him； and who had made the money！
As he went up the stairs； people were already posted on the lower
stairs； that his shadow might fall upon them when he came down。 So were
the sick brought out and laid in the track of the Apostle……who had NOT
got into the good society； and had NOT made the money。
Mr Dorrit； dressing…gowned and newspapered； was at his breakfast。 The
Courier； with agitation in his voice； announced 'Miss Mairdale！' Mr
Dorrit's overwrought heart bounded as he leaped up。
'Mr Merdle； this is……ha……indeed an honour。 Permit me to express
the……hum……sense； the high sense； I entertain of this……ha hum……highly
gratifying act of attention。 I am well aware； sir； of the many demands
upon your time； and its……ha……enormous value；' Mr Dorrit could not
say enormous roundly enough for his own satisfaction。 'That you
should……ha……at this early hour； bestow any of your priceless time upon
me； is……ha……a pliment that I acknowledge with the greatest esteem。'
Mr Dorrit positively trembled in addressing the great man。
Mr Merdle uttered； in his subdued； inward； hesitating voice； a few
sounds that were to no purpose whatever； and finally said； 'I am glad to
see you； sir。'
'You are very kind；' said Mr Dorrit。 'Truly kind。' By this time the
visitor was seated； and was passing his great hand over his exhausted
forehead。 'You are well； I hope； Mr Merdle？'
'I am as well as I……yes； I am as well as I usually am；' said Mr Merdle。
'Your occupations must be immense。'
'Tolerably so。 But……Oh dear no； there's not much the matter with me；'
said Mr Merdle； looking round the room。
'A little dyspeptic？' Mr Dorrit hinted。
'Very likely。 But I……Oh； I am well enough；' said Mr Merdle。
There were black traces on his lips where they met； as if a little train
of gunpowder had been fired there； and he looked like a man who； if his
natural temperament had been quicker； would have been very feverish that
morning。 This； and his heavy way of passing his hand over his forehead；
had prompted Mr Dorrit's solicitous inquiries。
'Mrs Merdle；' Mr Dorrit insinuatingly pursued； 'I left； as you will be
prepared to hear； the……ha……observed of all observers； the……hum……admired
of all admirers； the leading fascination and charm of Society in Rome。
She was looking wonderfully well when I quitted it。'
'Mrs Merdle；' said Mr Merdle； 'is generally considered a very attractive
woman。 And she is； no doubt。 I am sensible of her being SO。'
'Who can be otherwise？' responded Mr Dorrit。
Mr Merdle turned his tongue in his closed mouth……it seemed rather a
stiff and unmanageable tongue……moistened his lips； passed his hand over
his forehead again； and looked all round the room again； principally
under the chairs。
'But；' he said； looking Mr Dorrit in the face for the first time； and
immediately afterwards dropping his eyes to the buttons of Mr Dorrit's
waistcoat； 'if we speak of attractions； your daughter ought to be the
subject of our conversation。 She is extremely beautiful。 Both in face
and figure； she is quite unmon。 When the young people arrived last
night； I was really surprised to see such charms。'
Mr Dorrit's gratification was such that he said……ha……he could not
refrain from telling Mr Merdle verbally； as he had already done by
letter； what honour and happiness he felt in this union of their
families。 And he offered his hand。 Mr Merdle looked at the hand for a
little while； took it on his for a moment as if his were a yellow salver
or fish…slice； and then returned it to Mr Dorrit。
'I thought I would drive round the first thing；' said Mr Merdle； 'to
offer my services； in case I can do anything for you； and to say that
I hope you will at least do me the honour of dining with me to…day； and
every day when you are not better engaged during your stay in town。'
Mr Dorrit was enraptured by these attentions。
'Do you stay long； sir？'
'I have not at present the intention；' said Mr Dorrit；
'of……ha……exceeding a fortnight。'
'That's a very short stay； after so long a journey；' returned Mr Merdle。
'Hum。 Yes；' said Mr Dorrit。 'But the truth is……ha……my dear Mr Merdle；
that I find a foreign life so well suited to my health and taste； that
I……hum……have but two objects in my present visit to London。 First；
the……ha……the distinguished happiness and……ha……privilege which I now
enjoy and appreciate； secondly； the arrangement……hum……the laying out；
that is to say； in the best way； of……ha； hum……my money。'
'Well； sir；' said Mr Merdle； after turning his tongue again； 'if I can
be of any use to you in that respect； you may mand me。'
Mr Dorrit's speech had had more hesitation in it than usual； as he
approached the ticklish topic； for he was not perfectly clear how so
exalted a potentate might take it。 He had doubts whether reference to
any individual capital； or fortune； might not seem a wretchedly retail
affair to so wholesale a dealer。 Greatly relieved by Mr Merdle's
affable offer of assistance； he caught at it directly； and heaped
acknowledgments upon him。
'I scarcely……ha……dared；' said Mr Dorrit； 'I assure you； to hope for
so……hum……vast an advantage as your direct advice and assistance。 Though
of course I should； under any circumstances； like the……ha； hum……rest of
the civilised world； have followed in Mr Merdle's train。'
'You know we may almost say we are related； sir；' said Mr Merdle；
curiously interested in the pattern of the carpet； 'and； therefore； you
may consider me at your service。'
'Ha。 Very handsome； indeed！' cried Mr Dorrit。 'Ha。 Most handsome！'
'It would not；' said Mr Merdle； 'be at the present moment easy for
what I may call a mere outsider to e into any of the good things……of
course I speak of my own good things……'
'Of course； of course！' cried Mr Dorrit； in a tone implying that there
were no other good things。
'……Unless at a high price。 At what we are accustomed to term a very long
figure。'
Mr Dorrit laughed in the buoyancy of his spirit。 Ha； ha； ha！ Long
figure。 Good。 Ha。 Very expressive to be sure！
'However；' said Mr Merdle； 'I do generally retain in my own hands the
power of exercising some preference……people in general would be pleased
to call it favour……as a sort of pliment for my care and trouble。'
'And public spirit and genius；' Mr Dorrit suggested。
Mr Merdle； with a dry； swallowing action； seemed to dispose of those
qualities like a bolus； then added； 'As a sort of return for it。 I will
see； if you please； how I can exert this limited power （for people are
jealous； and it is limited）； to your advantage。' 'You are very good；'
replied Mr Dorrit。 'You are very good。'
'Of course；' said Mr Merdle； 'there must be the strictest integrity
and uprightness in these transactions； there must be the purest faith
between man and man； there must be unimpeached and unimpeachable
confidence； or business could not be carried on。'
Mr Dorrit hailed these generous sentiments with fervour。
'Therefore；' said Mr Merdle； 'I can only give you a preference to a
certain extent。'
'I perceive。 To a defined extent；' observed Mr Dorrit。
'Defined extent。 And perfectly above…board。 As to my advice； however；'
said Mr Merdle； 'that is another matter。 Th