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fan； 'and I had better go to bed。'
'Don't do that； my love；' urged Mr Sparkler。 'Take time。'
Fanny took a good deal of time： lying back with her eyes shut； and her
eyebrows raised with a hopeless expression as if she had utterly given
up all terrestrial affairs。 At length； without the slightest notice； she
opened her eyes again； and remenced in a short； sharp manner：
'What happens then； I ask！ What happens？ Why； I find myself at the very
period when I might shine most in society； and should most like for
very momentous reasons to shine in society……I find myself in a situation
which to a certain extent disqualifies me for going into society。 It's
too bad； really！'
'My dear；' said Mr Sparkler。 'I don't think it need keep you at
home。' 'Edmund； you ridiculous creature；' returned Fanny； with great
indignation； 'do you suppose that a woman in the bloom of youth and not
wholly devoid of personal attractions； can put herself； at such a
time； in petition as to figure with a woman in every other way her
inferior？ If you do suppose such a thing； your folly is boundless。'
Mr Sparkler submitted that he had thought 'it might be got over。' 'Got
over！' repeated Fanny； with immeasurable scorn。
'For a time；' Mr Sparkler submitted。
Honouring the last feeble suggestion with no notice； Mrs Sparkler
declared with bitterness that it really was too bad； and that positively
it was enough to make one wish one was dead！
'However；' she said； when she had in some measure recovered from her
sense of personal ill…usage； 'provoking as it is； and cruel as it seems；
I suppose it must be submitted to。'
'Especially as it was to be expected；' said Mr Sparkler。
'Edmund；' returned his wife； 'if you have nothing more being to do
than to attempt to insult the woman who has honoured you with her hand；
when she finds herself in adversity； I think YOU had better go to bed！'
Mr Sparkler was much afflicted by the charge； and offered a most
tender and earnest apology。 His apology was accepted； but Mrs Sparkler
requested him to go round to the other side of the sofa and sit in the
window…curtain； to tone himself down。
'Now； Edmund；' she said； stretching out her fan； and touching him with
it at arm's length； 'what I was going to say to you when you began as
usual to prose and worry； is； that I shall guard against our being alone
any more； and that when circumstances prevent my going out to my own
satisfaction； I must arrange to have some people or other always here；
for I really cannot； and will not； have another such day as this has
been。'
Mr Sparkler's sentiments as to the plan were； in brief； that it had no
nonsense about it。 He added； 'And besides； you know it's likely that
you'll soon have your sister……'
'Dearest Amy； yes！' cried Mrs Sparkler with a sigh of affection。
'Darling little thing！ Not； however； that Amy would do here alone。'
Mr Sparkler was going to say 'No？' interrogatively； but he saw his
danger and said it assentingly； 'No； Oh dear no； she wouldn't do here
alone。'
'No； Edmund。 For not only are the virtues of the precious child of that
still character that they require a contrast……require life and movement
around them to bring them out in their right colours and make one love
them of all things； but she will require to be roused； on more accounts
than one。'
'That's it；' said Mr Sparkler。 'Roused。'
'Pray don't； Edmund！ Your habit of interrupting without having the least
thing in the world to say； distracts one。 You must be broken of it。
Speaking of Amy；……my poor little pet was devotedly attached to poor
papa； and no doubt will have lamented his loss exceedingly； and grieved
very much。 I have done so myself。 I have felt it dreadfully。 But Amy
will no doubt have felt it even more； from having been on the spot the
whole time； and having been with poor dear papa at the last； which I
unhappily was not。'
Here Fanny stopped to weep； and to say； 'Dear； dear； beloved papa！ How
truly gentlemanly he was！ What a contrast to poor uncle！'
'From the effects of that trying time；' she pursued； 'my good little
Mouse will have to be roused。 Also； from the effects of this long
attendance upon Edward in his illness； an attendance which is not
yet over； which may even go on for some time longer； and which in the
meanwhile unsettles us all by keeping poor dear papa's affairs from
being wound up。 Fortunately； however； the papers with his agents
here being all sealed up and locked up； as he left them when he
providentially came to England； the affairs are in that state of order
that they can wait until my brother Edward recovers his health in
Sicily； sufficiently to e over； and administer； or execute； or
whatever it may be that will have to be done。'
'He couldn't have a better nurse to bring him round；' Mr Sparkler made
bold to opine。
'For a wonder； I can agree with you；' returned his wife； languidly
turning her eyelids a little in his direction （she held forth； in
general； as if to the drawing…room furniture）； 'and can adopt your
words。 He couldn't have a better nurse to bring him round。 There are
times when my dear child is a little wearing to an active mind； but； as
a nurse； she is Perfection。 Best of Amys！'
Mr Sparkler； growing rash on his late success； observed that Edward had
had； biggodd； a long bout of it； my dear girl。
'If Bout； Edmund；' returned Mrs Sparkler； 'is the slang term for
indisposition； he has。 If it is not； I am unable to give an opinion
on the barbarous language you address to Edward's sister。 That he
contracted Malaria Fever somewhere； either by travelling day and night
to Rome； where； after all； he arrived too late to see poor dear papa
before his death……or under some other unwholesome circumstances……is
indubitable； if that is what you mean。 Likewise that his extremely
careless life has made him a very bad subject for it indeed。'
Mr Sparkler considered it a parallel case to that of some of our fellows
in the West Indies with Yellow Jack。 Mrs Sparkler closed her eyes again；
and refused to have any consciousness of our fellows of the West Indies；
or of Yellow Jack。
'So； Amy；' she pursued； when she reopened her eyelids； 'will require
to be roused from the effects of many tedious and anxious weeks。 And
lastly； she will require to be roused from a low tendency which I know
very well to be at the bottom of her heart。 Don't ask me what it is；
Edmund； because I must decline to tell you。'
'I am not going to； my dear；' said Mr Sparkler。
'I shall thus have much improvement to effect in my sweet child；' Mrs
Sparkler continued； 'and cannot have her near me too soon。 Amiable and
dear little Twoshoes！ As to the settlement of poor papa's affairs； my
interest in that is not very selfish。 Papa behaved very generously to me
when I was married； and I have little or nothing to expect。 Provided
he had made no will that can e into force； leaving a legacy to Mrs
General； I am contented。 Dear papa； dear papa。'
She wept again； but Mrs General was the best of restoratives。 The name
soon stimulated her to dry her eyes and say：
'It is a highly encouraging circumstance in Edward's illness； I am
thankful to think； and gives one the greatest confidence in his sense
not being impaired； or his proper spirit weakened……down to the time
of poor dear papa's death at all events……that he paid off Mrs General
instantly； and sent her out of the house。 I applaud him for it。 I could
forgive him a great deal for doing； with such promptitude； so exactly
what I would have done myself！'
Mrs Sparkler was in the full glow of her gratification； when a double
knock was heard at the door。 A very odd knock。 Low； as if to avoid
making a noise and attracting attention。 Long； as if the person knocking
were preoccupied in mind； and forgot to leave off。
'Halloa！' said Mr Sparkler。 'Who's this？'
'Not Amy and Edward without notice and without a carriage！' said Mrs
Sparkler。 'Look out。'
The room was dark； but the street was lighter； because of its lamps。 Mr
Sparkler's head peeping over the balcony looked so very bulky and heavy
that it seemed on the point of overbalancing him and flattening the
unknown below。
'It's one fellow；