AmyHADbeenthinkingofthissomeoneelsetoo；foritwasMrSparkler。Shedidnotsayso，however，asshegavehimherhand。
　　MrSparklercameandsatdownontheothersideofher，andshefeltthefraternalrailingcomebehindher，andapparentlystretchontoincludeFanny。
　　’Well，mylittlesister，’saidFannywithasigh，’Isupposeyouknowwhatthismeans？’
　　’She’sasbeautifulasshe’sdoatedon，’stammeredMrSparkler——
　　’andthere’snononsenseabouther——it’sarranged——’
　　’Youneedn’texplain，Edmund，’saidFanny。
　　’No，mylove，’saidMrSparkler。
　　’Inshort，pet，’proceededFanny，’onthewhole，weareengaged。
　　Wemusttellpapaaboutiteitherto-nightorto-morrow，accordingtotheopportunities。Thenit’sdone，andverylittlemoreneedbesaid。’
　　’MydearFanny，’saidMrSparkler，withdeference，’IshouldliketosayawordtoAmy。’
　　’Well，well!Sayitforgoodness’sake，’returnedtheyounglady。
　　’Iamconvinced，mydearAmy，’saidMrSparkler，’thatifevertherewasagirl，nexttoyourhighlyendowedandbeautifulsister，whohadnononsenseabouther——’
　　’Weknowallaboutthat，Edmund，’interposedMissFanny。’Nevermindthat。Praygoontosomethingelsebesidesourhavingnononsenseaboutus。’
　　’Yes，mylove，’saidMrSparkler。’AndIassureyou，Amy，thatnothingcanbeagreaterhappinesstomyself，myself——nexttothehappinessofbeingsohighlyhonouredwiththechoiceofagloriousgirlwhohasn’tanatomof——’
　　’Pray，Edmund，pray!’interruptedFanny，withaslightpatofherprettyfootuponthefloor。
　　’Mylove，you’requiteright，’saidMrSparkler，’andIknowIhaveahabitofit。WhatIwishedtodeclarewas，thatnothingcanbeagreaterhappinesstomyself，myself-nexttothehappinessofbeingunitedtopre-eminentlythemostgloriousofgirls——thantohavethehappinessofcultivatingtheaffectionateacquaintanceofAmy。Imaynotmyself，’saidMrSparklermanfully，’beuptothemarkonsomeothersubjectsatashortnotice，andIamawarethatifyouweretopollSocietythegeneralopinionwouldbethatIamnot；butonthesubjectofAmyIamuptothemark!’
　　MrSparklerkissedher，inwitnessthereof。
　　’Aknifeandforkandanapartment，’proceededMrSparkler，growing，incomparisonwithhisoratoricalantecedents，quitediffuse，’willeverbeatAmy’sdisposal。MyGovernor，Iamsure，willalwaysbeproudtoentertainonewhomIsomuchesteem。Andregardingmymother，’saidMrSparkler，’whoisaremarkablyfinewoman，with——’
　　’Edmund，Edmund!’criedMissFanny，asbefore。
　　’Withsubmission，mysoul，’pleadedMrSparkler。’IknowIhaveahabitofit，andIthankyouverymuch，myadorablegirl，fortakingthetroubletocorrectit；butmymotherisadmittedonallsidestobearemarkablyfinewoman，andshereallyhasn’tany。’
　　’Thatmaybe，ormaynotbe，’returnedFanny，’butpraydon’tmentionitanymore。’
　　’Iwillnot，mylove，’saidMrSparkler。
　　’Then，infact，youhavenothingmoretosay，Edmund；haveyou？’
　　inquiredFanny。
　　’Sofarfromit，myadorablegirl，’answeredMrSparkler，’I
　　apologiseforhavingsaidsomuch。’
　　MrSparklerperceived，byakindofinspiration，thatthequestionimpliedhadhenotbettergo？Hethereforewithdrewthefraternalrailing，andneatlysaidthathethoughthewould，withsubmission，takehisleave。HedidnotgowithoutbeingcongratulatedbyAmy，aswellasshecoulddischargethatofficeintheflutteranddistressofherspirits。
　　Whenhewasgone，shesaid，’OFanny，Fanny!’andturnedtohersisterinthebrightwindow，andfelluponherbosomandcriedthere。Fannylaughedatfirst；butsoonlaidherfaceagainsthersister’sandcriedtoo——alittle。ItwasthelasttimeFannyevershowedthattherewasanyhidden，suppressed，orconqueredfeelinginheronthematter。Fromthathourthewayshehadchosenlaybeforeher，andshetroditwithherownimperiousself-willedstep。
　　NojustCauseorImpedimentwhytheseTwoPersonsshouldnotbejoinedtogetherMrDorrit，onbeinginformedbyhiselderdaughterthatshehadacceptedmatrimonialoverturesfromMrSparkler，towhomshehadplightedhertroth，receivedthecommunicationatoncewithgreatdignityandwithalargedisplayofparentalpride；hisdignitydilatingwiththewidenedprospectofadvantageousgroundfromwhichtomakeacquaintances，andhisparentalpridebeingdevelopedbyMissFanny’sreadysympathywiththatgreatobjectofhisexistence。Hegavehertounderstandthathernobleambitionfoundharmoniousechoesinhisheart；andbestowedhisblessingonher，asachildbrimfulofdutyandgoodprinciple，self-devotedtotheaggrandisementofthefamilyname。
　　ToMrSparkler，whenMissFannypermittedhimtoappear，MrDorritsaid，hewouldnotdisguisethattheallianceMrSparklerdidhimthehonourtoproposewashighlycongenialtohisfeelings；bothasbeinginunisonwiththespontaneousaffectionsofhisdaughterFanny，andasopeningafamilyconnectionofagratifyingnaturewithMrMerdle，themasterspiritoftheage。MrsMerdlealso，asaleadingladyrichindistinction，elegance，grace，andbeauty，hementionedinverylaudatoryterms。HefeltithisdutytoremarkhewassureagentlemanofMrSparkler’sfinesensewouldinterprethimwithalldelicacy，thathecouldnotconsiderthisproposaldefinitelydeterminedon，untilheshouldhavehadtheprivilegeofholdingsomecorrespondencewithMrMerdle；andofascertainingittobesofaraccordantwiththeviewsofthateminentgentlemanasthathisMrDorrit’sdaughterwouldbereceivedonthatfootingwhichherstationinlifeandherdowryandexpectationswarrantedhiminrequiringthatsheshouldmaintaininwhathetrustedhemightbeallowed，withouttheappearanceofbeingmercenary，tocalltheEyeoftheGreatWorld。
　　Whilesayingthis，whichhischaracterasagentlemanofsomelittlestation，andhischaracterasafather，equallydemandedofhim，hewouldnotbesodiplomaticastoconcealthattheproposalremainedinhopefulabeyanceandunderconditionalacceptance，andthathethankedMrSparklerforthecomplimentrenderedtohimselfandtohisfamily。Heconcludedwithsomefurtherandmoregeneralobservationsonthe——ha——characterofanindependentgentleman，andthe——hum——characterofapossiblytoopartialandadmiringparent。
　　Tosumthewholeupshortly，hereceivedMrSparkler’sofferverymuchashewouldhavereceivedthreeorfourhalf-crownsfromhiminthedaysthatweregone。
　　MrSparkler，findinghimselfstunnedbythewordsthusheapeduponhisinoffensivehead，madeabriefthoughpertinentrejoinder；thesamebeingneithermorenorlessthanthathehadlongperceivedMissFannytohavenononsenseabouther，andthathehadnodoubtofitsbeingallrightwithhisGovernor。Atthatpointtheobjectofhisaffectionsshuthimuplikeaboxwithaspringlid，andsenthimaway。
　　ProceedingshortlyafterwardstopayhisrespectstotheBosom，MrDorritwasreceivedbyitwithgreatconsideration。MrsMerdlehadheardofthisaffairfromEdmund。Shehadbeensurprisedatfirst，becauseshehadnotthoughtEdmundamarryingman。SocietyhadnotthoughtEdmundamarryingman。Still，ofcourseshehadseen，asawomanwewomendidinstinctivelyseethesethings，MrDorrit!，thatEdmundhadbeenimmenselycaptivatedbyMissDorrit，andshehadopenlysaidthatMrDorrithadmuchtoanswerforinbringingsocharmingagirlabroadtoturntheheadsofhiscountrymen。
　　’HaveIthehonourtoconclude，madam，’saidMrDorrit，’thatthedirectionwhichMrSparkler’saffectionshavetaken，is——ha-
　　approvedofbyyou？’
　　’Iassureyou，MrDorrit，’returnedthelady，’that，personally，I
　　amcharmed。’
　　ThatwasverygratifyingtoMrDorrit。
　　’Personally，’repeatedMrsMerdle，’charmed。’
　　Thiscasualrepetitionoftheword’personally，’movedMrDorrittoexpresshishopethatMrMerdle’sapproval，too，wouldnotbewanting？
　　’Icannot，’saidMrsMerdle，’takeuponmyselftoanswerpositivelyforMrMerdle；gentlemen，especiallygentlemenwhoarewhatSocietycallscapitalists，havingtheirownideasofthesematters。ButI
　　shouldthink——merelygivinganopinion，MrDorrit——IshouldthinkMrMerdlewouldbeuponthewhole，’heresheheldareviewofherselfbeforeaddingatherleisure，’quitecharmed。’
　　AtthementionofgentlemenwhomSocietycalledcapitalists，MrDorrithadcoughed，asifsomeinternaldemurwerebreakingoutofhim。MrsMerdlehadobservedit，andwentontotakeupthecue。
　　’Though，indeed，MrDorrit，itisscarcelynecessaryformetomakethatremark，exceptinthemereopennessofsayingwhatisuppermosttoonewhomIsohighlyregard，andwithwhomIhopeI
　　mayhavethepleasureofbeingbroughtintostillmoreagreeablerelations。ForonecannotbutseethegreatprobabilityofyourconsideringsuchthingsfromMrMerdle’sownpointofview，exceptindeedthatcircumstanceshavemadeitMrMerdle’saccidentalfortune，ormisfortune，tobeengagedinbusinesstransactions，andthatthey，howevervast，mayalittlecramphishorizons。Iamaverychildastohavinganynotionofbusiness，’saidMrsMerdle；
　　’butIamafraid，MrDorrit，itmayhavethattendency。’
　　Thisskilfulsee-sawofMrDorritandMrsMerdle，sothateachofthemsenttheotherup，andeachofthemsenttheotherdown，andneitherhadtheadvantage，actedasasedativeonMrDorrit’scough。Heremarkedwithhisutmostpoliteness，thathemustbegtoprotestagainstitsbeingsupposed，evenbyMrsMerdle，theaccomplishedandgracefultowhichcomplimentshebentherself，thatsuchenterprisesasMrMerdle’s，apartastheywerefromthepunyundertakingsoftherestofmen，hadanylowertendencythantoenlargeandexpandthegeniusinwhichtheywereconceived。
　　’Youaregenerosityitself，’saidMrsMerdleinreturn，smilingherbestsmile；’letushopeso。ButIconfessIamalmostsuperstitiousinmyideasaboutbusiness。’
　　MrDorritthrewinanothercomplimenthere，totheeffectthatbusiness，likethetimewhichwaspreciousinit，wasmadeforslaves；andthatitwasnotforMrsMerdle，whoruledallheartsathersupremepleasure，tohaveanythingtodowithit。MrsMerdlelaughed，andconveyedtoMrDorritanideathattheBosomflushed——
　　whichwasoneofherbesteffects。
　　’Isaysomuch，’shethenexplained，’merelybecauseMrMerdlehasalwaystakenthegreatestinterestinEdmund，andhasalwaysexpressedthestrongestdesiretoadvancehisprospects。Edmund’spublicposition，Ithinkyouknow。HisprivatepositionrestssolelywithMrMerdle。Inmyfoolishincapacityforbusiness，IassureyouIknownomore。’
　　MrDorritagainexpressed，inhisownway，thesentimentthatbusinesswasbelowthekenofenslaversandenchantresses。Hethenmentionedhisintention，asagentlemanandaparent，ofwritingtoMrMerdle。MrsMerdleconcurredwithallherheart——orwithallherart，whichwasexactlythesamething——andherselfdespatchedapreparatoryletterbythenextposttotheeighthwonderoftheworld。