'Thank you very much, Mrs General,' returned the young lady, 'no, I

think not. On the whole I prefer my own expression.' This was always

Miss Fanny's way of receiving a suggestion from Mrs General. But she

always stored it up in her mind, and adopted it at another time.

'I should have mentioned our having met Mr and Mrs Gowan, Fanny,' said

Little Dorrit, 'even if Uncle had not. I have scarcely seen you since,

you know. I meant to have spoken of it at breakfast; because I should

like to pay a visit to Mrs Gowan, and to become better acquainted with

her, if Papa and Mrs General do not object.'

'Well, Amy,' said Fanny, 'I am sure I am glad to find you at last

expressing a wish to become better acquainted with anybody in Venice.

Though whether Mr and Mrs Gowan are desirable acquaintances, remains to

be determined.' 'Mrs Gowan I spoke of, dear.'

'No doubt,' said Fanny. 'But you can't separate her from her husband, I

believe, without an Act of Parliament.' 'Do you think, Papa,' inquired Little Dorrit, with diffidence and

hesitation, 'there is any objection to my making this visit?'

'Really,' he replied, 'I--ha--what is Mrs General's view?'

Mrs General's view was, that not having the honour of any acquaintance

with the lady and gentleman referred to, she was not in a position

to varnish the present article. She could only remark, as a general

principle observed in the varnishing trade, that much depended on the

quarter from which the lady under consideration was accredited to a

family so conspicuously niched in the social temple as the family of

Dorrit. At this remark the face of Mr Dorrit gloomed considerably. He was about

(connecting the accrediting with an obtrusive person of the name

of Clennam, whom he imperfectly remembered in some former state of

existence) to black-ball the name of Gowan finally, when Edward Dorrit,

Esquire, came into the conversation, with his glass in his eye, and the

preliminary remark of 'I say--you there! Go out, will you!'--which was

addressed to a couple of men who were handing the dishes round, as a

courteous intimation that their services could be temporarily dispensed

with. Those menials having obeyed the mandate, Edward Dorrit, Esquire,

proceeded. 'Perhaps it's a matter of policy to let you all know that these

Gowans--in whose favour, or at least the gentleman's, I can't be

supposed to be much prepossessed myself--are known to people of

importance, if that makes any difference.'

'That, I would say,' observed the fair varnisher, 'Makes the greatest

difference. The connection in question, being really people of

importance and consideration--' 'As to that,' said Edward Dorrit, Esquire, 'I'll give you the means of

judging for yourself. You are acquainted, perhaps, with the famous name

of Merdle?' 'The great Merdle!' exclaimed Mrs General.




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