requested him to go round to the other side of the sofa and sit in the
window…curtain； to tone himself down。
'Now； Edmund；' she said； stretching out her fan； and touching him with
it at arm's length； 'what I was going to say to you when you began as
usual to prose and worry； is； that I shall guard against our being alone
any more； and that when circumstances prevent my going out to my own
satisfaction； I must arrange to have some people or other always here；
for I really cannot； and will not； have another such day as this has
been。'
Mr Sparkler's sentiments as to the plan were； in brief； that it had no
nonsense about it。 He added； 'And besides； you know it's likely that
you'll soon have your sister……'
'Dearest Amy； yes！' cried Mrs Sparkler with a sigh of affection。
'Darling little thing！ Not； however； that Amy would do here alone。'
Mr Sparkler was going to say 'No？' interrogatively； but he saw his
danger and said it assentingly； 'No； Oh dear no； she wouldn't do here
alone。'
'No； Edmund。 For not only are the virtues of the precious child of that
still character that they require a contrast……require life and movement
around them to bring them out in their right colours and make one love
them of all things； but she will require to be roused； on more accounts
than one。'
'That's it；' said Mr Sparkler。 'Roused。'
'Pray don't； Edmund！ Your habit of interrupting without having the least
thing in the world to say； distracts one。 You must be broken of it。
Speaking of Amy；……my poor little pet was devotedly attached to poor
papa； and no doubt will have lamented his loss exceedingly； and grieved
very much。 I have done so myself。 I have felt it dreadfully。 But Amy
will no doubt have felt it even more； from having been on the spot the
whole time； and having been with poor dear papa at the last； which I
unhappily was not。'
Here Fanny stopped to weep； and to say； 'Dear； dear； beloved papa！ How
truly gentlemanly he was！ What a contrast to poor uncle！'
'From the effects of that trying time；' she pursued； 'my good little
Mouse will have to be roused。 Also； from the effects of this long
attendance upon Edward in his illness； an attendance which is not
yet over； which may even go on for some time longer； and which in the
meanwhile unsettles us all by keeping poor dear papa's affairs from
being wound up。 Fortunately； however； the papers with his agents
here being all sealed up and locked up； as he left them when he
providentially came to England； the affairs are in that state of order
that they can wait until my brother Edward recovers his health in
Sicily； sufficiently to e over； and administer； or execute； or
whatever it may be that will have to be done。'
'He couldn't have a better nurse to bring him round；' Mr Sparkler made
bold to opine。
'For a wonder； I can agree with you；' returned his wife； languidly
turning her eyelids a little in his direction （she held forth； in
general； as if to the drawing…room furniture）； 'and can adopt your
words。 He couldn't have a better nurse to bring him round。 There are
times when my dear child is a little wearing to an active mind； but； as
a nurse； she is Perfection。 Best of Amys！'
Mr Sparkler； growing rash on his late success； observed that Edward had
had； biggodd； a long bout of it； my dear girl。
'If Bout； Edmund；' returned Mrs Sparkler； 'is the slang term for
indisposition； he has。 If it is not； I am unable to give an opinion
on the barbarous language you address to Edward's sister。 That he
contracted Malaria Fever somewhere； either by travelling day and night
to Rome； where； after all； he arrived too late to see poor dear papa
before his death……or under some other unwholesome circumstances……is
indubitable； if that is what you mean。 Likewise that his extremely
careless life has made him a very bad subject for it indeed。'
Mr Sparkler considered it a parallel case to that of some of our fellows
in the West Indies with Yellow Jack。 Mrs Sparkler closed her eyes again；
and refused to have any consciousness of our fellows of the West Indies；
or of Yellow Jack。
'So； Amy；' she pursued； when she reopened her eyelids； 'will require
to be roused from the effects of many tedious and anxious weeks。 And
lastly； she will require to be roused from a low tendency which I know
very well to be at the bottom of her heart。 Don't ask me what it is；
Edmund； because I must decline to tell you。'
'I am not going to； my dear；' said Mr Sparkler。
'I shall thus have much improvement to effect in my sweet child；' Mrs
Sparkler continued； 'and cannot have her near me too soon。 Amiable and
dear little Twoshoes！ As to the settlement of poor papa's affairs； my
interest in that is not very selfish。 Papa behaved very generously to me
when I was married； and I have little or nothing to expect。 Provided
he had made no will that can e into force； leaving a legacy to Mrs
General； I am contented。 Dear papa； dear papa。'
She wept again； but Mrs General was the best of restoratives。 The name
soon stimulated her to dry her eyes and say：
'It is a highly encouraging circumstance in Edward's illness； I am
thankful to think； and gives one the greatest confidence in his sense
not being impaired； or his proper spirit weakened……down to the time
of poor dear papa's death at all events……that he paid off Mrs General
instantly； and sent her out of the house。 I applaud him for it。 I could
forgive him a great deal for doing； with such promptitude； so exactly
what I would have done myself！'
Mrs Sparkler was in the full glow of her gratification； when a double
knock was heard at the door。 A very odd knock。 Low； as if to avoid
making a noise and attracting attention。 Long； as if the person knocking
were preoccupied in mind； and forgot to leave off。
'Halloa！' said Mr Sparkler。 'Who's this？'
'Not Amy and Edward without notice and without a carriage！' said Mrs
Sparkler。 'Look out。'
The room was dark； but the street was lighter； because of its lamps。 Mr
Sparkler's head peeping over the balcony looked so very bulky and heavy
that it seemed on the point of overbalancing him and flattening the
unknown below。
'It's one fellow；' said Mr Sparkler。 'I can't see who……stop though！' On
this second thought he went out into the balcony again and had another
look。 He came back as the door was opened； and announced that he
believed he had identified 'his governor's tile。' He was not mistaken；
for his governor； with his tile in his hand； was introduced immediately
afterwards。
'Candles！' said Mrs Sparkler； with a word of excuse for the darkness。
'It's light enough for me；' said Mr Merdle。
When the candles were brought in； Mr Merdle was discovered standing
behind the door； picking his lips。 'I thought I'd give you a call；' he
said。 'I am rather particularly occupied just now； and； as I happened to
be out for a stroll； I thought I'd give you a call。'
As he was in dinner dress； Fanny asked him where he had been dining？
'Well；' said Mr Merdle； 'I haven't been dining anywhere； particularly。'
'Of course you have dined？' said Fanny。
'Why……no； I haven't exactly dined；' said Mr Merdle。
He had passed his hand over his yellow forehead and considered； as if he
were not sure about it。 Something to eat was proposed。 'No； thank you；'
said Mr Merdle； 'I don't feel inclined for it。 I was to have dined out
along with Mrs Merdle。 But as I didn't feel inclined for dinner； I let
Mrs Merdle go by herself just as we were getting into the carriage； and
thought I'd take a stroll instead。'
Would he have tea or coffee？ 'No； thank you；' said Mr Merdle。 'I looked
in at the Club； and got a bottle of wine。'
At this period of his visit； Mr Merdle took the chair which Edmund
Sparkler had offered him； and which he had hitherto been pushing slowly
about before him； like a dull man with a pair of skates on for the first
time； who could not make up his mind to start。 He now put his hat upon
another chair beside him； and； looking down into it as if it were some
twenty feet deep； said again： 'You see I thought I'd give you a call。'
'Flattering to us；' said Fanny； 'for you are not a calling man。'
'No……no；' returned Mr Merdle； who was by this time taking himself into
custody under both coat…sleeves。 'No； I am not a calling man。'
'You have too much to do for that；' said Fanny。 'Having so much to do；
Mr Merdle； loss of appetite is a serious thing with you； and you must
have it seen to。 You must not be ill。' 'Oh！ I am very well；' replied Mr
Merdle； after deliberating about it。 'I am as well as I usually am。 I am
well enough。 I am as well as I want to be。'
The master…mind of the age； true to its characteristic of being at all
times a mind that had as little as possible to say for itself and great
difficulty in saying it； became mute again。 Mrs Sparkler began to wonder
how long the master…mind meant to stay。
'I was speaking of poor papa when you came in； sir。'
'Aye！ Quite a coincidence；' said Mr Merdle。
Fanny did not see that； but felt it incumbent on her to continue
talking。 'I was saying；' she pursued； 'that my brother's illness has
occasioned a delay in examining and arranging papa's property。'
'Yes；' said Mr Merdle； 'yes。 There has been a delay。'
'Not that it is of consequence；' said Fanny。
'Not；' assented Mr Merdle； after having examined the cornice of all
that part of the room which was within his range： 'not that it is of any
consequence。'
'My only anxiety is；' said Fanny； 'that Mrs General should not get
anything。'
'She won't get anything；' said Mr Merdle。
Fanny was delighted to hear him express the opinion。 Mr Merdle； after
taking another gaze into the depths of his hat as if he thought he saw
something at the bottom； rubbed his hair and slowly appended to his last
remark the confirmatory words； 'Oh dear no。 No。 Not she。 Not likely。'
As the topic seemed exhausted； and Mr Merdle too； Fanny inquired if he
were going to take up Mrs Merdle and the carriage in his way home？
'No；' he answered； 'I shall go by the shortest way； and leave Mrs Merdle
to……' here he looked all over the palms of both his hands as if he were
telling his own fortune……'to take care of herself。 I dare say she'll
manag