'There is no accounting,' said Mrs General, 'for these partialities.' 'Ha--no,' assented Mr Dorrit. 'No. Now, madam, I am troubled by noticing

that Amy is not, so to speak, one of ourselves. She does not Care to go

about with us; she is lost in the society we have here; our tastes

are evidently not her tastes. Which,' said Mr Dorrit, summing up with

judicial gravity, 'is to say, in other words, that there is something

wrong in--ha--Amy.' 'May we incline to the supposition,' said Mrs General, with a little

touch of varnish, 'that something is referable to the novelty of the

position?' 'Excuse me, madam,' observed Mr Dorrit, rather quickly. 'The daughter

of a gentleman, though--ha--himself at one time comparatively far from

affluent--comparatively--and herself reared in--hum--retirement, need

not of necessity find this position so very novel.'

'True,' said Mrs General, 'true.' 'Therefore, madam,' said Mr Dorrit, 'I took the liberty' (he laid an

emphasis on the phrase and repeated it, as though he stipulated, with

urbane firmness, that he must not be contradicted again), 'I took the

liberty of requesting this interview, in order that I might mention the

topic to you, and inquire how you would advise me?'

'Mr Dorrit,' returned Mrs General, 'I have conversed with Amy several

times since we have been residing here, on the general subject of the

formation of a demeanour. She has expressed herself to me as wondering

exceedingly at Venice. I have mentioned to her that it is better not to

wonder. I have pointed out to her that the celebrated Mr Eustace, the

classical tourist, did not think much of it; and that he compared the

Rialto, greatly to its disadvantage, with Westminster and Blackfriars

Bridges. I need not add, after what you have said, that I have not yet

found my arguments successful. You do me the honour to ask me what to

advise. It always appears to me (if this should prove to be a baseless

assumption, I shall be pardoned), that Mr Dorrit has been accustomed to

exercise influence over the minds of others.'

'Hum--madam,' said Mr Dorrit, 'I have been at the head of--ha of

a considerable community. You are right in supposing that I am not

unaccustomed to--an influential position.'

'I am happy,' returned Mrs General, 'to be so corroborated. I would

therefore the more confidently recommend that Mr Dorrit should speak to

Amy himself, and make his observations and wishes known to her. Being

his favourite, besides, and no doubt attached to him, she is all the

more likely to yield to his influence.'




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