WhenIgoabouthereinagondola，IsurprisemyselflookingintoothergondolasasifIhopedtoseethem。Itwouldovercomemewithjoytoseethem，butIdon’tthinkitwouldsurprisememuch，atfirst。Inmyfancifultimes，Ifancythattheymightbeanywhere；andIalmostexpecttoseetheirdearfacesonthebridgesorthequays。
AnotherdifficultythatIhavewillseemverystrangetoyou。Itmustseemverystrangetoanyonebutme，anddoeseventome：I
oftenfeeltheoldsadpityfor——Ineednotwritetheword——forhim。Changedasheis，andinexpressiblyblestandthankfulasI
alwaysamtoknowit，theoldsorrowfulfeelingofcompassioncomesuponmesometimeswithsuchstrengththatIwanttoputmyarmsroundhisneck，tellhimhowIlovehim，andcryalittleonhisbreast。Ishouldbegladafterthat，andproudandhappy。ButI
knowthatImustnotdothis；thathewouldnotlikeit，thatFannywouldbeangry，thatMrsGeneralwouldbeamazed；andsoIquietmyself。Yetindoingso，IstrugglewiththefeelingthatIhavecometobeatadistancefromhim；andthateveninthemidstofalltheservantsandattendants，heisdeserted，andinwantofme。
DearMrClennam，Ihavewrittenagreatdealaboutmyself，butI
mustwritealittlemorestill，orwhatIwantedmostofalltosayinthisweakletterwouldbeleftoutofit。Inallthesefoolishthoughtsofmine，whichIhavebeensohardyastoconfesstoyoubecauseIknowyouwillunderstandmeifanybodycan，andwillmakemoreallowanceformethananybodyelsewouldifyoucannot——inallthesethoughts，thereisonethoughtscarcelyever——never——outofmymemory，andthatisthatIhopeyousometimes，inaquietmoment，haveathoughtforme。Imusttellyouthatastothis，I
havefelt，eversinceIhavebeenaway，ananxietywhichIamveryanxioustorelieve。Ihavebeenafraidthatyoumaythinkofmeinanewlight，oranewcharacter。Don’tdothat，Icouldnotbearthat——itwouldmakememoreunhappythanyoucansuppose。ItwouldbreakmyhearttobelievethatyouthoughtofmeinanywaythatwouldmakemestrangertoyouthanIwaswhenyouweresogoodtome。WhatIhavetoprayandentreatofyouis，thatyouwillneverthinkofmeasthedaughterofarichperson；thatyouwillneverthinkofmeasdressinganybetter，orlivinganybetter，thanwhenyoufirstknewme。Thatyouwillremembermeonlyasthelittleshabbygirlyouprotectedwithsomuchtenderness，fromwhosethreadbaredressyouhavekeptawaytherain，andwhosewetfeetyouhavedriedatyourfire。Thatyouwillthinkofmewhenyouthinkofmeatall，andofmytrueaffectionanddevotedgratitude，alwayswithoutchange，asofyourpoorchild，LITTLEDORRIT。
P。S——ParticularlyrememberthatyouarenottobeuneasyaboutMrsGowan。Herwordswere，’Verywellandveryhappy。’Andshelookedmostbeautiful。
SomethingWrongSomewhereThefamilyhadbeenamonthortwoatVenice，whenMrDorrit，whowasmuchamongCountsandMarquises，andhadbutscantleisure，setanhourofonedayapart，beforehand，forthepurposeofholdingsomeconferencewithMrsGeneral。
Thetimehehadreservedinhismindarriving，hesentMrTinkler，hisvalet，toMrsGeneral’sapartmentwhichwouldhaveabsorbedaboutathirdoftheareaoftheMarshalsea，topresenthiscomplimentstothatlady，andrepresenthimasdesiringthefavourofaninterview。Itbeingthatperiodoftheforenoonwhenthevariousmembersofthefamilyhadcoffeeintheirownchambers，somecoupleofhoursbeforeassemblingatbreakfastinafadedhallwhichhadoncebeensumptuous，butwasnowthepreyofwateryvapoursandasettledmelancholy，MrsGeneralwasaccessibletothevalet。Thatenvoyfoundheronalittlesquareofcarpet，soextremelydiminutiveinreferencetothesizeofherstoneandmarblefloorthatshelookedasifshemighthavehaditspreadforthetryingonofaready-madepairofshoes；orasifshehadcomeintopossessionoftheenchantedpieceofcarpet，boughtforfortypursesbyoneofthethreeprincesintheArabianNights，andhadthatmomentbeentransportedonit，atawish，intoapalatialsaloonwithwhichithadnoconnection。
MrsGeneral，replyingtotheenvoy，asshesetdownheremptycoffee-cup，thatshewaswillingatoncetoproceedtoMrDorrit’sapartment，andsparehimthetroubleofcomingtoherwhich，inhisgallantry，hehadproposed，theenvoythrewopenthedoor，andescortedMrsGeneraltothepresence。Itwasquiteawalk，bymysteriousstaircasesandcorridors，fromMrsGeneral’sapartment，——hoodwinkedbyanarrowsidestreetwithalowgloomybridgeinit，anddungeon-likeoppositetenements，theirwallsbesmearedwithathousanddownwardstainsandstreaks，asifeverycrazyapertureinthemhadbeenweepingtearsofrustintotheAdriaticforcenturies——toMrDorrit’sapartment：withawholeEnglishhouse-
frontofwindow，aprospectofbeautifulchurch-domesrisingintotheblueskysheeroutofthewaterwhichreflectedthem，andahushedmurmuroftheGrandCanallavingthedoorwaysbelow，wherehisgondolasandgondoliersattendedhispleasure，drowsilyswinginginalittleforestofpiles。
MrDorrit，inaresplendentdressing-gownandcap——thedormantgrubthathadsolongbideditstimeamongtheCollegianshadburstintoararebutterfly——rosetoreceiveMrsGeneral。AchairtoMrsGeneral。Aneasierchair，sir；whatareyoudoing，whatareyouabout，whatdoyoumean？Now，leaveus!
’MrsGeneral，’saidMrDorrit，’Itooktheliberty——’
’Bynomeans，’MrsGeneralinterposed。’Iwasquiteatyourdisposition。Ihadhadmycoffee。’
’——Itooktheliberty，’saidMrDorritagain，withthemagnificentplacidityofonewhowasabovecorrection，’tosolicitthefavourofalittleprivateconversationwithyou，becauseIfeelratherworriedrespectingmy——ha——myyoungerdaughter。Youwillhaveobservedagreatdifferenceoftemperament，madam，betweenmytwodaughters？’
SaidMrsGeneralinresponse，crossingherglovedhandsshewasneverwithoutgloves，andtheynevercreasedandalwaysfitted，’Thereisagreatdifference。’
’MayIasktobefavouredwithyourviewofit？’saidMrDorrit，withadeferencenotincompatiblewithmajesticserenity。
’Fanny，’returnedMrsGeneral，’hasforceofcharacterandself-
reliance。Amy，none。’
None？OMrsGeneral，asktheMarshalseastonesandbars。OMrsGeneral，askthemillinerwhotaughthertowork，andthedancing-
masterwhotaughthersistertodance。OMrsGeneral，MrsGeneral，askme，herfather，whatIoweher；andhearmytestimonytouchingthelifeofthisslightedlittlecreaturefromherchildhoodup!
NosuchadjurationenteredMr。Dorrit’shead。HelookedatMrsGeneral，seatedinherusualerectattitudeonhercoach-boxbehindtheproprieties，andhesaidinathoughtfulmanner，’True，madam。’
’Iwouldnot，’saidMrsGeneral，’beunderstoodtosay，observe，thatthereisnothingtoimproveinFanny。Butthereismaterialthere——perhaps，indeed，alittletoomuch。’
’Willyoubekindenough，madam，’saidMrDorrit，’tobe——ha——moreexplicit？Idonotquiteunderstandmyelderdaughter’shaving——
hum——toomuchmaterial。Whatmaterial？’
’Fanny，’returnedMrsGeneral，’atpresentformstoomanyopinions。
Perfectbreedingformsnone，andisneverdemonstrative。’
Lesthehimselfshouldbefounddeficientinperfectbreeding，MrDorrithastenedtoreply，’Unquestionably，madam，youareright。’
MrsGeneralreturned，inheremotionlessandexpressionlessmanner，’Ibelieveso。’
’Butyouareaware，mydearmadam，’saidMrDorrit，’thatmydaughtershadthemisfortunetolosetheirlamentedmotherwhentheywereveryyoung；andthat，inconsequenceofmynothavingbeenuntillatelytherecognisedheirtomyproperty，theyhavelivedwithmeasacomparativelypoor，thoughalwaysproud，gentleman，in——hahum——retirement!’
’Idonot，’saidMrsGeneral，’losesightofthecircumstance。’
’Madam，’pursuedMrDorrit，’ofmydaughterFanny，underherpresentguidanceandwithsuchanexampleconstantlybeforeher——’
MrsGeneralshuthereyes。——
’Ihavenomisgivings。ThereisadaptabilityofcharacterinFanny。Butmyyoungerdaughter，MrsGeneral，ratherworriesandvexesmythoughts。Imustinformyouthatshehasalwaysbeenmyfavourite。’
’Thereisnoaccounting，’saidMrsGeneral，’forthesepartialities。’
’Ha——no，’assentedMrDorrit。’No。Now，madam，IamtroubledbynoticingthatAmyisnot，sotospeak，oneofourselves。ShedoesnotCaretogoaboutwithus；sheislostinthesocietywehavehere；ourtastesareevidentlynothertastes。Which，’saidMrDorrit，summingupwithjudicialgravity，’istosay，inotherwords，thatthereissomethingwrongin——ha——Amy。’
’Mayweinclinetothesupposition，’saidMrsGeneral，withalittletouchofvarnish，’thatsomethingisreferabletothenoveltyoftheposition？’
’Excuseme，madam，’observedMrDorrit，ratherquickly。’Thedaughterofagentleman，though——ha——himselfatonetimecomparativelyfarfromaffluent——comparatively——andherselfrearedin——hum——retirement，neednotofnecessityfindthispositionsoverynovel。’
’True，’saidMrsGeneral，’true。’
’Therefore，madam，’saidMrDorrit，’Itooktheliberty’helaidanemphasisonthephraseandrepeatedit，asthoughhestipulated，withurbanefirmness，thathemustnotbecontradictedagain，’I
tookthelibertyofrequestingthisinterview，inorderthatI
mightmentionthetopictoyou，andinquirehowyouwouldadviseme？’
’MrDorrit，’returnedMrsGeneral，’IhaveconversedwithAmyseveraltimessincewehavebeenresidinghere，onthegeneralsubjectoftheformationofademeanour。ShehasexpressedherselftomeaswonderingexceedinglyatVenice。Ihavementionedtoherthatitisbetternottowonder。IhavepointedouttoherthatthecelebratedMrEustace，theclassicaltourist，didnotthinkmuchofit；andthathecomparedtheRialto，greatlytoitsdisadvantage，withWestminsterandBlackfriarsBridges。Ineednotadd，afterwhatyouhavesaid，thatIhavenotyetfoundmyargumentssuccessful。Youdomethehonourtoaskmewhattoadvise。Italwaysappearstomeifthisshouldprovetobeabaselessassumption，Ishallbepardoned，thatMrDorrithasbeenaccustomedtoexerciseinfluenceoverthemindsofothers。’
’Hum——madam，’saidMrDorrit，’Ihavebeenattheheadof——haofaconsiderablecommunity。YouarerightinsupposingthatIamnotunaccustomedto——aninfluentialposition。’
’Iamhappy，’returnedMrsGeneral，’tobesocorroborated。I
wouldthereforethemoreconfidentlyrecommendthatMrDorritshouldspeaktoAmyhimself，andmakehisobservationsandwishesknowntoher。Beinghisfavourite，besides，andnodoubtattachedtohim，sheisallthemorelikelytoyieldtohisinfluence。’
’Ihadanticipatedyoursuggestion，madam，’saidMrDorrit，’but——
ha——wasnotsurethatImight——hum——notencroachon——’
’Onmyprovince，MrDorrit？’saidMrsGeneral，graciously。’Donotmentionit。’
’Then，withyourleave，madam，’resumedMrDorrit，ringinghislittlebelltosummonhisvalet，’Iwillsendforheratonce。’
’DoesMrDorritwishmetoremain？’
’Perhaps，ifyouhavenootherengagement，youwouldnotobjectforaminuteortwo——’
’Notatall。’