must eat！ So e along； my Blandois。'
Mr Dorrit received them in the presence of his daughters and of Mr
Sparkler； who happened； by some surprising accident； to be calling
there。 'How are you； Sparkler？' said Gowan carelessly。 'When you have
to live by your mother wit； old boy； I hope you may get on better than I
do。'
Mr Dorrit then mentioned his proposal。 'Sir；' said Gowan； laughing；
after receiving it gracefully enough； 'I am new to the trade； and not
expert at its mysteries。 I believe I ought to look at you in various
lights； tell you you are a capital subject； and consider when I shall be
sufficiently disengaged to devote myself with the necessary enthusiasm
to the fine picture I mean to make of you。 I assure you；' and he laughed
again； 'I feel quite a traitor in the camp of those dear； gifted； good；
noble fellows； my brother artists； by not doing the hocus…pocus better。
But I have not been brought up to it； and it's too late to learn it。
Now； the fact is； I am a very bad painter； but not much worse than the
generality。 If you are going to throw away a hundred guineas or so； I
am as poor as a poor relation of great people usually is； and I shall be
very much obliged to you； if you'll throw them away upon me。 I'll do the
best I can for the money； and if the best should be bad； why even then；
you may probably have a bad picture with a small name to it； instead of
a bad picture with a large name to it。'
This tone； though not what he had expected； on the whole suited Mr
Dorrit remarkably well。 It showed that the gentleman； highly connected；
and not a mere workman； would be under an obligation to him。 He
expressed his satisfaction in placing himself in Mr Gowan's hands； and
trusted that he would have the pleasure； in their characters of private
gentlemen； of improving his acquaintance。
'You are very good；' said Gowan。 'I have not forsworn society since I
joined the brotherhood of the brush （the most delightful fellows on the
face of the earth）； and am glad enough to smell the old fine gunpowder
now and then； though it did blow me into mid…air and my present calling。
You'll not think； Mr Dorrit；' and here he laughed again in the easiest
way； 'that I am lapsing into the freemasonry of the craft……for it's not
so； upon my life I can't help betraying it wherever I go； though； by
Jupiter； I love and honour the craft with all my might……if I propose a
stipulation as to time and place？'
Ha！ Mr Dorrit could erect no……hum……suspicion of that kind on Mr Gowan's
frankness。
'Again you are very good；' said Gowan。 'Mr Dorrit； I hear you are going
to Rome。 I am going to Rome； having friends there。 Let me begin to do
you the injustice I have conspired to do you； there……not here。 We shall
all be hurried during the rest of our stay here； and though there's not
a poorer man with whole elbows in Venice； than myself； I have not quite
got all the Amateur out of me yet……prising the trade again； you
see！……and can't fall on to order； in a hurry； for the mere sake of the
sixpences。' These remarks were not less favourably received by Mr Dorrit
than their predecessors。 They were the prelude to the first reception of
Mr and Mrs Gowan at dinner； and they skilfully placed Gowan on his usual
ground in the new family。
His wife； too； they placed on her usual ground。 Miss Fanny understood；
with particular distinctness； that Mrs Gowan's good looks had cost her
husband very dear； that there had been a great disturbance about her
in the Barnacle family； and that the Dowager Mrs Gowan； nearly
heart…broken； had resolutely set her face against the marriage until
overpowered by her maternal feelings。 Mrs General likewise clearly
understood that the attachment had occasioned much family grief and
dissension。 Of honest Mr Meagles no mention was made； except that it
was natural enough that a person of that sort should wish to raise his
daughter out of his own obscurity； and that no one could blame him for
trying his best to do so。
Little Dorrit's interest in the fair subject of this easily accepted
belief was too earnest and watchful to fail in accurate observation。 She
could see that it had its part in throwing upon Mrs Gowan the touch of a
shadow under which she lived； and she even had an instinctive knowledge
that there was not the least truth in it。 But it had an influence in
placing obstacles in the way of her association with Mrs Gowan by making
the Prunes and Prism school excessively polite to her； but not very
intimate with her； and Little Dorrit； as an enforced sizar of that
college； was obliged to submit herself humbly to its ordinances。
Nevertheless； there was a sympathetic understanding already
established between the two； which would have carried them over
greater difficulties； and made a friendship out of a more restricted
intercourse。 As though accidents were determined to be favourable to
it； they had a new assurance of congeniality in the aversion which each
perceived that the other felt towards Blandois of Paris； an aversion
amounting to the repugnance and horror of a natural antipathy towards an
odious creature of the reptile kind。
And there was a passive congeniality between them； besides this active
one。 To both of them； Blandois behaved in exactly the same manner； and
to both of them his manner had uniformly something in it； which
they both knew to be different from his bearing towards others。 The
difference was too minute in its expression to be perceived by others；
but they knew it to be there。 A mere trick of his evil eyes； a mere turn
of his smooth white hand； a mere hair's…breadth of addition to the fall
of his nose and the rise of the moustache in the most frequent movement
of his face； conveyed to both of them； equally； a swagger personal to
themselves。 It was as if he had said； 'I have a secret power in this
quarter。 I know what I know。'
This had never been felt by them both in so great a degree； and never
by each so perfectly to the knowledge of the other； as on a day when he
came to Mr Dorrit's to take his leave before quitting Venice。 Mrs
Gowan was herself there for the same purpose； and he came upon the
two together； the rest of the family being out。 The two had not been
together five minutes； and the peculiar manner seemed to convey to them；
'You were going to talk about me。 Ha！ Behold me here to prevent it！'
'Gowan is ing here？' said Blandois； with a smile。
Mrs Gowan replied he was not ing。
'Not ing！' said Blandois。 'Permit your devoted servant； when you
leave here； to escort you home。'
'Thank you： I am not going home。'
'Not going home！' said Blandois。 'Then I am forlorn。'
That he might be； but he was not so forlorn as to roam away and leave
them together。 He sat entertaining them with his finest pliments； and
his choicest conversation； but he conveyed to them； all the time； 'No；
no； no； dear ladies。 Behold me here expressly to prevent it！'
He conveyed it to them with so much meaning； and he had such a
diabolical persistency in him； that at length； Mrs Gowan rose to depart。
On his offering his hand to Mrs Gowan to lead her down the staircase；
she retained Little Dorrit's hand in hers； with a cautious pr