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deigning to answer； or not knowing what to answer； summoned Mr Tinkler
into his presence。
'Mrs General。'
Mr Tinkler； unused to receive such short orders in connection with the
fair varnisher； paused。 Mr Dorrit； seeing the whole Marshalsea and all
its testimonials in the pause； instantly flew at him with； 'How dare
you； sir？ What do you mean？'
'I beg your pardon； sir；' pleaded Mr Tinkler； 'I was wishful to know……'
'You wished to know nothing； sir；' cried Mr Dorrit； highly flushed。
'Don't tell me you did。 Ha。 You didn't。 You are guilty of mockery； sir。'
'I assure you； sir……' Mr Tinkler began。
'Don't assure me！' said Mr Dorrit。 'I will not be assured by a
domestic。 You are guilty of mockery。 You shall leave me……hum……the whole
establishment shall leave me。 What are you waiting for？'
'Only for my orders； sir。'
'It's false；' said Mr Dorrit； 'you have your orders。 Ha……hum。 MY
pliments to Mrs General； and I beg the favour of her ing to me； if
quite convenient； for a few minutes。 Those are your orders。'
In his execution of this mission； Mr Tinkler perhaps expressed that Mr
Dorrit was in a raging fume。 However that was； Mrs General's skirts were
very speedily heard outside； ing along……one might almost have said
bouncing along……with unusual expedition。 Albeit； they settled down at
the door and swept into the room with their customary coolness。
'Mrs General；' said Mr Dorrit； 'take a chair。'
Mrs General； with a graceful curve of acknowledgment； descended into the
chair which Mr Dorrit offered。
'Madam；' pursued that gentleman； 'as you have had the kindness to
undertake the……hum……formation of my daughters； and as I am persuaded
that nothing nearly affecting them can……ha……be indifferent to you……'
'Wholly impossible；' said Mrs General in the calmest of ways。
'……I therefore wish to announce to you； madam； that my daughter now
present……'
Mrs General made a slight inclination of her head to Fanny； who made
a very low inclination of her head to Mrs General； and came loftily
upright again。
'……That my daughter Fanny is……ha……contracted to be married to Mr
Sparkler； ； you will be
relieved of half your difficult charge……ha……difficult charge。' Mr
Dorrit repeated it with his angry eye on Fanny。 'But not； I hope； to
the……hum……diminution of any other portion； direct or indirect； of the
footing you have at present the kindness to occupy in my family。'
'Mr Dorrit；' returned Mrs General； with her gloved hands resting on
one another in exemplary repose； 'is ever considerate； and ever but too
appreciative of my friendly services。'
（Miss Fanny coughed； as much as to say； 'You are right。'）
'Miss Dorrit has no doubt exercised the soundest discretion of which
the circumstances admitted； and I trust will allow me to offer her my
sincere congratulations。 When free from the trammels of passion；' Mrs
General closed her eyes at the word； as if she could not utter it； and
see anybody； 'when occurring with the approbation of near relatives；
and when cementing the proud structure of a family edifice； these are
usually auspicious events。
I trust Miss Dorrit will allow me to offer her my best congratulations。'
Here Mrs General stopped； and added internally； for the setting of her
face； 'Papa； potatoes； poultry； Prunes； and prism。'
'Mr Dorrit；' she superadded aloud； 'is ever most obliging； and for
the attention； and I will add distinction； of having this confidence
imparted to me by himself and Miss Dorrit at this early time； I beg to
offer the tribute of my thanks。 My thanks； and my congratulations； are
equally the meed of Mr Dorrit and of Miss Dorrit。'
'To me；' observed Miss Fanny； 'they are excessively
gratifying……inexpressibly so。 The relief of finding that you have no
objection to make； Mrs General； quite takes a load off my mind； I am
sure。 I hardly know what I should have done；' said Fanny； 'if you had
interposed any objection； Mrs General。'
Mrs General changed her gloves； as to the right glove being uppermost
and the left undermost； with a Prunes and Prism smile。
'To preserve your approbation； Mrs General；' said Fanny； returning the
smile with one in which there was no trace of those ingredients； 'will
of course be the highest object of my married life； to lose it； would of
course be perfect wretchedness。 I am sure your great kindness will
not object； and I hope papa will not object； to my correcting a
small mistake you have made； however。 The best of us are so liable to
mistakes； that even you； Mrs General； have fallen into a little error。
The attention and distinction you have so impressively mentioned； Mrs
General； as attaching to this confidence； are； I have no doubt； of the
most plimentary and gratifying description； but they don't at all
proceed from me。 The merit of having consulted you on the subject would
have been so great in me； that I feel I must not lay claim to it when it
really is not mine。 It is wholly papa's。 I am deeply obliged to you for
your encouragement and patronage； but it was papa who asked for it。
I have to thank you； Mrs General； for relieving my breast of a great
weight by so handsomely giving your consent to my engagement； but you
have really nothing to thank me for。 I hope you will always approve of
my proceedings after I have left home and that my sister also may long
remain the favoured object of your condescension； Mrs General。'
With this address； which was delivered in her politest manner； Fanny
left the room with an elegant and cheerful air……to tear up…stairs with
a flushed face as soon as she was out of hearing； pounce in upon her
sister； call her a little Dormouse； shake her for the better opening of
her eyes； tell her what had passed below； and ask her what she thought
of Pa now？
Towards Mrs Merdle； the young lady ported herself with great
independence and self…possession； but not as yet with any more decided
opening of hostilities。 Occasionally they had a slight skirmish； as when
Fanny considered herself patted on the back by that lady； or as when Mrs
Merdle looked particularly young and well； but Mrs Merdle always soon
terminated those passages of arms by sinking among her cushions with the
gracefullest indifference； and finding her attention otherwise engaged。
Society （for that mysterious creature sat upon the Seven Hills too）
found Miss Fanny vastly improved by her engagement。 She was much more
accessible； much more free and engaging； much less exacting； insomuch
that she now entertained a host of followers and admirers； to the bitter
indignation of ladies with daughters to marry； who were to be regarded
as Having revolted from Society on the Miss Dorrit grievance； and
erected a rebellious standard。 Enjoying the flutter she caused。 Miss
Dorrit not only haughtily moved through it in her own proper person； but
haughtily； even Ostentatiously； led Mr Sparkler through it too： seeming
to say to them all； 'If I think proper to march among you in triumphal
procession attended by this weak captive in bonds； rather than a
stronger one； that is my business。 Enough that I choose to do it！' Mr
Sparkler for his part； questioned nothing； but went wherever he was
taken； did whatever he was told； felt that for his bride…elect to be
distinguished was for him to be distinguished on the easiest terms； and
was truly grateful for being so openly acknowledged。
The winter passing on towards the spring while this condition of affairs
prevailed； it became necessary for Mr Sparkler to repair to England； and
take his appointed part in the expression and direction of its genius；
learning； merce； spirit； and sense。 The land of Shakespeare； Milton；
Bacon； Newton； Watt； the land of a host of past and present abstract
philosophers； natural philosophers； and subduers of Nature and Art in
their myriad forms； called to Mr Sparkler to e and take care of it；
lest it should perish。 Mr Sparkler； unable to resist the agonised cry
from the depths of his country's soul； declared that he must go。
It followed that the question was rendered pressing when； where； and
how Mr Sparkler should be married to the foremost girl in all this world
with no nonsense about her。 Its solution； after some little mystery and
secrecy； Miss Fanny herself announced to her sister。
'Now； my child；' said she； seeking her out one day； 'I am going to tell
you something。 It is only this moment broached； and naturally I hurry to
you the moment it IS broached。'
'Your marriage； Fanny？'
'My precious child；' said Fanny； 'don't anticipate me。 Let me impart my
confidence to you； you flurried little thing； in my own way。 As to your
guess； if I answered it literally； I should answer no。 For really it is
not my marriage that is in question； half as much as it is Edmund's。'
Little Dorrit looked； and perhaps not altogether without cause； somewhat
at a loss to understand this fine distinction。
'I am in no difficulty；' exclaimed Fanny； 'and in no hurry。 I am not
wanted at any public office； or to give any vote anywhere else。
But Edmund is。 And Edmund is deeply dejected at the idea of going away
by himself； and； indeed； I don't like that he should be trusted by
himself。 For； if it's possible……and it generally is……to do a foolish
thing； he is sure to do it。'
As she concluded this impartial summary of the reliance that might be
safely placed upon her future husband； she took off； with an air of
business； the bon she wore； and dangled it by its strings upon the
ground。
'It is far more Edmund's question； therefore； than mine。 However； we
need say no more about that。 That is self…evident on the face of it。
Well； my dearest Amy！ The point arising； is he to go by himself； or is
he not to go by himself； this other point arises； are we to be married
here and shortly； or are we to be married at home months hence？'
'I see I am going to lose you； Fanny。'
'What a little thing you are；' cried Fanny； half tolerant and half
impatient； 'for anticipating one！ Pray； my darling； hear me out。 That
woman；' she spoke of Mrs Merdle； of course； 'remains here until after
Easter； so； in the case of my being married here and going to London
with Edmund； I should have the start of her。 That is something。 Further；
Amy。 That woman being out of the way； I don't know that I greatly object
to Mr Merdle's proposal to Pa that Edmund and I should take up our abode
in that house……you know……where you once went with a dancer； my dear；
until our own house can be chosen and fitted up。 Further still； Amy。
Papa having always intended to go to town himself； in the spring；……you
see； if Edmund and I were married here； we might go off to Florence；
where papa might join us； and we might all three travel home together。
Mr Merdle has entreated Pa to stay with him in that same mansion I have
mentioned； and I suppose he will。 But he is master of his own actions；
and upon that point （which is not at all material） I can't speak
positively。' The difference between papa's being master of his own
actions and Mr Sparkler's being nothing of the sort； was forcibly
expressed by Fanny in her manner of stating the case。 Not that her
sister noticed it； for she was divided between regret at the ing
separation； and a lingering wish that she had been included in the plans
for visiting England。
'And these are the arrangements； Fanny dear？'
'Arrangements！' repeated Fanny。 'Now； really； child； you are a little
trying。 You know I particularly guarded myself against laying my words
open to any such construction。 What I said was； that certain questions
present themselves； and these are the questions。'
Little Dorrit's thoughtful eyes met hers； tenderly and quietly。
'Now； my own sweet girl；' said Fanny； weighing her bon by the strings
with considerable impatience； 'it's no use staring。 A little owl could
stare。 I look to you for advice； Amy。 What do you advise me to do？'
'Do you think；' asked Little Dorrit； persuasively； after a short
hesitation； 'do you think； Fanny； that if you were to put it off for a
few months； it might be； considering all things； best？'
'No； little Tortoise；' retorted Fanny； with exceeding sharpness。 'I
don't think anything of the kind。'
Here； she threw her bon from her altogether； and flounced into a
chair