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and fresh from the hand of her maid。 She had large unfeeling handsome
eyes； and dark unfeeling handsome hair； and a broad unfeeling handsome
bosom； and was made the most of in every particular。 Either because she
had a cold； or because it suited her face； she wore a rich white
fillet tied over her head and under her chin。 And if ever there were
an unfeeling handsome chin that looked as if； for certain； it had never
been； in familiar parlance； 'chucked' by the hand of man； it was the
chin curbed up so tight and close by that laced bridle。
'Mrs Merdle；' said Fanny。 'My sister； ma'am。'
'I am glad to see your sister； Miss Dorrit。 I did not remember that you
had a sister。'
'I did not mention that I had；' said Fanny。
'Ah！' Mrs Merdle curled the little finger of her left hand as who should
say； 'I have caught you。 I know you didn't！' All her action was usually
with her left hand because her hands were not a pair； and left being
much the whiter and plumper of the two。 Then she added： 'Sit down；' and
posed herself voluptuously； in a nest of crimson and gold cushions；
on an ottoman near the parrot。
'Also professional？' said Mrs Merdle； looking at Little Dorrit through
an eye…glass。
Fanny answered No。 'No；' said Mrs Merdle； dropping her glass。 'Has not a
professional air。 Very pleasant； but not professional。'
'My sister； ma'am；' said Fanny； in whom there was a singular mixture
of deference and hardihood； 'has been asking me to tell her； as between
sisters； how I came to have the honour of knowing you。 And as I had
engaged to call upon you once more； I thought I might take the liberty
of bringing her with me； when perhaps you would tell her。 I wish her to
know； and perhaps you will tell her？' 'Do you think； at your sister's
age……' hinted Mrs Merdle。
'She is much older than she looks；' said Fanny； 'almost as old as I am。'
'Society；' said Mrs Merdle； with another curve of her little finger；
'is so difficult to explain to young persons （indeed is so difficult to
explain to most persons）； that I am glad to hear that。
I wish Society was not so arbitrary； I wish it was not so
exacting……Bird； be quiet！'
The parrot had given a most piercing shriek； as if its name were Society
and it asserted its right to its exactions。
'But；' resumed Mrs Merdle； 'we must take it as we find it。 We know it is
hollow and conventional and worldly and very shocking； but unless we
are Savages in the Tropical seas （I should have been charmed to be one
myself……most delightful life and perfect climate； I am told）； we
must consult it。 It is the mon lot。 Mr Merdle is a most extensive
merchant； his transactions are on the vastest scale； his wealth and
influence are very great； but even he……Bird； be quiet！'
The parrot had shrieked another shriek； and it filled up the sentence so
expressively that Mrs Merdle was under no necessity to end it。
'Since your sister begs that I would terminate our personal
acquaintance；' she began again； addressing Little Dorrit； 'by relating
the circumstances that are much to her credit； I cannot object to ply
sure。 I have a son （I was first married extremely
young） of two or three…and…twenty。'
Fanny set her lips； and her eyes looked half triumphantly at her sister。
'A son of two or three…and…twenty。 He is a little gay； a thing Society
is accustomed to in young men； and he is very impressible。 Perhaps he
inherits that misfortune。 I am very impressible myself； by nature。 The
weakest of creatures……my feelings are touched in a moment。'
She said all this； and everything else； as coldly as a woman of snow；
quite forgetting the sisters except at odd times； and apparently
addressing some abstraction of Society； for whose behoof； too； she
occasionally arranged her dress； or the position of her figure upon
the ottoman。
'So he is very impressible。 Not a misfortune in our natural state I dare
say； but we are not in a natural state。 Much to be lamented； no doubt；
particularly by myself； who am a child of nature if I could but show it；
but so it is。 Society suppresses us and dominates us……Bird； be quiet！'
The parrot had broken into a violent fit of laughter； after twisting
divers bars of his cage with his crooked bill； and licking them with his
black tongue。
'It is quite unnecessary to say to a person of your good sense； wide
range of experience； and cultivated feeling；' said Mrs Merdle from her
nest of crimson and gold……and there put up her glass to refresh her
memory as to whom she was addressing；……'that the stage sometimes has
a fascination for young men of that class of character。 In saying the
stage； I mean the people on it of the female sex。 Therefore； when I
heard that my son was supposed to be fascinated by a dancer； I knew what
that usually meant in Society； and confided in her being a dancer at the
Opera； where young men moving in Society are usually fascinated。'
She passed her white hands over one another； observant of the sisters
now； and the rings upon her fingers grated against each other with a
hard sound。
'As your sister will tell you； when I found what the theatre was I was
much surprised and much distressed。 But when I found that your sister；
by rejecting my son's advances （I must add； in an unexpected manner）；
had brought him to the point of proposing marriage； my feelings were
of the profoundest anguish……acute。' She traced the outline of her left
eyebrow； and put it right。
'In a distracted condition； which only a mother……moving in Society……can
be susceptible of； I determined to go myself to the theatre； and
represent my state of mind to the dancer。 I made myself known to your
sister。 I found her； to my surprise； in many respects different from
my expectations； and certainly in none more so； than in meeting me
with……what shall I say……a sort of family assertion on her own part？' Mrs
Merdle smiled。
'I told you； ma'am；' said Fanny； with a heightening colour； 'that
although you found me in that situation； I was so far above the rest；
that I considered my family as good as your son's； and that I had a
brother who； knowing the circumstances； would be of the same opinion；
and would not consider such a connection any honour。'
'Miss Dorrit；' said Mrs Merdle； after frostily looking at her through
her glass； 'precisely what I was on the point of telling your sister；
in pursuance of your request。 Much obliged to you for recalling it
so accurately and anticipating me。 I immediately；' addressing Little
Dorrit； '（for I am the creature of impulse）； took a bracelet from my
arm； and begged your sister to let me clasp it on hers； in token of
the delight I had in our being able to approach the subject so far on
a mon footing。' （This was perfectly true； the lady having bought a
cheap and showy article on her way to the interview； with a general eye
to bribery。）
'And I told you； Mrs Merdle；' said Fanny； 'that we might be unfortunate；
but we are not mon。'
'I think； the very words； Miss Dorrit；' assented Mrs Merdle。
'And I told you； Mrs Merdle；' said Fanny； 'that if you spoke to me
of the superiority of your son's standing in Society； it was barely
possible that you rather deceived yourself in your suppos