'Yes it is!' cried Miss Fanny. 'Of course! I said so! And now, Pa, I do
declare once for all'--this young lady was in the habit of declaring the
same thing once for all every day of her life, and even several times in
a day--'that this is shameful! I do declare once for all that it ought
to be put a stop to. Is it not enough that we have gone through what
is only known to ourselves, but are we to have it thrown in our faces,
perseveringly and systematically, by the very person who should spare
our feelings most? Are we to be exposed to this unnatural conduct every
moment of our lives? Are we never to be permitted to forget? I say
again, it is absolutely infamous!'
'Well, Amy,' observed her brother, shaking his head, 'you know I stand
by you whenever I can, and on most occasions. But I must say, that, upon
my soul, I do consider it rather an unaccountable mode of showing your
sisterly affection, that you should back up a man who treated me in the
most ungentlemanly way in which one man can treat another. And who,' he
added convincingly, must be a low-minded thief, you know, or he never
could have conducted himself as he did.'
'And see,' said Miss Fanny, 'see what is involved in this! Can we ever
hope to be respected by our servants? Never. Here are our two women, and
Pa's valet, and a footman, and a courier, and all sorts of dependents,
and yet in the midst of these, we are to have one of ourselves rushing
about with tumblers of cold water, like a menial! Why, a policeman,'
said Miss Fanny, 'if a beggar had a fit in the street, could but go
plunging about with tumblers, as this very Amy did in this very room
before our very eyes last night!'
'I don't so much mind that, once in a way,' remarked Mr Edward; 'but
your Clennam, as he thinks proper to call himself, is another thing.'
'He is part of the same thing,' returned Miss Fanny, 'and of a piece
with all the rest. He obtruded himself upon us in the first instance.
We never wanted him. I always showed him, for one, that I could have
dispensed with his company with the greatest pleasure.
He then commits that gross outrage upon our feelings, which he never
could or would have committed but for the delight he took in exposing
us; and then we are to be demeaned for the service of his friends! Why,
I don't wonder at this Mr Gowan's conduct towards you. What else was
to be expected when he was enjoying our past misfortunes--gloating over
them at the moment!' 'Father--Edward--no indeed!' pleaded Little Dorrit.
'Neither Mr nor Mrs Gowan had ever heard our name. They were, and they
are, quite ignorant of our history.'