ascendant all day……everything having been surface and varnish and show
without substance……Little Dorrit looked as if she had hoped that Mrs
General was safely tucked up in bed for some hours。
'Now； can you guess； Amy？' said Fanny。
'No； dear。 Unless I have done anything；' said Little Dorrit； rather
alarmed； and meaning anything calculated to crack varnish and ruffle
surface。
Fanny was so very much amused by the misgiving； that she took up her
favourite fan （being then seated at her dressing…table with her armoury
of cruel instruments about her； most of them reeking from the heart
of Sparkler）； and tapped her sister frequently on the nose with it；
laughing all the time。
'Oh； our Amy； our Amy！' said Fanny。 'What a timid little goose our Amy
is！ But this is nothing to laugh at。 On the contrary； I am very cross；
my dear。'
'As it is not with me； Fanny； I don't mind；' returned her sister；
smiling。
'Ah！ But I do mind；' said Fanny； 'and so will you； Pet； when I enlighten
you。 Amy； has it never struck you that somebody is monstrously polite to
Mrs General？'
'Everybody is polite to Mrs General；' said Little Dorrit。 'Because……'
'Because she freezes them into it？' interrupted Fanny。 'I don't mean
that； quite different from that。 e！ Has it never struck you； Amy；
that Pa is monstrously polite to Mrs General。'
Amy； murmuring 'No；' looked quite confounded。 'No； I dare say not。 But
he is；' said Fanny。 'He is； Amy。 And remember my words。 Mrs General has
designs on Pa！'
'Dear Fanny； do you think it possible that Mrs General has designs on
any one？'
'Do I think it possible？' retorted Fanny。 'My love； I know it。 I tell
you she has designs on Pa。 And more than that； I tell you Pa considers
her such a wonder； such a paragon of acplishment； and such an
acquisition to our family； that he is ready to get himself into a state
of perfect infatuation with her at any moment。 And that opens a pretty
picture of things； I hope？ Think of me with Mrs General for a Mama！'
Little Dorrit did not reply； 'Think of me with Mrs General for a Mama；'
but she looked anxious； and seriously inquired what had led Fanny to
these conclusions。
'Lord； my darling；' said Fanny； tartly。 'You might as well ask me how
I know when a man is struck with myself！ But； of course I do know。 It
happens pretty often： but I always know it。 I know this in much the same
way； I suppose。 At all events； I know it。'
'You never heard Papa say anything？'
'Say anything？' repeated Fanny。 'My dearest； darling child； what
necessity has he had； yet awhile； to say anything？'
'And you have never heard Mrs General say anything？' 'My goodness me；
Amy；' returned Fanny； 'is she the sort of woman to say anything？ Isn't
it perfectly plain and clear that she has nothing to do at present but
to hold herself upright； keep her aggravating gloves on； and go sweeping
about？ Say anything！ If she had the ace of trumps in her hand at whist；
she wouldn't say anything； child。 It would e out when she played it。'
'At least； you may be mistaken； Fanny。 Now； may you not？'
'O yes； I MAY be；' said Fanny； 'but I am not。 However； I am glad you
can contemplate such an escape； my dear； and I am glad that you can take
this for the present with sufficient coolness to think of such a chance。
It makes me hope that you may be able to bear the connection。 I should
not be able to bear it； and I should not try。
I'd marry young Sparkler first。'
'O； you would never marry him； Fanny； under any circumstances。'
'Upon my word； my dear；' rejoined that young lady with exceeding
indifference； 'I wouldn't positively answer even for that。 There's
no knowing what might happen。 Especially as I should have many
opportunities； afterwards； of treating that woman； his mother； in her
own style。 Which I most decidedly should not be slow to avail myself of；
Amy。'
No more passed between the sisters then； but what had passed gave the
two subjects of Mrs General and Mr Sparkler great prominence in Little
Dorrit's mind； and thenceforth she thought very much of both。
Mrs General； having long ago formed her own surface to such perfection
that it hid whatever was below it （if anything）； no observation was to
be made in that quarter。 Mr Dorrit was undeniably very polite to her
and had a high opinion of her； but Fanny； impetuous at most times； might
easily be wrong for all that。
Whereas； the Sparkler question was on the different footing that any one
could see what was going on there； and Little Dorrit saw it and pondered
on it with many doubts and wonderings。
The devotion of Mr Sparkler was only to be equalled by the caprice
and cruelty of his enslaver。 Sometimes she would prefer him to such
distinction of notice； that he would chuckle aloud with joy； next day；
or next hour； she would overlook him so pletely； and drop him into
such an abyss of obscurity； that he would groan under a weak pretence of
coughing。 The constancy of his attendance never touched Fanny： though he
was so inseparable from Edward； that； when that gentleman wished for
a change of society； he was under the irksome necessity of gliding out
like a conspirator in disguised boats and by secret doors and back ways；
though he was so solicitous to know how Mr Dorrit was； that he called
every other day to inquire； as if Mr Dorrit were the prey of an
intermittent fever； though he was so constantly being paddled up and
down before the principal windows； that he might have been supposed to
have made a wager for a large stake to be paddled a thousand miles in
a thousand hours； though whenever the gondola of his mistress left the
gate； the gondola of Mr Sparkler shot out from some watery ambush
and gave chase； as if she were a fair smuggler and he a custom…house
officer。 It was probably owing to this fortification of the natural
strength of his constitution with so much exposure to the air； and the
salt sea； that Mr Sparkler did not pine outwardly； but； whatever the
cause； he was so far from having any prospect of moving his mistress by
a languishing state of health； that he grew bluffer every day； and that
peculiarity in his appearance of seeming rather a swelled boy than
a young man； became developed to an extraordinary degree of ruddy
puffiness。
Blandois calling to pay his respects； Mr Dorrit received him with
affability as the friend of Mr Gowan； and mentioned to him his idea of
missioning Mr Gowan to transmit him to posterity。 Blandois highly
extolling it； it occurred to Mr Dorrit that it might be agreeable to
Blandois to municate to his friend the great opportunity reserved
for him。 Blandois accepted the mission with his own free elegance of
manner； and swore he would discharge it before he was an hour older。 On
his imparting the news to Gowan； that Master gave Mr Dorrit to the
Devil with great liberality some round dozen of times （for he resented
patronage almost as much as he resented the want of it）； and was
inclined to quarrel with his friend for bringing him the message。
'It may be a defect in my mental vision； Blandois；' said he； 'but may I
die if I see what you have to do with this。'
'Death of my life；' replied Blandois； 'nor I neither； except that I
thought I was serving my friend。'
'By putting an upstart's hire in his pocket？' said Gowan； frowning。
'Do you mean that？ Tell your other friend to get his head painted for
the sign of some public…house； and to get it done by a sign…painter。 Who
am I； and who is he？'
'Professore；' returned the ambassador； 'and who is Blandois？'
Without appearing at all interested in the latter question； Gowan
angrily whistled Mr Dorrit away。 But； next day； he resumed the subject
by saying in his off…hand manner and with a slighting laugh； 'Well；
Blandois； when shall we go to this Maecenas of yours？
We journeymen must take jobs when we can get them。 When shall we go and
look after this job？' 'When you will；' said the injured Blandois； 'as
you please。 What have I to do with it？ What is it to me？'
'I can tell you what it is to me；' said Gowan。 'Bread and cheese。 One
must eat！ So e along； my Blandois。'
Mr Dorrit received them in the presence of his daughters and of Mr
Sparkler； who happened； by some surprising accident； to be calling
there。 'How are you； Sparkler？' said Gowan carelessly。 'When you have
to live by your mother wit； old boy； I hope you may get on better than I
do。'
Mr Dorrit then mentioned his proposal。 'Sir；' said Gowan； laughing；
after receiving it gracefully enough； 'I am new to the trade； and not
expert at its mysteries。 I believe I ought to look at you in various
lights； tell you you are a capital subject； and consider when I shall be
sufficiently disengaged to devote myself with the necessary enthusiasm
to the fine picture I mean to make of you。 I assure you；' and he laughed
again； 'I feel quite a traitor in the camp of those dear； gifted； good；
noble fellows； my brother artists； by not doing the hocus…pocus better。
But I have not been brought up to it； and it's too late to learn it。
Now； the fact is； I am a very bad painter； but not much worse than the
generality。 If you are going to throw away a hundred guineas or so； I
am as poor as a poor relation of great people usually is； and I shall be
very much obliged to you； if you'll throw them away upon me。 I'll do the
best I can for the money； and if the best should be bad； why even then；
you may probably have a bad picture with a small name to it； instead of
a bad picture with a large name to it。'
This tone； though not what he had expected； on the whole suited Mr
Dorrit remarkably well。 It showed that the gentleman； highly connected；
and not a mere workman； would be under an obligation to him。 He
expressed his satisfaction in placing himself in Mr Gowan's hands； and
trusted that he would have the pleasure； in their characters of private
gentlemen； of improving his acquaintance。
'You are very good；' said Gowan。 'I have not forsworn society since I
joined the brotherhood of the brush （the most delightful fellows on the
face of the earth）； and am glad enough to smell the old fine gunpowder
now and then； though it did blow me into mid…air and my present calling。
You'll not think； Mr Dorrit；' and here he laughed again in the easiest
way； 'that I am lapsing into the freemasonry of the craft……for it's not
so； upon my life I can't help betraying it wherever I go； though； by
Jupiter； I love and honour the craft with all my might……if I propose a
stipulation as to time and place？'
Ha！ Mr Dorrit could erect no……hum……suspicion of that kind on Mr Gowan's
frankness。
'Again you are very good；' said Gowan。 'Mr Dorrit； I hear you are going
to Rome。 I am going to Rome； having friends there。 Let me begin to do
you the injustice I have conspired to do you； there……not here。 We shall
all be hurried during the rest of our stay here； and though there's not
a poorer man with whole elbows in Venice； than myself； I have not quite
got all the Amateur out of me yet……prising the trade again； you
see！……and can't fall on to order； in a hurry； for the mere sake of the
sixpences。' These remarks were not less favourably received by Mr Dorrit
than their predecessors。 They were the prelude to the first reception of