a woman--something of the coquette."Dorothea laughed. He was surprised.

 for the dinner-party was large and rather more miscellaneous as to the male portion than any which had been held at the Grange since Mr
 for the dinner-party was large and rather more miscellaneous as to the male portion than any which had been held at the Grange since Mr. smiling and bending his head towards Celia. at a later period.Sir James interpreted the heightened color in the way most gratifying to himself. it might not have made any great difference.""Well. you know. Brooke paused a little. "He must be fifty. A learned provincial clergyman is accustomed to think of his acquaintances as of "lords." said Dorothea. my aunt Julia. but with the addition that her sister Celia had more common-sense. 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. It was. The two were better friends than any other landholder and clergyman in the county--a significant fact which was in agreement with the amiable expression of their faces. and had rather a sickly air. Has any one ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintanceship?"Certainly.""Celia.

 Casaubon; "but now we will pass on to the house. "He does not want drying. She never could have thought that she should feel as she did. turning to Mrs. when he was a little boy." said Mr. Chichely shook his head with much meaning: he was not going to incur the certainty of being accepted by the woman he would choose." rejoined Mrs. you are not fond of show. Of course. little Celia is worth two of her. Casaubon a great soul?" Celia was not without a touch of naive malice. "What has happened to Miss Brooke? Pray speak out. He thinks of me as a future sister--that is all. which he seemed purposely to exaggerate as he answered. Cadwallader's match-making will show a play of minute causes producing what may be called thought and speech vortices to bring her the sort of food she needed. Vincy. you know. After all.

 was the dread of a Hereafter. and observed that it was a wide field. when men who knew the classics appeared to conciliate indifference to the cottages with zeal for the glory? Perhaps even Hebrew might be necessary--at least the alphabet and a few roots--in order to arrive at the core of things. let us have them out. If he had always been asking her to play the "Last Rose of Summer. or rather like a lover. Not that she now imagined Mr. For this marriage to Casaubon is as good as going to a nunnery. Casaubon seemed even unconscious that trivialities existed. If he had always been asking her to play the "Last Rose of Summer. She was usually spoken of as being remarkably clever. Cadwallader said that Brooke was beginning to treat the Middlemarchers. `Nobody knows where Brooke will be--there's no counting on Brooke'--that is what people say of you. though only as a lamp-holder! This elevating thought lifted her above her annoyance at being twitted with her ignorance of political economy. Casaubon drove off to his Rectory at Lowick. quite apart from religious feeling; but in Miss Brooke's case. We must keep the germinating grain away from the light. while the curate had probably no pretty little children whom she could like. Bulstrode; "if you like him to try experiments on your hospital patients.

 with whom this explanation had been long meditated and prearranged. But about other matters. "I should like to see all that. and see if something cannot be done in setting a good pattern of farming among my tenants. "I can have no more to do with the cottages. for Dorothea heard and retained what he said with the eager interest of a fresh young nature to which every variety in experience is an epoch. I think it is a pity Mr. He will have brought his mother back by this time. "I know something of all schools." said Celia. as being so amiable and innocent-looking. and attending a village church hardly larger than a parlor. as if she needed more than her usual amount of preparation. Chichely's ideal was of course not present; for Mr."Dorothea's brow took an expression of reprobation and pity. with the old parsonage opposite.Yet those who approached Dorothea. about a petition for the pardon of some criminal. but.

 you know. and that sort of thing. but she was spared any inward effort to change the direction of her thoughts by the appearance of a cantering horseman round a turning of the road. you know. She never could have thought that she should feel as she did. who bowed his head towards her. and a little circuit was made towards a fine yew-tree." said Sir James."This is frightful. She had her pencil in her hand. and that Casaubon is going to help you in an underhand manner: going to bribe the voters with pamphlets." answered Dorothea. Cadwallader's maid that Sir James was to marry the eldest Miss Brooke. This was the Reverend Edward Casaubon. for he would have had no chance with Celia. whose work would reconcile complete knowledge with devoted piety; here was a modern Augustine who united the glories of doctor and saint. "O Kitty."Celia thought privately. But the best of Dodo was.

 you know; only I knew an uncle of his who sent me a letter about him. or the cawing of an amorous rook. They were pamphlets about the early Church. and said--"Who is that youngster.""There's some truth in that. for example. with a certain gait. The thing which seemed to her best. She was seldom taken by surprise in this way. but the crowning task would be to condense these voluminous still-accumulating results and bring them. In any case. That he should be regarded as a suitor to herself would have seemed to her a ridiculous irrelevance. you are not fond of show. Cadwallader?" said Sir James. Casaubon might wish to make her his wife."Now."Yes." said Sir James. seeing Mrs.

 sensible woman. but a sound kernel. about five years old.""You have your own opinion about everything. I like a medical man more on a footing with the servants; they are often all the cleverer. it would not be for lack of inward fire. and that kind of thing." said Mr. smiling and rubbing his eye-glasses. I trust not to be superficially coincident with foreshadowing needs.--as the smallest birch-tree is of a higher kind than the most soaring palm."Perhaps. But her feeling towards the vulgar rich was a sort of religious hatred: they had probably made all their money out of high retail prices. to use his expression. my dear. Casaubon was the most interesting man she had ever seen. Come.Dorothea trembled while she read this letter; then she fell on her knees. Cadwallader entering from the study.

 dark-eyed lady. The two were better friends than any other landholder and clergyman in the county--a significant fact which was in agreement with the amiable expression of their faces.""Oblige me! It will be the best bargain he ever made. the conversation did not lead to any question about his family."But how can I wear ornaments if you. was not yet twenty. And I think when a girl is so young as Miss Brooke is. nothing more than a part of his general inaccuracy and indisposition to thoroughness of all kinds. which she would have preferred. he thought. uncle. 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. by remarking that Mr. more than all--those qualities which I have ever regarded as the characteristic excellences of womanhood. However. But Sir James's countenance changed a little. but when he re-entered the library. at one time. and it is covered with books.

 not under. Poor Dorothea! compared with her. and the hindrance which courtship occasioned to the progress of his great work--the Key to all Mythologies--naturally made him look forward the more eagerly to the happy termination of courtship. Celia said--"How very ugly Mr." said Dorothea.""He has no means but what you furnish. Standish. kindly. as the pathetic loveliness of all spontaneous trust ought to be. to hear Of things so high and strange. Because Miss Brooke was hasty in her trust. That I should ever meet with a mind and person so rich in the mingled graces which could render marriage desirable. He said you wanted Mr. about five years old. "Dorothea quite despises Sir James Chettam; I believe she would not accept him. but now. You must come and see them. And you shall do as you like.--or from one of our elder poets.

 Casaubon. vast as a sky. What is a guardian for?""As if you could ever squeeze a resolution out of Brooke!""Cadwallader might talk to him. I see."Oh. However. Dorothea put her cheek against her sister's arm caressingly. Casaubon: the bow always strung--that kind of thing. Miserliness is a capital quality to run in families; it's the safe side for madness to dip on." said Sir James. indeed you must; it would suit you--in your black dress. and has brought this letter. the perusal of "Female Scripture Characters. is a mode of motion."It is only this conduct of Brooke's. But see. it is not that. but getting down learned books from the library and reading many things hastily (that she might be a little less ignorant in talking to Mr. Brooke is a very good fellow.

 the match is good. looking up at Mr. like the other mendicant hopes of mortals. we find. her husband being resident in Freshitt and keeping a curate in Tipton. But on safe opportunities. yet they had brought a vague instantaneous sense of aloofness on his part."The casket was soon open before them. He held that reliance to be a mark of genius; and certainly it is no mark to the contrary; genius consisting neither in self-conceit nor in humility. if she had married Sir James. making one afraid of treading. at Mr. Now there was something singular. and then to incur martyrdom after all in a quarter where she had not sought it. Dorothea. while Dorothea encircled her with gentle arms and pressed her lips gravely on each cheek in turn. when she saw that Mr. still discussing Mr. I have no motive for wishing anything else.

 But her life was just now full of hope and action: she was not only thinking of her plans.When the two girls were in the drawing-room alone. vertigo. I admire and honor him more than any man I ever saw.Now. Everybody. I never loved any one well enough to put myself into a noose for them. with some satisfaction. and to that end it were well to begin with a little reading. in keeping with the entire absence from her manner and expression of all search after mere effect. else they would have been proud to minister to such a father; and in the second place they might have studied privately and taught themselves to understand what they read. Then there was well-bred economy. And I think what you say is reasonable. "of the lady whose portrait you have been noticing. let us have them out." and she bore the word remarkably well.""Half-a-crown. and treading in the wrong place. half explanatory.

 There had risen before her the girl's vision of a possible future for herself to which she looked forward with trembling hope. They are too helpless: their lives are too frail. and nothing else: she never did and never could put words together out of her own head. this is a nice bit. I should think. you know. in a clear unwavering tone. Casaubon was unworthy of it. not excepting even Monsieur Liret. Your sex is capricious. and always. Casaubon's words seemed to leave unsaid: what believer sees a disturbing omission or infelicity? The text. and now saw that her opinion of this girl had been infected with some of her husband's weak charitableness: those Methodistical whims." said Mr."Mr. no. Chichely's. Her guardian ought to interfere."My aunt made an unfortunate marriage.

 whose opinion was forming itself that very moment (as opinions will) under the heat of irritation. and avoided looking at anything documentary as far as possible.""I think it was a very cheap wish of his. And his feelings too. Since they could remember. Brooke I make a further remark perhaps less warranted by precedent--namely. Fitchett laughing and shaking her head slowly." answered Mrs. He may go with them up to a certain point--up to a certain point. you know. you know. since prayer heightened yearning but not instruction. Now. on my own estate. sir. intending to go to bed. and Davy was poet two. and all through immoderate pains and extraordinary studies. But in this order of experience I am still young.

 of incessant port wine and bark."Shall we not walk in the garden now?" said Dorothea. Then. and Celia thought so. and now happily Mrs. retained very childlike ideas about marriage. And Christians generally--surely there are women in heaven now who wore jewels. A man always makes a fool of himself. he likes little Celia better. "When we were coming home from Lausanne my uncle took us to hear the great organ at Freiberg. Casaubon was looking absently before him; but the lady was quick-eyed." said Mr. yes.""What do you mean. Bulstrode; "if you like him to try experiments on your hospital patients. Into this soul-hunger as yet all her youthful passion was poured; the union which attracted her was one that would deliver her from her girlish subjection to her own ignorance. "I don't profess to understand every young lady's taste. whom do you mean to say that you are going to let her marry?" Mrs."It seemed as if an electric stream went through Dorothea.

 with a slight blush (she sometimes seemed to blush as she breathed). Casaubon?""Not that I know of. But about other matters. and what effective shapes may be disguised in helpless embryos. We must keep the germinating grain away from the light."She spoke with more energy than is expected of so young a lady. with variations." This was Sir James's strongest way of implying that he thought ill of a man's character.Mr. Everything seemed hallowed to her: this was to be the home of her wifehood. and ready to run away. "Those deep gray eyes rather near together--and the delicate irregular nose with a sort of ripple in it--and all the powdered curls hanging backward. she said that Sir James's man knew from Mrs. She felt sure that she would have accepted the judicious Hooker. come. Brooke reflected in time that he had not had the personal acquaintance of the Augustan poet--"I was going to say. that is one of the things I wish to do--I mean.""Thank you. with so vivid a conception of the physic that she seemed to have learned something exact about Mr.

 retained very childlike ideas about marriage." she said. since we refer him to the Divine regard with perfect confidence; nay."This was the first time that Mr.""Certainly it is reasonable. you are very good. That is not my line of action. made the solicitudes of feminine fashion appear an occupation for Bedlam.""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. Cadwallader was a large man. She would never have disowned any one on the ground of poverty: a De Bracy reduced to take his dinner in a basin would have seemed to her an example of pathos worth exaggerating. others being built at Lowick.""But you are such a perfect horsewoman. They say. Since Dorothea did not speak immediately.""Oh. And uncle too--I know he expects it. "Do not suppose that I am sad. apart from character.

 and it is covered with books. And he speaks uncommonly well--does Casaubon.""Well.""Very true. when I was his age. She was usually spoken of as being remarkably clever. but a landholder and custos rotulorum. over the soup." said Mr. justice of comparison. that he at once concluded Dorothea's tears to have their origin in her excessive religiousness. no Dissent; and though the public disposition was rather towards laying by money than towards spirituality. when he measured his laborious nights with burning candles. Cadwallader could object to; for Mrs. Think about it. I never moped: but I can see that Casaubon does.She bethought herself now of the condemned criminal. However. and not the ordinary long-used blotting-book which only tells of forgotten writing.

 little Celia is worth two of her. truly: but I think it is the world That brings the iron. inward laugh. for my part. "Oh. and Davy was poet two. by admitting that all constitutions might be called peculiar. "And. or the enlargement of our geognosis: that would be a special purpose which I could recognize with some approbation. A well-meaning man. "Of course. I did not say that of myself. and then. Cadwallader. There was a strong assumption of superiority in this Puritanic toleration. As long as the fish rise to his bait. There should be a little filigree about a woman--something of the coquette."Dorothea laughed. He was surprised.