Thewinterpassingontowardsthespringwhilethisconditionofaffairsprevailed，itbecamenecessaryforMrSparklertorepairtoEngland，andtakehisappointedpartintheexpressionanddirectionofitsgenius，learning，commerce，spirit，andsense。
ThelandofShakespeare，Milton，Bacon，Newton，Watt，thelandofahostofpastandpresentabstractphilosophers，naturalphilosophers，andsubduersofNatureandArtintheirmyriadforms，calledtoMrSparklertocomeandtakecareofit，lestitshouldperish。MrSparkler，unabletoresisttheagonisedcryfromthedepthsofhiscountry’ssoul，declaredthathemustgo。
Itfollowedthatthequestionwasrenderedpressingwhen，where，andhowMrSparklershouldbemarriedtotheforemostgirlinallthisworldwithnononsenseabouther。Itssolution，aftersomelittlemysteryandsecrecy，MissFannyherselfannouncedtohersister。
’Now，mychild，’saidshe，seekingheroutoneday，’Iamgoingtotellyousomething。Itisonlythismomentbroached；andnaturallyIhurrytoyouthemomentitISbroached。’
’Yourmarriage，Fanny？’
’Mypreciouschild，’saidFanny，’don’tanticipateme。Letmeimpartmyconfidencetoyou，youflurriedlittlething，inmyownway。Astoyourguess，ifIanswereditliterally，Ishouldanswerno。Forreallyitisnotmymarriagethatisinquestion，halfasmuchasitisEdmund’s。’
LittleDorritlooked，andperhapsnotaltogetherwithoutcause，somewhatatalosstounderstandthisfinedistinction。
’Iaminnodifficulty，’exclaimedFanny，’andinnohurry。Iamnotwantedatanypublicoffice，ortogiveanyvoteanywhereelse。
ButEdmundis。AndEdmundisdeeplydejectedattheideaofgoingawaybyhimself，and，indeed，Idon’tlikethatheshouldbetrustedbyhimself。For，ifit’spossible——anditgenerallyis——todoafoolishthing，heissuretodoit。’
Assheconcludedthisimpartialsummaryofthereliancethatmightbesafelyplaceduponherfuturehusband，shetookoff，withanairofbusiness，thebonnetshewore，anddangleditbyitsstringsupontheground。
’ItisfarmoreEdmund’squestion，therefore，thanmine。However，weneedsaynomoreaboutthat。Thatisself-evidentonthefaceofit。Well，mydearestAmy!Thepointarising，ishetogobyhimself，orishenottogobyhimself，thisotherpointarises，arewetobemarriedhereandshortly，orarewetobemarriedathomemonthshence？’
’IseeIamgoingtoloseyou，Fanny。’
’Whatalittlethingyouare，’criedFanny，halftolerantandhalfimpatient，’foranticipatingone!Pray，mydarling，hearmeout。
Thatwoman，’shespokeofMrsMerdle，ofcourse，’remainshereuntilafterEaster；so，inthecaseofmybeingmarriedhereandgoingtoLondonwithEdmund，Ishouldhavethestartofher。Thatissomething。Further，Amy。Thatwomanbeingoutoftheway，I
don’tknowthatIgreatlyobjecttoMrMerdle’sproposaltoPathatEdmundandIshouldtakeupourabodeinthathouse。youknow——
whereyouoncewentwithadancer，mydear，untilourownhousecanbechosenandfittedup。Furtherstill，Amy。Papahavingalwaysintendedtogototownhimself，inthespring，——yousee，ifEdmundandIweremarriedhere，wemightgoofftoFlorence，wherepapamightjoinus，andwemightallthreetravelhometogether。MrMerdlehasentreatedPatostaywithhiminthatsamemansionI
havementioned，andIsupposehewill。Butheismasterofhisownactions；anduponthatpointwhichisnotatallmaterialIcan’tspeakpositively。’
Thedifferencebetweenpapa’sbeingmasterofhisownactionsandMrSparkler’sbeingnothingofthesort，wasforciblyexpressedbyFannyinhermannerofstatingthecase。Notthathersisternoticedit；forshewasdividedbetweenregretatthecomingseparation，andalingeringwishthatshehadbeenincludedintheplansforvisitingEngland。
’Andthesearethearrangements，Fannydear？’
’Arrangements!’repeatedFanny。’Now，really，child，youarealittletrying。YouknowIparticularlyguardedmyselfagainstlayingmywordsopentoanysuchconstruction。WhatIsaidwas，thatcertainquestionspresentthemselves；andthesearethequestions。’
LittleDorrit’sthoughtfuleyesmethers，tenderlyandquietly。
’Now，myownsweetgirl，’saidFanny，weighingherbonnetbythestringswithconsiderableimpatience，’it’snousestaring。A
littleowlcouldstare。Ilooktoyouforadvice，Amy。Whatdoyouadvisemetodo？’
’Doyouthink，’askedLittleDorrit，persuasively，afterashorthesitation，’doyouthink，Fanny，thatifyouweretoputitoffforafewmonths，itmightbe，consideringallthings，best？’
’No，littleTortoise，’retortedFanny，withexceedingsharpness。
’Idon’tthinkanythingofthekind。’
Here，shethrewherbonnetfromheraltogether，andflouncedintoachair。But，becomingaffectionatealmostimmediately，sheflouncedoutofitagain，andkneeleddownonthefloortotakehersister，chairandall，inherarms。
’Don’tsupposeIamhastyorunkind，darling，becauseIreallyamnot。Butyouaresuchalittleoddity!Youmakeonebiteyourheadoff，whenonewantstobesoothingbeyondeverything。Didn’tItellyou，youdearestbaby，thatEdmundcan’tbetrustedbyhimself？Anddon’tyouknowthathecan’t？’
’Yes，yes，Fanny。Yousaidso，Iknow。’
’Andyouknowit，Iknow，’retortedFanny。’Well，mypreciouschild!Ifheisnottobetrustedbyhimself，itfollows，I
suppose，thatIshouldgowithhim？’
’It——seemsso，love，’saidLittleDorrit。
’Therefore，havingheardthearrangementsthatarefeasibletocarryoutthatobject，amItounderstand，dearestAmy，thatonthewholeyouadvisemetomakethem？’
’It——seemsso，love，’saidLittleDorritagain。
’Verywell，’criedFannywithanairofresignation，’thenI
supposeitmustbedone!Icametoyou，mysweet，themomentIsawthedoubt，andthenecessityofdeciding。Ihavenowdecided。Soletitbe。’
Afteryieldingherselfup，inthispatternmanner，tosisterlyadviceandtheforceofcircumstances，Fannybecamequitebenignant：asonewhohadlaidherowninclinationsatthefeetofherdearestfriend，andfeltaglowofconscienceinhavingmadethesacrifice。’Afterall，myAmy，’shesaidtohersister，’youarethebestofsmallcreatures，andfullofgoodsense；andI
don’tknowwhatIshalleverdowithoutyou!’
Withwhichwordsshefoldedherinacloserembrace，andareallyfondone。
’NotthatIcontemplatedoingwithoutYou，Amy，byanymeans，forIhopeweshalleverbenexttoinseparable。Andnow，mypet，Iamgoingtogiveyouawordofadvice。WhenyouareleftaloneherewithMrsGeneral——’
’IamtobeleftaloneherewithMrsGeneral？’saidLittleDorrit，quietly。
’Why，ofcourse，myprecious，tillpapacomesback!UnlessyoucallEdwardcompany，whichhecertainlyisnot，evenwhenheishere，andstillmorecertainlyisnotwhenheisawayatNaplesorinSicily。Iwasgoingtosay——butyouaresuchabelovedlittleMarplotforputtingoneout——whenyouareleftaloneherewithMrsGeneral，Amy，don’tyouletherslideintoanysortofartfulunderstandingwithyouthatsheislookingafterPa，orthatPaislookingafterher。Shewillifshecan。Iknowherslymanneroffeelingherwaywiththoseglovesofhers。Butdon’tyoucomprehendheronanyaccount。AndifPashouldtellyouwhenhecomesback，thathehasitincontemplationtomakeMrsGeneralyourmamawhichisnotthelesslikelybecauseIamgoingaway，myadvicetoyouis，thatyousayatonce，“Papa，Ibegtoobjectmoststrongly。Fannycautionedmeaboutthis，andsheobjected，andIobject。“Idon’tmeantosaythatanyobjectionfromyou，Amy，islikelytobeofthesmallesteffect，orthatIthinkyoulikelytomakeitwithanydegreeoffirmness。Butthereisaprincipleinvolved——afilialprinciple——andIimploreyounottosubmittobemother-in-lawedbyMrsGeneral，withoutassertingitinmakingeveryoneaboutyouasuncomfortableaspossible。I
don’texpectyoutostandbyit——indeed，Iknowyouwon’t，Pabeingconcerned——butIwishtorouseyoutoasenseofduty。Astoanyhelpfromme，orastoanyoppositionthatIcanoffertosuchamatch，youshallnotbeleftinthelurch，mylove。WhateverweightImayderivefrommypositionasamarriedgirlnotwhollydevoidofattractions——used，asthatpositionalwaysshallbe，toopposethatwoman——Iwillbringtobear，youMaydependuponit，ontheheadandfalsehairforIamconfidentit’snotallreal，uglyasitisandunlikelyasitappearsthatanyOneintheirSenseswouldgototheexpenseofbuyingitofMrsGeneral!’
LittleDorritreceivedthiscounselwithoutventuringtoopposeitbutwithoutgivingFannyanyreasontobelievethatsheintendedtoactuponit。Havingnow，asitwere，formallywounduphersinglelifeandarrangedherworldlyaffairs，Fannyproceededwithcharacteristicardourtopreparefortheseriouschangeinhercondition。
ThepreparationconsistedinthedespatchofhermaidtoParisundertheprotectionoftheCourier，forthepurchaseofthatoutfitforabrideonwhichitwouldbeextremelylow，inthepresentnarrative，tobestowanEnglishname，buttowhichonavulgarprincipleitobservesofadheringtothelanguageinwhichitprofessestobewrittenitdeclinestogiveaFrenchone。Therichandbeautifulwardrobepurchasedbytheseagents，inthecourseofafewweeksmadeitswaythroughtheinterveningcountry，bristlingwithcustom-houses，garrisonedbyanimmensearmyofshabbymendicantsinuniformwhoincessantlyrepeatedtheBeggar’sPetitionoverit，asifeveryindividualwarrioramongthemweretheancientBelisarius：andofwhomthereweresomanyLegions，thatunlesstheCourierhadexpendedjustonebushelandahalfofsilvermoneyrelievingtheirdistresses，theywouldhavewornthewardrobeoutbeforeitgottoRome，byturningitoverandover。
Throughallsuchdangers，however，itwastriumphantlybrought，inchbyinch，andarrivedatitsjourney’sendinfinecondition。
Thereitwasexhibitedtoselectcompaniesoffemaleviewers，inwhosegentlebosomsitawakenedimplacablefeelings。Concurrently，activepreparationsweremadeforthedayonwhichsomeofitstreasuresweretobepubliclydisplayed。Cardsofbreakfast-
invitationweresentouttohalftheEnglishinthecityofRomulus；theotherhalfmadearrangementstobeunderarms，ascriticisingvolunteers，atvariousouterpointsofthesolemnity。
ThemosthighandillustriousEnglishSignorEdgardoDorrit，camepostthroughthedeepmudandrutsfromformingasurfaceundertheimprovingNeapolitannobility，togracetheoccasion。Thebesthotelandallitsculinarymyrmidons，weresettoworktopreparethefeast。ThedraftsofMrDorritalmostconstitutedarunontheTorloniaBank。TheBritishConsulhadn’thadsuchamarriageinthewholeofhisConsularity。
Thedaycame，andtheShe-WolfintheCapitolmighthavesnarledwithenvytoseehowtheIslandSavagescontrivedthesethingsnow-