’PoorEdward!’sighedLittleDorrit，withthewholefamilyhistoryinthesigh。
’Yes。Andpooryouandme，too，’returnedFanny，rathersharply。
’Verytrue!Then，mydear，wehavenomother，andwehaveaMrsGeneral。AndItellyouagain，darling，thatMrsGeneral，ifImayreverseacommonproverbandadaptittoher，isacatingloveswhoWILLcatchmice。Thatwoman，Iamquitesureandconfident，willbeourmother-in-law。’
’Icanhardlythink，Fanny-’Fannystoppedher。
’Now，don’targuewithmeaboutit，Amy，’saidshe，’becauseIknowbetter。’Feelingthatshehadbeensharpagain，shedabbedhersister’sforeheadagain，andblewuponitagain。’Toresumeoncemore，mydear。ItthenbecomesaquestionwithmeIamproudandspirited，Amy，asyouverywellknow：toomuchso，Idaresay
whetherIshallmakeupmymindtotakeituponmyselftocarrythefamilythrough。’
’How？’askedhersister，anxiously。
’Iwillnot，’saidFanny，withoutansweringthequestion，’submittobemother-in-lawedbyMrsGeneral；andIwillnotsubmittobe，inanyrespectwhatever，eitherpatronisedortormentedbyMrsMerdle。’
LittleDorritlaidherhanduponthehandthatheldthebottleofsweetwater，withastillmoreanxiouslook。Fanny，quitepunishingherownforeheadwiththevehementdabsshenowbegantogiveit，fitfullywenton。
’Thathehassomehoworother，andhowisofnoconsequence，attainedaverygoodposition，noonecandeny。Thatitisaverygoodconnection，noonecandeny。Andastothequestionofcleverornotclever，Idoubtverymuchwhetheracleverhusbandwouldbesuitabletome。Icannotsubmit。Ishouldnotbeabletodefertohimenough。’
’O，mydearFanny!’expostulatedLittleDorrit，uponwhomakindofterrorhadbeenstealingassheperceivedwhathersistermeant。
’Ifyoulovedanyone，allthisfeelingwouldchange。Ifyoulovedanyone，youwouldnomorebeyourself，butyouwouldquiteloseandforgetyourselfinyourdevotiontohim。Ifyoulovedhim，Fanny——’Fannyhadstoppedthedabbinghand，andwaslookingatherfixedly。
’O，indeed!’criedFanny。’Really？Blessme，howmuchsomepeopleknowofsomesubjects!Theysayeveryonehasasubject，andI
certainlyseemtohavehituponyours，Amy。There，youlittlething，Iwasonlyinfun，’dabbinghersister’sforehead；’butdon’tyoubeasillypuss，anddon’tyouthinkflightilyandeloquentlyaboutdegenerateimpossibilities。There!Now，I’llgobacktomyself。’
’DearFanny，letmesayfirst，thatIwouldfarratherweworkedforascantylivingagainthanIwouldseeyourichandmarriedtoMrSparkler。’
’Letyousay，mydear？’retortedFanny。’Why，ofcourse，Iwillletyousayanything。Thereisnoconstraintuponyou，Ihope。Wearetogethertotalkitover。AndastomarryingMrSparkler，I
havenottheslightestintentionofdoingsoto-night，mydear，orto-morrowmorningeither。’
’Butatsometime？’
’Atnotime，foranythingIknowatpresent，’answeredFanny，withindifference。Then，suddenlychangingherindifferenceintoaburningrestlessness，sheadded，’Youtalkabouttheclevermen，youlittlething!It’sallveryfineandeasytotalkabouttheclevermen；butwherearethey？Idon’tseethemanywherenearme!’
’MydearFanny，soshortatime——’
’Shorttimeorlongtime，’interruptedFanny。’Iamimpatientofoursituation。Idon’tlikeoursituation，andverylittlewouldinducemetochangeit。Othergirls，differentlyrearedanddifferentlycircumstancedaltogether，mightwonderatwhatIsayormaydo。Letthem。Theyaredrivenbytheirlivesandcharacters；
Iamdrivenbymine。’
’Fanny，mydearFanny，youknowthatyouhavequalitiestomakeyouthewifeofoneverysuperiortoMrSparkler。’
’Amy，mydearAmy，’retortedFanny，parodyingherwords，’IknowthatIwishtohaveamoredefinedanddistinctposition，inwhichIcanassertmyselfwithgreatereffectagainstthatinsolentwoman。’
’Wouldyoutherefore——forgivemyasking，Fanny——thereforemarryherson？’
’Why，perhaps，’saidFanny，withatriumphantsmile。’Theremaybemanylesspromisingwaysofarrivingatanendthanthat，MYdear。
Thatpieceofinsolencemaythink，now，thatitwouldbeagreatsuccesstogethersonoffuponme，andshelveme。But，perhaps，shelittlethinkshowIwouldretortuponherifImarriedherson。
Iwouldopposeherineverything，andcompetewithher。Iwouldmakeitthebusinessofmylife。’
Fannysetdownthebottlewhenshecametothis，andwalkedabouttheroom；alwaysstoppingandstandingstillwhileshespoke。
’OnethingIcouldcertainlydo，mychild：Icouldmakeherolder。
AndIwould!’
Thiswasfollowedbyanotherwalk。
’Iwouldtalkofherasanoldwoman。Iwouldpretendtoknow——ifIdidn’t，butIshouldfromherson——allaboutherage。Andsheshouldhearmesay，Amy：affectionately，quitedutifullyandaffectionately：howwellshelooked，consideringhertimeoflife。
Icouldmakeherseemolderatonce，bybeingmyselfsomuchyounger。Imaynotbeashandsomeassheis；Iamnotafairjudgeofthatquestion，Isuppose；butIknowIamhandsomeenoughtobeathorninherside。AndIwouldbe!’
’Mydearsister，wouldyoucondemnyourselftoanunhappylifeforthis？’
’Itwouldn’tbeanunhappylife，Amy。ItwouldbethelifeIamfittedfor。Whetherbydisposition，orwhetherbycircumstances，isnomatter；Iambetterfittedforsuchalifethanforalmostanyother。’
Therewassomethingofadesolatetoneinthosewords；but，withashortproudlaughshetookanotherwalk，andafterpassingagreatlooking-glasscametoanotherstop。
’Figure!Figure，Amy!Well。Thewomanhasagoodfigure。Iwillgiveherherdue，andnotdenyit。Butisitsofarbeyondallothersthatitisaltogetherunapproachable？Uponmyword，Iamnotsosureofit。Givesomemuchyoungerwomanthelatitudeastodressthatshehas，beingmarried；andwewouldseeaboutthat，mydear!’
Somethinginthethoughtthatwasagreeableandflattering，broughtherbacktoherseatinagayertemper。Shetookhersister’shandsinhers，andclappedallfourhandsaboveherheadasshelookedinhersister’sfacelaughing：
’Andthedancer，Amy，thatshehasquiteforgotten——thedancerwhoborenosortofresemblancetome，andofwhomIneverremindher，ohdearno!——shoulddancethroughherlife，anddanceinherway，tosuchatuneaswoulddisturbherinsolentplacidityalittle。
justalittle，mydearAmy，justalittle!’
MeetinganearnestandimploringlookinAmy’sface，shebroughtthefourhandsdown，andlaidonlyoneonAmy’slips。
’Now，don’targuewithme，child，’shesaidinasternerway，’becauseitisofnouse。Iunderstandthesesubjectsmuchbetterthanyoudo。Ihavenotnearlymadeupmymind，butitmaybe。
Nowwehavetalkedthisovercomfortably，andmaygotobed。Youbestanddearestlittlemouse，Goodnight!’WiththosewordsFannyweighedherAnchor，and——havingtakensomuchadvice——leftoffbeingadvisedforthatoccasion。
Thenceforward，AmyobservedMrSparkler’streatmentbyhisenslaver，withnewreasonsforattachingimportancetoallthatpassedbetweenthem。ThereweretimeswhenFannyappearedquiteunabletoendurehismentalfeebleness，andwhenshebecamesosharplyimpatientofitthatshewouldallbutdismisshimforgood。Therewereothertimeswhenshegotonmuchbetterwithhim；
whenheamusedher，andwhenhersenseofsuperiorityseemedtocounterbalancethatoppositesideofthescale。IfMrSparklerhadbeenotherthanthefaithfullestandmostsubmissiveofswains，hewassufficientlyhardpressedtohavefledfromthesceneofhistrials，andhavesetatleastthewholedistancefromRometoLondonbetweenhimselfandhisenchantress。Buthehadnogreaterwillofhisownthanaboathaswhenitistowedbyasteam-ship；
andhefollowedhiscruelmistressthroughroughandsmooth，onequallystrongcompulsion。
MrsMerdle，duringthesepassages，saidlittletoFanny，butsaidmoreabouther。Shewas，asitwere，forcedtolookatherthroughhereye-glass，andingeneralconversationtoallowcommendationsofherbeautytobewrungfromherbyitsirresistibledemands。
ThedefiantcharacteritassumedwhenFannyheardtheseextollingsasitgenerallyhappenedthatshedid，wasnotexpressiveofconcessionstotheimpartialbosom；buttheutmostrevengethebosomtookwas，tosayaudibly，’Aspoiltbeauty——butwiththatfaceandshape，whocouldwonder？’
Itmighthavebeenaboutamonthorsixweeksafterthenightofthenewadvice，whenLittleDorritbegantothinkshedetectedsomenewunderstandingbetweenMrSparklerandFanny。MrSparkler，asifinattendancetosomecompact，scarcelyeverspokewithoutfirstlookingtowardsFannyforleave。Thatyoungladywastoodiscreetevertolookbackagain；but，ifMrSparklerhadpermissiontospeak，sheremainedsilent；ifhehadnot，sheherselfspoke。
Moreover，itbecameplainwheneverHenryGowanattemptedtoperformthefriendlyofficeofdrawinghimout，thathewasnottobedrawn。Andnotonlythat，butFannywouldpresently，withoutanypointedapplicationintheworld，chancetosaysomethingwithsuchastinginitthatGowanwoulddrawbackasifhehadputhishandintoabee-hive。
TherewasyetanothercircumstancewhichwentalongwaytoconfirmLittleDorritinherfears，thoughitwasnotagreatcircumstanceinitself。MrSparkler’sdemeanourtowardsherselfchanged。Itbecamefraternal。Sometimes，whenshewasintheoutercircleofassemblies——attheirownresidence，atMrsMerdle’s，orelsewhere——
shewouldfindherselfstealthilysupportedroundthewaistbyMrSparkler’sarm。MrSparklerneverofferedtheslightestexplanationofthisattention；butmerelysmiledwithanairofblundering，contented，good-naturedproprietorship，which，insoheavyagentleman，wasominouslyexpressive。
LittleDorritwasathomeoneday，thinkingaboutFannywithaheavyheart。Theyhadaroomatoneendoftheirdrawing-roomsuite，nearlyallirregularbay-window，projectingoverthestreet，andcommandingallthepicturesquelifeandvarietyoftheCorso，bothupanddown。Atthreeorfouro’clockintheafternoon，Englishtime，theviewfromthiswindowwasverybrightandpeculiar；andLittleDorritusedtositandmusehere，muchasshehadbeenusedtowhileawaythetimeinherbalconyatVenice。
Seatedthusoneday，shewassoftlytouchedontheshoulder，andFannysaid，’Well，Amydear，’andtookherseatatherside。Theirseatwasapartofthewindow；whentherewasanythinginthewayofaprocessiongoingon，theyusedtohavebrightdraperieshungoutofthewindow，andusedtokneelorsitonthisseat，andlookoutatit，leaningonthebrilliantcolour。Buttherewasnoprocessionthatday，andLittleDorritwasrathersurprisedbyFanny’sbeingathomeatthathour，asshewasgenerallyoutonhorsebackthen。
’Well，Amy，’saidFanny，’whatareyouthinkingof，littleone？’
’Iwasthinkingofyou，Fanny。’
’No？Whatacoincidence!Ideclarehere’ssomeoneelse。Youwerenotthinkingofthissomeoneelsetoo；wereyou，Amy？’