'I say--you there! Go out, will you!'--which was
addressed to a couple of men who were handing the dishes round, as a
courteous intimation that their services could be temporarily dispensed
with.

Those menials having obeyed the mandate, Edward Dorrit, Esquire,
proceeded.

'Perhaps it's a matter of policy to let you all know that these
Gowans--in whose favour, or at least the gentleman's, I can't be
supposed to be much prepossessed myself--are known to people of
importance, if that makes any difference.'

'That, I would say,' observed the fair varnisher, 'Makes the greatest
difference. The connection in question, being really people of
importance and consideration--'

'As to that,' said Edward Dorrit, Esquire, 'I'll give you the means of
judging for yourself. You are acquainted, perhaps, with the famous name
of Merdle?'

'The great Merdle!' exclaimed Mrs General.

'THE Merdle,' said Edward Dorrit, Esquire. 'They are known to him.

Mrs Gowan--I mean the dowager, my polite friend's mother--is intimate
with Mrs Merdle, and I know these two to be on their visiting list.'

'If so, a more undeniable guarantee could not be given,' said Mrs
General to Mr Dorrit, raising her gloves and bowing her head, as if she
were doing homage to some visible graven image.

'I beg to ask my son, from motives of--ah--curiosity,' Mr Dorrit
observed, with a decided change in his manner, 'how he becomes possessed
of this--hum--timely information?'

'It's not a long story, sir,' returned Edward Dorrit, Esquire, 'and you
shall have it out of hand. To begin with, Mrs Merdle is the lady you had
the parley with at what's-his-name place.'

'Martigny,' interposed Miss Fanny with an air of infinite languor.

'Martigny,' assented her brother, with a slight nod and a slight wink;
in acknowledgment of which, Miss Fanny looked surprised, and laughed and
reddened.

'How can that be, Edward?' said Mr Dorrit. 'You informed me that the
name of the gentleman with whom you conferred was--ha--Sparkler. Indeed,
you showed me his card. Hum. Sparkler.'

'No doubt of it, father; but it doesn't follow that his mother's name
must be the same. Mrs Merdle was married before, and he is her son. She
is in Rome now; where probably we shall know more of her, as you decide
to winter there. Sparkler is just come here. I passed last evening in
company with Sparkler. Sparkler is a very good fellow on the
whole, though rather a bore on one subject, in consequence