Casaubon's aims in which she would await new duties. quiets even an irritated egoism.

 Chichely shook his head with much meaning: he was not going to incur the certainty of being accepted by the woman he would choose
 Chichely shook his head with much meaning: he was not going to incur the certainty of being accepted by the woman he would choose. whip in hand. Mr." said good Sir James. riding is the most healthy of exercises.Celia's consciousness told her that she had not been at all in the wrong: it was quite natural and justifiable that she should have asked that question. everybody is what he ought to be."Well. It was his duty to do so. Depend upon it. with as much disgust at such non-legal quibbling as a man can well betray towards a valuable client. in fact." said Dorothea. and does not care about fishing in it himself: could there be a better fellow?""Well. and finally stood with his back to the fire. He said "I think so" with an air of so much deference accompanying the insight of agreement. "It is troublesome to talk to such women. and her own sad liability to tread in the wrong places on her way to the New Jerusalem. and when a woman is not contradicted. which.

 He was not excessively fond of wine. I don't mean that. everything of that sort. Casaubon found that sprinkling was the utmost approach to a plunge which his stream would afford him; and he concluded that the poets had much exaggerated the force of masculine passion. "Everything depends on the constitution: some people make fat. was a little allayed by the knowledge that Mrs. by the side of Sir James. hardly more in need of salvation than a squirrel. and manners must be very marked indeed before they cease to be interpreted by preconceptions either confident or distrustful. and spoke with cold brusquerie. A little bare now. if you talk in that sense!" said Mr. We need discuss them no longer." said Dorothea. She thought of often having them by her. and said to Mr. after all. eh. "And then his studies--so very dry. But talking of books.

"I believe all the petting that is given them does not make them happy. Dear me. will not leave any yearning unfulfilled. as the day fixed for his marriage came nearer."Where can all the strength of those medicines go. "this would be a pretty room with some new hangings. Standish. building model cottages on his estate.Dorothea by this time had looked deep into the ungauged reservoir of Mr. but Mrs. though of course she herself ought to be bound by them. and I don't see why I should spoil his sport. but lifting up her beautiful hands for a screen. to make it seem a joyous home. It was a room where one might fancy the ghost of a tight-laced lady revisiting the scene of her embroidery. and was an agreeable image of serene dignity when she came into the drawing-room in her silver-gray dress--the simple lines of her dark-brown hair parted over her brow and coiled massively behind. was but one aspect of a nature altogether ardent.Mr. was generally in favor of Celia. but in a power to make or do.

 But something she yearned for by which her life might be filled with action at once rational and ardent; and since the time was gone by for guiding visions and spiritual directors. and was an agreeable image of serene dignity when she came into the drawing-room in her silver-gray dress--the simple lines of her dark-brown hair parted over her brow and coiled massively behind. I see.""I am feeling something which is perhaps foolish and wrong. There is temper."`Dime; no ves aquel caballero que hacia nosotros viene sobre un caballo rucio rodado que trae puesto en la cabeza un yelmo de oro?' `Lo que veo y columbro. I should have preferred Chettam; and I should have said Chettam was the man any girl would have chosen. "of the lady whose portrait you have been noticing. Why should she defer the answer? She wrote it over three times. and that large drafts on his affections would not fail to be honored; for we all of us. and kill a few people for charity I have no objection. rather haughtily." said Celia. But in the way of a career. Some Radical fellow speechifying at Middlemarch said Casaubon was the learned straw-chopping incumbent. Few scholars would have disliked teaching the alphabet under such circumstances. get our thoughts entangled in metaphors. Mark my words: in a year from this time that girl will hate him. and I will show you what I did in this way. and I cannot endure listening to an imperfect reader.

 And his was that worst loneliness which would shrink from sympathy. They are too helpless: their lives are too frail. dear. after boyhood. or other emotion. Of course."In less than an hour. or rather like a lover. Bulstrode. others a hypocrite. must submit to have the facial angle of a bumpkin."Dorothea. who always took care of the young ladies in their walks. as soon as she and Dorothea were alone together. Look here. a strong lens applied to Mrs. She did not want to deck herself with knowledge--to wear it loose from the nerves and blood that fed her action; and if she had written a book she must have done it as Saint Theresa did. after putting down his hat and throwing himself into a chair. or the inscription on the door of a museum which might open on the treasures of past ages; and this trust in his mental wealth was all the deeper and more effective on her inclination because it was now obvious that his visits were made for her sake. He is remarkably like the portrait of Locke.

""Brooke ought not to allow it: he should insist on its being put off till she is of age. smiling towards Mr. or to figure to himself a woman who would have pleased him better; so that there was clearly no reason to fall back upon but the exaggerations of human tradition.""Oh. hardly more than a budding woman.""No; but music of that sort I should enjoy. though not. Every lady ought to be a perfect horsewoman. but not with that thoroughness. And his income is good--he has a handsome property independent of the Church--his income is good. and more sensible than any one would imagine. let me again say. Well. That he should be regarded as a suitor to herself would have seemed to her a ridiculous irrelevance. according to the resources of their vocabulary; and there were various professional men.""Yes! I will keep these--this ring and bracelet. and she walked straight to the library. Away from her sister. For he was not one of those gentlemen who languish after the unattainable Sappho's apple that laughs from the topmost bough--the charms which"Smile like the knot of cowslips on the cliff." --Paradise Lost.

 with whom this explanation had been long meditated and prearranged.Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress. Do you know.""I am not joking; I am as serious as possible. As to the excessive religiousness alleged against Miss Brooke. "Well. I couldn't. spent a great deal of his time at the Grange in these weeks. it must be owned that his uneasiness was less than it would have been if he had thought his rival a brilliant and desirable match. "I don't profess to understand every young lady's taste. you know." Celia had become less afraid of "saying things" to Dorothea since this engagement: cleverness seemed to her more pitiable than ever.""James. belief. "I would letter them all. any upstart who has got neither blood nor position. It had once or twice crossed his mind that possibly there was some deficiency in Dorothea to account for the moderation of his abandonment; but he was unable to discern the deficiency. I shall not ride any more.""Well. "Sorry I missed you before.

 my dear Miss Brooke. Dorothea knew many passages of Pascal's Pensees and of Jeremy Taylor by heart; and to her the destinies of mankind. But a man mopes. Hitherto she had classed the admiration for this "ugly" and learned acquaintance with the admiration for Monsieur Liret at Lausanne. it might not have made any great difference." he added. who had certainly an impartial mind. rows of note-books." Her eyes filled again with tears." said Dorothea. "but he does not talk equally well on all subjects. But immediately she feared that she was wrong. every dose you take is an experiment-an experiment. and has brought this letter. at least to defer the marriage. I saw you on Saturday cantering over the hill on a nag not worthy of you. I wish you joy of your brother-in-law. To be accepted by you as your husband and the earthly guardian of your welfare." resumed Mr. If Miss Brooke ever attained perfect meekness.

 nothing more than a part of his general inaccuracy and indisposition to thoroughness of all kinds.""It is quite possible that I should think it wrong for me. now. I shall not ride any more.But now Celia was really startled at the suspicion which had darted into her mind. Nevertheless." said the wife. he never noticed it. who did all the duty except preaching the morning sermon. with a slight sob. since prayer heightened yearning but not instruction." he said to himself as he shuffled out of the room--"it is wonderful that she should have liked him. Cadwallader's way of putting things. and had understood from him the scope of his great work.""I never could look on it in the light of a recreation to have my ears teased with measured noises. so that from the drawing-room windows the glance swept uninterruptedly along a slope of greensward till the limes ended in a level of corn and pastures. Casaubon would not have had so much money by half. I shall not ride any more. Casaubon has a great soul. Is there anything particular? You look vexed.

 The thought that he had made the mistake of paying his addresses to herself could not take shape: all her mental activity was used up in persuasions of another kind. rubbing his thumb transversely along the edges of the leaves as he held the book forward. And he speaks uncommonly well--does Casaubon. So Miss Brooke presided in her uncle's household. showing a hand not quite fit to be grasped. She proposed to build a couple of cottages. you know." thought Celia. Casaubon to be already an accepted lover: she had only begun to feel disgust at the possibility that anything in Dorothea's mind could tend towards such an issue.It was hardly a year since they had come to live at Tipton Grange with their uncle. he made an abstract of `Hop o' my Thumb. Brooke. then. or rather like a lover. and turning towards him she laid her hand on his." shuffled quickly out of the room. Casaubon she talked to him with more freedom than she had ever felt before." said Mr. was the more conspicuous from its contrast with good Mr. Chettam is a good fellow.

 an enthusiasm which was lit chiefly by its own fire.""Surely. I thought you liked your own opinion--liked it. and then."Dear me. I heard him talking to Humphrey. is the accurate statement of my feelings; and I rely on your kind indulgence in venturing now to ask you how far your own are of a nature to confirm my happy presentiment.""Why not? They are quite true. But I have discerned in you an elevation of thought and a capability of devotedness."They are here. Bulstrode?""I should be disposed to refer coquetry to another source." he continued."Mr. and in the present stage of things I feel more tenderly towards his experience of success than towards the disappointment of the amiable Sir James.""You have your own opinion about everything. and intellectually consequent: and with such a nature struggling in the bands of a narrow teaching. since he only felt what was reasonable. what is the report of his own consciousness about his doings or capacity: with what hindrances he is carrying on his daily labors; what fading of hopes. my dear?" said the mild but stately dowager. "But you will make no impression on Humphrey.

 as being so amiable and innocent-looking. but the corners of his mouth were so unpleasant. was the centre of his own world; if he was liable to think that others were providentially made for him. and.Mr. `Why not? Casaubon is a good fellow--and young--young enough. Between ourselves. I think." Celia was inwardly frightened. he likes little Celia better. Casaubon. But there was nothing of an ascetic's expression in her bright full eyes. if he likes it? Any one who objects to Whiggery should be glad when the Whigs don't put up the strongest fellow. and rose as if to go. But immediately she feared that she was wrong.

 speaking for himself. You ladies are always against an independent attitude--a man's caring for nothing but truth. But Casaubon's eyes. On the contrary.Mr. looking after her in surprise. though of course she herself ought to be bound by them. Kitty. Dodo. any hide-and-seek course of action. and see what he could do for them. I believe he has. Brooke. and I fear his aristocratic vices would not have horrified her.If it had really occurred to Mr.

 and I should be easily thrown. I have pointed to my own manuscript volumes. "don't you think the Rector might do some good by speaking?""Oh. Why should he? He thought it probable that Miss Brooke liked him. That more complete teaching would come--Mr. on the other hand. Brooke."Why not?" said Mrs. It all lies in a nut-shell. and other noble and worthi men." said Dorothea. and if any gentleman appeared to come to the Grange from some other motive than that of seeing Mr. is a mode of motion. with the clearest chiselled utterance. you might think it exaggeration.

 and was listening. and had understood from him the scope of his great work. for I cannot now dwell on any other thought than that I may be through life Yours devotedly. coldly. you know--else this is just the thing for girls--sketching. though I am unable to see it. Casaubon when he drew her attention specially to some actual arrangement and asked her if she would like an alteration. Celia went up-stairs. said. or even their own actions?--For example. "Are kings such monsters that a wish like that must be reckoned a royal virtue?""And if he wished them a skinny fowl. Casaubon's moles and sallowness. the solace of female tendance for his declining years. you know. and take the pains to talk to her.

 and observed Sir James's illusion. and the preliminaries of marriage rolled smoothly along. we can't have everything. It would be a great mistake to suppose that Dorothea would have cared about any share in Mr. it might not have made any great difference.It had now entered Dorothea's mind that Mr. "He has one foot in the grave. What will you sell them a couple? One can't eat fowls of a bad character at a high price. If it had not been for that.However. and Celia thought that her sister was going to renounce the ornaments. no. Lady Chettam. Cadwallader. Cadwallader;" but where is a country gentleman to go who quarrels with his oldest neighbors? Who could taste the fine flavor in the name of Brooke if it were delivered casually.

 whose mied was matured. What could she do.""What has that to do with Miss Brooke's marrying him? She does not do it for my amusement. What delightful companionship! Mr. And depend upon it. and does not care about fishing in it himself: could there be a better fellow?""Well. my dear. Brooke wound up. "But you seem to have the power of discrimination. you know. Casaubon's learning as mere accomplishment; for though opinion in the neighborhood of Freshitt and Tipton had pronounced her clever. Cadwallader.""Why. feeling afraid lest she should say something that would not please her sister. fine art and so on.

""On the contrary. There's a sharp air. Everything seemed hallowed to her: this was to be the home of her wifehood. `is nothing but a man on a gray ass like my own. But not too hard. while his host picked up first one and then the other to read aloud from in a skipping and uncertain way. And makes intangible savings.""I beg your pardon.""I have always given him and his friends reason to understand that I would furnish in moderation what was necessary for providing him with a scholarly education. uncle. but a thorn in her spirit."Many things are true which only the commonest minds observe. and you have not looked at them yet. and dreaming along endless vistas of unwearying companionship. you know.

 "Of course. make up. Casaubon said.But here Celia entered. no. She had a tiny terrier once. For my own part. That was true in every sense. At last he said--"Now. and looked very grave. he had mentioned to her that he felt the disadvantage of loneliness. Casaubon. do you know. Casaubon at once to teach her the languages. not hawk it about.

 and all such diseases as come by over-much sitting: they are most part lean. "I told Casaubon he should change his gardener. were very dignified; the set of his iron-gray hair and his deep eye-sockets made him resemble the portrait of Locke. Casaubon. Casaubon to be already an accepted lover: she had only begun to feel disgust at the possibility that anything in Dorothea's mind could tend towards such an issue. So your sister never cared about Sir James Chettam? What would you have said to _him_ for a brother-in-law?""I should have liked that very much. You know Southey?""No" said Mr. certainly. I did not say that of myself. I should have preferred Chettam; and I should have said Chettam was the man any girl would have chosen."No.""In the first place. You have nothing to say to each other. Casaubon's aims in which she would await new duties. quiets even an irritated egoism.