第120章

Inhisepistolarycommunication，asinhisdialoguesanddiscoursesonthegreatquestiontowhichitrelated，MrDorritsurroundedthesubjectwithflourishes，aswriting-mastersembellishcopy-booksandciphering-books：wherethetitlesoftheelementaryrulesofarithmeticdivergeintoswans，eagles，griffins，andothercalligraphicrecreations，andwherethecapitallettersgooutoftheirmindsandbodiesintoecstasiesofpenandink。

Nevertheless，hedidrenderthepurportofhislettersufficientlyclear，toenableMrMerdletomakeadecentpretenceofhavinglearntitfromthatsource。MrMerdlerepliedtoitaccordingly。

MrDorritrepliedtoMrMerdle；MrMerdlerepliedtoMrDorrit；anditwassoonannouncedthatthecorrespondingpowershadcometoasatisfactoryunderstanding。

Now，andnotbefore，MissFannyburstuponthescene，completelyarrayedforhernewpart。Nowandnotbefore，shewhollyabsorbedMrSparklerinherlight，andshoneforboth，andtwentymore。Nolongerfeelingthatwantofadefinedplaceandcharacterwhichhadcausedhersomuchtrouble，thisfairshipbegantosteersteadilyonashapedcourse，andtoswimwithaweightandbalancethatdevelopedhersailingqualities。

’Thepreliminariesbeingsosatisfactorilyarranged，IthinkIwillnow，mydear，’saidMrDorrit，’announce——ha——formally，toMrsGeneral——’

’Papa，’returnedFanny，takinghimupshortuponthatname，’I

don’tseewhatMrsGeneralhasgottodowithit。’

’Mydear，’saidMrDorrit，’itwillbeanactofcourtesyto——hum——

alady，wellbredandrefined——’

’Oh!IamsickofMrsGeneral’sgoodbreedingandrefinement，papa，’saidFanny。’IamtiredofMrsGeneral。’

’Tired，’repeatedMrDorritinreproachfulastonishment，’of——ha——

MrsGeneral。’

’Quitedisgustedwithher，papa，’saidFanny。’Ireallydon’tseewhatshehastodowithmymarriage。Letherkeeptoherownmatrimonialprojects——ifshehasany。’

’Fanny，’returnedMrDorrit，withagraveandweightyslownessuponhim，contrastingstronglywithhisdaughter’slevity：’Ibegthefavourofyourexplaining——ha——whatitisyoumean。’

’Imean，papa，’saidFanny，’thatifMrsGeneralshouldhappentohaveanymatrimonialprojectsofherown，Idaresaytheyarequiteenoughtooccupyhersparetime。Andthatifshehasnot，somuchthebetter；butstillIdon’twishtohavethehonourofmakingannouncementstoher。’

’Permitmetoaskyou，Fanny，’saidMrDorrit，’whynot？’

’Becauseshecanfindmyengagementoutforherself，papa，’

retortedFanny。’Sheiswatchfulenough，Idaresay。IthinkI

haveseenherso。Letherfinditoutforherself。Ifsheshouldnotfinditoutforherself，shewillknowitwhenIammarried。

AndIhopeyouwillnotconsidermewantinginaffectionforyou，papa，ifIsayitstrikesmethatwillbequiteenoughforMrsGeneral。’

’Fanny，’returnedMrDorrit，’Iamamazed，Iamdispleasedbythis——hum——thiscapriciousandunintelligibledisplayofanimositytowards——ha——MrsGeneral。’

’Donot，ifyouplease，papa，’urgedFanny，’callitanimosity，becauseIassureyouIdonotconsiderMrsGeneralworthmyanimosity。’

Atthis，MrDorritrosefromhischairwithafixedlookofseverereproof，andremainedstandinginhisdignitybeforehisdaughter。

Hisdaughter，turningthebraceletonherarm，andnowlookingathim，andnowlookingfromhim，said，’Verywell，papa。Iamtrulysorryifyoudon’tlikeit；butIcan’thelpit。Iamnotachild，andIamnotAmy，andImustspeak。’

’Fanny，’gaspedMrDorrit，afteramajesticsilence，’ifIrequestyoutoremainhere，whileIformallyannouncetoMrsGeneral，asanexemplarylady，whois——hum——atrustedmemberofthisfamily，the——

ha——thechangethatiscontemplatedamongus；ifI——ha——notonlyrequestit，but——hum——insistuponit——