InthisstateofaffairsitoccurredtoMrsGeneral，thatshemight’formthemind，’andekethemannersofsomeyoungladyofdistinction。Or，thatshemightharnesstheproprietiestothecarriageofsomerichyoungheiressorwidow，andbecomeatoncethedriverandguardofsuchvehiclethroughthesocialmazes。MrsGeneral’scommunicationofthisideatoherclericalandcommissariatconnectionwassowarmlyapplaudedthat，butforthelady’sundoubtedmerit，itmighthaveappearedasthoughtheywantedtogetridofher。TestimonialsrepresentingMrsGeneralasaprodigyofpiety，learning，virtue，andgentility，werelavishlycontributedfrominfluentialquarters；andonevenerablearchdeaconevenshedtearsinrecordinghistestimonytoherperfectionsdescribedtohimbypersonsonwhomhecouldrely，thoughhehadneverhadthehonourandmoralgratificationofsettingeyesonMrsGeneralinallhislife。
Thusdelegatedonhermission，asitwerebyChurchandState，MrsGeneral，whohadalwaysoccupiedhighground，feltinaconditiontokeepit，andbeganbyputtingherselfupataveryhighfigure。
Anintervalofsomedurationelapsed，inwhichtherewasnobidforMrsGeneral。Atlengthacounty-widower，withadaughteroffourteen，openednegotiationswiththelady；andasitwasaparteitherofthenativedignityoroftheartificialpolicyofMrsGeneralbutcertainlyoneortheothertocomportherselfasifsheweremuchmoresoughtthanseeking，thewidowerpursuedMrsGeneraluntilheprevaileduponhertoformhisdaughter’smindandmanners。
TheexecutionofthistrustoccupiedMrsGeneralaboutsevenyears，inthecourseofwhichtimeshemadethetourofEurope，andsawmostofthatextensivemiscellanyofobjectswhichitisessentialthatallpersonsofpolitecultivationshouldseewithotherpeople’seyes，andneverwiththeirown。Whenherchargewasatlengthformed，themarriage，notonlyoftheyounglady，butlikewiseofherfather，thewidower，wasresolvedon。ThewidowerthenfindingMrsGeneralbothinconvenientandexpensive，becameofasuddenalmostasmuchaffectedbyhermeritsasthearchdeaconhadbeen，andcirculatedsuchpraisesofhersurpassingworth，inallquarterswherehethoughtanopportunitymightariseoftransferringtheblessingtosomebodyelse，thatMrsGeneralwasanamemorehonourablethanever。
Thephoenixwastolet，onthiselevatedperch，whenMrDorrit，whohadlatelysucceededtohisproperty，mentionedtohisbankersthathewishedtodiscoveralady，well-bred，accomplished，wellconnected，wellaccustomedtogoodsociety，whowasqualifiedatoncetocompletetheeducationofhisdaughters，andtobetheirmatronorchaperon。MrDorrit’sbankers，asbankersofthecounty-
widower，instantlysaid，’MrsGeneral。’
Pursuingthelightsofortunatelyhitupon，andfindingtheconcurrenttestimonyofthewholeofMrsGeneral’sacquaintancetobeofthepatheticnaturealreadyrecorded，MrDorrittookthetroubleofgoingdowntothecountyofthecounty-widowertoseeMrsGeneral，inwhomhefoundaladyofaqualitysuperiortohishighestexpectations。
’MightIbeexcused，’saidMrDorrit，’ifIinquired——ha——whatremune——’
’Why，indeed，’returnedMrsGeneral，stoppingtheword，’itisasubjectonwhichIprefertoavoidentering。Ihaveneverenteredonitwithmyfriendshere；andIcannotovercomethedelicacy，MrDorrit，withwhichIhavealwaysregardedit。Iamnot，asIhopeyouareaware，agoverness——’
’Odearno!’saidMrDorrit。’Pray，madam，donotimagineforamomentthatIthinkso。’Hereallyblushedtobesuspectedofit。
MrsGeneralgravelyinclinedherhead。’Icannot，therefore，putapriceuponserviceswhichitisapleasuretometorenderifI
canrenderthemspontaneously，butwhichIcouldnotrenderinmerereturnforanyconsideration。NeitherdoIknowhow，orwhere，tofindacaseparalleltomyown。Itispeculiar。’
Nodoubt。ButhowthenMrDorritnotunnaturallyhintedcouldthesubjectbeapproached。
’Icannotobject，’saidMrsGeneral——’thougheventhatisdisagreeabletome——toMrDorrit’sinquiring，inconfidenceofmyfriendshere，whatamounttheyhavebeenaccustomed，atquarterlyintervals，topaytomycreditatmybankers’。’
MrDorritbowedhisacknowledgements。
’Permitmetoadd，’saidMrsGeneral，’thatbeyondthis，Icanneverresumethetopic。AlsothatIcanacceptnosecondorinferiorposition。IfthehonourwereproposedtomeofbecomingknowntoMrDorrit’sfamily——Ithinktwodaughterswerementioned？——’
’Twodaughters。’
’Icouldonlyacceptitontermsofperfectequality，asacompanion，protector，Mentor，andfriend。’
MrDorrit，inspiteofhissenseofhisimportance，feltasifitwouldbequiteakindnessinhertoacceptitonanyconditions。
Healmostsaidasmuch。
’Ithink，’repeatedMrsGeneral，’twodaughterswerementioned？’
’Twodaughters，’saidMrDorritagain。
’Itwouldtherefore，’saidMrsGeneral，’benecessarytoaddathirdmoretothepaymentwhateveritsamountmayprovetobe，whichmyfriendsherehavebeenaccustomedtomaketomybankers’。’
MrDorritlostnotimeinreferringthedelicatequestiontothecounty-widower，andfindingthathehadbeenaccustomedtopaythreehundredpoundsa-yeartothecreditofMrsGeneral，arrived，withoutanyseverestrainonhisarithmetic，attheconclusionthathehimselfmustpayfour。MrsGeneralbeinganarticleofthatlustroussurfacewhichsuggeststhatitisworthanymoney，hemadeaformalproposaltobeallowedtohavethehonourandpleasureofregardingherasamemberofhisfamily。MrsGeneralconcededthathighprivilege，andhereshewas。
Inperson，MrsGeneral，includingherskirtswhichhadmuchtodowithit，wasofadignifiedandimposingappearance；ample，rustling，gravelyvoluminous；alwaysuprightbehindtheproprieties。Shemighthavebeentaken——hadbeentaken——tothetopoftheAlpsandthebottomofHerculaneum，withoutdisarrangingafoldinherdress，ordisplacingapin。Ifhercountenanceandhairhadratheraflouryappearance，asthoughfromlivinginsometranscendentlygenteelMill，itwasratherbecauseshewasachalkycreationaltogether，thanbecauseshemendedhercomplexionwithvioletpowder，orhadturnedgrey。Ifhereyeshadnoexpression，itwasprobablybecausetheyhadnothingtoexpress。Ifshehadfewwrinkles，itwasbecausehermindhadnevertraceditsnameoranyotherinscriptiononherface。Acool，waxy，blown-outwoman，whohadneverlightedwell。
MrsGeneralhadnoopinions。Herwayofformingamindwastopreventitfromformingopinions。Shehadalittlecircularsetofmentalgroovesorrailsonwhichshestartedlittletrainsofotherpeople’sopinions，whichneverovertookoneanother，andnevergotanywhere。Evenherproprietycouldnotdisputethattherewasimproprietyintheworld；butMrsGeneral’swayofgettingridofitwastoputitoutofsight，andmakebelievethattherewasnosuchthing。Thiswasanotherofherwaysofformingamind——tocramallarticlesofdifficultyintocupboards，lockthemup，andsaytheyhadnoexistence。Itwastheeasiestway，and，beyondallcomparison，theproperest。
MrsGeneralwasnottobetoldofanythingshocking。Accidents，miseries，andoffences，werenevertobementionedbeforeher。
PassionwastogotosleepinthepresenceofMrsGeneral，andbloodwastochangetomilkandwater。Thelittlethatwasleftintheworld，whenallthesedeductionsweremade，itwasMrsGeneral’sprovincetovarnish。Inthatformationprocessofhers，shedippedthesmallestofbrushesintothelargestofpots，andvarnishedthesurfaceofeveryobjectthatcameunderconsideration。Themorecrackeditwas，themoreMrsGeneralvarnishedit。
TherewasvarnishinMrsGeneral’svoice，varnishinMrsGeneral’stouch，anatmosphereofvarnishroundMrsGeneral’sfigure。MrsGeneral’sdreamsoughttohavebeenvarnished——ifshehadany——
lyingasleepinthearmsofthegoodSaintBernard，withthefeatherysnowfallingonhishouse-top。
OntheRoadThebrightmorningsundazzledtheeyes，thesnowhadceased，themistshadvanished，themountainairwassoclearandlightthatthenewsensationofbreathingitwaslikethehavingenteredonanewexistence。Tohelpthedelusion，thesolidgrounditselfseemedgone，andthemountain，ashiningwasteofimmensewhiteheapsandmasses，tobearegionofcloudfloatingbetweentheblueskyaboveandtheearthfarbelow。
Somedarkspecksinthesnow，likeknotsuponalittlethread，beginningattheconventdoorandwindingawaydownthedescentinbrokenlengthswhichwerenotyetpiecedtogether，showedwheretheBrethrenwereatworkinseveralplacesclearingthetrack。
Alreadythesnowhadbeguntobefoot-thawedagainaboutthedoor。
Muleswerebusilybroughtout，tiedtotheringsinthewall，andladen；stringsofbellswerebuckledon，burdenswereadjusted，thevoicesofdriversandriderssoundedmusically。Someoftheearliesthadevenalreadyresumedtheirjourney；and，bothonthelevelsummitbythedarkwaterneartheconvent，andonthedownwardwayofyesterday’sascent，littlemovingfiguresofmenandmules，reducedtominiaturesbytheimmensityaround，wentwithacleartinklingofbellsandapleasantharmonyoftongues。
Inthesupper-roomoflastnight，anewfire，pileduponthefeatheryashesoftheoldone，shoneuponahomelybreakfastofloaves，butter，andmilk。ItalsoshoneonthecourieroftheDorritfamily，makingteaforhispartyfromasupplyhehadbroughtupwithhim，togetherwithseveralothersmallstoreswhichwerechieflylaidinfortheuseofthestrongbodyofinconvenience。MrGowanandBlandoisofParishadalreadybreakfasted，andwerewalkingupanddownbythelake，smokingtheircigars。
’Gowan，eh？’mutteredTip，otherwiseEdwardDorrit，Esquire，turningovertheleavesofthebook，whenthecourierhadleftthemtobreakfast。’ThenGowanisthenameofapuppy，that’sallI
havegottosay!Ifitwasworthmywhile，I’dpullhisnose。Butitisn’tworthmywhile——fortunatelyforhim。How’shiswife，Amy？
Isupposeyouknow。Yougenerallyknowthingsofthatsort。’
’Sheisbetter，Edward。Buttheyarenotgoingto-day。’
’Oh!Theyarenotgoingto-day!Fortunatelyforthatfellowtoo，’
saidTip，’orheandImighthavecomeintocollision。’
’Itisthoughtbetterherethatsheshouldliequietto-day，andnotbefatiguedandshakenbytheridedownuntilto-morrow。’
’Withallmyheart。Butyoutalkasifyouhadbeennursingher。
Youhaven’tbeenrelapsingintoMrsGeneralisnothereintooldhabits，haveyou，Amy？’
HeaskedherthequestionwithaslyglanceofobservationatMissFanny，andathisfathertoo。
’IhaveonlybeenintoaskherifIcoulddoanythingforher，Tip，’saidLittleDorrit。
’Youneedn’tcallmeTip，Amychild，’returnedthatyounggentlemanwithafrown；’becausethat’sanoldhabit，andoneyoumayaswelllayaside。’
’Ididn’tmeantosayso，Edwarddear。Iforgot。Itwassonaturalonce，thatitseemedatthemomenttherightword。’
’Ohyes!’MissFannystruckin。’Natural，andrightword，andonce，andalltherestofit!Nonsense，youlittlething!IknowperfectlywellwhyyouhavebeentakingsuchaninterestinthisMrsGowan。Youcan’tblindme。’
’Iwillnottryto，Fanny。Don’tbeangry。’