CHAPTER II.

sheis,”saidCelia,feelingafraidlestsheshouldsaysomethingthatwouldnotpleasehersister,andblushingasprettilyaspossibleabovehernecklace.“Shelikesgivingup.” “Ifthatweretrue,Celia,mygiving-upwouldbeself-indulgence,notself-mortification.Buttheremaybegoodreasonsforchoosingnottodowhatisveryagreeable,”saidDorothea. Mr.Brookewasspeakingatthesametime,butitwasevidentthatMr.CasaubonwasobservingDorothea,andshewasawareofit. “Exactly,”saidSirJames.“Yougiveupfromsomehigh,generousmotive.” “No,indeed,notexactly.Ididnotsaythatofmyself,”answeredDorothea,reddening.UnlikeCelia,sherarelyblushed,andonlyfromhighdelightoranger.AtthismomentshefeltangrywiththeperverseSirJames.WhydidhenotpayattentiontoCelia,andleavehertolistentoMr.Casaubon?—ifthatlearnedmanwouldonlytalk,insteadofallowinghimselftobetalkedtobyMr.Brooke,whowasjusttheninforminghimthattheReformationeithermeantsomethingoritdidnot,thathehimselfwasaProtestanttothecore,butthatCatholicismwasafactandastorefusinganacreofyourgroundforaRomanistchapel,allmenneededthebridleofreligion,which,properlyspeaking,wasthedreadofaHereafter. “Imadeagreatstudyoftheologyatonetime,”saidMr.Brooke,asiftoexplaintheinsightjustmanifested.“Iknowsomethingofallschools.IknewWilberforceinhisbestdays.DoyouknowWilberforce?” Mr.Casaubonsaid,“No.” “Well,WilberforcewasperhapsnotenoughofathinkerbutifIwentintoParliament,asIhavebeenaskedtodo,Ishouldsitontheindependentbench,asWilberforcedid,andworkatphilanthropy.” Mr.Casaubonbowed,andobservedthatitwasawidefield. “Yes,”saidMr.Brooke,withaneasysmile,“butIhavedocuments.Ibeganalongwhileagotocollectdocuments.Theywantarranging,butwhenaquestionhasstruckme,Ihavewrittentosomebodyandgotananswer.Ihavedocumentsatmyback.Butnow,howdoyouarrangeyourdocuments?” “Inpigeon-holespartly,”saidMr.Casaubon,withratherastartledairofeffort. “Ah,pigeon-holeswillnotdo.Ihavetriedpigeon-holes,buteverythinggetsmixedinpigeon-holes:IneverknowwhetherapaperisinAorZ.” “Iwishyouwouldletmesortyourpapersforyou,uncle,”saidDorothea.“Iwouldletterthemall,andthenmakealistofsubjectsundereachletter.” Mr.Casaubongravelysmiledapproval,andsaidtoMr.Brooke,“Youhaveanexcellentsecretaryathand,youperceive.” “No,no,”saidMr.Brooke,shakinghishead“Icannotletyoungladiesmeddlewithmydocuments.Youngladiesaretooflighty.” Dorotheafelthurt.Mr.Casaubonwouldthinkthatherunclehadsomespecialreasonfordeliveringthisopinion,whereastheremarklayinhismindaslightlyasthebrokenwingofaninsectamongalltheotherfragmentsthere,andachancecurrenthadsentitalightingonher. Whenthetwogirlswereinthedrawing-roomalone,Celiasaid— “HowveryuglyMr.Casaubonis!” “Celia!Heisoneofthemostdistinguished-lookingmenIeversaw.HeisremarkablyliketheportraitofLocke.Hehasthesamedeepeye-sockets.”