第101章

’Ihearyouareacquainted，MrSparkler，’saidhishostatdinner，’with——ha——MrGowan。MrHenryGowan？’

’Perfectly，sir，’returnedMrSparkler。’Hismotherandmymotherarecroniesinfact。’

’IfIhadthoughtofit，Amy，’saidMrDorrit，withapatronageasmagnificentasthatofLordDecimushimself，’youshouldhavedespatchedanotetothem，askingthemtodineto-day。Someofourpeoplecouldhave——ha——fetchedthem，andtakenthemhome。Wecouldhavespareda——hum——gondolaforthatpurpose。Iamsorrytohaveforgottenthis。Prayremindmeofthemto-morrow。’

LittleDorritwasnotwithoutdoubtshowMrHenryGowanmighttaketheirpatronage；butshepromisednottofailinthereminder。

’Pray，doesMrHenryGowanpaint——ha——Portraits？’inquiredMrDorrit。

MrSparkleropinedthathepaintedanything，ifhecouldgetthejob。

’Hehasnoparticularwalk？’saidMrDorrit。

MrSparkler，stimulatedbyLovetobrilliancy，repliedthatforaparticularwalkamanoughttohaveaparticularpairofshoes；as，forexample，shooting，shooting-shoes；cricket，cricket-shoes。

Whereas，hebelievedthatHenryGowanhadnoparticularpairofshoes。

’Nospeciality？’saidMrDorrit。

ThisbeingaverylongwordforMrSparkler，andhismindbeingexhaustedbyhislateeffort，hereplied，’No，thankyou。Iseldomtakeit。’

’Well!’saidMrDorrit。’Itwouldbeveryagreeabletometopresentagentlemansoconnected，withsome——ha——Testimonialofmydesiretofurtherhisinterests，anddevelopthe——hum——germsofhisgenius。IthinkImustengageMrGowantopaintmypicture。Iftheresultshouldbe——ha——mutuallysatisfactory，Imightafterwardsengagehimtotryhishanduponmyfamily。’

TheexquisitelyboldandoriginalthoughtpresenteditselftoMrSparkler，thattherewasanopeninghereforsayingthereweresomeofthefamily(emphasising’some’inamarkedmanner)towhomnopaintercouldrenderjustice。But，forwantofaformofwordsinwhichtoexpresstheidea，itreturnedtotheskies。

ThiswasthemoretoberegrettedasMissFannygreatlyapplaudedthenotionoftheportrait，andurgedherpapatoactuponit。Shesurmised，shesaid，thatMrGowanhadlostbetterandhigheropportunitiesbymarryinghisprettywife；andLoveinacottage，paintingpicturesfordinner，wassodelightfullyinteresting，thatshebeggedherpapatogivehimthecommissionwhetherhecouldpaintalikenessornot：thoughindeedbothsheandAmyknewhecould，fromhavingseenaspeakinglikenessonhiseaselthatday，andhavinghadtheopportunityofcomparingitwiththeoriginal。

TheseremarksmadeMrSparkler(asperhapstheywereintendedtodo)nearlydistracted；forwhileontheonehandtheyexpressedMissFanny’ssusceptibilityofthetenderpassion，sheherselfshowedsuchaninnocentunconsciousnessofhisadmirationthathiseyesgoggledinhisheadwithjealousyofanunknownrival。

Descendingintotheseaagainafterdinner，andascendingoutofitattheOperastaircase，precededbyoneoftheirgondoliers，likeanattendantMerman，withagreatlinenlantern，theyenteredtheirbox，andMrSparklerenteredonaneveningofagony。Thetheatrebeingdark，andtheboxlight，severalvisitorsloungedinduringtherepresentation；inwhomFannywassointerested，andinconversationwithwhomshefellintosuchcharmingattitudes，asshehadlittleconfidenceswiththem，andlittledisputesconcerningtheidentityofpeopleindistantboxes，thatthewretchedSparklerhatedallmankind。Buthehadtwoconsolationsatthecloseoftheperformance。Shegavehimherfantoholdwhilesheadjust