no one can deny。 And as to the question of clever or not clever； I doubt
very much whether a clever husband would be suitable to me。 I cannot
submit。 I should not be able to defer to him enough。'
'O； my dear Fanny！' expostulated Little Dorrit； upon whom a kind of
terror had been stealing as she perceived what her sister meant。 'If you
loved any one； all this feeling would change。 If you loved any one； you
would no more be yourself； but you would quite lose and forget yourself
in your devotion to him。 If you loved him； Fanny……' Fanny had stopped
the dabbing hand； and was looking at her fixedly。
'O； indeed！' cried Fanny。 'Really？ Bless me； how much some people know
of some subjects！ They say every one has a subject； and I certainly
seem to have hit upon yours； Amy。 There； you little thing； I was only in
fun；' dabbing her sister's forehead； 'but don't you be a silly puss；
and don't you think flightily and eloquently about degenerate
impossibilities。 There！ Now； I'll go back to myself。'
'Dear Fanny； let me say first； that I would far rather we worked for
a scanty living again than I would see you rich and married to Mr
Sparkler。'
'Let you say； my dear？' retorted Fanny。 'Why； of course； I will let you
say anything。 There is no constraint upon you； I hope。 We are together
to talk it over。 And as to marrying Mr Sparkler； I have not the
slightest intention of doing so to…night； my dear； or to…morrow morning
either。'
'But at some time？'
'At no time； for anything I know at present；' answered Fanny； with
indifference。 Then； suddenly changing her indifference into a burning
restlessness； she added； 'You talk about the clever men； you little
thing！ It's all very fine and easy to talk about the clever men； but
where are they？ I don't see them anywhere near me！'
'My dear Fanny； so short a time……'
'Short time or long time；' interrupted Fanny。 'I am impatient of our
situation。 I don't like our situation； and very little would induce
me to change it。 Other girls； differently reared and differently
circumstanced altogether； might wonder at what I say or may do。 Let
them。 They are driven by their lives and characters； I am driven by
mine。'
'Fanny； my dear Fanny； you knoake you the
wife of one very superior to Mr Sparkler。'
'Amy； my dear Amy；' retorted Fanny； parodying her words； 'I know that I
wish to have a more defined and distinct position； in which I can assert
myself with greater effect against that insolent woman。'
'Would you therefore……forgive my asking； Fanny……therefore marry her
son？'
'Why； perhaps；' said Fanny； with a triumphant smile。 'There may be many
less promising ways of arriving at an end than that； MY dear。 That piece
of insolence may think； now； that it would be a great success to get her
son off upon me； and shelve me。 But； perhaps； she little thinks how I
would retort upon her if I married her son。
I would oppose her in everything； and pete with her。 I would make it
the business of my life。'
Fanny set down the bottle when she came to this； and walked about the
room； always stopping and standing still while she spoke。
'One thing I could certainly do； my child： I could make her older。 And I
would！'
This was followed by another walk。
'I would talk of her as an old woman。 I would pretend to know……if I
didn't； but I should from her son……all about her age。 And she should
hear me say； Amy： affectionately； quite dutifully and affectionately：
how well she looked； considering her time of life。 I could make her seem
older at once； by being myself so much younger。 I may not be as handsome
as she is； I am not a fair judge of that question； I suppose； but I know
I am handsome enough to be a thorn in her side。 And I would be！'
'My dear sister； would you condemn yourself to an unhappy life for
this？'
'It wouldn't be an unhappy life； Amy。 It would be the life I am fitted
for。 Whether by disposition； or whether by circumstances； is no matter；
I am better fitted for such a life than for almost any other。'
There was something of a desolate tone in those words； but； with a
short proud laugh she took another walk； and after passing a great
looking…glass came to another stop。
'Figure！ Figure； Amy！ Well。 The woman has a good figure。 I will give her
her due； and not deny it。 But is it so far beyond all others that it is
altogether unapproachable？ Upon my word； I am not so sure of it。 Give
some much younger woman the latitude as to dress that she has； being
married； and we would see about that； my dear！'
Something in the thought that was agreeable and flattering； brought her
back to her seat in a gayer temper。 She took her sister's hands in hers；
and clapped all four hands above her head as she looked in her sister's
face laughing：
'And the dancer； Amy； that she has quite forgotten……the dancer who bore
no sort of resemblance to me； and of whom I never remind her； oh dear
no！……should dance through her life； and dance in her way； to such a tune
as would disturb her insolent placidity a little。 Just a little； my dear
Amy； just a little！'
Meeting an earnest and imploring look in Amy's face； she brought the
four hands down； and laid only one on Amy's lips。
'Now； don't argue with me； child；' she said in a sterner way； 'because
it is of no use。 I understand these subjects much better than you do。 I
have not nearly made up my mind； but it may be。 Now we have talked this
over fortably； and may go to bed。 You best and dearest little mouse；
Good night！' With those words Fanny weighed her Anchor； and……having
taken so much advice……left off being advised for that occasion。
Thenceforward； Amy observed Mr Sparkler's treatment by his enslaver；
with new reasons for attaching importance to all that passed between
them。 There were times when Fanny appeared quite unable to endure his
mental feebleness； and when she became so sharply impatient of it that
she would all but dismiss him for good。 There were other times when she
got on much better with him； when he amused her； and when her sense of
superiority seemed to counterbalance that opposite side of the scale。 If
Mr Sparkler had been other than the faithfullest and most submissive of
swains； he was sufficiently hard pressed to have fled from the scene of
his trials； and have set at least the whole distance from Rome to London
between himself and his enchantress。 But he had no greater will of his
own than a boat has when it is towed by a steam…ship； and he followed
his cruel mistress through rough and smooth； on equally strong
pulsion。
Mrs Merdle； during these passages； said little to Fanny； but said
more about her。 She was； as it were； forced to look at her through her
eye…glass； and in general conversation to allow mendations of her
beauty to be wrung from her by its irresistible demands。 The defiant
character it assumed when Fanny heard these extollings （as it generally
happened that she did）； was not expressive of concessions to the
impartial bosom； but the utmost revenge the bosom took was； to say
audibly； 'A spoilt beauty……but with that face and shape； who could
wonder？'
It might have been about a month or six weeks after the night of the
new advice； when Little Dorrit began to think she detected some new
understanding between Mr Sparkler and Fanny。 Mr Sparkler； as if in
attendance to some pact； scarcely ever spoke without first looking
towards Fanny for leave。 That young lady was too discreet ever to look
back again； but； if Mr Sparkler had permission to speak； she remained
silent； if he had not； she herself spoke。 Moreover； it became plain
whenever Henry Gowan attempted to perform the friendly office of drawing
him out； that he was not to be drawn。 And not only that； but Fanny would
presently； without any pointed application in the world； chance to say
something with such a sting in it that Gowan would draw back as if he
had put his hand into a bee…hive。
There was yet another circumstance which went a long way to confirm
Little Dorrit in her fears； though it was not a great circumstance
in itself。 Mr Sparkler's demeanour towards herself changed。 It became
fraternal。 Sometimes； when she was in the outer circle of assemblies……at
their own residence； at Mrs Merdle's； or elsewhere……she would find
herself stealthily supported round the waist by Mr Sparkler's arm。 Mr
Sparkler never offered the slightest explanation of this attention；
but merely smiled with an air of blundering； contented； good…natured
proprietorship； which； in so heavy a gentleman； was ominously
expressive。
Little Dorrit was at home one day； thinking about Fanny with a heavy
heart。 They had a room at one end of their drawing…room suite； nearly
all irregular bay…window； projecting over the street； and manding
all the picturesque life and variety of the Corso； both up and down。 At
three or four o'clock in the afternoon； English time； the view from this
window was very bright and peculiar； and Little Dorrit used to sit
and muse here； much as she had been used to while away the time in her
balcony at Venice。 Seated thus one day； she was softly touched on the
shoulder； and Fanny said； 'Well； Amy dear；' and took her seat at her
side。 Their seat was a part of the window； when there was anything in
the way of a procession going on； they used to have bright draperies
hung out of the window； and used to kneel or sit on this seat； and look
out at it； leaning on the brilliant colour。 But there was no procession
that day； and Little Dorrit was rather surprised by Fanny's being at
home at that hour； as she was generally out on horseback then。
'Well； Amy；' said Fanny； 'what are you thinking of； little one？' 'I was
thinking of you； Fanny。'
'No？ What a coincidence！ I declare here's some one else。 You were not
thinking of this some one else too； were you； Amy？'
Amy HAD been thinking of this some one else too； for it was Mr Sparkler。
She did not say so； however； as she gave him her hand。 Mr Sparkler
came and sat down on the other side of her； and she felt the fraternal
railing e behind her； and apparently stretch on to include Fanny。
'Well； my little sister；' said Fanny with a sigh； 'I suppose you know
what this means？'
'She's as beautiful as she's doated on；' stammered Mr Sparkler……'and
there's no nonsense about her……it's arranged……'
'You needn't explain； Edmund；' said Fanny。
'No； my love；' said Mr Sparkler。
'In short； pet；' proceeded Fanny； 'on the whole； we are engaged。 We
must tell papa about it either to…night or to…morrow； according to the
opportunities。 Then it's done； and very little more need be said。'
'My dear Fanny；' said Mr Sparkler； with deference； 'I should like to say
a word to Amy。'
'Well； well！ Say it for goodness' sake；' returned the young lady。
'I am convinced； my dear Amy；' said Mr Sparkler； 'that if ever there
was a girl； next to your highly endowed and beautiful sister； who had no
nonsense about her……'
'We know all about that； Edmund；' interposed Miss Fanny。 'Never mind
that。 Pray go on to something else besides our having no nonsense about
us。'
'Yes； my love；' said Mr Sparkler。 'And I assure you； Amy； that nothing
can be a greater happiness to myself； myself……next to the happiness of
being so highly honoure