CHAPTER II.

ethatyouwillrescindthatresolutionaboutthehorse,MissBrooke,”saidtheperseveringadmirer.“Iassureyou,ridingisthemosthealthyofexercises.” “Iamawareofit,”saidDorothea,coldly.“IthinkitwoulddoCeliagood—ifshewouldtaketoit.” “Butyouaresuchaperfecthorsewoman.” “ExcusemeIhavehadverylittlepractice,andIshouldbeeasilythrown.” “Thenthatisareasonformorepractice.Everyladyoughttobeaperfecthorsewoman,thatshemayaccompanyherhusband.” “Youseehowwidelywediffer,SirJames.IhavemadeupmymindthatIoughtnottobeaperfecthorsewoman,andsoIshouldnevercorrespondtoyourpatternofalady.”Dorothealookedstraightbeforeher,andspokewithcoldbrusquerie,verymuchwiththeairofahandsomeboy,inamusingcontrastwiththesolicitousamiabilityofheradmirer. “Ishouldliketoknowyourreasonsforthiscruelresolution.Itisnotpossiblethatyoushouldthinkhorsemanshipwrong.” “ItisquitepossiblethatIshouldthinkitwrongforme.” “Oh,why?”saidSirJames,inatendertoneofremonstrance. Mr.Casaubonhadcomeuptothetable,teacupinhand,andwaslistening. “Wemustnotinquiretoocuriouslyintomotives,”heinterposed,inhismeasuredway.“MissBrookeknowsthattheyareapttobecomefeebleintheutterance:thearomaismixedwiththegrosserair.Wemustkeepthegerminatinggrainawayfromthelight.” Dorotheacoloredwithpleasure,andlookedupgratefullytothespeaker.Herewasamanwhocouldunderstandthehigherinwardlife,andwithwhomtherecouldbesomespiritualcommunionnay,whocouldilluminateprinciplewiththewidestknowledge:amanwhoselearningalmostamountedtoaproofofwhateverhebelieved! Dorothea’sinferencesmayseemlargebutreallylifecouldneverhavegoneonatanyperiodbutforthisliberalallowanceofconclusions,whichhasfacilitatedmarriageunderthedifficultiesofcivilization.Hasanyoneeverpinchedintoitspiluloussmallnessthecobwebofpre-matrimonialacquaintanceship? “Certainly,”saidgoodSirJames.“MissBrookeshallnotbeurgedtotellreasonsshewouldratherbesilentupon.Iamsureherreasonswoulddoherhonor.” HewasnotintheleastjealousoftheinterestwithwhichDorotheahadlookedupatMr.Casaubon:itneveroccurredtohimthatagirltowhomhewasmeditatinganofferofmarriagecouldcareforadriedbookwormtowardsfifty,except,indeed,inareligioussortofway,asforaclergymanofsomedistinction. However,sinceMissBrookehadbecomeengagedinaconversationwithMr.CasaubonabouttheVaudoisclergy,SirJamesbetookhimselftoCelia,andtalkedtoherabouthersisterspokeofahouseintown,andaskedwhetherMissBrookedislikedLondon.Awayfromhersister,Celiatalkedquiteeasily,andSirJamessaidtohimselfthatthesecondMissBrookewascertainlyveryagreeableaswellaspretty,thoughnot,assomepeoplepretended,morecleverandsensiblethantheeldersister.Hefeltthathehadchosentheonewhowasinallrespectsthesuperiorandamannaturallylikestolookforwardtohavingthebest.HewouldbetheveryMawwormofbachelorswhopretendednottoexpectit.