’Ihearyouareacquainted，MrSparkler，’saidhishostatdinner，’with——ha——MrGowan。MrHenryGowan？’
’Perfectly，sir，’returnedMrSparkler。’Hismotherandmymotherarecroniesinfact。’
’IfIhadthoughtofit，Amy，’saidMrDorrit，withapatronageasmagnificentasthatofLordDecimushimself，’youshouldhavedespatchedanotetothem，askingthemtodineto-day。Someofourpeoplecouldhave——ha——fetchedthem，andtakenthemhome。Wecouldhavespareda——hum——gondolaforthatpurpose。Iamsorrytohaveforgottenthis。Prayremindmeofthemto-morrow。’
LittleDorritwasnotwithoutdoubtshowMrHenryGowanmighttaketheirpatronage；butshepromisednottofailinthereminder。
’Pray，doesMrHenryGowanpaint——ha——Portraits？’inquiredMrDorrit。
MrSparkleropinedthathepaintedanything，ifhecouldgetthejob。
’Hehasnoparticularwalk？’saidMrDorrit。
MrSparkler，stimulatedbyLovetobrilliancy，repliedthatforaparticularwalkamanoughttohaveaparticularpairofshoes；as，forexample，shooting，shooting-shoes；cricket，cricket-shoes。
Whereas，hebelievedthatHenryGowanhadnoparticularpairofshoes。
’Nospeciality？’saidMrDorrit。
ThisbeingaverylongwordforMrSparkler，andhismindbeingexhaustedbyhislateeffort，hereplied，’No，thankyou。Iseldomtakeit。’
’Well!’saidMrDorrit。’Itwouldbeveryagreeabletometopresentagentlemansoconnected，withsome——ha——Testimonialofmydesiretofurtherhisinterests，anddevelopthe——hum——germsofhisgenius。IthinkImustengageMrGowantopaintmypicture。Iftheresultshouldbe——ha——mutuallysatisfactory，Imightafterwardsengagehimtotryhishanduponmyfamily。’
TheexquisitelyboldandoriginalthoughtpresenteditselftoMrSparkler，thattherewasanopeninghereforsayingthereweresomeofthefamilyemphasising’some’inamarkedmannertowhomnopaintercouldrenderjustice。But，forwantofaformofwordsinwhichtoexpresstheidea，itreturnedtotheskies。
ThiswasthemoretoberegrettedasMissFannygreatlyapplaudedthenotionoftheportrait，andurgedherpapatoactuponit。Shesurmised，shesaid，thatMrGowanhadlostbetterandhigheropportunitiesbymarryinghisprettywife；andLoveinacottage，paintingpicturesfordinner，wassodelightfullyinteresting，thatshebeggedherpapatogivehimthecommissionwhetherhecouldpaintalikenessornot：thoughindeedbothsheandAmyknewhecould，fromhavingseenaspeakinglikenessonhiseaselthatday，andhavinghadtheopportunityofcomparingitwiththeoriginal。
TheseremarksmadeMrSparklerasperhapstheywereintendedtodonearlydistracted；forwhileontheonehandtheyexpressedMissFanny’ssusceptibilityofthetenderpassion，sheherselfshowedsuchaninnocentunconsciousnessofhisadmirationthathiseyesgoggledinhisheadwithjealousyofanunknownrival。
Descendingintotheseaagainafterdinner，andascendingoutofitattheOperastaircase，precededbyoneoftheirgondoliers，likeanattendantMerman，withagreatlinenlantern，theyenteredtheirbox，andMrSparklerenteredonaneveningofagony。Thetheatrebeingdark，andtheboxlight，severalvisitorsloungedinduringtherepresentation；inwhomFannywassointerested，andinconversationwithwhomshefellintosuchcharmingattitudes，asshehadlittleconfidenceswiththem，andlittledisputesconcerningtheidentityofpeopleindistantboxes，thatthewretchedSparklerhatedallmankind。Buthehadtwoconsolationsatthecloseoftheperformance。Shegavehimherfantoholdwhilesheadjustedhercloak，anditwashisblessedprivilegetogiveherhisarmdown-stairsagain。Thesecrumbsofencouragement，MrSparklerthought，wouldjustkeephimgoing；anditisnotimpossiblethatMissDorritthoughtsotoo。
TheMermanwithhislightwasreadyatthebox-door，andotherMermenwithotherlightswerereadyatmanyofthedoors。TheDorritMermanheldhislanternlow，toshowthesteps，andMrSparklerputonanotherheavysetoffettersoverhisformerset，ashewatchedherradiantfeettwinklingdownthestairsbesidehim。Amongtheloiterershere，wasBlandoisofParis。Hespoke，andmovedforwardbesideFanny。
LittleDorritwasinfrontwithherbrotherandMrsGeneralMrDorrithadremainedathome，butonthebrinkofthequaytheyallcametogether。ShestartedagaintofindBlandoisclosetoher，handingFannyintotheboat。
’Gowanhashadaloss，’hesaid，’sincehewasmadehappyto-daybyavisitfromfairladies。’
’Aloss？’repeatedFanny，relinquishedbythebereavedSparkler，andtakingherseat。
’Aloss，’saidBlandois。’HisdogLion。’
LittleDorrit’shandwasinhis，ashespoke。
’Heisdead，’saidBlandois。
’Dead？’echoedLittleDorrit。’Thatnobledog？’
’Faith，dearladies!’saidBlandois，smilingandshrugginghisshoulders，’somebodyhaspoisonedthatnobledog。HeisasdeadastheDoges!’
Mostly，PrunesandPrismMrsGeneral，alwaysonhercoach-boxkeepingtheproprietieswelltogether，tookpainstoformasurfaceonherverydearyoungfriend，andMrsGeneral’sverydearyoungfriendtriedhardtoreceiveit。Hardasshehadtriedinherlaboriouslifetoattainmanyends，shehadnevertriedharderthanshedidnow，tobevarnishedbyMrsGeneral。Itmadeheranxiousandillateasetobeoperateduponbythatsmoothinghand，itistrue；butshesubmittedherselftothefamilywantinitsgreatnessasshehadsubmittedherselftothefamilywantinitslittleness，andyieldedtoherowninclinationsinthisthingnomorethanshehadyieldedtoherhungeritself，inthedayswhenshehadsavedherdinnerthatherfathermighthavehissupper。
OnecomfortthatshehadundertheOrdealbyGeneralwasmoresustainingtoher，andmadehermoregratefulthantoalessdevotedandaffectionatespirit，nothabituatedtoherstrugglesandsacrifices，mightappearquitereasonable；and，indeed，itmayoftenbeobservedinlife，thatspiritslikeLittleDorritdonotappeartoreasonhalfascarefullyasthefolkswhogetthebetterofthem。ThecontinuedkindnessofhersisterwasthiscomforttoLittleDorrit。Itwasnothingtoherthatthekindnesstooktheformoftolerantpatronage；shewasusedtothat。Itwasnothingtoherthatitkeptherinatributaryposition，andshowedherinattendanceontheflamingcarinwhichMissFannysatonanelevatedseat，exactinghomage；shesoughtnobetterplace。AlwaysadmiringFanny’sbeauty，andgrace，andreadiness，andnotnowaskingherselfhowmuchofherdispositiontobestronglyattachedtoFannywasduetoherownheart，andhowmuchtoFanny’s，shegaveherallthesisterlyfondnesshergreatheartcontained。
ThewholesaleamountofPrunesandPrismwhichMrsGeneralinfusedintothefamilylife，combinedwiththeperpetualplungesmadebyFannyintosociety，leftbutaverysmallresidueofanynaturaldepositatthebottomofthemixture。ThisrenderedconfidenceswithFannydoublyprecioustoLittleDorrit，andheightenedtherelieftheyaffordedher。
’Amy，’saidFannytoheronenightwhentheywerealone，afteradaysotiringthatLittleDorritwasquitewornout，thoughFannywouldhavetakenanotherdipintosocietywiththegreatestpleasureinlife，’Iamgoingtoputsomethingintoyourlittlehead。Youwon’tguesswhatitis，Isuspect。’
’Idon’tthinkthat’slikely，dear，’saidLittleDorrit。
’Come，I’llgiveyouaclue，child，’saidFanny。’MrsGeneral。’
PrunesandPrism，inathousandcombinations，havingbeenwearilyintheascendantallday——everythinghavingbeensurfaceandvarnishandshowwithoutsubstance——LittleDorritlookedasifshehadhopedthatMrsGeneralwassafelytuckedupinbedforsomehours。
’Now，canyouguess，Amy？’saidFanny。
’No，dear。UnlessIhavedoneanything，’saidLittleDorrit，ratheralarmed，andmeaninganythingcalculatedtocrackvarnishandrufflesurface。
Fannywassoverymuchamusedbythemisgiving，thatshetookupherfavouritefanbeingthenseatedatherdressing-tablewithherarmouryofcruelinstrumentsabouther，mostofthemreekingfromtheheartofSparkler，andtappedhersisterfrequentlyonthenosewithit，laughingallthetime。
’Oh，ourAmy，ourAmy!’saidFanny。’WhatatimidlittlegooseourAmyis!Butthisisnothingtolaughat。Onthecontrary，Iamverycross，mydear。’
’Asitisnotwithme，Fanny，Idon’tmind，’returnedhersister，smiling。
’Ah!ButIdomind，’saidFanny，’andsowillyou，Pet，whenI
enlightenyou。Amy，hasitneverstruckyouthatsomebodyismonstrouslypolitetoMrsGeneral？’
’EverybodyispolitetoMrsGeneral，’saidLittleDorrit。
’Because——’
’Becauseshefreezesthemintoit？’interruptedFanny。’Idon’tmeanthat；quitedifferentfromthat。Come!Hasitneverstruckyou，Amy，thatPaismonstrouslypolitetoMrsGeneral。’
Amy，murmuring’No，’lookedquiteconfounded。
’No；Idaresaynot。Butheis，’saidFanny。’Heis，Amy。Andremembermywords。MrsGeneralhasdesignsonPa!’
’DearFanny，doyouthinkitpossiblethatMrsGeneralhasdesignsonanyone？’
’DoIthinkitpossible？’retortedFanny。’Mylove，Iknowit。I
tellyoushehasdesignsonPa。Andmorethanthat，ItellyouPaconsidershersuchawonder，suchaparagonofaccomplishment，andsuchanacquisitiontoourfamily，thatheisreadytogethimselfintoastateofperfectinfatuationwithheratanymoment。Andthatopensaprettypictureofthings，Ihope？ThinkofmewithMrsGeneralforaMama!’
LittleDorritdidnotreply，’ThinkofmewithMrsGeneralforaMama；’butshelookedanxious，andseriouslyinquiredwhathadledFannytotheseconclusions。
’Lord，mydarling，’saidFanny，tartly。’YoumightaswellaskmehowIknowwhenamanisstruckwithmyself!But，ofcourseIdoknow。Ithappensprettyoften：butIalwaysknowit。Iknowthisinmuchthesameway，Isuppose。Atallevents，Iknowit。’
’YouneverheardPapasayanything？’
’Sayanything？’repeatedFanny。’Mydearest，darlingchild，whatnecessityhashehad，yetawhile，tosayanything？’
’AndyouhaveneverheardMrsGeneralsayanything？’
’Mygoodnessme，Amy，’returnedFanny，’isshethesortofwomantosayanything？Isn’titperfectlyplainandclearthatshehasnothingtodoatpresentbuttoholdherselfupright，keepheraggravatinggloveson，andgosweepingabout？Sayanything!Ifshehadtheaceoftrumpsinherhandatwhist，shewouldn’tsayanything，child。Itwouldcomeoutwhensheplayedit。’
’Atleast，youmaybemistaken，Fanny。Now，mayyounot？’
’Oyes，IMAYbe，’saidFanny，’butIamnot。However，Iamgladyoucancontemplatesuchanescape，mydear，andIamgladthatyoucantakethisforthepresentwithsufficientcoolnesstothinkofsuchachance。Itmakesmehopethatyoumaybeabletobeartheconnection。Ishouldnotbeabletobearit，andIshouldnottry。