'To become accustomed to the novelty of my life, was all I meant,' said

Little Dorrit, with her loving eyes upon her father; whom she had very

nearly addressed as poultry, if not prunes and prism too, in her desire

to submit herself to Mrs General and please him.

Mr Dorrit frowned, and looked anything but pleased. 'Amy,' he returned,

'it appears to me, I must say, that you have had abundance of time for

that. Ha--you surprise me. You disappoint me. Fanny has conquered any

such little difficulties, and--hum--why not you?'

'I hope I shall do better soon,' said Little Dorrit. 'I hope so,' returned her father.

'I--ha--I most devoutly hope so, Amy.

I sent for you, in order that I might say--hum--impressively say, in

the presence of Mrs General, to whom we are all so much indebted

for obligingly being present among us, on--ha--on this or any other

occasion,' Mrs General shut her eyes, 'that I--ha hum--am not pleased

with you. You make Mrs General's a thankless task. You--ha--embarrass

me very much. You have always (as I have informed Mrs General) been my

favourite child; I have always made you a--hum--a friend and companion;

in return, I beg--I--ha--I do beg, that you accommodate yourself

better to--hum--circumstances, and dutifully do what becomes your--your

station.' Mr Dorrit was even a little more fragmentary than usual, being excited

on the subject and anxious to make himself particularly emphatic.

'I do beg,' he repeated, 'that this may be attended to, and that you

will seriously take pains and try to conduct yourself in a manner both

becoming your position as--ha--Miss Amy Dorrit, and satisfactory to

myself and Mrs General.'

That lady shut her eyes again, on being again referred to; then, slowly

opening them and rising, added these words: 'If Miss Amy Dorrit will

direct her own attention to, and will accept of my poor assistance in,

the formation of a surface, Mr. Dorrit will have no further cause of

anxiety.

May I take this opportunity of remarking, as an instance

in point, that it is scarcely delicate to look at vagrants with the

attention which I have seen bestowed upon them by a very dear young

friend of mine? They should not be looked at. Nothing disagreeable

should ever be looked at. Apart from such a habit standing in the way

of that graceful equanimity of surface which is so expressive of good

breeding, it hardly seems compatible with refinement of mind. A truly

refined mind will seem to be ignorant of the existence of anything that

is not perfectly proper, placid, and pleasant.' Having delivered this

exalted sentiment, Mrs General made a sweeping obeisance, and retired

with an expression of mouth indicative of Prunes and Prism.




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