it at breakfast; because I should like to pay a visit
to Mrs. Gowan, and to become better acquainted with her, if Papa and Mrs.
General do not object.«
    »Well, Amy,« said Fanny, »I am sure I am glad to find you, at last,
expressing a wish to become better acquainted with anybody in Venice. Though
whether Mr. and Mrs. Gowan are desirable acquaintances, remains to be
determined.«
    »Mrs. Gowan I spoke of, dear.«
    »No doubt,« said Fanny. »But you can't separate her from her husband, I
believe, without an Act of Parliament.«
    »Do you think, Papa,« inquired Little Dorrit, with diffidence and
hesitation, »there is any objection to my making this visit?«
    »Really,« he replied, »I - ha - what is Mrs. General's view?«
    Mrs. General's view was, that not having the honour of any acquaintance with
the lady and gentleman referred to, she was not in a position to varnish the
present article. She could only remark, as a general principle observed in the
varnishing trade, that much depended on the quarter from which the lady under
consideration was accredited, to a family so conspicuously niched in the social
temple as the family of Dorrit.
    At this remark the face of Mr. Dorrit gloomed considerably. He was about
(connecting the accrediting with an obtrusive person of the name of Clennam,
whom he imperfectly remembered in some former state of existence) to black-ball
the name of Gowan finally, when Edward Dorrit, Esquire, came into the
conversation, with his glass in his eye, and the preliminary remark of »I say -
you there! Go out, will you!« Which was addressed to a couple of men who were
handing the dishes round, as a courteous intimation that their services could be
temporarily dispensed with.
    Those menials having obeyed the mandate, Edward Dorrit, Esquire, proceeded.
    »Perhaps it's a matter of policy to let you all know that these Gowans - in
whose favour, or at least the gentleman's, I can't be supposed to be much
prepossessed myself - are known to people of importance, if that makes any
difference.«
    »That, I would say,« observed the fair varnisher, »makes the greatest
difference. The connexion in question, being really people of importance and
consideration -«
    »As to that,« said Edward Dorrit, Esquire, »I'll give you the