Inhisepistolarycommunication，asinhisdialoguesanddiscoursesonthegreatquestiontowhichitrelated，MrDorritsurroundedthesubjectwithflourishes，aswriting-mastersembellishcopy-booksandciphering-books：wherethetitlesoftheelementaryrulesofarithmeticdivergeintoswans，eagles，griffins，andothercalligraphicrecreations，andwherethecapitallettersgooutoftheirmindsandbodiesintoecstasiesofpenandink。
Nevertheless，hedidrenderthepurportofhislettersufficientlyclear，toenableMrMerdletomakeadecentpretenceofhavinglearntitfromthatsource。MrMerdlerepliedtoitaccordingly。
MrDorritrepliedtoMrMerdle；MrMerdlerepliedtoMrDorrit；anditwassoonannouncedthatthecorrespondingpowershadcometoasatisfactoryunderstanding。
Now，andnotbefore，MissFannyburstuponthescene，completelyarrayedforhernewpart。Nowandnotbefore，shewhollyabsorbedMrSparklerinherlight，andshoneforboth，andtwentymore。Nolongerfeelingthatwantofadefinedplaceandcharacterwhichhadcausedhersomuchtrouble，thisfairshipbegantosteersteadilyonashapedcourse，andtoswimwithaweightandbalancethatdevelopedhersailingqualities。
’Thepreliminariesbeingsosatisfactorilyarranged，IthinkIwillnow，mydear，’saidMrDorrit，’announce——ha——formally，toMrsGeneral——’
’Papa，’returnedFanny，takinghimupshortuponthatname，’I
don’tseewhatMrsGeneralhasgottodowithit。’
’Mydear，’saidMrDorrit，’itwillbeanactofcourtesyto——hum——
alady，wellbredandrefined——’
’Oh!IamsickofMrsGeneral’sgoodbreedingandrefinement，papa，’saidFanny。’IamtiredofMrsGeneral。’
’Tired，’repeatedMrDorritinreproachfulastonishment，’of——ha——
MrsGeneral。’
’Quitedisgustedwithher，papa，’saidFanny。’Ireallydon’tseewhatshehastodowithmymarriage。Letherkeeptoherownmatrimonialprojects——ifshehasany。’
’Fanny，’returnedMrDorrit，withagraveandweightyslownessuponhim，contrastingstronglywithhisdaughter’slevity：’Ibegthefavourofyourexplaining——ha——whatitisyoumean。’
’Imean，papa，’saidFanny，’thatifMrsGeneralshouldhappentohaveanymatrimonialprojectsofherown，Idaresaytheyarequiteenoughtooccupyhersparetime。Andthatifshehasnot，somuchthebetter；butstillIdon’twishtohavethehonourofmakingannouncementstoher。’
’Permitmetoaskyou，Fanny，’saidMrDorrit，’whynot？’
’Becauseshecanfindmyengagementoutforherself，papa，’
retortedFanny。’Sheiswatchfulenough，Idaresay。IthinkI
haveseenherso。Letherfinditoutforherself。Ifsheshouldnotfinditoutforherself，shewillknowitwhenIammarried。
AndIhopeyouwillnotconsidermewantinginaffectionforyou，papa，ifIsayitstrikesmethatwillbequiteenoughforMrsGeneral。’
’Fanny，’returnedMrDorrit，’Iamamazed，Iamdispleasedbythis——hum——thiscapriciousandunintelligibledisplayofanimositytowards——ha——MrsGeneral。’
’Donot，ifyouplease，papa，’urgedFanny，’callitanimosity，becauseIassureyouIdonotconsiderMrsGeneralworthmyanimosity。’
Atthis，MrDorritrosefromhischairwithafixedlookofseverereproof，andremainedstandinginhisdignitybeforehisdaughter。
Hisdaughter，turningthebraceletonherarm，andnowlookingathim，andnowlookingfromhim，said，’Verywell，papa。Iamtrulysorryifyoudon’tlikeit；butIcan’thelpit。Iamnotachild，andIamnotAmy，andImustspeak。’
’Fanny，’gaspedMrDorrit，afteramajesticsilence，’ifIrequestyoutoremainhere，whileIformallyannouncetoMrsGeneral，asanexemplarylady，whois——hum——atrustedmemberofthisfamily，the——
ha——thechangethatiscontemplatedamongus；ifI——ha——notonlyrequestit，but——hum——insistuponit——’
’Oh，papa，’Fannybrokeinwithpointedsignificance，’ifyoumakesomuchofitasthat，Ihaveindutynothingtodobutcomply。I
hopeImayhavemythoughtsuponthesubject，however，forIreallycannothelpitunderthecircumstances。’So，Fannysatdownwithameeknesswhich，inthejunctionofextremes，becamedefiance；andherfather，eithernotdeigningtoanswer，ornotknowingwhattoanswer，summonedMrTinklerintohispresence。
’MrsGeneral。’
MrTinkler，unusedtoreceivesuchshortordersinconnectionwiththefairvarnisher，paused。MrDorrit，seeingthewholeMarshalseaandallitstestimonialsinthepause，instantlyflewathimwith，’Howdareyou，sir？Whatdoyoumean？’
’Ibegyourpardon，sir，’pleadedMrTinkler，’Iwaswishfultoknow——’
’Youwishedtoknownothing，sir，’criedMrDorrit，highlyflushed。
’Don’ttellmeyoudid。Ha。Youdidn’t。Youareguiltyofmockery，sir。’
’Iassureyou，sir——’MrTinklerbegan。
’Don’tassureme!’saidMrDorrit。’Iwillnotbeassuredbyadomestic。Youareguiltyofmockery。Youshallleaveme——hum——thewholeestablishmentshallleaveme。Whatareyouwaitingfor？’
’Onlyformyorders，sir。’
’It’sfalse，’saidMrDorrit，’youhaveyourorders。Ha——hum。MY
complimentstoMrsGeneral，andIbegthefavourofhercomingtome，ifquiteconvenient，forafewminutes。Thoseareyourorders。’
Inhisexecutionofthismission，MrTinklerperhapsexpressedthatMrDorritwasinaragingfume。Howeverthatwas，MrsGeneral’sskirtswereveryspeedilyheardoutside，comingalong——onemightalmosthavesaidbouncingalong——withunusualexpedition。Albeit，theysettleddownatthedoorandsweptintotheroomwiththeircustomarycoolness。
’MrsGeneral，’saidMrDorrit，’takeachair。’
MrsGeneral，withagracefulcurveofacknowledgment，descendedintothechairwhichMrDorritoffered。
’Madam，’pursuedthatgentleman，’asyouhavehadthekindnesstoundertakethe——hum——formationofmydaughters，andasIampersuadedthatnothingnearlyaffectingthemcan——ha——beindifferenttoyou——’
’Whollyimpossible，’saidMrsGeneralinthecalmestofways。
’——Ithereforewishtoannouncetoyou，madam，thatmydaughternowpresent——’
MrsGeneralmadeaslightinclinationofherheadtoFanny，whomadeaverylowinclinationofherheadtoMrsGeneral，andcameloftilyuprightagain。
’——ThatmydaughterFannyis——ha——contractedtobemarriedtoMrSparkler，withwhomyouareacquainted。Hence，madam，youwillberelievedofhalfyourdifficultcharge——ha——difficultcharge。’MrDorritrepeateditwithhisangryeyeonFanny。’Butnot，Ihope，tothe——hum——diminutionofanyotherportion，directorindirect，ofthefootingyouhaveatpresentthekindnesstooccupyinmyfamily。’
’MrDorrit，’returnedMrsGeneral，withherglovedhandsrestingononeanotherinexemplaryrepose，’iseverconsiderate，andeverbuttooappreciativeofmyfriendlyservices。’
MissFannycoughed，asmuchastosay，’Youareright。’
’MissDorrithasnodoubtexercisedthesoundestdiscretionofwhichthecircumstancesadmitted，andItrustwillallowmetoofferhermysincerecongratulations。Whenfreefromthetrammelsofpassion，’MrsGeneralclosedhereyesattheword，asifshecouldnotutterit，andseeanybody；’whenoccurringwiththeapprobationofnearrelatives；andwhencementingtheproudstructureofafamilyedifice；theseareusuallyauspiciousevents。
ItrustMissDorritwillallowmetoofferhermybestcongratulations。’
HereMrsGeneralstopped，andaddedinternally，forthesettingofherface，’Papa，potatoes，poultry，Prunes，andprism。’
’MrDorrit，’shesuperaddedaloud，’isevermostobliging；andfortheattention，andIwilladddistinction，ofhavingthisconfidenceimpartedtomebyhimselfandMissDorritatthisearlytime，Ibegtoofferthetributeofmythanks。Mythanks，andmycongratulations，areequallythemeedofMrDorritandofMissDorrit。’
’Tome，’observedMissFanny，’theyareexcessivelygratifying——
inexpressiblyso。Thereliefoffindingthatyouhavenoobjectiontomake，MrsGeneral，quitetakesaloadoffmymind，Iamsure。
IhardlyknowwhatIshouldhavedone，’saidFanny，’ifyouhadinterposedanyobjection，MrsGeneral。’
MrsGeneralchangedhergloves，astotherightglovebeinguppermostandtheleftundermost，withaPrunesandPrismsmile。
’Topreserveyourapprobation，MrsGeneral，’saidFanny，returningthesmilewithoneinwhichtherewasnotraceofthoseingredients，’willofcoursebethehighestobjectofmymarriedlife；toloseit，wouldofcoursebeperfectwretchedness。Iamsureyourgreatkindnesswillnotobject，andIhopepapawillnotobject，tomycorrectingasmallmistakeyouhavemade，however。
Thebestofusaresoliabletomistakes，thatevenyou，MrsGeneral，havefallenintoalittleerror。Theattentionanddistinctionyouhavesoimpressivelymentioned，MrsGeneral，asattachingtothisconfidence，are，Ihavenodoubt，ofthemostcomplimentaryandgratifyingdescription；buttheydon’tatallproceedfromme。Themeritofhavingconsultedyouonthesubjectwouldhavebeensogreatinme，thatIfeelImustnotlayclaimtoitwhenitreallyisnotmine。Itiswhollypapa’s。Iamdeeplyobligedtoyouforyourencouragementandpatronage，butitwaspapawhoaskedforit。Ihavetothankyou，MrsGeneral，forrelievingmybreastofagreatweightbysohandsomelygivingyourconsenttomyengagement，butyouhavereallynothingtothankmefor。IhopeyouwillalwaysapproveofmyproceedingsafterIhavelefthomeandthatmysisteralsomaylongremainthefavouredobjectofyourcondescension，MrsGeneral。’
Withthisaddress，whichwasdeliveredinherpolitestmanner，Fannylefttheroomwithanelegantandcheerfulair——totearup-
stairswithaflushedfaceassoonasshewasoutofhearing，pounceinuponhersister，callheralittleDormouse，shakeherforthebetteropeningofhereyes，tellherwhathadpassedbelow，andaskherwhatshethoughtofPanow？
TowardsMrsMerdle，theyoungladycomportedherselfwithgreatindependenceandself-possession；butnotasyetwithanymoredecidedopeningofhostilities。Occasionallytheyhadaslightskirmish，aswhenFannyconsideredherselfpattedonthebackbythatlady，oraswhenMrsMerdlelookedparticularlyyoungandwell；butMrsMerdlealwayssoonterminatedthosepassagesofarmsbysinkingamonghercushionswiththegracefullestindifference，andfindingherattentionotherwiseengaged。SocietyforthatmysteriouscreaturesatupontheSevenHillstoofoundMissFannyvastlyimprovedbyherengagement。Shewasmuchmoreaccessible，muchmorefreeandengaging，muchlessexacting；insomuchthatshenowentertainedahostoffollowersandadmirers，tothebitterindignationofladieswithdaughterstomarry，whoweretoberegardedasHavingrevoltedfromSocietyontheMissDorritgrievance，anderectedarebelliousstandard。Enjoyingthefluttershecaused。MissDorritnotonlyhaughtilymovedthroughitinherownproperperson，buthaughtily，evenOstentatiously，ledMrSparklerthroughittoo：seemingtosaytothemall，’IfIthinkpropertomarchamongyouintriumphalprocessionattendedbythisweakcaptiveinbonds，ratherthanastrongerone，thatismybusiness。EnoughthatIchoosetodoit!’MrSparklerforhispart，questionednothing；butwentwhereverhewastaken，didwhateverhewastold，feltthatforhisbride-electtobedistinguishedwasforhimtobedistinguishedontheeasiestterms，andwastrulygratefulforbeingsoopenlyacknowledged。