Крихітка Дорріт

           Hisfriend,beingleftalonewiththeothervisitors,walkedslowlyupanddowntheroomwithoutcomingtothefireagain,pullinghisblackmoustacheinacontemplativemanner,asifhefelthimselfcommittedtothelateretort.Whilethesubjectofitwasbreathinginjuryinacorner,theChiefloftilyaddressedthisgentleman.

           ‘Yourfriend,sir,’saidhe,‘is—ha—isalittleimpatient;and,inhisimpatience,isnotperhapsfullysensibleofwhatheowesto—hum—to—butwewillwaivethat,wewillwaivethat.Yourfriendisalittleimpatient,sir.’

           ‘Itmaybeso,sir,’returnedtheother.‘Buthavinghadthehonourofmakingthatgentleman’sacquaintanceatthehotelatGeneva,whereweandmuchgoodcompanymetsometimeago,andhavinghadthehonourofexchangingcompanyandconversationwiththatgentlemanonseveralsubsequentexcursions,Icanhearnothing—no,notevenfromoneofyourappearanceandstation,sir—detrimentaltothatgentleman.’

           ‘Youareinnodanger,sir,ofhearinganysuchthingfromme.Inremarkingthatyourfriendhasshownimpatience,Isaynosuchthing.Imakethatremark,becauseitisnottobedoubtedthatmyson,beingbybirthandby—ha—byeducationa—hum—agentleman,wouldhavereadilyadaptedhimselftoanyobliginglyexpressedwishonthesubjectofthefirebeingequallyaccessibletothewholeofthepresentcircle.Which,inprinciple,I—ha—forallare—hum—equalontheseoccasions—Iconsiderright.’

           ‘Good,’wasthereply.‘Andthereitends!Iamyourson’sobedientservant.