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'My dear Amy； your wonder will soon cease； if I am rightly informed。
I should not be at all surprised if he called to…day。 The creature has
only been waiting to get his courage up； I suspect。'
'Will you see him？'
'Indeed； my darling；' said Fanny； 'that's just as it may happen。 Here he
is again。 Look at him。 O； you simpleton！'
Mr Sparkler had； undeniably； a weak appearance； with his eye in the
window like a knot in the glass； and no reason on earth for stopping his
bark suddenly； except the real reason。
'When you asked me if I will see him； my dear；' said Fanny； almost as
well posed in the graceful indifference of her attitude as Mrs Merdle
herself； 'what do you mean？' 'I mean；' said Little Dorrit……'I think I
rather mean what do you mean； dear Fanny？'
Fanny laughed again； in a manner at once condescending； arch； and
affable； and said； putting her arm round her sister in a playfully
affectionate way：
'Now tell me； my little pet。 When we saw that woman at Martigny； how
did you think she carried it off？ Did you see what she decided on in a
moment？'
'No； Fanny。'
'Then I'll tell you； Amy。 She settled with herself； now I'll never
refer to that meeting under such different circumstances； and I'll never
pretend to have any idea that these are the same girls。 That's her way
out of a difficulty。 What did I tell you when we came away from Harley
Street that time？ She is as insolent and false as any woman in the
world。 But in the first capacity； my love； she may find people who can
match her。'
A significant turn of the Spanish fan towards Fanny's bosom； indicated
with great expression where one of these people was to be found。
'Not only that；' pursued Fanny； 'but she gives the same charge to
Young Sparkler； and doesn't let him e after me until she has got it
thoroughly into his most ridiculous of all ridiculous noddles （for one
really can't call it a head）； that he is to pretend to have been first
struck with me in that Inn Yard。'
'Why？' asked Little Dorrit。
'Why？ Good gracious； my love！' （again very much in the tone of You
stupid little creature） 'how can you ask？ Don't you see that I may have
bee a rather desirable match for a noddle？ And don't you see that she
puts the deception upon us； and makes a pretence； while she shifts it
from her own shoulders （very good shoulders they are too； I must say）；'
observed Miss Fanny； glancing placently at herself； 'of considering
our feelings？'
'But we can always go back to the plain truth。'
'Yes； but if you please we won't；' retorted Fanny。 'No； I am not going
to have that done； Amy。 The pretext is none of mine； it's hers； and she
shall have enough of it。'
In the triumphant exaltation of her feelings； Miss Fanny； using her
Spanish fan with one hand； squeezed her sister's waist with the other；
as if she were crushing Mrs Merdle。
'No；' repeated Fanny。 'She shall find me go her way。 She took it； and
I'll follow it。 And； with the blessing of fate and fortune； I'll go on
improving that woman's acquaintance until I have given her maid；
before her eyes； things from my dressmaker's ten times as handsome and
expensive as she once gave me from hers！'
Little Dorrit was silent； sensible that she was not to be heard on
any question affecting the family dignity； and unwilling to lose to no
purpose her sister's newly and unexpectedly restored favour。 She could
not concur； but she was silent。 Fanny well knew what she was thinking
of； so well； that she soon asked her。
Her reply was； 'Do you mean to encourage Mr Sparkler； Fanny？'
'Encourage him； my dear？' said her sister； smiling contemptuously； 'that
depends upon what you call encourage。 No； I don't mean to encourage him。
But I'll make a slave of him。'
Little Dorrit glanced seriously and doubtfully in her face； but Fanny
was not to be so brought to a check。 She furled her fan of black and
gold； and used it to tap her sister's nose； with the air of a proud
beauty and a great spirit； who toyed with and playfully instructed a
homely panion。
'I shall make him fetch and carry； my dear； and I shall make him subject
to me。 And if I don't make his mother subject to me； too； it shall not
be my fault。'
'Do you think……dear Fanny； don't be offended； we are so fortable
together now……that you can quite see the end of that course？'
'I can't say I have so much as looked for it yet； my dear；' answered
Fanny； with supreme indifference； 'all in good time。 Such are my
intentions。 And really they have taken me so long to develop； that here
we are at home。 And Young Sparkler at the door； inquiring who is within。
By the merest accident； of course！'
In effect； the swain was standing up in his gondola； card…case in
hand； affecting to put the question to a servant。 This conjunction
of circumstances led to his immediately afterwards presenting himself
before the young ladies in a posture； which in ancient times would not
have been considered one of favourable augury for his suit； since the
gondoliers of the young ladies； having been put to some inconvenience
by the chase； so neatly brought their own boat in the gentlest collision
with the bark of Mr Sparkler； as to tip that gentleman over like a
larger species of ninepin； and cause him to exhibit the soles of his
shoes to the object of his dearest wishes： while the nobler portions of
his anatomy struggled at the bottom of his boat in the arms of one of
his men。
However； as Miss Fanny called out with much concern； Was the gentleman
hurt； Mr Sparkler rose more restored than might have been expected； and
stammered for himself with blushes； 'Not at all so。' Miss Fanny had no
recollection of having ever seen him before； and was passing on； with a
distant inclination of her head； when he announced himself by name。 Even
then she was in a difficulty from being unable to call it to mind； until
he explained that he had had the honour of seeing her at Martigny。 Then
she remembered him； and hoped his lady…mother was well。
'Thank you；' stammered Mr Sparkler； 'she's unmonly well……at least；
poorly。'
'In Venice？' said Miss Fanny。
'In Rome；' Mr Sparkler answered。 'I am here by myself； myself。 I came to
call upon Mr Edward Dorrit myself。 Indeed； upon Mr Dorrit likewise。 In
fact； upon the family。'
Turning graciously to the attendants； Miss Fanny inquired whether her
papa or brother was within？ The reply being that they were both within；
Mr Sparkler humbly offered his arm。 Miss Fanny accepting it； was squired
up the great staircase by Mr Sparkler； who； if he still believed （which
there is not any reason to doubt） that she had no nonsense about her；
rather deceived himself。
Arrived in a mouldering reception…room； where the faded hangings； of a
sad sea…green； had worn and withered until they looked as if they
might have claimed kindred with the waifs of seaweed drifting under
the windows； or clinging to the walls and weeping for their imprisoned
relations； Miss Fanny despatched emissaries for her father and brother。
Pending whose appearance； she showed to great advantage on a sofa；
pleting Mr Sparkler's conquest with some remarks upon Dante……known
to that gentleman as an eccentric man in the nature of an Old File；
who used to put leaves round his head； and sit upon a stool for some
unaccountable purpose； outside the cathedral at Florence。
Mr Dorrit weled the visitor with the highest urbanity； and most
courtly manners。 He inquired particularly after Mrs Merdle。 He inquired
particularly after Mr Merdle。 Mr Sparkler said； or rather twitched out
of himself in small pieces by the shirt…collar； that Mrs Merdle having
pletely used up her place in the country； and also her house at
Brighton； and being； of course； unable； don't you see； to remain in
London when there wasn't a soul there； and not feeling herself this year
quite up to visiting about at people's places； had resolved to have
a touch at Rome； where a woman like herself； with a proverbially fine
appearance； and with no nonsense about her； couldn't fail to be a great
acquisition。 As to Mr Merdle； he was so much wanted by the men in the
City and the rest of those places； and was such a doosed extraordinary
phenomenon in Buying and Banking and that； that Mr Sparkler doubted if
the moary system of the country would be able to spare him； though
that his work was occasionally one too many for him； and that he would
be all the better for a temporary shy at an entirely new scene and
climate； Mr Sparkler did not conceal。 As to himself； Mr Sparkler
conveyed to the Dorrit family that he was going； on rather particular
business； wherever they were going。
This immense conversational achievement required time； but was effected。
Being effected； Mr Dorrit expressed his hope that Mr Sparkler would
shortly dine with them。 Mr Sparkler received the idea so kindly that Mr
Dorrit asked what he was going to do that day； for instance？ As he was
going to do nothing that day （his usual occupation； and one for which he
was particularly qualified）； he was secured without postponement； being
further bound over to acpany the ladies to the Opera in the evening。
At dinner…time Mr Sparkler rose out of the sea； like Venus's son taking
after his m