorityofhercharms，andofherworldlyexperience，andaddressedhersisteronalmostequalterms，hadavastdealofthefamilyinit。
’Iaminterested，Fanny，andconcernedinanythingthatconcernsyou。’
’Soyouare，soyouare，andyouarethebestofAmys。IfIameveralittleprovoking，Iamsureyou’llconsiderwhatathingitistooccupymypositionandfeelaconsciousnessofbeingsuperiortoit。Ishouldn’tcare，’saidtheDaughteroftheFatheroftheMarshalsea，’iftheotherswerenotsocommon。Noneofthemhavecomedownintheworldaswehave。Theyareallontheirownlevel。Common。’
LittleDorritmildlylookedatthespeaker，butdidnotinterrupther。Fannytookoutherhandkerchief，andratherangrilywipedhereyes。’Iwasnotbornwhereyouwere，youknow，Amy，andperhapsthatmakesadifference。Mydearchild，whenwegetridofUncle，youshallknowallaboutit。We’lldrophimatthecook’sshopwhereheisgoingtodine。’
Theywalkedonwithhimuntiltheycametoadirtyshopwindowinadirtystreet，whichwasmadealmostopaquebythesteamofhotmeats，vegetables，andpuddings。Butglimpsesweretobecaughtofaroastlegofporkburstingintotearsofsageandonioninametalreservoirfullofgravy，ofanunctuouspieceofroastbeefandblisterousYorkshirepudding，bubblinghotinasimilarreceptacle，ofastuffedfilletofvealinrapidcut，ofahaminaperspirationwiththepaceitwasgoingat，ofashallowtankofbakedpotatoesgluedtogetherbytheirownrichness，ofatrussortwoofboiledgreens，andothersubstantialdelicacies。Within，wereafewwoodenpartitions，behindwhichsuchcustomersasfounditmoreconvenienttotakeawaytheirdinnersinstomachsthanintheirhands，Packedtheirpurchasesinsolitude。Fannyopeningherreticule，astheysurveyedthesethings，producedfromthatrepositoryashillingandhandedittoUncle。Uncle，afternotlookingatitalittlewhile，divineditsobject，andmuttering’Dinner？Ha!Yes，yes，yes!’slowlyvanishedfromthemintothemist。
’Now，Amy，’saidhersister，’comewithme，ifyouarenottootiredtowalktoHarleyStreet，CavendishSquare。’
Theairwithwhichshethrewoffthisdistinguishedaddressandthetossshegavetohernewbonnetwhichwasmoregauzythanserviceable，madehersisterwonder；however，sheexpressedherreadinesstogotoHarleyStreet，andthithertheydirectedtheirsteps。Arrivedatthatgranddestination，Fannysingledoutthehandsomesthouse，andknockingatthedoor，inquiredforMrsMerdle。Thefootmanwhoopenedthedoor，althoughhehadpowderonhisheadandwasbackedupbytwootherfootmenlikewisepowdered，notonlyadmittedMrsMerdletobeathome，butaskedFannytowalkin。Fannywalkedin，takinghersisterwithher；andtheywentup-
stairswithpowdergoingbeforeandpowderstoppingbehind，andwereleftinaspacioussemicirculardrawing-room，oneofseveraldrawing-rooms，wheretherewasaparrotontheoutsideofagoldencageholdingonbyitsbeak，withitsscalylegsintheair，andputtingitselfintomanystrangeupside-downpostures。Thispeculiarityhasbeenobservedinbirdsofquiteanotherfeather，climbingupongoldenwires。
TheroomwasfarmoresplendidthananythingLittleDorrithadeverimagined，andwouldhavebeensplendidandcostlyinanyeyes。Shelookedinamazementathersisterandwouldhaveaskedaquestion，butthatFannywithawarningfrownpointedtoacurtaineddoorwayofcommunicationwithanotherroom。Thecurtainshooknextmoment，andalady，raisingitwithaheavilyringedhand，droppeditbehindheragainassheentered。
TheladywasnotyoungandfreshfromthehandofNature，butwasyoungandfreshfromthehandofhermaid。Shehadlargeunfeelinghandsomeeyes，anddarkunfeelinghandsomehair，andabroadunfeelinghandsomebosom，andwasmadethemostofineveryparticular。Eitherbecauseshehadacold，orbecauseitsuitedherface，sheworearichwhitefillettiedoverherheadandunderherchin。Andifevertherewereanunfeelinghandsomechinthatlookedasif，forcertain，ithadneverbeen，infamiliarparlance，’chucked’bythehandofman，itwasthechincurbedupsotightandclosebythatlacedbridle。
’MrsMerdle，’saidFanny。’Mysister，ma’am。’
’Iamgladtoseeyoursister，MissDorrit。Ididnotrememberthatyouhadasister。’
’IdidnotmentionthatIhad，’saidFanny。
’Ah!’MrsMerdlecurledthelittlefingerofherlefthandaswhoshouldsay，’Ihavecaughtyou。Iknowyoudidn’t!’Allheractionwasusuallywithherlefthandbecauseherhandswerenotapair；andleftbeingmuchthewhiterandplumperofthetwo。Thensheadded：’Sitdown，’andcomposedherselfvoluptuously，inanestofcrimsonandgoldcushions，onanottomanneartheparrot。
’Alsoprofessional？’saidMrsMerdle，lookingatLittleDorritthroughaneye-glass。
FannyansweredNo。’No，’saidMrsMerdle，droppingherglass。
’Hasnotaprofessionalair。Verypleasant；butnotprofessional。’
’Mysister，ma’am，’saidFanny，inwhomtherewasasingularmixtureofdeferenceandhardihood，’hasbeenaskingmetotellher，asbetweensisters，howIcametohavethehonourofknowingyou。AndasIhadengagedtocalluponyouoncemore，IthoughtI
mighttakethelibertyofbringingherwithme，whenperhapsyouwouldtellher。Iwishhertoknow，andperhapsyouwilltellher？’
’Doyouthink，atyoursister’sage——’hintedMrsMerdle。
’Sheismucholderthanshelooks，’saidFanny；’almostasoldasIam。’
’Society，’saidMrsMerdle，withanothercurveofherlittlefinger，’issodifficulttoexplaintoyoungpersonsindeedissodifficulttoexplaintomostpersons，thatIamgladtohearthat。
IwishSocietywasnotsoarbitrary，Iwishitwasnotsoexacting——Bird，bequiet!’
Theparrothadgivenamostpiercingshriek，asifitsnamewereSocietyanditasserteditsrighttoitsexactions。
’But，’resumedMrsMerdle，’wemusttakeitaswefindit。Weknowitishollowandconventionalandworldlyandveryshocking，butunlessweareSavagesintheTropicalseasIshouldhavebeencharmedtobeonemyself——mostdelightfullifeandperfectclimate，Iamtold，wemustconsultit。Itisthecommonlot。MrMerdleisamostextensivemerchant，histransactionsareonthevastestscale，hiswealthandinfluenceareverygreat，butevenhe——Bird，bequiet!’
Theparrothadshriekedanothershriek；anditfilledupthesentencesoexpressivelythatMrsMerdlewasundernonecessitytoendit。
’SinceyoursisterbegsthatIwouldterminateourpersonalacquaintance，’shebeganagain，addressingLittleDorrit，’byrelatingthecircumstancesthataremuchtohercredit，Icannotobjecttocomplywithherrequest，Iamsure。IhaveasonIwasfirstmarriedextremelyyoungoftwoorthree-and-twenty。’
Fannysetherlips，andhereyeslookedhalftriumphantlyathersister。
’Asonoftwoorthree-and-twenty。Heisalittlegay，athingSocietyisaccustomedtoinyoungmen，andheisveryimpressible。
Perhapsheinheritsthatmisfortune。Iamveryimpressiblemyself，bynature。Theweakestofcreatures——myfeelingsaretouchedinamoment。’
Shesaidallthis，andeverythingelse，ascoldlyasawomanofsnow；quiteforgettingthesistersexceptatoddtimes，andapparentlyaddressingsomeabstractionofSociety；forwhosebehoof，too，sheoccasionallyarrangedherdress，orthecompositionofherfigureupontheottoman。
’Soheisveryimpressible。NotamisfortuneinournaturalstateIdaresay，butwearenotinanaturalstate。Muchtobelamented，nodoubt，particularlybymyself，whoamachildofnatureifIcouldbutshowit；butsoitis。Societysuppressesusanddominatesus——Bird，bequiet!’
Theparrothadbrokenintoaviolentfitoflaughter，aftertwistingdiversbarsofhiscagewithhiscrookedbill，andlickingthemwithhisblacktongue。
’Itisquiteunnecessarytosaytoapersonofyourgoodsense，widerangeofexperience，andcultivatedfeeling，’saidMrsMerdlefromhernestofcrimsonandgold——andthereputupherglasstorefreshhermemoryastowhomshewasaddressing，——’thatthestagesometimeshasafascinationforyoungmenofthatclassofcharacter。Insayingthestage，Imeanthepeopleonitofthefemalesex。Therefore，whenIheardthatmysonwassupposedtobefascinatedbyadancer，IknewwhatthatusuallymeantinSociety，andconfidedinherbeingadancerattheOpera，whereyoungmenmovinginSocietyareusuallyfascinated。’
Shepassedherwhitehandsoveroneanother，observantofthesistersnow；andtheringsuponherfingersgratedagainsteachotherwithahardsound。
’Asyoursisterwilltellyou，whenIfoundwhatthetheatrewasI
wasmuchsurprisedandmuchdistressed。ButwhenIfoundthatyoursister，byrejectingmyson’sadvancesImustadd，inanunexpectedmanner，hadbroughthimtothepointofproposingmarriage，myfeelingswereoftheprofoundestanguish——acute。’Shetracedtheoutlineofherlefteyebrow，andputitright。
’Inadistractedcondition，whichonlyamother——movinginSociety——canbesusceptibleof，Ideterminedtogomyselftothetheatre，andrepresentmystateofmindtothedancer。Imademyselfknowntoyoursister。Ifoundher，tomysurprise，inmanyrespectsdifferentfrommyexpectations；andcertainlyinnonemoreso，thaninmeetingmewith——whatshallIsay——asortoffamilyassertiononherownpart？’MrsMerdlesmiled。
’Itoldyou，ma’am，’saidFanny，withaheighteningcolour，’thatalthoughyoufoundmeinthatsituation，Iwassofarabovetherest，thatIconsideredmyfamilyasgoodasyourson’s；andthatIhadabrotherwho，knowingthecircumstances，wouldbeofthesameopinion，andwouldnotconsidersuchaconnectionanyhonour。’