tain in
what he trusted he might be allowed, without the appearance of being
mercenary, to call the Eye of the Great World. While saying this, which
his character as a gentleman of some little station, and his character
as a father, equally demanded of him, he would not be so diplomatic
as to conceal that the proposal remained in hopeful abeyance and
under conditional acceptance, and that he thanked Mr Sparkler for the
compliment rendered to himself and to his family. He concluded with
some further and more general observations on the--ha--character of an
independent gentleman, and the--hum--character of a possibly too
partial and admiring parent. To sum the whole up shortly, he received
Mr Sparkler's offer very much as he would have received three or four
half-crowns from him in the days that were gone.

Mr Sparkler, finding himself stunned by the words thus heaped upon his
inoffensive head, made a brief though pertinent rejoinder; the same
being neither more nor less than that he had long perceived Miss Fanny
to have no nonsense about her, and that he had no doubt of its being all
right with his Governor. At that point the object of his affections shut
him up like a box with a spring lid, and sent him away.

Proceeding shortly afterwards to pay his respects to the Bosom, Mr
Dorrit was received by it with great consideration. Mrs Merdle had heard
of this affair from Edmund. She had been surprised at first, because she
had not thought Edmund a marrying man. Society had not thought Edmund
a marrying man. Still, of course she had seen, as a woman (we women
did instinctively see these things, Mr Dorrit!), that Edmund had been
immensely captivated by Miss Dorrit, and she had openly said that Mr
Dorrit had much to answer for in bringing so charming a girl abroad to
turn the heads of his countrymen.

'Have I the honour to conclude, madam,' said Mr Dorrit, 'that the
direction which Mr Sparkler's affections have taken, is--ha-approved of
by you?'

'I assure you, Mr Dorrit,' returned the lady, 'that, personally, I am
charmed.'

That was very gratifying to Mr Dorrit.

'Personally,' repeated Mrs Merdle, 'charmed.'

This casual repetition of the word 'personally,' moved Mr Dorrit to
express his hope that Mr Merdle's approval, too, would not be wanting?

'I cannot,' said Mrs Merdle, 'take upon myself to answer positively for
Mr Merdle; gentlemen, especially gentlemen who are what Society calls
capitalists, having their own