CHAPTER V.

andswell:hispositionisgood.IamafraidChettamwillbehurt,though,andMrs.Cadwalladerwillblameme.” Thatevening,ofcourse,Celiaknewnothingofwhathadhappened.SheattributedDorothea’sabstractedmanner,andtheevidenceoffurthercryingsincetheyhadgothome,tothetempershehadbeeninaboutSirJamesChettamandthebuildings,andwascarefulnottogivefurtheroffence:havingoncesaidwhatshewantedtosay,Celiahadnodispositiontorecurtodisagreeablesubjects.Ithadbeenhernaturewhenachildnevertoquarrelwithanyone—onlytoobservewithwonderthattheyquarrelledwithher,andlookedliketurkey-cockswhereuponshewasreadytoplayatcat’scradlewiththemwhenevertheyrecoveredthemselves.AndastoDorothea,ithadalwaysbeenherwaytofindsomethingwronginhersister’swords,thoughCeliainwardlyprotestedthatshealwayssaidjusthowthingswere,andnothingelse:sheneverdidandnevercouldputwordstogetheroutofherownhead.ButthebestofDodowas,thatshedidnotkeepangryforlongtogether.Now,thoughtheyhadhardlyspokentoeachotheralltheevening,yetwhenCeliaputbyherwork,intendingtogotobed,aproceedinginwhichshewasalwaysmuchtheearlier,Dorothea,whowasseatedonalowstool,unabletooccupyherselfexceptinmeditation,said,withthemusicalintonationwhichinmomentsofdeepbutquietfeelingmadeherspeechlikeafinebitofrecitative— “Celia,dear,comeandkissme,”holdingherarmsopenasshespoke. Celiakneltdowntogettherightlevelandgaveherlittlebutterflykiss,whileDorotheaencircledherwithgentlearmsandpressedherlipsgravelyoneachcheekinturn. “Don’tsitup,Dodo,youaresopaleto-night:gotobedsoon,”saidCelia,inacomfortableway,withoutanytouchofpathos. “No,dear,Iamvery,veryhappy,”saidDorothea,fervently. “Somuchthebetter,”thoughtCelia.“ButhowstrangelyDodogoesfromoneextremetotheother.” Thenextday,atluncheon,thebutler,handingsomethingtoMr.Brooke,said,“Jonasiscomeback,sir,andhasbroughtthisletter.” Mr.Brookereadtheletter,andthen,noddingtowardDorothea,said,“Casaubon,mydear:hewillbeheretodinnerhedidn’twaittowritemore—didn’twait,youknow.” ItcouldnotseemremarkabletoCeliathatadinnerguestshouldbeannouncedtohersisterbeforehand,but,hereyesfollowingthesamedirectionasheruncle’s,shewasstruckwiththepeculiareffectoftheannouncementonDorothea.Itseemedasifsomethinglikethereflectionofawhitesunlitwinghadpassedacrossherfeatures,endinginoneofherrareblushes.ForthefirsttimeitenteredintoCelia’smindthattheremightbesomethingmorebetweenMr.Casaubonandhersisterthanhisdelightinbookishtalkandherdelightinlistening.Hithertoshehadclassedtheadmirationforthis“ugly”andlearnedacquaintancewiththeadmirationforMonsieurLiretatLausanne,alsouglyandlearned.DorotheahadneverbeentiredoflisteningtooldMonsieurLiretwhenCelia’sfeetwereascoldaspossible,andwhenithadreallybecomedreadfultoseetheskinofhisbaldheadmovingabout.WhythenshouldherenthusiasmnotextendtoMr.CasaubonsimplyinthesamewayastoMonsieurLiret?Anditseemedprobablethatalllearnedmenhadasortofschoolmaster’sviewofyoungpeople. ButnowCeliawasreallystartledatthesuspicionwhichhaddartedintohermind.Shewasseldomtakenbysurpriseinthisway,hermarvellousquicknessinobservingacertainorderofsignsgenerallypreparinghertoexpectsuchoutwardeventsasshehadaninterestin.NotthatshenowimaginedMr.Casaubontobealreadyanacceptedlover:shehadonlybeguntofeeldisgustatthepossibilitythatanythinginDorothea’smindcouldtendtowardssuchanissue.HerewassomethingreallytovexheraboutDodo:i