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to the feet of his mistress。
'You furious brute；' said Gowan； striking him with his foot again。 'You
shall do penance for this。' And he struck him again； and yet again。
'O； pray don't punish him any more；' cried Little Dorrit。 'Don't hurt
him。 See how gentle he is！' At her entreaty； Gowan spared him； and he
deserved her intercession； for truly he was as submissive； and as sorry；
and as wretched as a dog could be。
It was not easy to recover this shock and make the visit unrestrained；
even though Fanny had not been； under the best of circumstances； the
least trifle in the way。 In such further munication as passed among
them before the sisters took their departure； Little Dorrit fancied it
was revealed to her that Mr Gowan treated his wife； even in his very
fondness； too much like a beautiful child。 He seemed so unsuspicious of
the depths of feeling which she knew must lie below that surface； that
she doubted if there could be any such depths in himself。 She wondered
whether his want of earnestness might be the natural result of his want
of such qualities； and whether it was with people as with ships； that；
in too shallow and rocky waters； their anchors had no hold； and they
drifted anywhere。
He attended them down the staircase； jocosely apologising for the
poor quarters to which such poor fellows as himself were limited； and
remarking that when the high and mighty Barnacles； his relatives； who
would be dreadfully ashamed of them； presented him with better； he would
live in better to oblige them。 At the water's edge they were saluted by
Blandois； who looked white enough after his late adventure； but who made
very light of it notwithstanding；……laughing at the mention of Lion。
Leaving the two together under the scrap of vine upon the causeway；
Gowan idly scattering the leaves from it into the water； and Blandois
lighting a cigarette； the sisters were paddled away in state as they had
e。 They had not glided on for many minutes； when Little Dorrit became
aware that Fanny was more showy in manner than the occasion appeared to
require； and； looking about for the cause through the window and through
the open door； saw another gondola evidently in waiting on them。
As this gondola attended their progress in various artful ways；
sometimes shooting on a…head； and stopping to let them pass； sometimes；
when the way was broad enough； skimming along side by side with them；
and sometimes following close astern； and as Fanny gradually made no
disguise that she was playing off graces upon somebody within it； of
whom she at the same time feigned to be unconscious； Little Dorrit at
length asked who it was？
To which Fanny made the short answer； 'That gaby。'
'Who？' said Little Dorrit。
'My dear child；' returned Fanny （in a tone suggesting that before her
Uncle's protest she might have said； You little fool； instead）； 'how
slow you are！ Young Sparkler。'
She lowered the window on her side； and； leaning back and resting her
elbow on it negligently； fanned herself with a rich Spanish fan of black
and gold。 The attendant gondola； having skimmed forward again； with some
swift trace of an eye in the window； Fanny laughed coquettishly and
said； 'Did you ever see such a fool； my love？'
'Do you think he means to follow you all the way？' asked Little Dorrit。
'My precious child；' returned Fanny； 'I can't possibly answer for what
an idiot in a state of desperation may do； but I should think it highly
probable。 It's not such an enormous distance。 All Venice would scarcely
be that； I imagine； if he's dying for a glimpse of me。'
'And is he？' asked Little Dorrit in perfect simplicity。
'Well； my love； that really is an ae to answer；'
said her sister。 'I believe he is。 You had better ask Edward。 He tells
Edward he is； I believe。 I understand he makes a perfect spectacle of
himself at the Casino； and that sort of places； by going on about me。
But you had better ask Edward if you want to know。'
'I wonder he doesn't call；' said Little Dorrit after thinking a moment。
'My dear Amy； your wonder will soon cease； if I am rightly informed。
I should not be at all surprised if he called to…day。 The creature has
only been waiting to get his courage up； I suspect。'
'Will you see him？'
'Indeed； my darling；' said Fanny； 'that's just as it may happen。 Here he
is again。 Look at him。 O； you simpleton！'
Mr Sparkler had； undeniably； a weak appearance； with his eye in the
window like a knot in the glass； and no reason on earth for stopping his
bark suddenly； except the real reason。
'When you asked me if I will see him； my dear；' said Fanny； almost as
well posed in the graceful indifference of her attitude as Mrs Merdle
herself； 'what do you mean？' 'I mean；' said Little Dorrit……'I think I
rather mean what do you mean； dear Fanny？'
Fanny laughed again； in a manner at once condescending； arch； and
affable； and said； putting her arm round her sister in a playfully
affectionate way：
'Now tell me； my little pet。 When we saw that woman at Martigny； how
did you think she carried it off？ Did you see what she decided on in a
moment？'
'No； Fanny。'
'Then I'll tell you； Amy。 She settled with herself； now I'll never
refer to that meeting under such different circumstances； and I'll never
pretend to have any idea that these are the same girls。 That's her way
out of a difficulty。 What did I tell you when we came away from Harley
Street that time？ She is as insolent and false as any woman in the
world。 But in the first capacity； my love； she may find people who can
match her。'
A significant turn of the Spanish fan towards Fanny's bosom； indicated
with great expression where one of these people was to be found。
'Not only that；' pursued Fanny； 'but she gives the same charge to
Young Sparkler； and doesn't let him e after me until she has got it
thoroughly into his most ridiculous of all ridiculous noddles （for one
really can't call it a head）； that he is to pretend to have been first
struck with me in that Inn Yard。'
'Why？' asked Little Dorrit。
'Why？ Good gracious； my love！' （again very much in the tone of You
stupid little creature） 'how can you ask？ Don't you see that I may have
bee a rather desirable match for a noddle？ And don't you see that she
puts the deception upon us； and makes a pretence； while she shifts it
from her own shoulders （very good shoulders they are too； I must say）；'
observed Miss Fanny； glancing placently at herself； 'of considering
our feelings？'
'But we can always go back to the plain truth。'
'Yes； but if you please we won't；' retorted Fanny。 'No； I am not going
to have that done； Amy。 The pretext is none of mine； it's hers； and she
shall have enough of it。'
In the triumphant exaltation of her feelings； Miss Fanny； using her
Spanish fan with one hand； squeezed her sister's waist with the other；
as if she were crushing Mrs Merdle。
'No；' repeated Fanny。 'She shall find me go her way。 She took it； and
I'll follow it。 And； with the blessing of fate and fortune； I'll go on
improving that woman's acquaintance until I have given her maid；
before her eyes； things from my dressmaker's ten times as handsome and
expensive as she once gave me from hers！'
Little Dorrit was silent； sensible that she was not to be heard on
any question affecting the family dignity； and unwilling to lose to no
purpose her sister's newly and unexpectedly restored favour。 She could
not concur； but she was silent。 Fanny well knew what she was thinking
of； so well； that she soon asked her。
Her reply was； 'Do you mean to encourage Mr Sparkler； Fanny？'
'Encourage him； my dear？' said her sister； smiling contemptuously； 'that
depends upon what you call encourage。 No； I don't mean to encourage him。
But I'll make a slave of him。'
Little Dorrit glanced seriously and doubtfully in her face； but Fanny
was not to be so brought to a check。 She furled her fan of black and
gold； and used it to tap her sister's nose； with the air of a proud
beauty and a great spirit； who toyed with and playfully instructed a
homely panion。
'I shall make him fetch and carry； my dear； and I shall make him subject
to me。 And if I don't make his mother subject to