第99章

Notwithstandingthatitswallswereblotched，asifmissionarymapswereburstingoutofthemtoimpartgeographicalknowledge；

notwithstandingthatitsweirdfurniturewasforlornlyfadedandmusty，andthattheprevailingVenetianodourofbilgewaterandanebbtideonaweedyshorewasverystrong；theplacewasbetterwithin，thanitpromised。Thedoorwasopenedbyasmilingmanlikeareformedassassin——atemporaryservant——whousheredthemintotheroomwhereMrsGowansat，withtheannouncementthattwobeautifulEnglishladieswerecometoseethemistress。

MrsGowan，whowasengagedinneedlework，putherworkasideinacoveredbasket，androse，alittlehurriedly。MissFannywasexcessivelycourteoustoher，andsaidtheusualnothingswiththeskillofaveteran。

’Papawasextremelysorry，’proceededFanny，’tobeengagedto-day(heissomuchengagedhere，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。MrsGowanwen