CHAPTER II.
關燈
小
中
大
“HadLockethosetwowhitemoleswithhairsonthem?”
“Oh,Idaresay!whenpeopleofacertainsortlookedathim,”saidDorothea,walkingawayalittle.
“Mr.Casaubonissosallow.”
“Allthebetter.Isupposeyouadmireamanwiththecomplexionofacochondelait.”
“Dodo!”exclaimedCelia,lookingafterherinsurprise.“Ineverheardyoumakesuchacomparisonbefore.”
“WhyshouldImakeitbeforetheoccasioncame?Itisagoodcomparison:thematchisperfect.”
MissBrookewasclearlyforgettingherself,andCeliathoughtso.
“Iwonderyoushowtemper,Dorothea.”
“Itissopainfulinyou,Celia,thatyouwilllookathumanbeingsasiftheyweremerelyanimalswithatoilet,andneverseethegreatsoulinaman’sface.”
“HasMr.Casaubonagreatsoul?”Celiawasnotwithoutatouchofnaivemalice.
“Yes,Ibelievehehas,”saidDorothea,withthefullvoiceofdecision.“EverythingIseeinhimcorrespondstohispamphletonBiblicalCosmology.”
“Hetalksverylittle,”saidCelia
“Thereisnooneforhimtotalkto.”
Celiathoughtprivately,“DorotheaquitedespisesSirJamesChettamIbelieveshewouldnotaccepthim.”Celiafeltthatthiswasapity.Shehadneverbeendeceivedastotheobjectofthebaronet’sinterest.Sometimes,indeed,shehadreflectedthatDodowouldperhapsnotmakeahusbandhappywhohadnotherwayoflookingatthingsandstifledinthedepthsofherheartwasthefeelingthathersisterwastooreligiousforfamilycomfort.Notionsandscrupleswerelikespiltneedles,makingoneafraidoftreading,orsittingdown,oreveneating.
WhenMissBrookewasatthetea-table,SirJamescametositdownbyher,nothavingfelthermodeofansweringhimatalloffensive.Whyshouldhe?HethoughtitprobablethatMissBrookelikedhim,andmannersmustbeverymarkedindeedbeforetheyceasetobeinterpretedbypreconceptionseitherconfidentordistrustful.Shewasthoroughlycharmingtohim,butofcoursehetheorizedalittleabouthisattachment.Hewasmadeofexcellenthumandough,andhadtheraremeritofknowingthathistalents,evenifletloose,wouldnotsetthesmalleststreaminthecountyonfire:hencehelikedtheprospectofawifetowhomhecouldsay,“Whatshallwedo?”aboutthisorthatwhocouldhelpherhusbandoutwithreasons,andwouldalsohavethepropertyqualificationfordoingso.AstotheexcessivereligiousnessallegedagainstMissBrooke,hehadaveryindefinitenotionofwhatitconsistedin,andthoughtthatitwoulddieoutwithmarriage.Inshort,hefelthimselftobeinloveintherightplace,andwasreadytoendureagreatdealofpredominance,which,afterall,amancouldalwaysputdownwhenheliked.SirJameshadnoideathatheshouldeverliketoputdownthepredominanceofthishandsomegirl,inwhoseclevernesshedelighted.Whynot?Aman’smind—whatthereisofit—hasalwaystheadvantageofbeingmasculine,—asthesmallestbirch-treeisofahigherkindthanthemostsoaringpalm,—andevenhisignoranceisofasounderquality.SirJamesmightnothaveoriginatedthisestimatebutakindProvidencefurnishesthelimpestpersonalitywithalittlegumorstarchintheformoftradition.
“Letmehop