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to the rings in the wall； and laden； strings of bells were buckled
on； burdens were adjusted； the voices of drivers and riders sounded
musically。 Some of the earliest had even already resumed their journey；
and； both on the level summit by the dark water near the convent； and on
the downward way of yesterday's ascent； little moving figures of men and
mules； reduced to miniatures by the immensity around； went with a clear
tinkling of bells and a pleasant harmony of tongues。
In the supper…room of last night； a new fire； piled upon the feathery
ashes of the old one； shone upon a homely breakfast of loaves； butter；
and milk。 It also shone on the courier of the Dorrit family； making tea
for his party from a supply he had brought up with him； together with
several other small stores which were chiefly laid in for the use of the
strong body of inconvenience。 Mr Gowan and Blandois of Paris had already
breakfasted； and were walking up and down by the lake； smoking their
cigars。 'Gowan； eh？' muttered Tip； otherwise Edward Dorrit； Esquire；
turning over the leaves of the book； when the courier had left them to
breakfast。 'Then Gowan is the name of a puppy； that's all I have got to
say！ If it was worth my while； I'd pull his nose。 But it isn't worth my
while……fortunately for him。 How's his wife； Amy？
I suppose you know。 You generally know things of that sort。'
'She is better； Edward。 But they are not going to…day。'
'Oh！ They are not going to…day！ Fortunately for that fellow too；' said
Tip； 'or he and I might have e into collision。'
'It is thought better here that she should lie quiet to…day； and not be
fatigued and shaken by the ride down until to…morrow。'
'With all my heart。 But you talk as if you had been nursing her。 You
haven't been relapsing into （Mrs General is not here） into old habits；
have you； Amy？'
He asked her the question with a sly glance of observation at Miss
Fanny； and at his father too。
'I have only been in to ask her if I could do anything for her； Tip；'
said Little Dorrit。
'You needn't call me Tip； Amy child；' returned that young gentleman
with a frown； 'because that's an old habit； and one you may as well lay
aside。'
'I didn't mean to say so； Edward dear。 I forgot。 It was so natural once；
that it seemed at the moment the right word。'
'Oh yes！' Miss Fanny struck in。 'Natural； and right word； and once； and
all the rest of it！ Nonsense； you little thing！ I know perfectly well
why you have been taking such an interest in this Mrs Gowan。 You can't
blind me。'
'I will not try to； Fanny。 Don't be angry。'
'Oh！ angry！' returned that young lady with a flounce。 'I have no
patience' （which indeed was the truth）。 'Pray； Fanny；' said Mr Dorrit；
raising his eyebrows； 'what do you mean？ Explain yourself。'
'Oh！ Never mind； Pa；' replied Miss Fanny； 'it's no great matter。
Amy will understand me。 She knew； or knew of； this Mrs Gowan before
yesterday； and she may as well admit that she did。'
'My child；' said Mr Dorrit； turning to his younger daughter； 'has your
sister……any……ha……authority for this curious statement？'
'However meek we are；' Miss Fanny struck in before she could answer； 'we
don't go creeping into people's rooms on the tops of cold mountains；
and sitting perishing in the frost with people； unless we know something
about them beforehand。 It's not very hard to divine whose friend Mrs
Gowan is。'
'Whose friend？' inquired her father。
'Pa； I am sorry to say；' returned Miss Fanny； who had by this time
succeeded in goading herself into a state of much ill…usage and
grievance； which she was often at great pains to do： 'that I believe her
to be a friend of that very objectionable and unpleasant person； who；
with a total absence of all delicacy； which our experience might have
led us to expect from him； insulted us and outraged our feelings in
so public and wilful a manner on an occasion to which it is understood
among us that we will not more pointedly allude。'
'Amy； my child；' said Mr Dorrit； tempering a bland severity with a
dignified affection； 'is this the case？'
Little Dorrit mildly answered； yes it was。
'Yes it is！' cried Miss Fanny。 'Of course！ I said so！ And now； Pa； I do
declare once for all'……this young lady was in the habit of declaring the
same thing once for all every day of her life； and even several times in
a day……'that this is shameful！ I do declare once for all that it ought
to be put a stop to。 Is it not enough that we have gone through what
is only known to ourselves； but are we to have it thrown in our faces；
perseveringly and systematically； by the very person who should spare
our feelings most？ Are we to be exposed to this unnatural conduct every
moment of our lives？ Are we never to be permitted to forget？ I say
again； it is absolutely infamous！'
'Well； Amy；' observed her brother； shaking his head； 'you know I stand
by you whenever I can； and on most occasions。 But I must say； that； upon
my soul； I do consider it rather an unaccountable mode of showing your
sisterly affection； that you should back up a man who treated me in the
most ungentlemanly way in which one man can treat another。 And who；' he
added convincingly； must be a low…minded thief； you know； or he never
could have conducted himself as he did。'
'And see；' said Miss Fanny； 'see what is involved in this！ Can we ever
hope to be respected by our servants？ Never。 Here are our two women； and
Pa's valet； and a footman； and a courier； and all sorts of dependents；
and yet in the midst of these； we are to have one of ourselves rushing
about with tumblers of cold water； like a menial！ Why； a policeman；'
said Miss Fanny； 'if a beggar had a fit in the street； could but go
plunging about with tumblers； as this very Amy did in this very room
before our very eyes last night！'
'I don't so much mind that； once in a way；' remarked Mr Edward； 'but
your Clennam； as he thinks proper to call himself； is another thing。'
'He is part of the same thing；' returned Miss Fanny； 'and of a piece
with all the rest。 He obtruded himself upon us in the first instance。
We never wanted him。 I always showed him； for one； that I could have
dispensed with his pany with the greatest pleasure。
He then mits that gross outrage upon our feelings； which he never
could or would have mitted but for the delight he took in exposing
us； and then we are to be demeaned for the service of his friends！ Why；
I don't wonder at this Mr Gowan's conduct towards you。 What else was
to be expected when he was enjoying our past misfortunes……gloating over
them at the moment！' 'Father……Edward……no indeed！' pleaded Little Dorrit。
'Neither Mr nor Mrs Gowan had ever heard our name。 They were； and they
are； quite ignorant of our history。'
'So much the worse；' retorted Fanny； determined not to admit anything in
extenuation； 'for then you have no excuse。 If they had known about us；
you might have felt yourself called upon to conciliate them。 That would
have been a weak and ridiculous mistake； but I can respect a mistake；
whereas I can't respect a wilful and deliberate abasing of those who
should be nearest and dearest to us。 No。 I can't respect that。 I can do
nothing but denounce that。'
'I never offend you wilfully； Fanny；' said Little Dorrit； 'though you
are so hard with me。'
'Then you should be more careful； Amy；' returned her sister。 'If you do
such things by accident； you should be more careful。 If I happened to
have been born in a peculiar place； and under peculiar circumstances
that blunted my knowledge of propriety； I fancy I should think myself
bound to consider at every step； 〃Am I going； ignorantly； to promise
any near and dear relations？〃 That is what I fancy I should do； if it
was my case。'
Mr Dorrit now interposed； at once to stop these painful subjects by his
authority； and to point their moral by his wisdom。
'My dear；' said he to his younger daughter； 'I beg you to……ha……to say
no more。 Your sister Fanny expresses herself strongly； but not without
considerable reason。 You have now a……hum……a great position to support。
That great position is not occupied by yourself alone； but by……ha……by
me； and……ha hum……by us。 Us。 Now； it is incumbent