CHAPTER IV.

Celia!Howcanyouchoosesuchodiousexpressions?”saidDorothea,passionately. “Dearme,Dorothea,Isupposeitwouldberightforyoutobefondofamanwhomyouacceptedforahusband.” “ItisoffensivetometosaythatSirJamescouldthinkIwasfondofhim.Besides,itisnottherightwordforthefeelingImusthavetowardsthemanIwouldacceptasahusband.” “Well,IamsorryforSirJames.Ithoughtitrighttotellyou,becauseyouwentonasyoualwaysdo,neverlookingjustwhereyouare,andtreadinginthewrongplace.Youalwaysseewhatnobodyelseseesitisimpossibletosatisfyyouyetyouneverseewhatisquiteplain.That’syourway,Dodo.”SomethingcertainlygaveCeliaunusualcourageandshewasnotsparingthesisterofwhomshewasoccasionallyinawe.WhocantellwhatjustcriticismsMurrtheCatmaybepassingonusbeingsofwiderspeculation? “Itisverypainful,”saidDorothea,feelingscourged.“Icanhavenomoretodowiththecottages.Imustbeunciviltohim.ImusttellhimIwillhavenothingtodowiththem.Itisverypainful.”Hereyesfilledagainwithtears. “Waitalittle.Thinkaboutit.Youknowheisgoingawayforadayortwotoseehissister.TherewillbenobodybesidesLovegood.”Celiacouldnothelprelenting.“PoorDodo,”shewenton,inanamiablestaccato.“Itisveryhard:itisyourfavoritefadtodrawplans.” “Fadtodrawplans!DoyouthinkIonlycareaboutmyfellow-creatures’housesinthatchildishway?Imaywellmakemistakes.HowcanoneeverdoanythingnoblyChristian,livingamongpeoplewithsuchpettythoughts?” NomorewassaidDorotheawastoomuchjarredtorecoverhertemperandbehavesoastoshowthatsheadmittedanyerrorinherself.Shewasdisposedrathertoaccusetheintolerablenarrownessandthepurblindconscienceofthesocietyaroundher:andCeliawasnolongertheeternalcherub,butathorninherspirit,apink-and-whitenullifidian,worsethananydiscouragingpresenceinthe“Pilgrim’sProgress.”Thefadofdrawingplans!Whatwaslifeworth—whatgreatfaithwaspossiblewhenthewholeeffectofone’sactionscouldbewitheredupintosuchparchedrubbishasthat?Whenshegotoutofthecarriage,hercheekswerepaleandhereyelidsred.Shewasanimageofsorrow,andherunclewhometherinthehallwouldhavebeenalarmed,ifCeliahadnotbeenclosetoherlookingsoprettyandcomposed,thatheatonceconcludedDorothea’stearstohavetheirorigininherexcessivereligiousness.Hehadreturned,duringtheirabsence,fromajourneytothecountytown,aboutapetitionforthepardonofsomecriminal. “Well,mydears,”hesaid,kindly,astheywentuptokisshim,“IhopenothingdisagreeablehashappenedwhileIhavebeenaway.” “No,uncle,”saidCelia,“wehavebeentoFreshitttolookatthecottages.Wethoughtyouwouldhavebeenathometolunch.” “IcamebyLowicktolunch—youdidn’tknowIcamebyLowick.AndIhavebroughtacoupleofpamphletsforyou,Dorothea—inthelibrary,youknowtheylieonthetableinthelibrary.”