’Oh!angry!’returnedthatyoungladywithaflounce。’Ihavenopatience’whichindeedwasthetruth。
　　’Pray，Fanny，’saidMrDorrit，raisinghiseyebrows，’whatdoyoumean？Explainyourself。’
　　’Oh!Nevermind，Pa，’repliedMissFanny，’it’snogreatmatter。
　　Amywillunderstandme。Sheknew，orknewof，thisMrsGowanbeforeyesterday，andshemayaswelladmitthatshedid。’
　　’Mychild，’saidMrDorrit，turningtohisyoungerdaughter，’hasyoursister——any——ha——authorityforthiscuriousstatement？’
　　’Howevermeekweare，’MissFannystruckinbeforeshecouldanswer，’wedon’tgocreepingintopeople’sroomsonthetopsofcoldmountains，andsittingperishinginthefrostwithpeople，unlessweknowsomethingaboutthembeforehand。It’snotveryhardtodivinewhosefriendMrsGowanis。’
　　’Whosefriend？’inquiredherfather。
　　’Pa，Iamsorrytosay，’returnedMissFanny，whohadbythistimesucceededingoadingherselfintoastateofmuchill-usageandgrievance，whichshewasoftenatgreatpainstodo：’thatI
　　believehertobeafriendofthatveryobjectionableandunpleasantperson，who，withatotalabsenceofalldelicacy，whichourexperiencemighthaveledustoexpectfromhim，insultedusandoutragedourfeelingsinsopublicandwilfulamanneronanoccasiontowhichitisunderstoodamongusthatwewillnotmorepointedlyallude。’
　　’Amy，mychild，’saidMrDorrit，temperingablandseveritywithadignifiedaffection，’isthisthecase？’
　　LittleDorritmildlyanswered，yesitwas。
　　’Yesitis!’criedMissFanny。’Ofcourse!Isaidso!Andnow，Pa，Idodeclareonceforall’——thisyoungladywasinthehabitofdeclaringthesamethingonceforalleverydayofherlife，andevenseveraltimesinaday——’thatthisisshameful!Idodeclareonceforallthatitoughttobeputastopto。Isitnotenoughthatwehavegonethroughwhatisonlyknowntoourselves，butarewetohaveitthrowninourfaces，perseveringlyandsystematically，bytheverypersonwhoshouldspareourfeelingsmost？Arewetobeexposedtothisunnaturalconducteverymomentofourlives？Arewenevertobepermittedtoforget？Isayagain，itisabsolutelyinfamous!’
　　’Well，Amy，’observedherbrother，shakinghishead，’youknowI
　　standbyyouwheneverIcan，andonmostoccasions。ButImustsay，that，uponmysoul，Idoconsideritratheranunaccountablemodeofshowingyoursisterlyaffection，thatyoushouldbackupamanwhotreatedmeinthemostungentlemanlywayinwhichonemancantreatanother。Andwho，’headdedconvincingly，mustbealow-
　　mindedthief，youknow，orhenevercouldhaveconductedhimselfashedid。’
　　’Andsee，’saidMissFanny，’seewhatisinvolvedinthis!Canweeverhopetoberespectedbyourservants？Never。Hereareourtwowomen，andPa’svalet，andafootman，andacourier，andallsortsofdependents，andyetinthemidstofthese，wearetohaveoneofourselvesrushingaboutwithtumblersofcoldwater，likeamenial!Why，apoliceman，’saidMissFanny，’ifabeggarhadafitinthestreet，couldbutgoplungingaboutwithtumblers，asthisveryAmydidinthisveryroombeforeourveryeyeslastnight!’
　　’Idon’tsomuchmindthat，onceinaway，’remarkedMrEdward；
　　’butyourClennam，ashethinkspropertocallhimself，isanotherthing。’
　　’Heispartofthesamething，’returnedMissFanny，’andofapiecewithalltherest。Heobtrudedhimselfuponusinthefirstinstance。Weneverwantedhim。Ialwaysshowedhim，forone，thatIcouldhavedispensedwithhiscompanywiththegreatestpleasure。
　　Hethencommitsthatgrossoutrageuponourfeelings，whichhenevercouldorwouldhavecommittedbutforthedelighthetookinexposingus；andthenwearetobedemeanedfortheserviceofhisfriends!Why，Idon’twonderatthisMrGowan’sconducttowardsyou。Whatelsewastobeexpectedwhenhewasenjoyingourpastmisfortunes——gloatingoverthematthemoment!’
　　’Father——Edward——noindeed!’pleadedLittleDorrit。’NeitherMrnorMrsGowanhadeverheardourname。Theywere，andtheyare，quiteignorantofourhistory。’
　　’Somuchtheworse，’retortedFanny，determinednottoadmitanythinginextenuation，’forthenyouhavenoexcuse。Iftheyhadknownaboutus，youmighthavefeltyourselfcalledupontoconciliatethem。Thatwouldhavebeenaweakandridiculousmistake，butIcanrespectamistake，whereasIcan’trespectawilfulanddeliberateabasingofthosewhoshouldbenearestanddearesttous。No。Ican’trespectthat。Icandonothingbutdenouncethat。’
　　’Ineveroffendyouwilfully，Fanny，’saidLittleDorrit，’thoughyouaresohardwithme。’
　　’Thenyoushouldbemorecareful，Amy，’returnedhersister。’Ifyoudosuchthingsbyaccident，youshouldbemorecareful。IfI
　　happenedtohavebeenborninapeculiarplace，andunderpeculiarcircumstancesthatbluntedmyknowledgeofpropriety，IfancyI
　　shouldthinkmyselfboundtoconsiderateverystep，“AmIgoing，ignorantly，tocompromiseanynearanddearrelations？“ThatiswhatIfancyIshoulddo，ifitwasmycase。’
　　MrDorritnowinterposed，atoncetostopthesepainfulsubjectsbyhisauthority，andtopointtheirmoralbyhiswisdom。
　　’Mydear，’saidhetohisyoungerdaughter，’Ibegyouto——ha——tosaynomore。YoursisterFannyexpressesherselfstrongly，butnotwithoutconsiderablereason。Youhavenowa——hum——agreatpositiontosupport。Thatgreatpositionisnotoccupiedbyyourselfalone，butby——ha——byme，and——hahum——byus。Us。Now，itisincumbentuponallpeopleinanexaltedposition，butitisparticularlysoonthisfamily，forreasonswhichI——ha——willnotdwellupon，tomakethemselvesrespected。Tobevigilantinmakingthemselvesrespected。Dependants，torespectus，mustbe——ha——keptatadistanceand——hum——keptdown。Down。Therefore，yournotexposingyourselftotheremarksofourattendantsbyappearingtohaveatanytimedispensedwiththeirservicesandperformedthemforyourself，is——ha——highlyimportant。’
　　’Why，whocandoubtit？’criedMissFanny。’It’stheessenceofeverything。’
　　’Fanny，’returnedherfather，grandiloquently，’givemeleave，mydear。Wethencometo——ha——toMrClennam。IamfreetosaythatIdonot，Amy，shareyoursister’ssentiments——thatistosayaltogether——hum——altogether——inreferencetoMrClennam。Iamcontenttoregardthatindividualinthelightof——ha——generally——
　　awell-behavedperson。Hum。Awell-behavedperson。NorwillI
　　inquirewhetherMrClennamdid，atanytime，obtrudehimselfon——
　　ha——mysociety。Heknewmysocietytobe——hum——sought，andhispleamightbethatheregardedmeinthelightofapubliccharacter。Buttherewerecircumstancesattendingmy——ha——slightknowledgeofMrClennamitwasveryslight，which，’hereMrDorritbecameextremelygraveandimpressive，’wouldrenderithighlyindelicateinMrClennamto——ha——toseektorenewcommunicationwithmeorwithanymemberofmyfamilyunderexistingcircumstances。IfMrClennamhassufficientdelicacytoperceivetheimproprietyofanysuchattempt，Iamboundasaresponsiblegentlemanto——ha——defertothatdelicacyonhispart。
　　If，ontheotherhand，MrClennamhasnotthatdelicacy，Icannotforamoment——ha——holdanycorrespondencewithso——hum——coarseamind。Ineithercase，itwouldappearthatMrClennamisputaltogetheroutofthequestion，andthatwehavenothingtodowithhimorhewithus。Ha——MrsGeneral!’
　　Theentranceoftheladywhomheannounced，totakeherplaceatthebreakfast-table，terminatedthediscussion。Shortlyafterwards，thecourierannouncedthatthevalet，andthefootman，andthetwomaids，andthefourguides，andthefourteenmules，wereinreadiness；sothebreakfastpartywentouttotheconventdoortojointhecavalcade。
　　MrGowanstoodaloofwithhiscigarandpencil，butMrBlandoiswasonthespottopayhisrespectstotheladies。WhenhegallantlypulledoffhisslouchedhattoLittleDorrit，shethoughthehadevenamoresinisterlook，standingswartandcloakedinthesnow，thanhehadinthefire-lightover-night。But，asbothherfatherandhersisterreceivedhishomagewithsomefavour，sherefrainedfromexpressinganydistrustofhim，lestitshouldprovetobeanewblemishderivedfromherprisonbirth。
　　Nevertheless，astheywounddowntheruggedwaywhiletheconventwasyetinsight，shemorethanoncelookedround，anddescriedMrBlandois，backedbytheconventsmokewhichrosestraightandhighfromthechimneysinagoldenfilm，alwaysstandingononejuttingpointlookingdownafterthem。Longafterhewasamereblackstickinthesnow，shefeltasthoughshecouldyetseethatsmileofhis，thathighnose，andthoseeyesthatweretoonearit。Andevenafterthat，whentheconventwasgoneandsomelightmorningcloudsveiledthepassbelowit，theghastlyskeletonarmsbythewaysideseemedtobeallpointingupathim。
　　Moretreacherousthansnow，perhaps，colderatheart，andhardertomelt，BlandoisofParisbydegreespassedoutofhermind，astheycamedownintothesofterregions。Againthesunwaswarm，againthestreamsdescendingfromglaciersandsnowycavernswererefreshingtodrinkat，againtheycameamongthepine-trees，therockyrivulets，theverdantheightsanddales，thewoodenchaletsandroughzigzagfencesofSwisscountry。Sometimesthewaysowidenedthatsheandherfathercouldrideabreast。Andthentolookathim，handsomelyclothedinhisfurandbroadcloths，rich，free，numerouslyservedandattended，hiseyesrovingfarawayamongthegloriesofthelandscape，nomiserablescreenbeforethemtodarkenhissightandcastitsshadowonhim，wasenough。
　　Herunclewassofarrescuedfromthatshadowofold，thatheworetheclothestheygavehim，andperformedsomeablutionsasasacrificetothefamilycredit，andwentwherehewastaken，withacertainpatientanimalenjoyment，whichseemedtoexpressthattheairandchangedidhimgood。Inallotherrespects，saveone，heshonewithnolightbutsuchaswasreflectedfromhisbrother。
　　Hisbrother’sgreatness，wealth，freedom，andgrandeur，pleasedhimwithoutanyreferencetohimself。Silentandretiring，hehadnouseforspeechwhenhecouldhearhisbrotherspeak；nodesiretobewaitedon，sothattheservantsdevotedthemselvestohisbrother。Theonlynoticeablechangeheoriginatedinhimself，wasanalterationinhismannertohisyoungerniece。Everydayitrefinedmoreandmoreintoamarkedrespect，veryrarelyshownbyagetoyouth，andstillmorerarelysusceptible，onewouldhavesaid，ofthefitnesswithwhichheinvestedit。OnthoseoccasionswhenMissFannydiddeclareonceforall，hewouldtakethenextopportunityofbaringhisgreyheadbeforehisyoungerniece，andofhelpinghertoalight，orhandinghertothecarriage，orshowingheranyotherattention，withtheprofoundestdeference。
　　Yetitneverappearedmisplacedorforced，beingalwaysheartilysimple，spontaneous，andgenuine。Neitherwouldheeverconsent，evenathisbrother’srequest，tobehelpedtoanyplacebeforeher，ortotakeprecedenceofherinanything。Sojealouswasheofherbeingrespected，that，onthisveryjourneydownfromtheGreatSaintBernard，hetooksuddenandviolentumbrageatthefootman’sbeingremisstoholdherstirrup，thoughstandingnearwhenshedismounted；andunspeakablyastonishedthewholeretinuebychargingathimonahard-headedmule，ridinghimintoacorner，andthreateningtotramplehimtodeath。
　　Theywereagoodlycompany，andtheInnkeepersallbutworshippedthem。Wherevertheywent，theirimportanceprecededtheminthepersonofthecourierridingbefore，toseethattheroomsofstatewereready。Hewastheheraldofthefamilyprocession。Thegreattravelling-carriagecamenext：containing，inside，MrDorrit，MissDorrit，MissAmyDorrit，andMrsGeneral；outside，someoftheretainers，andinfineweatherEdwardDorrit，Esquire，forwhomtheboxwasreserved。ThencamethechariotcontainingFrederickDorrit，Esquire，andanemptyplaceoccupiedbyEdwardDorrit，Esquire，inwetweather。Thencamethefourgonwiththerestoftheretainers，theheavybaggage，andasmuchasitcouldcarryofthemudanddustwhichtheothervehiclesleftbehind。
　　TheseequipagesadornedtheyardofthehotelatMartigny，onthereturnofthefamilyfromtheirmountainexcursion。Othervehicleswerethere，muchcompanybeingontheroad，fromthepatchedItalianVettura——likethebodyofaswingfromanEnglishfairputuponawoodentrayonwheels，andhavinganotherwoodentraywithoutwheelsputatopofit——tothetrimEnglishcarriage。ButtherewasanotheradornmentofthehotelwhichMrDorrithadnotbargainedfor。Twostrangetravellersembellishedoneofhisrooms。