sometimesshootingona-head，andstoppingtoletthempass；
sometimes，whenthewaywasbroadenough，skimmingalongsidebysidewiththem；andsometimesfollowingcloseastern；andasFannygraduallymadenodisguisethatshewasplayingoffgracesuponsomebodywithinit，ofwhomsheatthesametimefeignedtobeunconscious；LittleDorritatlengthaskedwhoitwas？
TowhichFannymadetheshortanswer，’Thatgaby。’
’Who？’saidLittleDorrit。
’Mydearchild，’returnedFannyinatonesuggestingthatbeforeherUncle’sprotestshemighthavesaid，Youlittlefool，instead，’howslowyouare!YoungSparkler。’
Sheloweredthewindowonherside，and，leaningbackandrestingherelbowonitnegligently，fannedherselfwitharichSpanishfanofblackandgold。Theattendantgondola，havingskimmedforwardagain，withsomeswifttraceofaneyeinthewindow，Fannylaughedcoquettishlyandsaid，’Didyoueverseesuchafool，mylove？’
’Doyouthinkhemeanstofollowyoualltheway？’askedLittleDorrit。
’Mypreciouschild，’returnedFanny，’Ican’tpossiblyanswerforwhatanidiotinastateofdesperationmaydo，butIshouldthinkithighlyprobable。It’snotsuchanenormousdistance。AllVenicewouldscarcelybethat，Iimagine，ifhe’sdyingforaglimpseofme。’
’Andishe？’askedLittleDorritinperfectsimplicity。
’Well，mylove，thatreallyisanawkwardquestionformetoanswer，’saidhersister。’Ibelieveheis。YouhadbetteraskEdward。HetellsEdwardheis，Ibelieve。IunderstandhemakesaperfectspectacleofhimselfattheCasino，andthatsortofplaces，bygoingonaboutme。ButyouhadbetteraskEdwardifyouwanttoknow。’
’Iwonderhedoesn’tcall，’saidLittleDorritafterthinkingamoment。
’MydearAmy，yourwonderwillsooncease，ifIamrightlyinformed。Ishouldnotbeatallsurprisedifhecalledto-day。
Thecreaturehasonlybeenwaitingtogethiscourageup，I
suspect。’
’Willyouseehim？’
’Indeed，mydarling，’saidFanny，’that’sjustasitmayhappen。
Hereheisagain。Lookathim。O，yousimpleton!’
MrSparklerhad，undeniably，aweakappearance；withhiseyeinthewindowlikeaknotintheglass，andnoreasononearthforstoppinghisbarksuddenly，excepttherealreason。
’WhenyouaskedmeifIwillseehim，mydear，’saidFanny，almostaswellcomposedinthegracefulindifferenceofherattitudeasMrsMerdleherself，’whatdoyoumean？’
’Imean，’saidLittleDorrit——’IthinkIrathermeanwhatdoyoumean，dearFanny？’
Fannylaughedagain，inamanneratoncecondescending，arch，andaffable；andsaid，puttingherarmroundhersisterinaplayfullyaffectionateway：
’Nowtellme，mylittlepet。WhenwesawthatwomanatMartigny，howdidyouthinkshecarrieditoff？Didyouseewhatshedecidedoninamoment？’
’No，Fanny。’
’ThenI’lltellyou，Amy。Shesettledwithherself，nowI’llneverrefertothatmeetingundersuchdifferentcircumstances，andI’llneverpretendtohaveanyideathatthesearethesamegirls。
That’sherwayoutofadifficulty。WhatdidItellyouwhenwecameawayfromHarleyStreetthattime？Sheisasinsolentandfalseasanywomanintheworld。Butinthefirstcapacity，mylove，shemayfindpeoplewhocanmatchher。’
AsignificantturnoftheSpanishfantowardsFanny’sbosom，indicatedwithgreatexpressionwhereoneofthesepeoplewastobefound。
’Notonlythat，’pursuedFanny，’butshegivesthesamechargetoYoungSparkler；anddoesn’tlethimcomeaftermeuntilshehasgotitthoroughlyintohismostridiculousofallridiculousnoddlesforonereallycan’tcallitahead，thatheistopretendtohavebeenfirststruckwithmeinthatInnYard。’
’Why？’askedLittleDorrit。
’Why？Goodgracious，mylove!’againverymuchinthetoneofYoustupidlittlecreature’howcanyouask？Don’tyouseethatImayhavebecomearatherdesirablematchforanoddle？Anddon’tyouseethatsheputsthedeceptionuponus，andmakesapretence，whilesheshiftsitfromherownshouldersverygoodshoulderstheyaretoo，Imustsay，’observedMissFanny，glancingcomplacentlyatherself，’ofconsideringourfeelings？’
’Butwecanalwaysgobacktotheplaintruth。’
’Yes，butifyoupleasewewon’t，’retortedFanny。’No；Iamnotgoingtohavethatdone，Amy。Thepretextisnoneofmine；it’shers，andsheshallhaveenoughofit。’
Inthetriumphantexaltationofherfeelings，MissFanny，usingherSpanishfanwithonehand，squeezedhersister’swaistwiththeother，asifshewerecrushingMrsMerdle。
’No，’repeatedFanny。’Sheshallfindmegoherway。Shetookit，andI’llfollowit。And，withtheblessingoffateandfortune，I’llgoonimprovingthatwoman’sacquaintanceuntilIhavegivenhermaid，beforehereyes，thingsfrommydressmaker’stentimesashandsomeandexpensiveassheoncegavemefromhers!’
LittleDorritwassilent；sensiblethatshewasnottobeheardonanyquestionaffectingthefamilydignity，andunwillingtolosetonopurposehersister’snewlyandunexpectedlyrestoredfavour。
Shecouldnotconcur，butshewassilent。Fannywellknewwhatshewasthinkingof；sowell，thatshesoonaskedher。
Herreplywas，’DoyoumeantoencourageMrSparkler，Fanny？’
’Encouragehim，mydear？’saidhersister，smilingcontemptuously，’thatdependsuponwhatyoucallencourage。No，Idon’tmeantoencouragehim。ButI’llmakeaslaveofhim。’
LittleDorritglancedseriouslyanddoubtfullyinherface，butFannywasnottobesobroughttoacheck。Shefurledherfanofblackandgold，andusedittotaphersister’snose；withtheairofaproudbeautyandagreatspirit，whotoyedwithandplayfullyinstructedahomelycompanion。
’Ishallmakehimfetchandcarry，mydear，andIshallmakehimsubjecttome。AndifIdon’tmakehismothersubjecttome，too，itshallnotbemyfault。’
’Doyouthink——dearFanny，don’tbeoffended，wearesocomfortabletogethernow——thatyoucanquiteseetheendofthatcourse？’
’Ican’tsayIhavesomuchaslookedforityet，mydear，’
answeredFanny，withsupremeindifference；’allingoodtime。Sucharemyintentions。Andreallytheyhavetakenmesolongtodevelop，thathereweareathome。AndYoungSparkleratthedoor，inquiringwhoiswithin。Bythemerestaccident，ofcourse!’
Ineffect，theswainwasstandingupinhisgondola，card-caseinhand，affectingtoputthequestiontoaservant。Thisconjunctionofcircumstancesledtohisimmediatelyafterwardspresentinghimselfbeforetheyoungladiesinaposture，whichinancienttimeswouldnothavebeenconsideredoneoffavourableauguryforhissuit；sincethegondoliersoftheyoungladies，havingbeenputtosomeinconveniencebythechase，soneatlybroughttheirownboatinthegentlestcollisionwiththebarkofMrSparkler，astotipthatgentlemanoverlikealargerspeciesofninepin，andcausehimtoexhibitthesolesofhisshoestotheobjectofhisdearestwishes：whilethenoblerportionsofhisanatomystruggledatthebottomofhisboatinthearmsofoneofhismen。
However，asMissFannycalledoutwithmuchconcern，Wasthegentlemanhurt，MrSparklerrosemorerestoredthanmighthavebeenexpected，andstammeredforhimselfwithblushes，’Notatallso。’
MissFannyhadnorecollectionofhavingeverseenhimbefore，andwaspassingon，withadistantinclinationofherhead，whenheannouncedhimselfbyname。Eventhenshewasinadifficultyfrombeingunabletocallittomind，untilheexplainedthathehadhadthehonourofseeingheratMartigny。Thensherememberedhim，andhopedhislady-motherwaswell。
’Thankyou，’stammeredMrSparkler，’she’suncommonlywell——atleast，poorly。’
’InVenice？’saidMissFanny。
’InRome，’MrSparkleranswered。’Iamherebymyself，myself。I
cametocalluponMrEdwardDorritmyself。Indeed，uponMrDorritlikewise。Infact，uponthefamily。’
Turninggraciouslytotheattendants，MissFannyinquiredwhetherherpapaorbrotherwaswithin？Thereplybeingthattheywerebothwithin，MrSparklerhumblyofferedhisarm。MissFannyacceptingit，wassquiredupthegreatstaircasebyMrSparkler，who，ifhestillbelievedwhichthereisnotanyreasontodoubt
thatshehadnononsenseabouther，ratherdeceivedhimself。
Arrivedinamoulderingreception-room，wherethefadedhangings，ofasadsea-green，hadwornandwithereduntiltheylookedasiftheymighthaveclaimedkindredwiththewaifsofseaweeddriftingunderthewindows，orclingingtothewallsandweepingfortheirimprisonedrelations，MissFannydespatchedemissariesforherfatherandbrother。Pendingwhoseappearance，sheshowedtogreatadvantageonasofa，completingMrSparkler’sconquestwithsomeremarksuponDante——knowntothatgentlemanasaneccentricmaninthenatureofanOldFile，whousedtoputleavesroundhishead，andsituponastoolforsomeunaccountablepurpose，outsidethecathedralatFlorence。
MrDorritwelcomedthevisitorwiththehighesturbanity，andmostcourtlymanners。HeinquiredparticularlyafterMrsMerdle。HeinquiredparticularlyafterMrMerdle。MrSparklersaid，orrathertwitchedoutofhimselfinsmallpiecesbytheshirt-collar，thatMrsMerdlehavingcompletelyusedupherplaceinthecountry，andalsoherhouseatBrighton，andbeing，ofcourse，unable，don’tyousee，toremaininLondonwhentherewasn’tasoulthere，andnotfeelingherselfthisyearquiteuptovisitingaboutatpeople’splaces，hadresolvedtohaveatouchatRome，whereawomanlikeherself，withaproverbiallyfineappearance，andwithnononsenseabouther，couldn’tfailtobeagreatacquisition。AstoMrMerdle，hewassomuchwantedbythemenintheCityandtherestofthoseplaces，andwassuchadoosedextraordinaryphenomenoninBuyingandBankingandthat，thatMrSparklerdoubtedifthemonetarysystemofthecountrywouldbeabletosparehim；thoughthathisworkwasoccasionallyonetoomanyforhim，andthathewouldbeallthebetterforatemporaryshyatanentirelynewsceneandclimate，MrSparklerdidnotconceal。Astohimself，MrSparklerconveyedtotheDorritfamilythathewasgoing，onratherparticularbusiness，wherevertheyweregoing。
Thisimmenseconversationalachievementrequiredtime，butwaseffected。Beingeffected，MrDorritexpressedhishopethatMrSparklerwouldshortlydinewiththem。MrSparklerreceivedtheideasokindlythatMrDorritaskedwhathewasgoingtodothatday，forinstance？Ashewasgoingtodonothingthatdayhisusualoccupation，andoneforwhichhewasparticularlyqualified，hewassecuredwithoutpostponement；beingfurtherboundovertoaccompanytheladiestotheOperaintheevening。
Atdinner-timeMrSparklerroseoutofthesea，likeVenus’ssontakingafterhismother，andmadeasplendidappearanceascendingthegreatstaircase。IfFannyhadbeencharminginthemorning，shewasnowthricecharming，verybecominglydressedinhermostsuitablecolours，andwithanairofnegligenceuponherthatdoubledMrSparkler’sfetters，andrivetedthem。