'So much the worse,' retorted Fanny, determined not to admit anything in
extenuation, 'for then you have no excuse. If they had known about us,
you might have felt yourself called upon to conciliate them. That would
have been a weak and ridiculous mistake, but I can respect a mistake,
whereas I can't respect a wilful and deliberate abasing of those who
should be nearest and dearest to us. No. I can't respect that. I can do
nothing but denounce that.'
'I never offend you wilfully, Fanny,' said Little Dorrit, 'though you
are so hard with me.' 'Then you should be more careful, Amy,' returned her sister. 'If you do
such things by accident, you should be more careful. If I happened to
have been born in a peculiar place, and under peculiar circumstances
that blunted my knowledge of propriety, I fancy I should think myself
bound to consider at every step, "Am I going, ignorantly, to compromise
any near and dear relations?" That is what I fancy I should do, if it
was my case.' Mr Dorrit now interposed, at once to stop these painful subjects by his
authority, and to point their moral by his wisdom.
'My dear,' said he to his younger daughter, 'I beg you to--ha--to say
no more. Your sister Fanny expresses herself strongly, but not without
considerable reason. You have now a--hum--a great position to support.
That great position is not occupied by yourself alone, but by--ha--by
me, and--ha hum--by us. Us. Now, it is incumbent upon all people in an
exalted position, but it is particularly so on this family, for reasons
which I--ha--will not dwell upon, to make themselves respected. To be
vigilant in making themselves respected. Dependants, to respect us, must
be--ha--kept at a distance and--hum--kept down. Down. Therefore, your
not exposing yourself to the remarks of our attendants by appearing to
have at any time dispensed with their services and performed them for
yourself, is--ha--highly important.'
'Why, who can doubt it?' cried Miss Fanny. 'It's the essence of
everything.' 'Fanny,' returned her father, grandiloquently, 'give me
leave, my dear. We then come to--ha--to Mr Clennam. I am free to say
that I do not, Amy, share your sister's sentiments--that is to say
altogether--hum--altogether--in reference to Mr Clennam. I am content
to regard that individual in the light of--ha--generally--a well-behaved
person. Hum. A well-behaved person. Nor will I inquire whether Mr
Clennam did, at any time, obtrude himself on--ha--my society. He knew my
society to be--hum--sought, and his plea might be that he regarded me in
the light of a public character.