InthisstateofaffairsitoccurredtoMrsGeneral，thatshemight’formthemind，’andekethemannersofsomeyoungladyofdistinction。Or，thatshemightharnesstheproprietiestothecarriageofsomerichyoungheiressorwidow，andbecomeatoncethedriverandguardofsuchvehiclethroughthesocialmazes。MrsGeneral’scommunicationofthisideatoherclericalandcommissariatconnectionwassowarmlyapplaudedthat，butforthelady’sundoubtedmerit，itmighthaveappearedasthoughtheywantedtogetridofher。TestimonialsrepresentingMrsGeneralasaprodigyofpiety，learning，virtue，andgentility，werelavishlycontributedfrominfluentialquarters；andonevenerablearchdeaconevenshedtearsinrecordinghistestimonytoherperfectionsdescribedtohimbypersonsonwhomhecouldrely，thoughhehadneverhadthehonourandmoralgratificationofsettingeyesonMrsGeneralinallhislife。
　　Thusdelegatedonhermission，asitwerebyChurchandState，MrsGeneral，whohadalwaysoccupiedhighground，feltinaconditiontokeepit，andbeganbyputtingherselfupataveryhighfigure。
　　Anintervalofsomedurationelapsed，inwhichtherewasnobidforMrsGeneral。Atlengthacounty-widower，withadaughteroffourteen，openednegotiationswiththelady；andasitwasaparteitherofthenativedignityoroftheartificialpolicyofMrsGeneralbutcertainlyoneortheothertocomportherselfasifsheweremuchmoresoughtthanseeking，thewidowerpursuedMrsGeneraluntilheprevaileduponhertoformhisdaughter’smindandmanners。
　　TheexecutionofthistrustoccupiedMrsGeneralaboutsevenyears，inthecourseofwhichtimeshemadethetourofEurope，andsawmostofthatextensivemiscellanyofobjectswhichitisessentialthatallpersonsofpolitecultivationshouldseewithotherpeople’seyes，andneverwiththeirown。Whenherchargewasatlengthformed，themarriage，notonlyoftheyounglady，butlikewiseofherfather，thewidower，wasresolvedon。ThewidowerthenfindingMrsGeneralbothinconvenientandexpensive，becameofasuddenalmostasmuchaffectedbyhermeritsasthearchdeaconhadbeen，andcirculatedsuchpraisesofhersurpassingworth，inallquarterswherehethoughtanopportunitymightariseoftransferringtheblessingtosomebodyelse，thatMrsGeneralwasanamemorehonourablethanever。
　　Thephoenixwastolet，onthiselevatedperch，whenMrDorrit，whohadlatelysucceededtohisproperty，mentionedtohisbankersthathewishedtodiscoveralady，well-bred，accomplished，wellconnected，wellaccustomedtogoodsociety，whowasqualifiedatoncetocompletetheeducationofhisdaughters，andtobetheirmatronorchaperon。MrDorrit’sbankers，asbankersofthecounty-
　　widower，instantlysaid，’MrsGeneral。’
　　Pursuingthelightsofortunatelyhitupon，andfindingtheconcurrenttestimonyofthewholeofMrsGeneral’sacquaintancetobeofthepatheticnaturealreadyrecorded，MrDorrittookthetroubleofgoingdowntothecountyofthecounty-widowertoseeMrsGeneral，inwhomhefoundaladyofaqualitysuperiortohishighestexpectations。
　　’MightIbeexcused，’saidMrDorrit，’ifIinquired——ha——whatremune——’
　　’Why，indeed，’returnedMrsGeneral，stoppingtheword，’itisasubjectonwhichIprefertoavoidentering。Ihaveneverenteredonitwithmyfriendshere；andIcannotovercomethedelicacy，MrDorrit，withwhichIhavealwaysregardedit。Iamnot，asIhopeyouareaware，agoverness——’
　　’Odearno!’saidMrDorrit。’Pray，madam，donotimagineforamomentthatIthinkso。’Hereallyblushedtobesuspectedofit。
　　MrsGeneralgravelyinclinedherhead。’Icannot，therefore，putapriceuponserviceswhichitisapleasuretometorenderifI
　　canrenderthemspontaneously，butwhichIcouldnotrenderinmerereturnforanyconsideration。NeitherdoIknowhow，orwhere，tofindacaseparalleltomyown。Itispeculiar。’
　　Nodoubt。ButhowthenMrDorritnotunnaturallyhintedcouldthesubjectbeapproached。
　　’Icannotobject，’saidMrsGeneral——’thougheventhatisdisagreeabletome——toMrDorrit’sinquiring，inconfidenceofmyfriendshere，whatamounttheyhavebeenaccustomed，atquarterlyintervals，topaytomycreditatmybankers’。’
　　MrDorritbowedhisacknowledgements。
　　’Permitmetoadd，’saidMrsGeneral，’thatbeyondthis，Icanneverresumethetopic。AlsothatIcanacceptnosecondorinferiorposition。IfthehonourwereproposedtomeofbecomingknowntoMrDorrit’sfamily——Ithinktwodaughterswerementioned？——’
　　’Twodaughters。’
　　’Icouldonlyacceptitontermsofperfectequality，asacompanion，protector，Mentor，andfriend。’
　　MrDorrit，inspiteofhissenseofhisimportance，feltasifitwouldbequiteakindnessinhertoacceptitonanyconditions。
　　Healmostsaidasmuch。
　　’Ithink，’repeatedMrsGeneral，’twodaughterswerementioned？’
　　’Twodaughters，’saidMrDorritagain。
　　’Itwouldtherefore，’saidMrsGeneral，’benecessarytoaddathirdmoretothepaymentwhateveritsamountmayprovetobe，whichmyfriendsherehavebeenaccustomedtomaketomybankers’。’
　　MrDorritlostnotimeinreferringthedelicatequestiontothecounty-widower，andfindingthathehadbeenaccustomedtopaythreehundredpoundsa-yeartothecreditofMrsGeneral，arrived，withoutanyseverestrainonhisarithmetic，attheconclusionthathehimselfmustpayfour。MrsGeneralbeinganarticleofthatlustroussurfacewhichsuggeststhatitisworthanymoney，hemadeaformalproposaltobeallowedtohavethehonourandpleasureofregardingherasamemberofhisfamily。MrsGeneralconcededthathighprivilege，andhereshewas。
　　Inperson，MrsGeneral，includingherskirtswhichhadmuchtodowithit，wasofadignifiedandimposingappearance；ample，rustling，gravelyvoluminous；alwaysuprightbehindtheproprieties。Shemighthavebeentaken——hadbeentaken——tothetopoftheAlpsandthebottomofHerculaneum，withoutdisarrangingafoldinherdress，ordisplacingapin。Ifhercountenanceandhairhadratheraflouryappearance，asthoughfromlivinginsometranscendentlygenteelMill，itwasratherbecauseshewasachalkycreationaltogether，thanbecauseshemendedhercomplexionwithvioletpowder，orhadturnedgrey。Ifhereyeshadnoexpression，itwasprobablybecausetheyhadnothingtoexpress。Ifshehadfewwrinkles，itwasbecausehermindhadnevertraceditsnameoranyotherinscriptiononherface。Acool，waxy，blown-outwoman，whohadneverlightedwell。
　　MrsGeneralhadnoopinions。Herwayofformingamindwastopreventitfromformingopinions。Shehadalittlecircularsetofmentalgroovesorrailsonwhichshestartedlittletrainsofotherpeople’sopinions，whichneverovertookoneanother，andnevergotanywhere。Evenherproprietycouldnotdisputethattherewasimproprietyintheworld；butMrsGeneral’swayofgettingridofitwastoputitoutofsight，andmakebelievethattherewasnosuchthing。Thiswasanotherofherwaysofformingamind——tocramallarticlesofdifficultyintocupboards，lockthemup，andsaytheyhadnoexistence。Itwastheeasiestway，and，beyondallcomparison，theproperest。
　　MrsGeneralwasnottobetoldofanythingshocking。Accidents，miseries，andoffences，werenevertobementionedbeforeher。
　　PassionwastogotosleepinthepresenceofMrsGeneral，andbloodwastochangetomilkandwater。Thelittlethatwasleftintheworld，whenallthesedeductionsweremade，itwasMrsGeneral’sprovincetovarnish。Inthatformationprocessofhers，shedippedthesmallestofbrushesintothelargestofpots，andvarnishedthesurfaceofeveryobjectthatcameunderconsideration。Themorecrackeditwas，themoreMrsGeneralvarnishedit。
　　TherewasvarnishinMrsGeneral’svoice，varnishinMrsGeneral’stouch，anatmosphereofvarnishroundMrsGeneral’sfigure。MrsGeneral’sdreamsoughttohavebeenvarnished——ifshehadany——
　　lyingasleepinthearmsofthegoodSaintBernard，withthefeatherysnowfallingonhishouse-top。
　　OntheRoadThebrightmorningsundazzledtheeyes，thesnowhadceased，themistshadvanished，themountainairwassoclearandlightthatthenewsensationofbreathingitwaslikethehavingenteredonanewexistence。Tohelpthedelusion，thesolidgrounditselfseemedgone，andthemountain，ashiningwasteofimmensewhiteheapsandmasses，tobearegionofcloudfloatingbetweentheblueskyaboveandtheearthfarbelow。
　　Somedarkspecksinthesnow，likeknotsuponalittlethread，beginningattheconventdoorandwindingawaydownthedescentinbrokenlengthswhichwerenotyetpiecedtogether，showedwheretheBrethrenwereatworkinseveralplacesclearingthetrack。
　　Alreadythesnowhadbeguntobefoot-thawedagainaboutthedoor。
　　Muleswerebusilybroughtout，tiedtotheringsinthewall，andladen；stringsofbellswerebuckledon，burdenswereadjusted，thevoicesofdriversandriderssoundedmusically。Someoftheearliesthadevenalreadyresumedtheirjourney；and，bothonthelevelsummitbythedarkwaterneartheconvent，andonthedownwardwayofyesterday’sascent，littlemovingfiguresofmenandmules，reducedtominiaturesbytheimmensityaround，wentwithacleartinklingofbellsandapleasantharmonyoftongues。
　　Inthesupper-roomoflastnight，anewfire，pileduponthefeatheryashesoftheoldone，shoneuponahomelybreakfastofloaves，butter，andmilk。ItalsoshoneonthecourieroftheDorritfamily，makingteaforhispartyfromasupplyhehadbroughtupwithhim，togetherwithseveralothersmallstoreswhichwerechieflylaidinfortheuseofthestrongbodyofinconvenience。MrGowanandBlandoisofParishadalreadybreakfasted，andwerewalkingupanddownbythelake，smokingtheircigars。
　　’Gowan，eh？’mutteredTip，otherwiseEdwardDorrit，Esquire，turningovertheleavesofthebook，whenthecourierhadleftthemtobreakfast。’ThenGowanisthenameofapuppy，that’sallI
　　havegottosay!Ifitwasworthmywhile，I’dpullhisnose。Butitisn’tworthmywhile——fortunatelyforhim。How’shiswife，Amy？
　　Isupposeyouknow。Yougenerallyknowthingsofthatsort。’
　　’Sheisbetter，Edward。Buttheyarenotgoingto-day。’
　　’Oh!Theyarenotgoingto-day!Fortunatelyforthatfellowtoo，’
　　saidTip，’orheandImighthavecomeintocollision。’
　　’Itisthoughtbetterherethatsheshouldliequietto-day，andnotbefatiguedandshakenbytheridedownuntilto-morrow。’
　　’Withallmyheart。Butyoutalkasifyouhadbeennursingher。
　　Youhaven’tbeenrelapsingintoMrsGeneralisnothereintooldhabits，haveyou，Amy？’
　　HeaskedherthequestionwithaslyglanceofobservationatMissFanny，andathisfathertoo。
　　’IhaveonlybeenintoaskherifIcoulddoanythingforher，Tip，’saidLittleDorrit。
　　’Youneedn’tcallmeTip，Amychild，’returnedthatyounggentlemanwithafrown；’becausethat’sanoldhabit，andoneyoumayaswelllayaside。’
　　’Ididn’tmeantosayso，Edwarddear。Iforgot。Itwassonaturalonce，thatitseemedatthemomenttherightword。’
　　’Ohyes!’MissFannystruckin。’Natural，andrightword，andonce，andalltherestofit!Nonsense，youlittlething!IknowperfectlywellwhyyouhavebeentakingsuchaninterestinthisMrsGowan。Youcan’tblindme。’
　　’Iwillnottryto，Fanny。Don’tbeangry。’