buthe
had
said
of
that
particular
woman
,
"
She
is
grace
itself
;
she
is
perfectly
lovely
and
accomplished
.
That
is
what
a
woman
ought
to
be
:
she
ought
to
produce
the
effect
of
exquisite
music
.
"
Plain
women
he
regarded
as
he
did
the
other
severe
facts
of
life
,
to
be
faced
with
philosophy
and
investigated
by
science
.
But
Rosamond
Vincy
seemed
to
have
the
true
melodic
charm
;
and
when
a
man
has
seen
the
woman
whom
he
would
have
chosen
if
he
had
intended
to
marry
speedily
,
his
remaining
a
bachelor
will
usually
depend
on
her
resolution
rather
than
on
his
.
Lydgate
believed
that
he
should
not
marry
for
several
years
:
not
marry
until
he
had
trodden
out
a
good
clear
path
for
himself
away
from
the
broad
road
which
was
quite
ready
made
.
He
had
seen
Miss
Vincy
above
his
horizon
almost
as
long
as
it
had
taken
Mr.
Casaubon
to
become
engaged
and
married
:
but
this
learned
gentleman
was
possessed
of
a
fortune
;
he
had
assembled
his
voluminous
notes
,
and
had
made
that
sort
of
reputation
which
precedes
performance
,
—
often
the
larger
part
of
a
man
's
fame
.
He
took
a
wife
,
as
we
have
seen
,
to
adorn
the
remaining
quadrant
of
his
course
,
and
be
a
little
moon
that
would
cause
hardly
a
calculable
perturbation
.
But
Lydgate
was
young
,
poor
,
ambitious
.
He
had
his
half-century
before
him
instead
of
behind
him
,
and
he
had
come
to
Middlemarch
bent
on
doing
many
things
that
were
not
directly
fitted
to
make
his
fortune
or
even
secure
him
a
good
income
.
To
a
man
under
such
circumstances
,
taking
a
wife
is
something
more
than
a
question
of
adornment
,
however
highly
he
may
rate
this
;
and
Lydgate
was
disposed
to
give
it
the
first
place
among
wifely
functions
.
To
his
taste
,
guided
by
a
single
conversation
,
here
was
the
point
on
which
Miss
Brooke
would
be
found
wanting
,
notwithstanding
her
undeniable
beauty
.
She
did
not
look
at
things
from
the
proper
feminine
angle
.
The
society
of
such
women
was
about
as
relaxing
as
going
from
your
work
to
teach
the
second
form
,
instead
of
reclining
in
a
paradise
with
sweet
laughs
for
bird-notes
,
and
blue
eyes
for
a
heaven
.
Certainly
nothing
at
present
could
seem
much
less
important
to
Lydgate
than
the
turn
of
Miss
Brooke
's
mind
,
or
to
Miss
Brooke
than
the
qualities
of
the
woman
who
had
attracted
this
young
surgeon
.
But
any
one
watching
keenly
the
stealthy
convergence
of
human
lots
,
sees
a
slow
preparation
of
effects
from
one
life
on
another
,
which
tells
like
a
calculated
irony
on
the
indifference
or
the
frozen
stare
with
which
we
look
at
our
unintroduced
neighbor
.
Destiny
stands
by
sarcastic
with
our
dramatis
personae
folded
in
her
hand
.
Old
provincial
society
had
its
share
of
this
subtle
movement
:
had
not
only
its
striking
downfalls
,
its
brilliant
young
professional
dandies
who
ended
by
living
up
an
entry
with
a
drab
and
six
children
for
their
establishment
,
but
also
those
less
marked
vicissitudes
which
are
constantly
shifting
the
boundaries
of
social
intercourse
,
and
begetting
new
consciousness
of
interdependence
.
Some
slipped
a
little
downward
,
some
got
higher
footing
:
people
denied
aspirates
,
gained
wealth
,
and
fastidious
gentlemen
stood
for
boroughs
;
some
were
caught
in
political
currents
,
some
in
ecclesiastical
,
and
perhaps
found
themselves
surprisingly
grouped
in
consequence
;
while
a
few
personages
or
families
that
stood
with
rocky
firmness
amid
all
this
fluctuation
,
were
slowly
presenting
new
aspects
in
spite
of
solidity
,
and
altering
with
the
double
change
of
self
and
beholder
.
Municipal
town
and
rural
parish
gradually
made
fresh
threads
of
connection
—
gradually
,
as
the
old
stocking
gave
way
to
the
savings-bank
,
and
the
worship
of
the
solar
guinea
became
extinct
;
while
squires
and
baronets
,
and
even
lords
who
had
once
lived
blamelessly
afar
from
the
civic
mind
,
gathered
the
faultiness
of
closer
acquaintanceship
.
Settlers
,
too
,
came
from
distant
counties
,
some
with
an
alarming
novelty
of
skill
,
others
with
an
offensive
advantage
in
cunning
.
In
fact
,
much
the
same
sort
of
movement
and
mixture
went
on
in
old
England
as
we
find
in
older
Herodotus
,
who
also
,
in
telling
what
had
been
,
thought
it
well
to
take
a
woman
's
lot
for
his
starting-point
;
though
Io
,
as
a
maiden
apparently
beguiled
by
attractive
merchandise
,
was
the
reverse
of
Miss
Brooke
,
and
in
this
respect
perhaps
bore
more
resemblance
to
Rosamond
Vincy
,
who
had
excellent
taste
in
costume
,
with
that
nymph-like
figure
and
pure
blindness
which
give
the
largest
range
to
choice
in
the
flow
and
colour
of
drapery
.
But
these
things
made
only
part
of
her
charm
.
She
was
admitted
to
be
the
flower
of
Mrs.
Lemon
's
school
,
the
chief
school
in
the
county
,
where
the
teaching
included
all
that
was
demanded
in
the
accomplished
female
—
even
to
extras
,
such
as
the
getting
in
and
out
of
a
carriage
.
Mrs.
Lemon
herself
had
always
held
up
Miss
Vincy
as
an
example
:
no
pupil
,
she
said
,
exceeded
that
young
lady
for
mental
acquisition
and
propriety
of
speech
,
while
her
musical
execution
was
quite
exceptional
.
We
cannot
help
the
way
in
which
people
speak
of
us
,
and
probably
if
Mrs.
Lemon
had
undertaken
to
describe
Juliet
or
Imogen
,
these
heroines
would
not
have
seemed
poetical
.
The
first
vision
of
Rosamond
would
have
been
enough
with
most
judges
to
dispel
any
prejudice
excited
by
Mrs.
Lemon
's
praise
.
Lydgate
could
not
be
long
in
Middlemarch
without
having
that
agreeable
vision
,
or
even
without
making
the
acquaintance
of
the
Vincy
family
;
for
though
Mr.
Peacock
,
whose
practice
he
had
paid
something
to
enter
on
,
had
not
been
their
doctor
(
Mrs.
Vincy
not
liking
the
lowering
system
adopted
by
him
)
,
he
had
many
patients
among
their
connections
and
acquaintances
.
For
who
of
any
consequence
in
Middlemarch
was
not
connected
or
at
least
acquainted
with
the
Vincys
?
They
were
old
manufacturers
,
and
had
kept
a
good
house
for
three
generations
,
in
which
there
had
naturally
been
much
intermarrying
with
neighbors
more
or
less
decidedly
genteel
.
Mr.
Vincy
's
sister
had
made
a
wealthy
match
in
accepting
Mr.
Bulstrode
,
who
,
however
,
as
a
man
not
born
in
the
town
,
and
altogether
of
dimly
known
origin
,
was
considered
to
have
done
well
in
uniting
himself
with
a
real
Middlemarch
family
;
on
the
other
hand
,
Mr.
Vincy
had
descended
a
little
,
having
taken
an
innkeeper
's
daughter
.
But
on
this
side
too
there
was
a
cheering
sense
of
money
;
for
Mrs.
Vincy
's
sister
had
been
second
wife
to
rich
old
Mr.
Featherstone
,
and
had
died
childless
years
ago
,
so
that
her
nephews
and
nieces
might
be
supposed
to
touch
the
affections
of
the
widower
.
And
it
happened
that
Mr.
Bulstrode
and
Mr.
Featherstone
,
two
of
Peacock
's
most
important
patients
,
had
,
from
different
causes
,
given
an
especially
good
reception
to
his
successor
,
who
had
raised
some
partisanship
as
well
as
discussion
.
Mr.
Wrench
,
medical
attendant
to
the
Vincy
family
,
very
early
had
grounds
for
thinking
lightly
of
Lydgate
's
professional
discretion
,
and
there
was
no
report
about
him
which
was
not
retailed
at
the
Vincys
'
,
where
visitors
were
frequent
.
Mr.
Vincy
was
more
inclined
to
general
good-fellowship
than
to
taking
sides
,
but
there
was
no
need
for
him
to
be
hasty
in
making
any
new
man
acquaintance
.
Rosamond
silently
wished
that
her
father
would
invite
Mr.
Lydgate
.
She
was
tired
of
the
faces
and
figures
she
had
always
been
used
to
—
the
various
irregular
profiles
and
gaits
and
turns
of
phrase
distinguishing
those
Middlemarch
young
men
whom
she
had
known
as
boys
.
She
had
been
at
school
with
girls
of
higher
position
,
whose
brothers
,
she
felt
sure
,
it
would
have
been
possible
for
her
to
be
more
interested
in
,
than
in
these
inevitable
Middlemarch
companions
.
But
she
would
not
have
chosen
to
mention
her
wish
to
her
father
;
and
he
,
for
his
part
,
was
in
no
hurry
on
the
subject
.
An
alderman
about
to
be
mayor
must
by-and-by
enlarge
his
dinner-parties
,
but
at
present
there
were
plenty
of
guests
at
his
well-spread
table
.
That
table
often
remained
covered
with
the
relics
of
the
family
breakfast
long
after
Mr.
Vincy
had
gone
with
his
second
son
to
the
warehouse
,
and
when
Miss
Morgan
was
already
far
on
in
morning
lessons
with
the
younger
girls
in
the
schoolroom
.
It
awaited
the
family
laggard
,
who
found
any
sort
of
inconvenience
(
to
others
)
less
disagreeable
than
getting
up
when
he
was
called
.
This
was
the
case
one
morning
of
the
October
in
which
we
have
lately
seen
Mr.
Casaubon
visiting
the
Grange
;
and
though
the
room
was
a
little
overheated
with
the
fire
,
which
had
sent
the
spaniel
panting
to
a
remote
corner
,
Rosamond
,
for
some
reason
,
continued
to
sit
at
her
embroidery
longer
than
usual
,
now
and
then
giving
herself
a
little
shake
,
and
laying
her
work
on
her
knee
to
contemplate
it
with
an
air
of
hesitating
weariness
.
Her
mamma
,
who
had
returned
from
an
excursion
to
the
kitchen
,
sat
on
the
other
side
of
the
small
work-table
with
an
air
of
more
entire
placidity
,
until
,
the
clock
again
giving
notice
that
it
was
going
to
strike
,
she
looked
up
from
the
lace-mending
which
was
occupying
her
plump
fingers
and
rang
the
bell
.
"
Knock
at
Mr.
Fred
's
door
again
,
Pritchard
,
and
tell
him
it
has
struck
half-past
ten
.
"
This
was
said
without
any
change
in
the
radiant
good-humor
of
Mrs.
Vincy
's
face
,
in
which
forty-five
years
had
delved
neither
angles
nor
parallels
;
and
pushing
back
her
pink
capstrings
,
she
let
her
work
rest
on
her
lap
,
while
she
looked
admiringly
at
her
daughter
.
"
Mamma
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
"
when
Fred
comes
down
I
wish
you
would
not
let
him
have
red
herrings
.
I
cannot
bear
the
smell
of
them
all
over
the
house
at
this
hour
of
the
morning
.
"
"
Oh
,
my
dear
,
you
are
so
hard
on
your
brothers
!
It
is
the
only
fault
I
have
to
find
with
you
.
You
are
the
sweetest
temper
in
the
world
,
but
you
are
so
tetchy
with
your
brothers
.
"
"
Not
tetchy
,
mamma
:
you
never
hear
me
speak
in
an
unladylike
way
.
"
"
Well
,
but
you
want
to
deny
them
things
.
"
"
Brothers
are
so
unpleasant
.
"
"
Oh
,
my
dear
,
you
must
allow
for
young
men
.
Be
thankful
if
they
have
good
hearts
.
A
woman
must
learn
to
put
up
with
little
things
.
You
will
be
married
some
day
.
"
"
Not
to
any
one
who
is
like
Fred
.
"
"
Do
n't
decry
your
own
brother
,
my
dear
.
Few
young
men
have
less
against
them
,
although
he
could
n't
take
his
degree
—
I
'm
sure
I
ca
n't
understand
why
,
for
he
seems
to
me
most
clever
.
And
you
know
yourself
he
was
thought
equal
to
the
best
society
at
college
.
So
particular
as
you
are
,
my
dear
,
I
wonder
you
are
not
glad
to
have
such
a
gentlemanly
young
man
for
a
brother
.
You
are
always
finding
fault
with
Bob
because
he
is
not
Fred
.
"
"
Oh
no
,
mamma
,
only
because
he
is
Bob
.
"
"
Well
,
my
dear
,
you
will
not
find
any
Middlemarch
young
man
who
has
not
something
against
him
.
"
"
But
"
—
here
Rosamond
's
face
broke
into
a
smile
which
suddenly
revealed
two
dimples
.
She
herself
thought
unfavourably
of
these
dimples
and
smiled
little
in
general
society
.
"
But
I
shall
not
marry
any
Middlemarch
young
man
.
"
"
So
it
seems
,
my
love
,
for
you
have
as
good
as
refused
the
pick
of
them
;
and
if
there
's
better
to
be
had
,
I
'm
sure
there
's
no
girl
better
deserves
it
.
"
"
Excuse
me
,
mamma
—
I
wish
you
would
not
say
,
'
the
pick
of
them
.
'
"
"
Why
,
what
else
are
they
?
"
"
I
mean
,
mamma
,
it
is
rather
a
vulgar
expression
.
"
"
Very
likely
,
my
dear
;
I
never
was
a
good
speaker
.
What
should
I
say
?
"
"
The
best
of
them
.
"
"
Why
,
that
seems
just
as
plain
and
common
.
If
I
had
had
time
to
think
,
I
should
have
said
,
'
the
most
superior
young
men
.
'
But
with
your
education
you
must
know
.
"
"
What
must
Rosy
know
,
mother
?
"
said
Mr.
Fred
,
who
had
slid
in
unobserved
through
the
half-open
door
while
the
ladies
were
bending
over
their
work
,
and
now
going
up
to
the
fire
stood
with
his
back
towards
it
,
warming
the
soles
of
his
slippers
.
"
Whether
it
's
right
to
say
'
superior
young
men
,
'
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
,
ringing
the
bell
.
"
Oh
,
there
are
so
many
superior
teas
and
sugars
now
.
Superior
is
getting
to
be
shopkeepers
'
slang
.
"
"
Are
you
beginning
to
dislike
slang
,
then
?
"
said
Rosamond
,
with
mild
gravity
.
"
Only
the
wrong
sort
.
All
choice
of
words
is
slang
.
It
marks
a
class
.
"
"
There
is
correct
English
:
that
is
not
slang
.
"
"
I
beg
your
pardon
:
correct
English
is
the
slang
of
prigs
who
write
history
and
essays
.
And
the
strongest
slang
of
all
is
the
slang
of
poets
.
"
"
You
will
say
anything
,
Fred
,
to
gain
your
point
.
"
"
Well
,
tell
me
whether
it
is
slang
or
poetry
to
call
an
ox
a
leg-plaiter
.
"
"
Of
course
you
can
call
it
poetry
if
you
like
.
"
"
Aha
,
Miss
Rosy
,
you
do
n't
know
Homer
from
slang
.
I
shall
invent
a
new
game
;
I
shall
write
bits
of
slang
and
poetry
on
slips
,
and
give
them
to
you
to
separate
.
"
"
Dear
me
,
how
amusing
it
is
to
hear
young
people
talk
!
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
,
with
cheerful
admiration
.
"
Have
you
got
nothing
else
for
my
breakfast
,
Pritchard
?
"
said
Fred
,
to
the
servant
who
brought
in
coffee
and
buttered
toast
;
while
he
walked
round
the
table
surveying
the
ham
,
potted
beef
,
and
other
cold
remnants
,
with
an
air
of
silent
rejection
,
and
polite
forbearance
from
signs
of
disgust
.
"
Should
you
like
eggs
,
sir
?
"
"
Eggs
,
no
!
Bring
me
a
grilled
bone
.
"
"
Really
,
Fred
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
when
the
servant
had
left
the
room
,
"
if
you
must
have
hot
things
for
breakfast
,
I
wish
you
would
come
down
earlier
.
You
can
get
up
at
six
o'clock
to
go
out
hunting
;
I
cannot
understand
why
you
find
it
so
difficult
to
get
up
on
other
mornings
.
"
"
That
is
your
want
of
understanding
,
Rosy
.
I
can
get
up
to
go
hunting
because
I
like
it
.
"
"
What
would
you
think
of
me
if
I
came
down
two
hours
after
every
one
else
and
ordered
grilled
bone
?
"
"
I
should
think
you
were
an
uncommonly
fast
young
lady
,
"
said
Fred
,
eating
his
toast
with
the
utmost
composure
.
"
I
cannot
see
why
brothers
are
to
make
themselves
disagreeable
,
any
more
than
sisters
.
"
"
I
do
n't
make
myself
disagreeable
;
it
is
you
who
find
me
so
.
Disagreeable
is
a
word
that
describes
your
feelings
and
not
my
actions
.
"
"
I
think
it
describes
the
smell
of
grilled
bone
.
"
"
Not
at
all
.
It
describes
a
sensation
in
your
little
nose
associated
with
certain
finicking
notions
which
are
the
classics
of
Mrs.
Lemon
's
school
.
Look
at
my
mother
;
you
do
n't
see
her
objecting
to
everything
except
what
she
does
herself
.
She
is
my
notion
of
a
pleasant
woman
.
"
"
Bless
you
both
,
my
dears
,
and
do
n't
quarrel
,
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
,
with
motherly
cordiality
.
"
Come
,
Fred
,
tell
us
all
about
the
new
doctor
.
How
is
your
uncle
pleased
with
him
?
"
"
Pretty
well
,
I
think
.
He
asks
Lydgate
all
sorts
of
questions
and
then
screws
up
his
face
while
he
hears
the
answers
,
as
if
they
were
pinching
his
toes
.
That
's
his
way
.
Ah
,
here
comes
my
grilled
bone
.
"
"
But
how
came
you
to
stay
out
so
late
,
my
dear
?
You
only
said
you
were
going
to
your
uncle
's
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
dined
at
Plymdale
's
.
We
had
whist
.
Lydgate
was
there
too
.
"
"
And
what
do
you
think
of
him
?
He
is
very
gentlemanly
,
I
suppose
.
They
say
he
is
of
excellent
family
—
his
relations
quite
county
people
.
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Fred
.
"
There
was
a
Lydgate
at
John
's
who
spent
no
end
of
money
.
I
find
this
man
is
a
second
cousin
of
his
.
But
rich
men
may
have
very
poor
devils
for
second
cousins
.
"
"
It
always
makes
a
difference
,
though
,
to
be
of
good
family
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
with
a
tone
of
decision
which
showed
that
she
had
thought
on
this
subject
.
Rosamond
felt
that
she
might
have
been
happier
if
she
had
not
been
the
daughter
of
a
Middlemarch
manufacturer
.
She
disliked
anything
which
reminded
her
that
her
mother
's
father
had
been
an
innkeeper
.
Certainly
any
one
remembering
the
fact
might
think
that
Mrs.
Vincy
had
the
air
of
a
very
handsome
good-humored
landlady
,
accustomed
to
the
most
capricious
orders
of
gentlemen
.
"
I
thought
it
was
odd
his
name
was
Tertius
,
"
said
the
bright-faced
matron
,
"
but
of
course
it
's
a
name
in
the
family
.
But
now
,
tell
us
exactly
what
sort
of
man
he
is
.
"
"
Oh
,
tallish
,
dark
,
clever
—
talks
well
—
rather
a
prig
,
I
think
.
"
"
I
never
can
make
out
what
you
mean
by
a
prig
,
"
said
Rosamond
.
"
A
fellow
who
wants
to
show
that
he
has
opinions
.
"
"
Why
,
my
dear
,
doctors
must
have
opinions
,
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
.
"
What
are
they
there
for
else
?
"
"
Yes
,
mother
,
the
opinions
they
are
paid
for
.
But
a
prig
is
a
fellow
who
is
always
making
you
a
present
of
his
opinions
.
"
"
I
suppose
Mary
Garth
admires
Mr.
Lydgate
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
not
without
a
touch
of
innuendo
.
"
Really
,
I
ca
n't
say
.
"
said
Fred
,
rather
glumly
,
as
he
left
the
table
,
and
taking
up
a
novel
which
he
had
brought
down
with
him
,
threw
himself
into
an
arm-chair
.
"
If
you
are
jealous
of
her
,
go
oftener
to
Stone
Court
yourself
and
eclipse
her
.
"
"
I
wish
you
would
not
be
so
vulgar
,
Fred
.
If
you
have
finished
,
pray
ring
the
bell
.
"
"
It
is
true
,
though
—
what
your
brother
says
,
Rosamond
,
"
Mrs.
Vincy
began
,
when
the
servant
had
cleared
the
table
.
"
It
is
a
thousand
pities
you
have
n't
patience
to
go
and
see
your
uncle
more
,
so
proud
of
you
as
he
is
,
and
wanted
you
to
live
with
him
.
There
's
no
knowing
what
he
might
have
done
for
you
as
well
as
for
Fred
.
God
knows
,
I
'm
fond
of
having
you
at
home
with
me
,
but
I
can
part
with
my
children
for
their
good
.
And
now
it
stands
to
reason
that
your
uncle
Featherstone
will
do
something
for
Mary
Garth
.
"
"
Mary
Garth
can
bear
being
at
Stone
Court
,
because
she
likes
that
better
than
being
a
governess
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
folding
up
her
work
.
"
I
would
rather
not
have
anything
left
to
me
if
I
must
earn
it
by
enduring
much
of
my
uncle
's
cough
and
his
ugly
relations
.
"
"
He
ca
n't
be
long
for
this
world
,
my
dear
;
I
would
n't
hasten
his
end
,
but
what
with
asthma
and
that
inward
complaint
,
let
us
hope
there
is
something
better
for
him
in
another
.
And
I
have
no
ill-will
towards
Mary
Garth
,
but
there
's
justice
to
be
thought
of
.
And
Mr.
Featherstone
's
first
wife
brought
him
no
money
,
as
my
sister
did
.
Her
nieces
and
nephews
ca
n't
have
so
much
claim
as
my
sister
's
.
And
I
must
say
I
think
Mary
Garth
a
dreadful
plain
girl
—
more
fit
for
a
governess
.
"
"
Every
one
would
not
agree
with
you
there
,
mother
,
"
said
Fred
,
who
seemed
to
be
able
to
read
and
listen
too
.
"
Well
,
my
dear
,
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
,
wheeling
skilfully
,
"
if
she
had
some
fortune
left
her
,
—
a
man
marries
his
wife
's
relations
,
and
the
Garths
are
so
poor
,
and
live
in
such
a
small
way
.
But
I
shall
leave
you
to
your
studies
,
my
dear
;
for
I
must
go
and
do
some
shopping
.
"
"
Fred
's
studies
are
not
very
deep
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
rising
with
her
mamma
,
"
he
is
only
reading
a
novel
.
"
"
Well
,
well
,
by-and-by
he
'll
go
to
his
Latin
and
things
,
"
said
Mrs.
Vincy
,
soothingly
,
stroking
her
son
's
head
.
"
There
's
a
fire
in
the
smoking-room
on
purpose
.
It
's
your
father
's
wish
,
you
know
—
Fred
,
my
dear
—
and
I
always
tell
him
you
will
be
good
,
and
go
to
college
again
to
take
your
degree
.
"
Fred
drew
his
mother
's
hand
down
to
his
lips
,
but
said
nothing
.
"
I
suppose
you
are
not
going
out
riding
to-day
?
"
said
Rosamond
,
lingering
a
little
after
her
mamma
was
gone
.
"
No
;
why
?
"
"
Papa
says
I
may
have
the
chestnut
to
ride
now
.
"
"
You
can
go
with
me
to-morrow
,
if
you
like
.
Only
I
am
going
to
Stone
Court
,
remember
.
"
"
I
want
to
ride
so
much
,
it
is
indifferent
to
me
where
we
go
.
"
Rosamond
really
wished
to
go
to
Stone
Court
,
of
all
other
places
.
"
Oh
,
I
say
,
Rosy
,
"
said
Fred
,
as
she
was
passing
out
of
the
room
,
"
if
you
are
going
to
the
piano
,
let
me
come
and
play
some
airs
with
you
.
"
"
Pray
do
not
ask
me
this
morning
.
"
"
Why
not
this
morning
?
"
"
Really
,
Fred
,
I
wish
you
would
leave
off
playing
the
flute
.
A
man
looks
very
silly
playing
the
flute
.
And
you
play
so
out
of
tune
.
"
"
When
next
any
one
makes
love
to
you
,
Miss
Rosamond
,
I
will
tell
him
how
obliging
you
are
.
"
"
Why
should
you
expect
me
to
oblige
you
by
hearing
you
play
the
flute
,
any
more
than
I
should
expect
you
to
oblige
me
by
not
playing
it
?
"
"
And
why
should
you
expect
me
to
take
you
out
riding
?
"
This
question
led
to
an
adjustment
,
for
Rosamond
had
set
her
mind
on
that
particular
ride
.
So
Fred
was
gratified
with
nearly
an
hour
's
practice
of
"
Ar
hyd
y
nos
,
"
"
Ye
banks
and
braes
,
"
and
other
favourite
airs
from
his
"
Instructor
on
the
Flute
;
"
a
wheezy
performance
,
into
which
he
threw
much
ambition
and
an
irrepressible
hopefulness
.
CHAPTER
XII
.
"
He
had
more
tow
on
his
distaffe
Than
Gerveis
knew
.
"
—
CHAUCER
.
The
ride
to
Stone
Court
,
which
Fred
and
Rosamond
took
the
next
morning
,
lay
through
a
pretty
bit
of
midland
landscape
,
almost
all
meadows
and
pastures
,
with
hedgerows
still
allowed
to
grow
in
bushy
beauty
and
to
spread
out
coral
fruit
for
the
birds
.
Little
details
gave
each
field
a
particular
physiognomy
,
dear
to
the
eyes
that
have
looked
on
them
from
childhood
:
the
pool
in
the
corner
where
the
grasses
were
dank
and
trees
leaned
whisperingly
;
the
great
oak
shadowing
a
bare
place
in
mid-pasture
;
the
high
bank
where
the
ash-trees
grew
;
the
sudden
slope
of
the
old
marl-pit
making
a
red
background
for
the
burdock
;
the
huddled
roofs
and
ricks
of
the
homestead
without
a
traceable
way
of
approach
;
the
gray
gate
and
fences
against
the
depths
of
the
bordering
wood
;
and
the
stray
hovel
,
its
old
,
old
thatch
full
of
mossy
hills
and
valleys
with
wondrous
modulations
of
light
and
shadow
such
as
we
travel
far
to
see
in
later
life
,
and
see
larger
,
but
not
more
beautiful
.
These
are
the
things
that
make
the
gamut
of
joy
in
landscape
to
midland-bred
souls
—
the
things
they
toddled
among
,
or
perhaps
learned
by
heart
standing
between
their
father
's
knees
while
he
drove
leisurely
.
But
the
road
,
even
the
byroad
,
was
excellent
;
for
Lowick
,
as
we
have
seen
,
was
not
a
parish
of
muddy
lanes
and
poor
tenants
;
and
it
was
into
Lowick
parish
that
Fred
and
Rosamond
entered
after
a
couple
of
miles
'
riding
.
Another
mile
would
bring
them
to
Stone
Court
,
and
at
the
end
of
the
first
half
,
the
house
was
already
visible
,
looking
as
if
it
had
been
arrested
in
its
growth
toward
a
stone
mansion
by
an
unexpected
budding
of
farm-buildings
on
its
left
flank
,
which
had
hindered
it
from
becoming
anything
more
than
the
substantial
dwelling
of
a
gentleman
farmer
.
It
was
not
the
less
agreeable
an
object
in
the
distance
for
the
cluster
of
pinnacled
corn-ricks
which
balanced
the
fine
row
of
walnuts
on
the
right
.
Presently
it
was
possible
to
discern
something
that
might
be
a
gig
on
the
circular
drive
before
the
front
door
.
"
Dear
me
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
"
I
hope
none
of
my
uncle
's
horrible
relations
are
there
.
"
"
They
are
,
though
.
That
is
Mrs.
Waule
's
gig
—
the
last
yellow
gig
left
,
I
should
think
.
When
I
see
Mrs.
Waule
in
it
,
I
understand
how
yellow
can
have
been
worn
for
mourning
.
That
gig
seems
to
me
more
funereal
than
a
hearse
.
But
then
Mrs.
Waule
always
has
black
crape
on
.
How
does
she
manage
it
,
Rosy
?
Her
friends
ca
n't
always
be
dying
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
at
all
.
And
she
is
not
in
the
least
evangelical
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
reflectively
,
as
if
that
religious
point
of
view
would
have
fully
accounted
for
perpetual
crape
.
"
And
,
not
poor
,
"
she
added
,
after
a
moment
's
pause
.
"
No
,
by
George
!
They
are
as
rich
as
Jews
,
those
Waules
and
Featherstones
;
I
mean
,
for
people
like
them
,
who
do
n't
want
to
spend
anything
.
And
yet
they
hang
about
my
uncle
like
vultures
,
and
are
afraid
of
a
farthing
going
away
from
their
side
of
the
family
.
But
I
believe
he
hates
them
all
.
"
The
Mrs.
Waule
who
was
so
far
from
being
admirable
in
the
eyes
of
these
distant
connections
,
had
happened
to
say
this
very
morning
(
not
at
all
with
a
defiant
air
,
but
in
a
low
,
muffled
,
neutral
tone
,
as
of
a
voice
heard
through
cotton
wool
)
that
she
did
not
wish
"
to
enjoy
their
good
opinion
.
"
She
was
seated
,
as
she
observed
,
on
her
own
brother
's
hearth
,
and
had
been
Jane
Featherstone
five-and-twenty
years
before
she
had
been
Jane
Waule
,
which
entitled
her
to
speak
when
her
own
brother
's
name
had
been
made
free
with
by
those
who
had
no
right
to
it
.
"
What
are
you
driving
at
there
?
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
,
holding
his
stick
between
his
knees
and
settling
his
wig
,
while
he
gave
her
a
momentary
sharp
glance
,
which
seemed
to
react
on
him
like
a
draught
of
cold
air
and
set
him
coughing
.
Mrs.
Waule
had
to
defer
her
answer
till
he
was
quiet
again
,
till
Mary
Garth
had
supplied
him
with
fresh
syrup
,
and
he
had
begun
to
rub
the
gold
knob
of
his
stick
,
looking
bitterly
at
the
fire
.
It
was
a
bright
fire
,
but
it
made
no
difference
to
the
chill-looking
purplish
tint
of
Mrs.
Waule
's
face
,
which
was
as
neutral
as
her
voice
;
having
mere
chinks
for
eyes
,
and
lips
that
hardly
moved
in
speaking
.
"
The
doctors
ca
n't
master
that
cough
,
brother
.
It
's
just
like
what
I
have
;
for
I
'm
your
own
sister
,
constitution
and
everything
.
But
,
as
I
was
saying
,
it
's
a
pity
Mrs.
Vincy
's
family
ca
n't
be
better
conducted
.
"
"
Tchah
!
you
said
nothing
o
'
the
sort
.
You
said
somebody
had
made
free
with
my
name
.
"
"
And
no
more
than
can
be
proved
,
if
what
everybody
says
is
true
.
My
brother
Solomon
tells
me
it
's
the
talk
up
and
down
in
Middlemarch
how
unsteady
young
Vincy
is
,
and
has
been
forever
gambling
at
billiards
since
home
he
came
.
"
"
Nonsense
!
What
's
a
game
at
billiards
?
It
's
a
good
gentlemanly
game
;
and
young
Vincy
is
not
a
clodhopper
.
If
your
son
John
took
to
billiards
,
now
,
he
'd
make
a
fool
of
himself
.
"
"
Your
nephew
John
never
took
to
billiards
or
any
other
game
,
brother
,
and
is
far
from
losing
hundreds
of
pounds
,
which
,
if
what
everybody
says
is
true
,
must
be
found
somewhere
else
than
out
of
Mr.
Vincy
the
father
's
pocket
.
For
they
say
he
's
been
losing
money
for
years
,
though
nobody
would
think
so
,
to
see
him
go
coursing
and
keeping
open
house
as
they
do
.
And
I
've
heard
say
Mr.
Bulstrode
condemns
Mrs.
Vincy
beyond
anything
for
her
flightiness
,
and
spoiling
her
children
so
.
"
"
What
's
Bulstrode
to
me
?
I
do
n't
bank
with
him
.
"
"
Well
,
Mrs.
Bulstrode
is
Mr.
Vincy
's
own
sister
,
and
they
do
say
that
Mr.
Vincy
mostly
trades
on
the
Bank
money
;
and
you
may
see
yourself
,
brother
,
when
a
woman
past
forty
has
pink
strings
always
flying
,
and
that
light
way
of
laughing
at
everything
,
it
's
very
unbecoming
.
But
indulging
your
children
is
one
thing
,
and
finding
money
to
pay
their
debts
is
another
.
And
it
's
openly
said
that
young
Vincy
has
raised
money
on
his
expectations
.
I
do
n't
say
what
expectations
.
Miss
Garth
hears
me
,
and
is
welcome
to
tell
again
.
I
know
young
people
hang
together
.
"
"
No
,
thank
you
,
Mrs.
Waule
,
"
said
Mary
Garth
.
"
I
dislike
hearing
scandal
too
much
to
wish
to
repeat
it
.
"
Mr.
Featherstone
rubbed
the
knob
of
his
stick
and
made
a
brief
convulsive
show
of
laughter
,
which
had
much
the
same
genuineness
as
an
old
whist-player
's
chuckle
over
a
bad
hand
.
Still
looking
at
the
fire
,
he
said
—
"
And
who
pretends
to
say
Fred
Vincy
has
n't
got
expectations
?
Such
a
fine
,
spirited
fellow
is
like
enough
to
have
'
em
.
"
There
was
a
slight
pause
before
Mrs.
Waule
replied
,
and
when
she
did
so
,
her
voice
seemed
to
be
slightly
moistened
with
tears
,
though
her
face
was
still
dry
.
"
Whether
or
no
,
brother
,
it
is
naturally
painful
to
me
and
my
brother
Solomon
to
hear
your
name
made
free
with
,
and
your
complaint
being
such
as
may
carry
you
off
sudden
,
and
people
who
are
no
more
Featherstones
than
the
Merry-Andrew
at
the
fair
,
openly
reckoning
on
your
property
coming
to
them
.
And
me
your
own
sister
,
and
Solomon
your
own
brother
!
And
if
that
's
to
be
it
,
what
has
it
pleased
the
Almighty
to
make
families
for
?
"
Here
Mrs.
Waule
's
tears
fell
,
but
with
moderation
.
"
Come
,
out
with
it
,
Jane
!
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
,
looking
at
her
.
"
You
mean
to
say
,
Fred
Vincy
has
been
getting
somebody
to
advance
him
money
on
what
he
says
he
knows
about
my
will
,
eh
?
"
"
I
never
said
so
,
brother
"
(
Mrs.
Waule
's
voice
had
again
become
dry
and
unshaken
)
.
"
It
was
told
me
by
my
brother
Solomon
last
night
when
he
called
coming
from
market
to
give
me
advice
about
the
old
wheat
,
me
being
a
widow
,
and
my
son
John
only
three-and-twenty
,
though
steady
beyond
anything
.
And
he
had
it
from
most
undeniable
authority
,
and
not
one
,
but
many
.
"
"
Stuff
and
nonsense
!
I
do
n't
believe
a
word
of
it
.
It
's
all
a
got-up
story
.
Go
to
the
window
,
missy
;
I
thought
I
heard
a
horse
.
See
if
the
doctor
's
coming
.
"
"
Not
got
up
by
me
,
brother
,
nor
yet
by
Solomon
,
who
,
whatever
else
he
may
be
—
and
I
do
n't
deny
he
has
oddities
—
has
made
his
will
and
parted
his
property
equal
between
such
kin
as
he
's
friends
with
;
though
,
for
my
part
,
I
think
there
are
times
when
some
should
be
considered
more
than
others
.
But
Solomon
makes
it
no
secret
what
he
means
to
do
.
"
"
The
more
fool
he
!
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
,
with
some
difficulty
;
breaking
into
a
severe
fit
of
coughing
that
required
Mary
Garth
to
stand
near
him
,
so
that
she
did
not
find
out
whose
horses
they
were
which
presently
paused
stamping
on
the
gravel
before
the
door
.
Before
Mr.
Featherstone
's
cough
was
quiet
,
Rosamond
entered
,
bearing
up
her
riding-habit
with
much
grace
.
She
bowed
ceremoniously
to
Mrs.
Waule
,
who
said
stiffly
,
"
How
do
you
do
,
miss
?
"
smiled
and
nodded
silently
to
Mary
,
and
remained
standing
till
the
coughing
should
cease
,
and
allow
her
uncle
to
notice
her
.
"
Heyday
,
miss
!
"
he
said
at
last
,
"
you
have
a
fine
colour
.
Where
's
Fred
?
"
"
Seeing
about
the
horses
.
He
will
be
in
presently
.
"
"
Sit
down
,
sit
down
.
Mrs.
Waule
,
you
'd
better
go
.
"
Even
those
neighbors
who
had
called
Peter
Featherstone
an
old
fox
,
had
never
accused
him
of
being
insincerely
polite
,
and
his
sister
was
quite
used
to
the
peculiar
absence
of
ceremony
with
which
he
marked
his
sense
of
blood-relationship
.
Indeed
,
she
herself
was
accustomed
to
think
that
entire
freedom
from
the
necessity
of
behaving
agreeably
was
included
in
the
Almighty
's
intentions
about
families
.
She
rose
slowly
without
any
sign
of
resentment
,
and
said
in
her
usual
muffled
monotone
,
"
Brother
,
I
hope
the
new
doctor
will
be
able
to
do
something
for
you
.
Solomon
says
there
's
great
talk
of
his
cleverness
.
I
'm
sure
it
's
my
wish
you
should
be
spared
.
And
there
's
none
more
ready
to
nurse
you
than
your
own
sister
and
your
own
nieces
,
if
you
'd
only
say
the
word
.
There
's
Rebecca
,
and
Joanna
,
and
Elizabeth
,
you
know
.
"
"
Ay
,
ay
,
I
remember
—
you
'll
see
I
've
remembered
'
em
all
—
all
dark
and
ugly
.
They
'd
need
have
some
money
,
eh
?
There
never
was
any
beauty
in
the
women
of
our
family
;
but
the
Featherstones
have
always
had
some
money
,
and
the
Waules
too
.
Waule
had
money
too
.
A
warm
man
was
Waule
.
Ay
,
ay
;
money
's
a
good
egg
;
and
if
you
'
ve
got
money
to
leave
behind
you
,
lay
it
in
a
warm
nest
.
Good-by
,
Mrs.
Waule
.
"
Here
Mr.
Featherstone
pulled
at
both
sides
of
his
wig
as
if
he
wanted
to
deafen
himself
,
and
his
sister
went
away
ruminating
on
this
oracular
speech
of
his
.
Notwithstanding
her
jealousy
of
the
Vincys
and
of
Mary
Garth
,
there
remained
as
the
nethermost
sediment
in
her
mental
shallows
a
persuasion
that
her
brother
Peter
Featherstone
could
never
leave
his
chief
property
away
from
his
blood-relations
:
—
else
,
why
had
the
Almighty
carried
off
his
two
wives
both
childless
,
after
he
had
gained
so
much
by
manganese
and
things
,
turning
up
when
nobody
expected
it
?
—
and
why
was
there
a
Lowick
parish
church
,
and
the
Waules
and
Powderells
all
sitting
in
the
same
pew
for
generations
,
and
the
Featherstone
pew
next
to
them
,
if
,
the
Sunday
after
her
brother
Peter
's
death
,
everybody
was
to
know
that
the
property
was
gone
out
of
the
family
?
The
human
mind
has
at
no
period
accepted
a
moral
chaos
;
and
so
preposterous
a
result
was
not
strictly
conceivable
.
But
we
are
frightened
at
much
that
is
not
strictly
conceivable
.
When
Fred
came
in
the
old
man
eyed
him
with
a
peculiar
twinkle
,
which
the
younger
had
often
had
reason
to
interpret
as
pride
in
the
satisfactory
details
of
his
appearance
.
"
You
two
misses
go
away
,
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
.
"
I
want
to
speak
to
Fred
.
"
"
Come
into
my
room
,
Rosamond
,
you
will
not
mind
the
cold
for
a
little
while
,
"
said
Mary
.
The
two
girls
had
not
only
known
each
other
in
childhood
,
but
had
been
at
the
same
provincial
school
together
(
Mary
as
an
articled
pupil
)
,
so
that
they
had
many
memories
in
common
,
and
liked
very
well
to
talk
in
private
.
Indeed
,
this
tete-a-tete
was
one
of
Rosamond
's
objects
in
coming
to
Stone
Court
.
Old
Featherstone
would
not
begin
the
dialogue
till
the
door
had
been
closed
.
He
continued
to
look
at
Fred
with
the
same
twinkle
and
with
one
of
his
habitual
grimaces
,
alternately
screwing
and
widening
his
mouth
;
and
when
he
spoke
,
it
was
in
a
low
tone
,
which
might
be
taken
for
that
of
an
informer
ready
to
be
bought
off
,
rather
than
for
the
tone
of
an
offended
senior
.
He
was
not
a
man
to
feel
any
strong
moral
indignation
even
on
account
of
trespasses
against
himself
.
It
was
natural
that
others
should
want
to
get
an
advantage
over
him
,
but
then
,
he
was
a
little
too
cunning
for
them
.
"
So
,
sir
,
you
've
been
paying
ten
per
cent
for
money
which
you
've
promised
to
pay
off
by
mortgaging
my
land
when
I
'm
dead
and
gone
,
eh
?
You
put
my
life
at
a
twelvemonth
,
say
.
But
I
can
alter
my
will
yet
.
"
Fred
blushed
.
He
had
not
borrowed
money
in
that
way
,
for
excellent
reasons
.
But
he
was
conscious
of
having
spoken
with
some
confidence
(
perhaps
with
more
than
he
exactly
remembered
)
about
his
prospect
of
getting
Featherstone
's
land
as
a
future
means
of
paying
present
debts
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
you
refer
to
,
sir
.
I
have
certainly
never
borrowed
any
money
on
such
an
insecurity
.
Please
do
explain
.
"
"
No
,
sir
,
it
's
you
must
explain
.
I
can
alter
my
will
yet
,
let
me
tell
you
.
I
'm
of
sound
mind
—
can
reckon
compound
interest
in
my
head
,
and
remember
every
fool
's
name
as
well
as
I
could
twenty
years
ago
.
What
the
deuce
?
I
'm
under
eighty
.
I
say
,
you
must
contradict
this
story
.
"
"
I
have
contradicted
it
,
sir
,
"
Fred
answered
,
with
a
touch
of
impatience
,
not
remembering
that
his
uncle
did
not
verbally
discriminate
contradicting
from
disproving
,
though
no
one
was
further
from
confounding
the
two
ideas
than
old
Featherstone
,
who
often
wondered
that
so
many
fools
took
his
own
assertions
for
proofs
.
"
But
I
contradict
it
again
.
The
story
is
a
silly
lie
.
"
"
Nonsense
!
you
must
bring
dockiments
.
It
comes
from
authority
.
"
"
Name
the
authority
,
and
make
him
name
the
man
of
whom
I
borrowed
the
money
,
and
then
I
can
disprove
the
story
.
"
"
It
's
pretty
good
authority
,
I
think
—
a
man
who
knows
most
of
what
goes
on
in
Middlemarch
.
It
's
that
fine
,
religious
,
charitable
uncle
o
'
yours
.
Come
now
!
"
Here
Mr.
Featherstone
had
his
peculiar
inward
shake
which
signified
merriment
.
"
Mr.
Bulstrode
?
"
"
Who
else
,
eh
?
"
"
Then
the
story
has
grown
into
this
lie
out
of
some
sermonizing
words
he
may
have
let
fall
about
me
.
Do
they
pretend
that
he
named
the
man
who
lent
me
the
money
?
"
"
If
there
is
such
a
man
,
depend
upon
it
Bulstrode
knows
him
.
But
,
supposing
you
only
tried
to
get
the
money
lent
,
and
did
n't
get
it
—
Bulstrode
'
ud
know
that
too
.
You
bring
me
a
writing
from
Bulstrode
to
say
he
does
n't
believe
you
've
ever
promised
to
pay
your
debts
out
o
'
my
land
.
Come
now
!
"
Mr.
Featherstone
's
face
required
its
whole
scale
of
grimaces
as
a
muscular
outlet
to
his
silent
triumph
in
the
soundness
of
his
faculties
.
Fred
felt
himself
to
be
in
a
disgusting
dilemma
.
"
You
must
be
joking
,
sir
.
Mr.
Bulstrode
,
like
other
men
,
believes
scores
of
things
that
are
not
true
,
and
he
has
a
prejudice
against
me
.
I
could
easily
get
him
to
write
that
he
knew
no
facts
in
proof
of
the
report
you
speak
of
,
though
it
might
lead
to
unpleasantness
.
But
I
could
hardly
ask
him
to
write
down
what
he
believes
or
does
not
believe
about
me
.
"
Fred
paused
an
instant
,
and
then
added
,
in
politic
appeal
to
his
uncle
's
vanity
,
"
That
is
hardly
a
thing
for
a
gentleman
to
ask
.
"
But
he
was
disappointed
in
the
result
.
"
Ay
,
I
know
what
you
mean
.
You
'd
sooner
offend
me
than
Bulstrode
.
And
what
's
he
?
—
he
's
got
no
land
hereabout
that
ever
I
heard
tell
of
.
A
speckilating
fellow
!
He
may
come
down
any
day
,
when
the
devil
leaves
off
backing
him
.
And
that
's
what
his
religion
means
:
he
wants
God
A'mighty
to
come
in
.
That
's
nonsense
!
There
's
one
thing
I
made
out
pretty
clear
when
I
used
to
go
to
church
—
and
it
's
this
:
God
A'mighty
sticks
to
the
land
.
He
promises
land
,
and
He
gives
land
,
and
He
makes
chaps
rich
with
corn
and
cattle
.
But
you
take
the
other
side
.
You
like
Bulstrode
and
speckilation
better
than
Featherstone
and
land
.
"
"
I
beg
your
pardon
,
sir
,
"
said
Fred
,
rising
,
standing
with
his
back
to
the
fire
and
beating
his
boot
with
his
whip
.
"
I
like
neither
Bulstrode
nor
speculation
.
"
He
spoke
rather
sulkily
,
feeling
himself
stalemated
.
"
Well
,
well
,
you
can
do
without
me
,
that
's
pretty
clear
,
"
said
old
Featherstone
,
secretly
disliking
the
possibility
that
Fred
would
show
himself
at
all
independent
.
"
You
neither
want
a
bit
of
land
to
make
a
squire
of
you
instead
of
a
starving
parson
,
nor
a
lift
of
a
hundred
pound
by
the
way
.
It
's
all
one
to
me
.
I
can
make
five
codicils
if
I
like
,
and
I
shall
keep
my
bank-notes
for
a
nest-egg
.
It
's
all
one
to
me
.
"
Fred
coloured
again
.
Featherstone
had
rarely
given
him
presents
of
money
,
and
at
this
moment
it
seemed
almost
harder
to
part
with
the
immediate
prospect
of
bank-notes
than
with
the
more
distant
prospect
of
the
land
.
"
I
am
not
ungrateful
,
sir
.
I
never
meant
to
show
disregard
for
any
kind
intentions
you
might
have
towards
me
.
On
the
contrary
.
"
"
Very
good
.
Then
prove
it
.
You
bring
me
a
letter
from
Bulstrode
saying
he
does
n't
believe
you
've
been
cracking
and
promising
to
pay
your
debts
out
o
'
my
land
,
and
then
,
if
there
's
any
scrape
you
've
got
into
,
we
'll
see
if
I
ca
n't
back
you
a
bit
.
Come
now
!
That
's
a
bargain
.
Here
,
give
me
your
arm
.
I
'll
try
and
walk
round
the
room
.
"
Fred
,
in
spite
of
his
irritation
,
had
kindness
enough
in
him
to
be
a
little
sorry
for
the
unloved
,
unvenerated
old
man
,
who
with
his
dropsical
legs
looked
more
than
usually
pitiable
in
walking
.
While
giving
his
arm
,
he
thought
that
he
should
not
himself
like
to
be
an
old
fellow
with
his
constitution
breaking
up
;
and
he
waited
good-temperedly
,
first
before
the
window
to
hear
the
wonted
remarks
about
the
guinea-fowls
and
the
weather-cock
,
and
then
before
the
scanty
book-shelves
,
of
which
the
chief
glories
in
dark
calf
were
Josephus
,
Culpepper
,
Klopstock
's
"
Messiah
,
"
and
several
volumes
of
the
"
Gentleman
's
Magazine
.
"
"
Read
me
the
names
o
'
the
books
.
Come
now
!
you
're
a
college
man
.
"
Fred
gave
him
the
titles
.
"
What
did
missy
want
with
more
books
?
What
must
you
be
bringing
her
more
books
for
?
"
"
They
amuse
her
,
sir
.
She
is
very
fond
of
reading
.
"
"
A
little
too
fond
,
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
,
captiously
.
"
She
was
for
reading
when
she
sat
with
me
.
But
I
put
a
stop
to
that
.
She
's
got
the
newspaper
to
read
out
loud
.
That
's
enough
for
one
day
,
I
should
think
.
I
ca
n't
abide
to
see
her
reading
to
herself
.
You
mind
and
not
bring
her
any
more
books
,
do
you
hear
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
,
I
hear
.
"
Fred
had
received
this
order
before
,
and
had
secretly
disobeyed
it
.
He
intended
to
disobey
it
again
.
"
Ring
the
bell
,
"
said
Mr.
Featherstone
;
"
I
want
missy
to
come
down
.
"
Rosamond
and
Mary
had
been
talking
faster
than
their
male
friends
.
They
did
not
think
of
sitting
down
,
but
stood
at
the
toilet-table
near
the
window
while
Rosamond
took
off
her
hat
,
adjusted
her
veil
,
and
applied
little
touches
of
her
finger-tips
to
her
hair
—
hair
of
infantine
fairness
,
neither
flaxen
nor
yellow
.
Mary
Garth
seemed
all
the
plainer
standing
at
an
angle
between
the
two
nymphs
—
the
one
in
the
glass
,
and
the
one
out
of
it
,
who
looked
at
each
other
with
eyes
of
heavenly
blue
,
deep
enough
to
hold
the
most
exquisite
meanings
an
ingenious
beholder
could
put
into
them
,
and
deep
enough
to
hide
the
meanings
of
the
owner
if
these
should
happen
to
be
less
exquisite
.
Only
a
few
children
in
Middlemarch
looked
blond
by
the
side
of
Rosamond
,
and
the
slim
figure
displayed
by
her
riding-habit
had
delicate
undulations
.
In
fact
,
most
men
in
Middlemarch
,
except
her
brothers
,
held
that
Miss
Vincy
was
the
best
girl
in
the
world
,
and
some
called
her
an
angel
.
Mary
Garth
,
on
the
contrary
,
had
the
aspect
of
an
ordinary
sinner
:
she
was
brown
;
her
curly
dark
hair
was
rough
and
stubborn
;
her
stature
was
low
;
and
it
would
not
be
true
to
declare
,
in
satisfactory
antithesis
,
that
she
had
all
the
virtues
.
Plainness
has
its
peculiar
temptations
and
vices
quite
as
much
as
beauty
;
it
is
apt
either
to
feign
amiability
,
or
,
not
feigning
it
,
to
show
all
the
repulsiveness
of
discontent
:
at
any
rate
,
to
be
called
an
ugly
thing
in
contrast
with
that
lovely
creature
your
companion
,
is
apt
to
produce
some
effect
beyond
a
sense
of
fine
veracity
and
fitness
in
the
phrase
.
At
the
age
of
two-and-twenty
Mary
had
certainly
not
attained
that
perfect
good
sense
and
good
principle
which
are
usually
recommended
to
the
less
fortunate
girl
,
as
if
they
were
to
be
obtained
in
quantities
ready
mixed
,
with
a
flavour
of
resignation
as
required
.
Her
shrewdness
had
a
streak
of
satiric
bitterness
continually
renewed
and
never
carried
utterly
out
of
sight
,
except
by
a
strong
current
of
gratitude
towards
those
who
,
instead
of
telling
her
that
she
ought
to
be
contented
,
did
something
to
make
her
so
.
Advancing
womanhood
had
tempered
her
plainness
,
which
was
of
a
good
human
sort
,
such
as
the
mothers
of
our
race
have
very
commonly
worn
in
all
latitudes
under
a
more
or
less
becoming
headgear
.
Rembrandt
would
have
painted
her
with
pleasure
,
and
would
have
made
her
broad
features
look
out
of
the
canvas
with
intelligent
honesty
.
For
honesty
,
truth-telling
fairness
,
was
Mary
's
reigning
virtue
:
she
neither
tried
to
create
illusions
,
nor
indulged
in
them
for
her
own
behoof
,
and
when
she
was
in
a
good
mood
she
had
humor
enough
in
her
to
laugh
at
herself
.
When
she
and
Rosamond
happened
both
to
be
reflected
in
the
glass
,
she
said
,
laughingly
—
"
What
a
brown
patch
I
am
by
the
side
of
you
,
Rosy
!
You
are
the
most
unbecoming
companion
.
"
"
Oh
no
!
No
one
thinks
of
your
appearance
,
you
are
so
sensible
and
useful
,
Mary
.
Beauty
is
of
very
little
consequence
in
reality
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
turning
her
head
towards
Mary
,
but
with
eyes
swerving
towards
the
new
view
of
her
neck
in
the
glass
.
"
You
mean
my
beauty
,
"
said
Mary
,
rather
sardonically
.
Rosamond
thought
,
"
Poor
Mary
,
she
takes
the
kindest
things
ill.
"
Aloud
she
said
,
"
What
have
you
been
doing
lately
?
"
"
I
?
Oh
,
minding
the
house
—
pouring
out
syrup
—
pretending
to
be
amiable
and
contented
—
learning
to
have
a
bad
opinion
of
everybody
.
"
"
It
is
a
wretched
life
for
you
.
"
"
No
,
"
said
Mary
,
curtly
,
with
a
little
toss
of
her
head
.
"
I
think
my
life
is
pleasanter
than
your
Miss
Morgan
's
.
"
"
Yes
;
but
Miss
Morgan
is
so
uninteresting
,
and
not
young
.
"
"
She
is
interesting
to
herself
,
I
suppose
;
and
I
am
not
at
all
sure
that
everything
gets
easier
as
one
gets
older
.
"
"
No
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
reflectively
;
"
one
wonders
what
such
people
do
,
without
any
prospect
.
To
be
sure
,
there
is
religion
as
a
support
.
But
,
"
she
added
,
dimpling
,
"
it
is
very
different
with
you
,
Mary
.
You
may
have
an
offer
.
"
"
Has
any
one
told
you
he
means
to
make
me
one
?
"
"
Of
course
not
.
I
mean
,
there
is
a
gentleman
who
may
fall
in
love
with
you
,
seeing
you
almost
every
day
.
"
A
certain
change
in
Mary
's
face
was
chiefly
determined
by
the
resolve
not
to
show
any
change
.
"
Does
that
always
make
people
fall
in
love
?
"
she
answered
,
carelessly
;
"
it
seems
to
me
quite
as
often
a
reason
for
detesting
each
other
.
"
"
Not
when
they
are
interesting
and
agreeable
.
I
hear
that
Mr.
Lydgate
is
both
.
"
"
Oh
,
Mr.
Lydgate
!
"
said
Mary
,
with
an
unmistakable
lapse
into
indifference
.
"
You
want
to
know
something
about
him
,
"
she
added
,
not
choosing
to
indulge
Rosamond
's
indirectness
.
"
Merely
,
how
you
like
him
.
"
"
There
is
no
question
of
liking
at
present
.
My
liking
always
wants
some
little
kindness
to
kindle
it
.
I
am
not
magnanimous
enough
to
like
people
who
speak
to
me
without
seeming
to
see
me
.
"
"
Is
he
so
haughty
?
"
said
Rosamond
,
with
heightened
satisfaction
.
"
You
know
that
he
is
of
good
family
?
"
"
No
;
he
did
not
give
that
as
a
reason
.
"
"
Mary
!
you
are
the
oddest
girl
.
But
what
sort
of
looking
man
is
he
?
Describe
him
to
me
.
"
"
How
can
one
describe
a
man
?
I
can
give
you
an
inventory
:
heavy
eyebrows
,
dark
eyes
,
a
straight
nose
,
thick
dark
hair
,
large
solid
white
hands
—
and
—
let
me
see
—
oh
,
an
exquisite
cambric
pocket-handkerchief
.
But
you
will
see
him
.
You
know
this
is
about
the
time
of
his
visits
.
"
Rosamond
blushed
a
little
,
but
said
,
meditatively
,
"
I
rather
like
a
haughty
manner
.
I
cannot
endure
a
rattling
young
man
.
"
"
I
did
not
tell
you
that
Mr.
Lydgate
was
haughty
;
but
il
y
en
a
pour
tous
les
gouts
,
as
little
Mamselle
used
to
say
,
and
if
any
girl
can
choose
the
particular
sort
of
conceit
she
would
like
,
I
should
think
it
is
you
,
Rosy
.
"
"
Haughtiness
is
not
conceit
;
I
call
Fred
conceited
.
"
"
I
wish
no
one
said
any
worse
of
him
.
He
should
be
more
careful
.
Mrs.
Waule
has
been
telling
uncle
that
Fred
is
very
unsteady
.
"
Mary
spoke
from
a
girlish
impulse
which
got
the
better
of
her
judgment
.
There
was
a
vague
uneasiness
associated
with
the
word
"
unsteady
"
which
she
hoped
Rosamond
might
say
something
to
dissipate
.
But
she
purposely
abstained
from
mentioning
Mrs.
Waule
's
more
special
insinuation
.
"
Oh
,
Fred
is
horrid
!
"
said
Rosamond
.
She
would
not
have
allowed
herself
so
unsuitable
a
word
to
any
one
but
Mary
.
"
What
do
you
mean
by
horrid
?
"
"
He
is
so
idle
,
and
makes
papa
so
angry
,
and
says
he
will
not
take
orders
.
"
"
I
think
Fred
is
quite
right
.
"
"
How
can
you
say
he
is
quite
right
,
Mary
?
I
thought
you
had
more
sense
of
religion
.
"
"
He
is
not
fit
to
be
a
clergyman
.
"
"
But
he
ought
to
be
fit
.
"
—
"
Well
,
then
,
he
is
not
what
he
ought
to
be
.
I
know
some
other
people
who
are
in
the
same
case
.
"
"
But
no
one
approves
of
them
.
I
should
not
like
to
marry
a
clergyman
;
but
there
must
be
clergymen
.
"
"
It
does
not
follow
that
Fred
must
be
one
.
"
"
But
when
papa
has
been
at
the
expense
of
educating
him
for
it
!
And
only
suppose
,
if
he
should
have
no
fortune
left
him
?
"
"
I
can
suppose
that
very
well
,
"
said
Mary
,
dryly
.
"
Then
I
wonder
you
can
defend
Fred
,
"
said
Rosamond
,
inclined
to
push
this
point
.
"
I
do
n't
defend
him
,
"
said
Mary
,
laughing
;
"
I
would
defend
any
parish
from
having
him
for
a
clergyman
.
"
"
But
of
course
if
he
were
a
clergyman
,
he
must
be
different
.
"
"
Yes
,
he
would
be
a
great
hypocrite
;
and
he
is
not
that
yet
.
"
"
It
is
of
no
use
saying
anything
to
you
,
Mary
.
You
always
take
Fred
's
part
.
"
"
