'I had anticipated your suggestion, madam,' said Mr Dorrit,
'but--ha--was not sure that I might--hum--not encroach on--'
'On my province, Mr Dorrit?' said Mrs General, graciously. 'Do not
mention it.' 'Then, with your leave, madam,' resumed Mr Dorrit, ringing his little
bell to summon his valet, 'I will send for her at once.'
'Does Mr Dorrit wish me to remain?'
'Perhaps, if you have no other engagement, you would not object for a
minute or two--' 'Not at all.'
So, Tinkler the valet was instructed to find Miss Amy's maid, and to
request that subordinate to inform Miss Amy that Mr Dorrit wished to
see her in his own room. In delivering this charge to Tinkler, Mr Dorrit
looked severely at him, and also kept a jealous eye upon him until he
went out at the door, mistrusting that he might have something in his
mind prejudicial to the family dignity; that he might have even got wind
of some Collegiate joke before he came into the service, and might be
derisively reviving its remembrance at the present moment. If Tinkler
had happened to smile, however faintly and innocently, nothing would
have persuaded Mr Dorrit, to the hour of his death, but that this was
the case.
As Tinkler happened, however, very fortunately for himself, to
be of a serious and composed countenance, he escaped the secret danger
that threatened him. And as on his return--when Mr Dorrit eyed him
again--he announced Miss Amy as if she had come to a funeral, he left a
vague impression on Mr Dorrit's mind that he was a well-conducted young
fellow, who had been brought up in the study of his Catechism by a
widowed mother. 'Amy,' said Mr Dorrit, 'you have just now been the subject of some
conversation between myself and Mrs General. We agree that you scarcely
seem at home here. Ha--how is this?' A pause.
'I think, father, I require a little time.' 'Papa is a preferable mode of address,' observed Mrs General. 'Father is
rather vulgar, my dear. The word Papa, besides, gives a pretty form to
the lips. Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes, and prism are all very
good words for the lips: especially prunes and prism. You will find it
serviceable, in the formation of a demeanour, if you sometimes say to
yourself in company--on entering a room, for instance--Papa, potatoes,
poultry, prunes and prism, prunes and prism.'
'Pray, my child,' said Mr Dorrit, 'attend to the--hum--precepts of Mrs
General.' Poor Little Dorrit, with a rather forlorn glance at that eminent
varnisher, promised to try. 'You say, Amy,' pursued Mr Dorrit, 'that you think you require time.
Time for what?' Another pause.