InthisstateofaffairsitoccurredtoMrsGeneral，thatshemight’formthemind，’andekethemannersofsomeyoungladyofdistinction。Or，thatshemightharnesstheproprietiestothecarriageofsomerichyoungheiressorwidow，andbecomeatoncethedriverandguardofsuchvehiclethroughthesocialmazes。MrsGeneral’scommunicationofthisideatoherclericalandcommissariatconnectionwassowarmlyapplaudedthat，butforthelady’sundoubtedmerit，itmighthaveappearedasthoughtheywantedtogetridofher。TestimonialsrepresentingMrsGeneralasaprodigyofpiety，learning，virtue，andgentility，werelavishlycontributedfrominfluentialquarters；andonevenerablearchdeaconevenshedtearsinrecordinghistestimonytoherperfectionsdescribedtohimbypersonsonwhomhecouldrely，thoughhehadneverhadthehonourandmoralgratificationofsettingeyesonMrsGeneralinallhislife。
Thusdelegatedonhermission，asitwerebyChurchandState，MrsGeneral，whohadalwaysoccupiedhighground，feltinaconditiontokeepit，andbeganbyputtingherselfupataveryhighfigure。
Anintervalofsomedurationelapsed，inwhichtherewasnobidforMrsGeneral。Atlengthacounty-widower，withadaughteroffourteen，openednegotiationswiththelady；andasitwasaparteitherofthenativedignityoroftheartificialpolicyofMrsGeneralbutcertainlyoneortheothertocomportherselfasifsheweremuchmoresoughtthanseeking，thewidowerpursuedMrsGeneraluntilheprevaileduponhertoformhisdaughter’smindandmanners。
TheexecutionofthistrustoccupiedMrsGeneralaboutsevenyears，inthecourseofwhichtimeshemadethetourofEurope，andsawmostofthatextensivemiscellanyofobjectswhichitisessentialthatallpersonsofpolitecultivationshouldseewithotherpeople’seyes，andneverwiththeirown。Whenherchargewasatlengthformed，themarriage，notonlyoftheyounglady，butlikewiseofherfather，thewidower，wasresolvedon。ThewidowerthenfindingMrsGeneralbothinconvenientandexpensive，becameofasuddenalmostasmuchaffectedbyhermeritsasthearchdeaconhadbeen，andcirculatedsuchpraisesofhersurpassingworth，inallquarterswherehethoughtanopportunitymightariseoftransferringtheblessingtosomebodyelse，thatMrsGeneralwasanamemorehonourablethanever。
Thephoenixwastolet，onthiselevatedperch，whenMrDorrit，whohadlatelysucceededtohisproperty，mentionedtohisbankersthathewishedtodiscoveralady，well-bred，accomplished，wellconnected，wellaccustomedtogoodsociety，whowasqualifiedatoncetocompletetheeducationofhisdaughters，andtobetheirmatronorchaperon。MrDorrit’sbankers，asbankersofthecounty-