Notwithstandingthatitswallswereblotched，asifmissionarymapswereburstingoutofthemtoimpartgeographicalknowledge；
　　notwithstandingthatitsweirdfurniturewasforlornlyfadedandmusty，andthattheprevailingVenetianodourofbilgewaterandanebbtideonaweedyshorewasverystrong；theplacewasbetterwithin，thanitpromised。Thedoorwasopenedbyasmilingmanlikeareformedassassin——atemporaryservant——whousheredthemintotheroomwhereMrsGowansat，withtheannouncementthattwobeautifulEnglishladieswerecometoseethemistress。
　　MrsGowan，whowasengagedinneedlework，putherworkasideinacoveredbasket，androse，alittlehurriedly。MissFannywasexcessivelycourteoustoher，andsaidtheusualnothingswiththeskillofaveteran。
　　’Papawasextremelysorry，’proceededFanny，’tobeengagedto-dayheissomuchengagedhere，ouracquaintancebeingsowretchedlylarge!；andparticularlyrequestedmetobringhiscardforMrGowan。ThatImaybesuretoacquitmyselfofacommissionwhichheimpresseduponmeatleastadozentimes，allowmetorelievemyconsciencebyplacingitonthetableatonce。’
　　Whichshedidwithveteranease。
　　’Wehavebeen，’saidFanny，’charmedtounderstandthatyouknowtheMerdles。Wehopeitmaybeanothermeansofbringingustogether。’
　　’Theyarefriends，’saidMrsGowan，’ofMrGowan’sfamily。IhavenotyethadthepleasureofapersonalintroductiontoMrsMerdle，butIsupposeIshallbepresentedtoheratRome。’
　　’Indeed？’returnedFanny，withanappearanceofamiablyquenchingherownsuperiority。’Ithinkyou’lllikeher。’
　　’Youknowherverywell？’
　　’Why，yousee，’saidFanny，withafrankactionofherprettyshoulders，’inLondononeknowseveryone。Wemetheronourwayhere，and，tosaythetruth，papawasatfirstrathercrosswithherfortakingoneoftheroomsthatourpeoplehadorderedforus。
　　However，ofcourse，thatsoonblewover，andwewereallgoodfriendsagain。’
　　AlthoughthevisithadasyetgivenLittleDorritnoopportunityofconversingwithMrsGowan，therewasasilentunderstandingbetweenthem，whichdidaswell。ShelookedatMrsGowanwithkeenandunabatedinterest；thesoundofhervoicewasthrillingtoher；
　　nothingthatwasnearher，orabouther，oratallconcernedher，escapedLittleDorrit。Shewasquickertoperceivetheslightestmatterhere，thaninanyothercase——butone。
　　’Youhavebeenquitewell，’shenowsaid，’sincethatnight？’
　　’Quite，mydear。Andyou？’
　　’Oh!Iamalwayswell，’saidLittleDorrit，timidly。’I——yes，thankyou。’
　　Therewasnoreasonforherfalteringandbreakingoff，otherthanthatMrsGowanhadtouchedherhandinspeakingtoher，andtheirlookshadmet。Somethingthoughtfullyapprehensiveinthelarge，softeyes，hadcheckedLittleDorritinaninstant。
　　’Youdon’tknowthatyouareafavouriteofmyhusband’s，andthatIamalmostboundtobejealousofyou？’saidMrsGowan。
　　LittleDorrit，blushing，shookherhead。
　　’Hewilltellyou，ifhetellsyouwhathetellsme，thatyouarequieterandquickerofresourcethananyoneheeversaw。’
　　’Hespeaksfartoowellofme，’saidLittleDorrit。
　　’Idoubtthat；butIdon’tatalldoubtthatImusttellhimyouarehere。Ishouldneverbeforgiven，ifIweretoletyou——andMissDorrit——go，withoutdoingso。MayI？Youcanexcusethedisorderanddiscomfortofapainter’sstudio？’
　　TheinquirieswereaddressedtoMissFanny，whograciouslyrepliedthatshewouldbebeyondanythinginterestedandenchanted。MrsGowanwenttoadoor，lookedinbeyondit，andcameback。’DoHenrythefavourtocomein，’saidshe，’Iknewhewouldbepleased!’
　　ThefirstobjectthatconfrontedLittleDorrit，enteringfirst，wasBlandoisofParisinagreatcloakandafurtiveslouchedhat，standingonathroneplatforminacorner，ashehadstoodontheGreatSaintBernard，whenthewarningarmsseemedtobeallpointingupathim。Sherecoiledfromthisfigure，asitsmiledather。
　　’Don’tbealarmed，’saidGowan，comingfromhiseaselbehindthedoor。’It’sonlyBlandois。Heisdoingdutyasamodelto-day。
　　Iammakingastudyofhim。Itsavesmemoneytoturnhimtosomeuse。Wepoorpaintershavenonetospare。’
　　BlandoisofParispulledoffhisslouchedhat，andsalutedtheladieswithoutcomingoutofhiscorner。
　　’Athousandpardons!’saidhe。’ButtheProfessorehereissoinexorablewithme，thatIamafraidtostir。’
　　’Don’tstir，then，’saidGowancoolly，asthesistersapproachedtheeasel。’Lettheladiesatleastseetheoriginalofthedaub，thattheymayknowwhatit’smeantfor。Therehestands，yousee。
　　Abravowaitingforhisprey，adistinguishednoblewaitingtosavehiscountry，thecommonenemywaitingtodosomebodyabadturn，anangelicmessengerwaitingtodosomebodyagoodturn——whateveryouthinkhelooksmostlike!’
　　’Say，ProfessoreMio，apoorgentlemanwaitingtodohomagetoeleganceandbeauty，’remarkedBlandois。
　　’Orsay，CattivoSoggettoMio，’returnedGowan，touchingthepaintedfacewithhisbrushinthepartwheretherealfacehadmoved，’amurdererafterthefact。Showthatwhitehandofyours，Blandois。Putitoutsidethecloak。Keepitstill。’
　　Blandois’handwasunsteady；buthelaughed，andthatwouldnaturallyshakeit。
　　’Hewasformerlyinsomescufflewithanothermurderer，orwithavictim，youobserve，’saidGowan，puttinginthemarkingsofthehandwithaquick，impatient，unskilfultouch，’andthesearethetokensofit。Outsidethecloak，man!——CorpodiSanMarco，whatareyouthinkingof？’
　　BlandoisofParisshookwithalaughagain，sothathishandshookmore；nowheraisedittotwisthismoustache，whichhadadampappearance；andnowhestoodintherequiredposition，withalittlenewswagger。
　　HisfacewassodirectedinreferencetothespotwhereLittleDorritstoodbytheeasel，thatthroughouthelookedather。Onceattractedbyhispeculiareyes，shecouldnotremoveherown，andtheyhadlookedateachotherallthetime。Shetremblednow；
　　Gowan，feelingit，andsupposinghertobealarmedbythelargedogbesidehim，whoseheadshecaressedinherhand，andwhohadjustutteredalowgrowl，glancedathertosay，’Hewon’thurtyou，MissDorrit。’
　　’Iamnotafraidofhim，’shereturnedinthesamebreath；’butwillyoulookathim？’
　　InamomentGowanhadthrowndownhisbrush，andseizedthedogwithbothhandsbythecollar。
　　’Blandois!Howcanyoubesuchafoolastoprovokehim!ByHeaven，andtheotherplacetoo，he’lltearyoutobits!Liedown!
　　Lion!Doyouhearmyvoice，yourebel!
　　’Thegreatdog，regardlessofbeinghalf-chokedbyhiscollar，wasobduratelypullingwithhisdeadweightagainsthismaster，resolvedtogetacrosstheroom。Hehadbeencrouchingforaspringatthemomentwhenhismastercaughthim。
　　’Lion!Lion!’Hewasuponhishindlegs，anditwasawrestlebetweenmasteranddog。’Getback!Down，Lion!Getoutofhissight，Blandois!Whatdevilhaveyouconjuredintothedog？’
　　’Ihavedonenothingtohim。’
　　’GetoutofhissightorIcan’tholdthewildbeast!Getoutoftheroom!Bymysoul，he’llkillyou!’
　　Thedog，withaferociousbark，madeoneotherstruggleasBlandoisvanished；then，inthemomentofthedog’ssubmission，themaster，littlelessangrythanthedog，felledhimwithablowonthehead，andstandingoverhim，struckhimmanytimesseverelywiththeheelofhisboot，sothathismouthwaspresentlybloody。
　　’Nowgetyouintothatcornerandliedown，’saidGowan，’orI’lltakeyououtandshootyou。’
　　Liondidashewasordered，andlaydownlickinghismouthandchest。Lion’smasterstoppedforamomenttotakebreath，andthen，recoveringhisusualcoolnessofmanner，turnedtospeaktohisfrightenedwifeandhervisitors。Probablythewholeoccurrencehadnotoccupiedtwominutes。
　　’Come，come，Minnie!Youknowheisalwaysgood-humouredandtractable。Blandoismusthaveirritatedhim，——madefacesathim。
　　Thedoghashislikingsanddislikings，andBlandoisisnogreatfavouriteofhis；butIamsureyouwillgivehimacharacter，Minnie，forneverhavingbeenlikethisbefore。’
　　Minniewastoomuchdisturbedtosayanythingconnectedinreply；
　　LittleDorritwasalreadyoccupiedinsoothingher；Fanny，whohadcriedouttwiceorthrice，heldGowan’sarmforprotection；Lion，deeplyashamedofhavingcausedthemthisalarm，cametrailinghimselfalongthegroundtothefeetofhismistress。
　　’Youfuriousbrute，’saidGowan，strikinghimwithhisfootagain。
　　’Youshalldopenanceforthis。’Andhestruckhimagain，andyetagain。
　　’O，praydon’tpunishhimanymore，’criedLittleDorrit。’Don’thurthim。Seehowgentleheis!’Atherentreaty，Gowansparedhim；andhedeservedherintercession，fortrulyhewasassubmissive，andassorry，andaswretchedasadogcouldbe。
　　Itwasnoteasytorecoverthisshockandmakethevisitunrestrained，eventhoughFannyhadnotbeen，underthebestofcircumstances，theleasttrifleintheway。Insuchfurthercommunicationaspassedamongthembeforethesisterstooktheirdeparture，LittleDorritfancieditwasrevealedtoherthatMrGowantreatedhiswife，eveninhisveryfondness，toomuchlikeabeautifulchild。Heseemedsounsuspiciousofthedepthsoffeelingwhichsheknewmustliebelowthatsurface，thatshedoubtediftherecouldbeanysuchdepthsinhimself。Shewonderedwhetherhiswantofearnestnessmightbethenaturalresultofhiswantofsuchqualities，andwhetheritwaswithpeopleaswithships，that，intooshallowandrockywaters，theiranchorshadnohold，andtheydriftedanywhere。
　　Heattendedthemdownthestaircase，jocoselyapologisingforthepoorquarterstowhichsuchpoorfellowsashimselfwerelimited，andremarkingthatwhenthehighandmightyBarnacles，hisrelatives，whowouldbedreadfullyashamedofthem，presentedhimwithbetter，hewouldliveinbettertoobligethem。Atthewater’sedgetheyweresalutedbyBlandois，wholookedwhiteenoughafterhislateadventure，butwhomadeverylightofitnotwithstanding，——laughingatthementionofLion。
　　Leavingthetwotogetherunderthescrapofvineuponthecauseway，Gowanidlyscatteringtheleavesfromitintothewater，andBlandoislightingacigarette，thesisterswerepaddledawayinstateastheyhadcome。Theyhadnotglidedonformanyminutes，whenLittleDorritbecameawarethatFannywasmoreshowyinmannerthantheoccasionappearedtorequire，and，lookingaboutforthecausethroughthewindowandthroughtheopendoor，sawanothergondolaevidentlyinwaitingonthem。
　　Asthisgondolaattendedtheirprogressinvariousartfulways；