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die if I see what you have to do with this。'
'Death of my life；' replied Blandois； 'nor I neither； except that I
thought I was serving my friend。'
'By putting an upstart's hire in his pocket？' said Gowan； frowning。
'Do you mean that？ Tell your other friend to get his head painted for
the sign of some public…house； and to get it done by a sign…painter。 Who
am I； and who is he？'
'Professore；' returned the ambassador； 'and who is Blandois？'
Without appearing at all interested in the latter question； Gowan
angrily whistled Mr Dorrit away。 But； next day； he resumed the subject
by saying in his off…hand manner and with a slighting laugh； 'Well；
Blandois； when shall we go to this Maecenas of yours？
We journeymen must take jobs when we can get them。 When shall we go and
look after this job？' 'When you will；' said the injured Blandois； 'as
you please。 What have I to do with it？ What is it to me？'
'I can tell you what it is to me；' said Gowan。 'Bread and cheese。 One
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