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he should retrieve his fortunes by marriage。 Society requires that
he should gain by marriage。 Society requires that he should found a
handsome establishment by marriage。 Society does not see； otherwise；
what he has to do with marriage。 Bird； be quiet！'
For the parrot on his cage above them； presiding over the conference as
if he were a judge （and indeed he looked rather like one）； had wound up
the exposition with a shriek。
'Cases there are；' said Mrs Merdle； delicately crooking the little
finger of her favourite hand； and making her remarks neater by that neat
action； 'cases there are where a man is not young or elegant； and is
rich； and has a handsome establishment already。 Those are of a different
kind。 In such cases……'
Mrs Merdle shrugged her snowy shoulders and put her hand upon the
jewel…stand； checking a little cough； as though to add； 'why； a man
looks out for this sort of thing； my dear。' Then the parrot shrieked
again； and she put up her glass to look at him； and said； 'Bird！ Do be
quiet！' 'But； young men；' resumed Mrs Merdle； 'and by young men you know
what I mean； my love……I mean people's sons who have the world before
them……they must place themselves in a better position towards Society by
marriage； or Society really will not have any patience with their making
fools of themselves。 Dreadfully worldly all this sounds；' said Mrs
Merdle； leaning back in her nest and putting up her glass again； 'does
it not？'
'But it is true；' said Mrs Gowan； with a highly moral air。
'My dear； it is not to be disputed for a moment；' returned Mrs Merdle；
'because Society has made up its mind on the subject； and there is
nothing more to be said。 If we were in a more primitive state； if we
lived under roofs of leaves； and kept cows and sheep and creatures
instead of banker's accounts （which would be delicious； my dear； I am
pastoral to a degree； by nature）； well and good。 But we don't live
under leaves； and keep cows and sheep and creatures。 I perfectly exhaust
myself sometimes； in pointing out the distinction to Edmund Sparkler。'
Mrs Gowan； looking over her green fan when this young gentleman's name
was mentioned； replied as follows：
'My love； you know the wretched state of the country……those unfortunate
concessions of John Barnacle's！……and you therefore know the reasons for
my being as poor as Thingummy。'
'A church mouse？' Mrs Merdle suggested with a smile。
'I was thinking of the other proverbial church person……Job；' said Mrs
Gowan。 'Either will do。 It would be idle to disguise； consequently； that
there is a wide difference between the position of your son and mine。 I
may add； too； that Henry has talent……'
'Which Edmund certainly has not；' said Mrs Merdle； with the greatest
suavity。
'……and that his talent； bined with disappointment；' Mrs Gowan went
on； 'has led him into a pursuit which……ah dear me！ You know； my dear。
Such being Henry's different position； the question is what is the most
inferior class of marriage to which I can reconcile myself。'
Mrs Merdle was so much engaged with the contemplation of her arms
（beautiful…formed arms； and the very thing for bracelets）； that she
omitted to reply for a while。 Roused at length by the silence； she
folded the arms； and with admirable presence of mind looked her friend
full in the face； and said interrogatively； 'Ye…es？ And then？'
'And then； my dear；' said Mrs Gowan not quite so sweetly as before； 'I
should be glad to hear what you have to say to it。'
Here the parrot； who had been standing on one leg since he screamed
last； burst into a fit of laughter； bobbed himself derisively up and
down on both legs； and finished by standing on one leg again； and
pausing for a reply； with his head as much awry as he could possibly
twist it。
'Sounds mercenary to ask what the gentleman is to get with the lady；'
said Mrs Merdle； 'but Society is perhaps a little mercenary； you know；
my dear。'
'From what I can make out；' said Mrs Gowan； 'I believe I may say that
Henry will be relieved from debt……'
'Much in debt？' asked Mrs Merdle through her eyeglass。
'Why tolerably； I should think；' said Mrs Gowan。
'Meaning the usual thing； I understand； just so；' Mrs Merdle observed in
a fortable sort of way。
'And that the father will make them an allowance of three hundred
a…year； or perhaps altogether something more； which； in Italy…'
'Oh！ Going to Italy？' said Mrs Merdle。
'For Henry to study。 You need be at no loss to guess why； my dear。
That dreadful Art……'
True。 Mrs Merdle hastened to spare the feelings of her afflicted friend。
She understood。 Say no more！
'And that；' said Mrs Gowan； shaking her despondent head； 'that's all。
That；' repeated Mrs Gowan； furling her green fan for the moment； and
tapping her chin with it （it was on the way to being a double chin；
might be called a chin and a half at present）； 'that's all！ On the death
of the old people； I suppose there will be more to e； but how it may
be restricted or locked up； I don't know。 And as to that； they may live
for ever。 My dear； they are just the kind of people to do it。'
Now； Mrs Merdle； who really knew her friend Society pretty well； and who
knew what Society's mothers were； and what Society's daughters were； and
what Society's matrimonial market was； and how prices ruled in it； and
what scheming and counter…scheming took place for the high buyers； and
what bargaining and huckstering went on； thought in the depths of
her capacious bosom that this was a sufficiently good catch。 Knowing；
however； what was expected of her； and perceiving the exact nature of
the fiction to be nursed； she took it delicately in her arms； and put
her required contribution of gloss upon it。
'And that is all； my dear？' said she； heaving a friendly sigh。 'Well；
well！ The fault is not yours。 You have nothing to reproach yourself
with。 You must exercise the strength of mind for which you are renowned；
and make the best of it。' 'The girl's family have made；' said Mrs Gowan；
'of course； the most strenuous endeavours to……as the lawyers say……to
have and to hold Henry。'
'Of course they have； my dear；' said Mrs Merdle。
'I have persisted in every possible objection； and have worried
myself morning； noon； and night； for means to detach Henry from the
connection。'
'No doubt you have； my dear；' said Mrs Merdle。
'And all of no use。 All has broken down beneath me。 Now tell me； my
love。 Am I justified in at last yielding my most reluctant consent to
Henry's marrying among people not in Society； or； have I acted with
inexcusable weakness？'
In answer to this direct appeal； Mrs Merdle assured Mrs Gowan （speaking
as a Priestess of Society） that she was highly to be mended； that
she was much to be sympathised with； that she had taken the highest of
parts； and had e out of the furnace refined。 And Mrs Gowan； who of
course saw through her own threadbare blind perfectly； and who knew that
Mrs Merdle saw through it perfectly； and who knew that Society would see
through it perfectly； came out of this form； notwithstanding； as she had
gone into it； with immense placency and gravity。
The conference was held at four or five o'clock in the afternoon； when
all the region of Harley Street； Cavendish Square； was resonant of
carriage…wheels and double…knocks。 It had reached this point when Mr
Merdle came home from his daily occupation of causing the British
name to be more and more respected in all parts of the civilised globe
capable of the appreciation of world…wide mercial enterprise and
gigantic binations of skill and capital。 For； though nobody knew with
the least precision what Mr Merdle's business was； except that it was
to coin money； these were the terms in which everybody defined it on all
ceremonious occasions； and which it was the last new polite reading of
the parable of the camel and the needle's eye to accept without inquiry。
For a gentleman who had this splendid work cut out for him； Mr Merdle
looked a little mon； and rather as if； in the course of his vast
transactions； he had accidentally made an interchange of heads with
some inferior spirit。 He presented himself before the two ladies in the
course of a dismal stroll through his mansion； which had no apparent
object but escape from the presence of the chief butler。
'I beg your pardon；' he said； stopping short in confusion； 'I didn't
know there was anybody here but the parrot。'
However； as Mrs Merdle said； 'You can e in！' and as Mrs Gowan said
she was just going； and had already risen to take her leave； he came in；
and stood looking out at a distant window； with his hands crossed under
his uneasy coat…cuffs； clasping his wrists as if he were taking himself
into custody。 In this attitude he fell directly into a reverie from
which he was only aroused by his wife's calling to him from her ottoman；
when they had been for some quarter of an hour alone。
'Eh？ Yes？' said Mr Merdle； turning towards her。 'What is it？'
'What is it？' repeated Mrs Merdle。 'It is； I suppose； that you have not
heard a word of my plaint。'
'Your plaint； Mrs Merdle？' said Mr Merdle。 'I didn't know that you
were suffering from a plaint。 What plaint？'
'A plaint of you；' said