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Mrs General gravely inclined her head 'I cannot, therefore, put a price

upon services which it is a pleasure to me to render if I can render

them spontaneously, but which I could not render in mere return for any

consideration Neither do I kno, or where, to find a case parallel

to my own It is peculiar' No doubt But how then (Mr Dorrit not unnaturally hinted) could the

subject be approached 'I cannot object,' said Mrs General--'though even

that is disagreeable to , in confidence of

my friends here, what amount they have been accustomed, at quarterly

intervals, to pay to ements

'Permit me to add,' said Mrs General, 'that beyond this, I can never

resume the topic Also that I can accept no second or inferior position

If the honour were proposed to hters were hters' 'I could only accept it on terms of perfect equality, as a companion,

protector, Mentor, and friend' Mr Dorrit, in spite of his sense of his importance, felt as if it would

be quite a kindness in her to accept it on any conditions He almost

said as hters were ain 'It would therefore,' said Mrs General, 'be necessary to add a third