’MissDorrit，’saidMrsMerdle，afterfrostilylookingatherthroughherglass，’preciselywhatIwasonthepointoftellingyoursister，inpursuanceofyourrequest。Muchobligedtoyouforrecallingitsoaccuratelyandanticipatingme。Iimmediately，’
　　addressingLittleDorrit，’forIamthecreatureofimpulse，tookabraceletfrommyarm，andbeggedyoursistertoletmeclaspitonhers，intokenofthedelightIhadinourbeingabletoapproachthesubjectsofaronacommonfooting。’Thiswasperfectlytrue，theladyhavingboughtacheapandshowyarticleonherwaytotheinterview，withageneraleyetobribery。
　　’AndItoldyou，MrsMerdle，’saidFanny，’thatwemightbeunfortunate，butwearenotcommon。’
　　’Ithink，theverywords，MissDorrit，’assentedMrsMerdle。
　　’AndItoldyou，MrsMerdle，’saidFanny，’thatifyouspoketomeofthesuperiorityofyourson’sstandinginSociety，itwasbarelypossiblethatyouratherdeceivedyourselfinyoursuppositionsaboutmyorigin；andthatmyfather’sstanding，evenintheSocietyinwhichhenowmovedwhatthatwas，wasbestknowntomyself，waseminentlysuperior，andwasacknowledgedbyeveryone。’
　　’Quiteaccurate，’rejoinedMrsMerdle。’Amostadmirablememory。’
　　’Thankyou，ma’am。Perhapsyouwillbesokindastotellmysistertherest。’
　　’Thereisverylittletotell，’saidMrsMerdle，reviewingthebreadthofbosomwhichseemedessentialtoherhavingroomenoughtobeunfeelingin，’butitistoyoursister’scredit。Ipointedouttoyoursistertheplainstateofthecase；theimpossibilityoftheSocietyinwhichwemovedrecognisingtheSocietyinwhichshemoved——thoughcharming，Ihavenodoubt；theimmensedisadvantageatwhichshewouldconsequentlyplacethefamilyshehadsohighanopinionof，uponwhichweshouldfindourselvescompelledtolookdownwithcontempt，andfromwhichsociallyspeakingweshouldfeelobligedtorecoilwithabhorrence。Inshort，Imadeanappealtothatlaudableprideinyoursister。’
　　’Letmysisterknow，ifyouplease，MrsMerdle，’Fannypouted，withatossofhergauzybonnet，’thatIhadalreadyhadthehonouroftellingyoursonthatIwishedtohavenothingwhatevertosaytohim。’
　　’Well，MissDorrit，’assentedMrsMerdle，’perhapsImighthavementionedthatbefore。IfIdidnotthinkofit，perhapsitwasbecausemymindrevertedtotheapprehensionsIhadatthetimethathemightpersevereandyoumighthavesomethingtosaytohim。
　　Ialsomentionedtoyoursister——Iagainaddressthenon-
　　professionalMissDorrit——thatmysonwouldhavenothingintheeventofsuchamarriage，andwouldbeanabsolutebeggar。I
　　mentionthatmerelyasafactwhichispartofthenarrative，andnotassupposingittohaveinfluencedyoursister，exceptintheprudentandlegitimatewayinwhich，constitutedasourartificialsystemis，wemustallbeinfluencedbysuchconsiderations。
　　Finally，aftersomehighwordsandhighspiritonthepartofyoursister，wecametothecompleteunderstandingthattherewasnodanger；andyoursisterwassoobligingastoallowmetopresentherwithamarkortwoofmyappreciationatmydressmaker’s。’
　　LittleDorritlookedsorry，andglancedatFannywithatroubledface。
　　’Also，’saidMrsMerdle，’astopromisetogivemethepresentpleasureofaclosinginterview，andofpartingwithheronthebestofterms。Onwhichoccasion，’addedMrsMerdle，quittinghernest，andputtingsomethinginFanny’shand，’MissDorritwillpermitmetosayFarewellwithbestwishesinmyowndullmanner。’
　　Thesistersroseatthesametime，andtheyallstoodnearthecageoftheparrot，ashetoreataclaw-fullofbiscuitandspatitout，seemedtomockthemwithapompousdanceofhisbodywithoutmovinghisfeet，andsuddenlyturnedhimselfupsidedownandtrailedhimselfallovertheoutsideofhisgoldencage，withtheaidofhiscruelbeakandblacktongue。
　　’Adieu，MissDorrit，withbestwishes，’saidMrsMerdle。’IfwecouldonlycometoaMillennium，orsomethingofthatsort，IforonemighthavethepleasureofknowinganumberofcharmingandtalentedpersonsfromwhomIamatpresentexcluded。Amoreprimitivestateofsocietywouldbedelicioustome。ThereusedtobeapoemwhenIlearntlessons，somethingaboutLothepoorIndianswhosesomethingmind!IfafewthousandpersonsmovinginSociety，couldonlygoandbeIndians，Iwouldputmynamedowndirectly；butas，movinginSociety，wecan’tbeIndians，unfortunately——Goodmorning!’
　　Theycamedown-stairswithpowderbeforethemandpowderbehind，theeldersisterhaughtyandtheyoungersisterhumbled，andwereshutoutintounpowderedHarleyStreet，CavendishSquare。
　　’Well？’saidFanny，whentheyhadgonealittlewaywithoutspeaking。’Haveyounothingtosay，Amy？’
　　’Oh，Idon’tknowwhattosay!’sheanswered，distressed。’Youdidn’tlikethisyoungman，Fanny？’
　　’Likehim？Heisalmostanidiot。’
　　’Iamsosorry——don’tbehurt——but，sinceyouaskmewhatIhavetosay，Iamsoverysorry，Fanny，thatyousufferedthisladytogiveyouanything。’
　　’YoulittleFool!’returnedhersister，shakingherwiththesharppullshegaveherarm。’Haveyounospiritatall？Butthat’sjusttheway!Youhavenoself-respect，youhavenobecomingpride。justasyouallowyourselftobefollowedaboutbyacontemptiblelittleChiveryofathing，’withthescornfullestemphasis，’youwouldletyourfamilybetroddenon，andneverturn。’
　　’Don’tsaythat，dearFanny。IdowhatIcanforthem。’
　　’Youdowhatyoucanforthem!’repeatedFanny，walkingheronveryfast。’Wouldyouletawomanlikethis，whomyoucouldsee，ifyouhadanyexperienceofanything，tobeasfalseandinsolentasawomancanbe——wouldyouletherputherfootuponyourfamily，andthankherforit？’
　　’No，Fanny，Iamsure。’
　　’Thenmakeherpayforit，youmeanlittlething。Whatelsecanyoumakeherdo？Makeherpayforit，youstupidchild；anddoyourfamilysomecreditwiththemoney!’
　　TheyspokenomoreallthewaybacktothelodgingwhereFannyandherunclelived。Whentheyarrivedthere，theyfoundtheoldmanpractisinghisclarionetinthedolefullestmannerinacorneroftheroom。Fannyhadacompositemealtomake，ofchops，andporter，andtea；andindignantlypretendedtoprepareitforherself，thoughhersisterdidallthatinquietreality。WhenatlastFannysatdowntoeatanddrink，shethrewthetableimplementsaboutandwasangrywithherbread，muchasherfatherhadbeenlastnight。
　　’Ifyoudespiseme，’shesaid，burstingintovehementtears，’becauseIamadancer，whydidyouputmeinthewayofbeingone？
　　Itwasyourdoing。YouwouldhavemestoopaslowasthegroundbeforethisMrsMerdle，andlethersaywhatshelikedanddowhatsheliked，andholdusallincontempt，andtellmesotomyface。
　　BecauseIamadancer!’
　　’OFanny!’
　　’AndTip，too，poorfellow。Sheistodisparagehimjustasmuchasshelikes，withoutanycheck——Isupposebecausehehasbeeninthelaw，andthedocks，anddifferentthings。Why，itwasyourdoing，Amy。Youmightatleastapproveofhisbeingdefended。’
　　Allthistimetheunclewasdolefullyblowinghisclarionetinthecorner，sometimestakingitaninchorsofromhismouthforamomentwhilehestoppedtogazeatthem，withavagueimpressionthatsomebodyhadsaidsomething。
　　’Andyourfather，yourpoorfather，Amy。Becauseheisnotfreetoshowhimselfandtospeakforhimself，youwouldletsuchpeopleinsulthimwithimpunity。Ifyoudon’tfeelforyourselfbecauseyougoouttowork，youmightatleastfeelforhim，Ishouldthink，knowingwhathehasundergonesolong。’
　　PoorLittleDorritfelttheinjusticeofthistauntrathersharply。
　　Theremembranceoflastnightaddedabarbedpointtoit。Shesaidnothinginreply，butturnedherchairfromthetabletowardsthefire。Uncle，aftermakingonemorepause，blewadismalwailandwentonagain。
　　Fannywaspassionatewiththetea-cupsandthebreadaslongasherpassionlasted，andthenprotestedthatshewasthewretchedestgirlintheworld，andshewishedshewasdead。Afterthat，hercryingbecameremorseful，andshegotupandputherarmsroundhersister。LittleDorrittriedtostopherfromsayinganything，butsheansweredthatshewould，shemust!Thereuponshesaidagain，andagain，’Ibegyourpardon，Amy，’and’Forgiveme，Amy，’almostaspassionatelyasshehadsaidwhatsheregretted。
　　’Butindeed，indeed，Amy，’sheresumedwhentheywereseatedinsisterlyaccordsidebyside，’IhopeandIthinkyouwouldhaveseenthisdifferently，ifyouhadknownalittlemoreofSociety。’
　　’PerhapsImight，Fanny，’saidthemildLittleDorrit。
　　’Yousee，whileyouhavebeendomesticandresignedlyshutupthere，Amy，’pursuedhersister，graduallybeginningtopatronise，’Ihavebeenout，movingmoreinSociety，andmayhavebeengettingproudandspirited——morethanIoughttobe，perhaps？’
　　LittleDorritanswered’Yes。Oyes!’
　　’Andwhileyouhavebeenthinkingofthedinnerortheclothes，I
　　mayhavebeenthinking，youknow，ofthefamily。Now，mayitnotbeso，Amy？’
　　LittleDorritagainnodded’Yes，’withamorecheerfulfacethanheart。
　　’Especiallyasweknow，’saidFanny，’thattherecertainlyisatoneintheplacetowhichyouhavebeensotrue，whichdoesbelongtoit，andwhichdoesmakeitdifferentfromotheraspectsofSociety。Sokissmeonceagain，Amydear，andwewillagreethatwemaybothberight，andthatyouareatranquil，domestic，home-
　　loving，goodgirl。’
　　Theclarionethadbeenlamentingmostpatheticallyduringthisdialogue，butwascutshortnowbyFanny’sannouncementthatitwastimetogo；whichsheconveyedtoherunclebyshuttinguphisscrapofmusic，andtakingtheclarionetoutofhismouth。
　　LittleDorritpartedfromthematthedoor，andhastenedbacktotheMarshalsea。Itfelldarktheresoonerthanelsewhere，andgoingintoitthateveningwaslikegoingintoadeeptrench。Theshadowofthewallwasoneveryobject。Notleastuponthefigureintheoldgreygownandtheblackvelvetcap，asitturnedtowardsherwhensheopenedthedoorofthedimroom。
　　’Whynotuponmetoo!’thoughtLittleDorrit，withthedoorYetinherhand。’ItwasnotunreasonableinFanny。’