’MissDorrit，’saidMrsMerdle，afterfrostilylookingatherthroughherglass，’preciselywhatIwasonthepointoftellingyoursister，inpursuanceofyourrequest。Muchobligedtoyouforrecallingitsoaccuratelyandanticipatingme。Iimmediately，’
addressingLittleDorrit，’forIamthecreatureofimpulse，tookabraceletfrommyarm，andbeggedyoursistertoletmeclaspitonhers，intokenofthedelightIhadinourbeingabletoapproachthesubjectsofaronacommonfooting。’Thiswasperfectlytrue，theladyhavingboughtacheapandshowyarticleonherwaytotheinterview，withageneraleyetobribery。
’AndItoldyou，MrsMerdle，’saidFanny，’thatwemightbeunfortunate，butwearenotcommon。’
’Ithink，theverywords，MissDorrit，’assentedMrsMerdle。
’AndItoldyou，MrsMerdle，’saidFanny，’thatifyouspoketomeofthesuperiorityofyourson’sstandinginSociety，itwasbarelypossiblethatyouratherdeceivedyourselfinyoursuppositionsaboutmyorigin；andthatmyfather’sstanding，evenintheSocietyinwhichhenowmovedwhatthatwas，wasbestknowntomyself，waseminentlysuperior，andwasacknowledgedbyeveryone。’
’Quiteaccurate，’rejoinedMrsMerdle。’Amostadmirablememory。’
’Thankyou，ma’am。Perhapsyouwillbesokindastotellmysistertherest。’
’Thereisverylittletotell，’saidMrsMerdle，reviewingthebreadthofbosomwhichseemedessentialtoherhavingroomenoughtobeunfeelingin，’butitistoyoursister’scredit。Ipointedouttoyoursistertheplainstateofthecase；theimpossibilityoftheSocietyinwhichwemovedrecognisingtheSocietyinwhichshemoved——thoughcharming，Ihavenodoubt；theimmensedisadvantageatwhichshewouldconsequentlyplacethefamilyshehadsohighanopinionof，uponwhichweshouldfindourselvescompelledtolookdownwithcontempt，andfromwhichsociallyspeakingweshouldfeelobligedtorecoilwithabhorrence。Inshort，Imadeanappealtothatlaudableprideinyoursister。’
’Letmysisterknow，ifyouplease，MrsMerdle，’Fannypouted，withatossofhergauzybonnet，’thatIhadalreadyhadthehonouroftellingyoursonthatIwishedtohavenothingwhatevertosaytohim。’
’Well，MissDorrit，’assentedMrsMerdle，’perhapsImighthavementionedthatbefore。IfIdidnotthinkofit，perhapsitwasbecausemymindrevertedtotheapprehensionsIhadatthetimethathemightpersevereandyoumighthavesomethingtosaytohim。
Ialsomentionedtoyoursister——Iagainaddressthenon-
professionalMissDorrit——thatmysonwouldhavenothingintheeventofsuchamarriage，andwouldbeanabsolutebeggar。I
mentionthatmerelyasafactwhichispartofthenarrative，andnotassupposingittohaveinfluencedyoursister，exceptintheprudentandlegitimatewayinwhich，constitutedasourartificialsystemis，wemustallbeinfluencedbysuchconsiderations。
Finally，aftersomehighwordsandhighspiritonthepartofyoursister，wecametothecompleteunderstandingthattherewasnodanger；andyoursisterwassoobligingastoallowmetopresentherwithamarkortwoofmyappreciationatmydressmaker’s。’
LittleDorritlookedsorry，andglancedatFannywithatroubledface。
’Also，’saidMrsMerdle，’astopromisetogivemethepresentpleasureofaclosinginterview，andofpartingwithheronthebestofterms。Onwhichoccasion，’addedMrsMerdle，quittinghernest，andputtingsomethinginFanny’shand，’MissDorritwillpermitmetosayFarewellwithbestwishesinmyowndullmanner。’
Thesistersroseatthesametime，andtheyallstoodnearthecageoftheparrot，ashetoreataclaw-fullofbiscuitandspatitout，seemedtomockthemwithapompousdanceofhisbodywithoutmovinghisfeet，andsuddenlyturnedhimselfupsidedownandtrailedhimselfallovertheoutsideofhisgoldencage，withtheaidofhiscruelbeakandblacktongue。
’Adieu，MissDorrit，withbestwishes，’saidMrsMerdle。’IfwecouldonlycometoaMillennium，orsomethingofthatsort，IforonemighthavethepleasureofknowinganumberofcharmingandtalentedpersonsfromwhomIamatpresentexcluded。Amoreprimitivestateofsocietywouldbedelicioustome。ThereusedtobeapoemwhenIlearntlessons，somethingaboutLothepoorIndianswhosesomethingmind!IfafewthousandpersonsmovinginSociety，couldonlygoandbeIndians，Iwouldputmynamedowndirectly；butas，movinginSociety，wecan’tbeIndians，unfortunately——Goodmorning!’
Theycamedown-stairswithpowderbeforethemandpowderbehind，theeldersisterhaughtyandtheyoungersisterhumbled，andwereshutoutintounpowderedHarleyStreet，CavendishSquare。
’Well？’saidFanny，whentheyhadgonealittlewaywithoutspeaking。’Haveyounothingtosay，Amy？’
’Oh，Idon’tknowwhattosay!’sheanswered，distressed。’Youdidn’tlikethisyoungman，Fanny？’
’Likehim？Heisalmostanidiot。’
’Iamsosorry——don’tbehurt——but，sinceyouaskmewhatIhavetosay，Iamsoverysorry，Fanny，thatyousufferedthisladytogiveyouanything。’
’YoulittleFool!’returnedhersister，shakingherwiththesharppullshegaveherarm。’Haveyounospiritatall？Butthat’sjusttheway!Youhavenoself-respect，youhavenobecomingpride。justasyouallowyourselftobefollowedaboutbyacontemptiblelittleChiveryofathing，’withthescornfullestemphasis，’youwouldletyourfamilybetroddenon，andneverturn。’
’Don’tsaythat，dearFanny。IdowhatIcanforthem。’
’Youdowhatyoucanforthem!’repeatedFanny，walkingheronveryfast。’Wouldyouletawomanlikethis，whomyoucouldsee，ifyouhadanyexperienceofanything，tobeasfalseandinsolentasawomancanbe——wouldyouletherputherfootuponyourfamily，andthankherforit？’
’No，Fanny，Iamsure。’
’Thenmakeherpayforit，youmeanlittlething。Whatelsecanyoumakeherdo？Makeherpayforit，youstupidchild；anddoyourfamilysomecreditwiththemoney!’
TheyspokenomoreallthewaybacktothelodgingwhereFannyandherunclelived。Whentheyarrivedthere，theyfoundtheoldmanpractisinghisclarionetinthedolefullestmannerinacorneroftheroom。Fannyhadacompositemealtomake，ofchops，andporter，andtea；andindignantlypretendedtoprepareitforherself，thoughhersisterdidallthatinquietreality。WhenatlastFannysatdowntoeatanddrink，shethrewthetableimplementsaboutandwasangrywithherbread，muchasherfatherhadbeenlastnight。
’Ifyoudespiseme，’shesaid，burstingintovehementtears，’becauseIamadancer，whydidyouputmeinthewayofbeingone？
Itwasyourdoing。YouwouldhavemestoopaslowasthegroundbeforethisMrsMerdle，andlethersaywhatshelikedanddowhatsheliked，andholdusallincontempt，andtellmesotomyface。
BecauseIamadancer!’
’OFanny!’
’AndTip，too，poorfellow。Sheistodisparagehimjustasmuchasshelikes，withoutanycheck——Isupposebecausehehasbeeninthelaw，andthedocks，anddifferentthings。Why，itwasyourdoing，Amy。Youmightatleastapproveofhisbeingdefended。’
Allthistimetheunclewasdolefullyblowinghisclarionetinthecorner，sometimestakingitaninchorsofromhismouthforamomentwhilehestoppedtogazeatthem，withavagueimpressionthatsomebodyhadsaidsomething。
’Andyourfather，yourpoorfather，Amy。Becauseheisnotfreetoshowhimselfandtospeakforhimself，youwouldletsuchpeopleinsulthimwithimpunity。Ifyoudon’tfeelforyourselfbecauseyougoouttowork，youmightatleastfeelforhim，Ishouldthink，knowingwhathehasundergonesolong。’
PoorLittleDorritfelttheinjusticeofthistauntrathersharply。
Theremembranceoflastnightaddedabarbedpointtoit。Shesaidnothinginreply，butturnedherchairfromthetabletowardsthefire。Uncle，aftermakingonemorepause，blewadismalwailandwentonagain。
Fannywaspassionatewiththetea-cupsandthebreadaslongasherpassionlasted，andthenprotestedthatshewasthewretchedestgirlintheworld，andshewishedshewasdead。Afterthat，hercryingbecameremorseful，andshegotupandputherarmsroundhersister。LittleDorrittriedtostopherfromsayinganything，butsheansweredthatshewould，shemust!Thereuponshesaidagain，andagain，’Ibegyourpardon，Amy，’and’Forgiveme，Amy，’almostaspassionatelyasshehadsaidwhatsheregretted。
’Butindeed，indeed，Amy，’sheresumedwhentheywereseatedinsisterlyaccordsidebyside，’IhopeandIthinkyouwouldhaveseenthisdifferently，ifyouhadknownalittlemoreofSociety。’
’PerhapsImight，Fanny，’saidthemildLittleDorrit。
’Yousee，whileyouhavebeendomesticandresignedlyshutupthere，Amy，’pursuedhersister，graduallybeginningtopatronise，’Ihavebeenout，movingmoreinSociety，andmayhavebeengettingproudandspirited——morethanIoughttobe，perhaps？’
LittleDorritanswered’Yes。Oyes!’
’Andwhileyouhavebeenthinkingofthedinnerortheclothes，I
mayhavebeenthinking，youknow，ofthefamily。Now，mayitnotbeso，Amy？’
LittleDorritagainnodded’Yes，’withamorecheerfulfacethanheart。
’Especiallyasweknow，’saidFanny，’thattherecertainlyisatoneintheplacetowhichyouhavebeensotrue，whichdoesbelongtoit，andwhichdoesmakeitdifferentfromotheraspectsofSociety。Sokissmeonceagain，Amydear，andwewillagreethatwemaybothberight，andthatyouareatranquil，domestic，home-
loving，goodgirl。’
Theclarionethadbeenlamentingmostpatheticallyduringthisdialogue，butwascutshortnowbyFanny’sannouncementthatitwastimetogo；whichsheconveyedtoherunclebyshuttinguphisscrapofmusic，andtakingtheclarionetoutofhismouth。
LittleDorritpartedfromthematthedoor，andhastenedbacktotheMarshalsea。Itfelldarktheresoonerthanelsewhere，andgoingintoitthateveningwaslikegoingintoadeeptrench。Theshadowofthewallwasoneveryobject。Notleastuponthefigureintheoldgreygownandtheblackvelvetcap，asitturnedtowardsherwhensheopenedthedoorofthedimroom。
’Whynotuponmetoo!’thoughtLittleDorrit，withthedoorYetinherhand。’ItwasnotunreasonableinFanny。’