CHAPTER V.

InspiteofthismagnanimityDorotheawasstillsmarting:perhapsasmuchfromCelia’ssubduedastonishmentasfromhersmallcriticisms.OfcoursealltheworldroundTiptonwouldbeoutofsympathywiththismarriage.Dorotheaknewofnoonewhothoughtasshedidaboutlifeanditsbestobjects. Neverthelessbeforetheeveningwasatanendshewasveryhappy.Inanhour’stête-à-têtewithMr.Casaubonshetalkedtohimwithmorefreedomthanshehadeverfeltbefore,evenpouringoutherjoyatthethoughtofdevotingherselftohim,andoflearninghowshemightbestshareandfurtherallhisgreatends.Mr.Casaubonwastouchedwithanunknowndelight(whatmanwouldnothavebeen?)atthischildlikeunrestrainedardor:hewasnotsurprised(whatloverwouldhavebeen?)thatheshouldbetheobjectofit. “Mydearyounglady—MissBrooke—Dorothea!”hesaid,pressingherhandbetweenhishands,“thisisahappinessgreaterthanIhadeverimaginedtobeinreserveforme.ThatIshouldevermeetwithamindandpersonsorichinthemingledgraceswhichcouldrendermarriagedesirable,wasfarindeedfrommyconception.Youhaveall—nay,morethanall—thosequalitieswhichIhaveeverregardedasthecharacteristicexcellencesofwomanhood.Thegreatcharmofyoursexisitscapabilityofanardentself-sacrificingaffection,andhereinweseeitsfitnesstoroundandcompletetheexistenceofourown.HithertoIhaveknownfewpleasuressaveofthesevererkind:mysatisfactionshavebeenthoseofthesolitarystudent.Ihavebeenlittledisposedtogatherflowersthatwouldwitherinmyhand,butnowIshallpluckthemwitheagerness,toplacetheminyourbosom.” Nospeechcouldhavebeenmorethoroughlyhonestinitsintention:thefrigidrhetoricattheendwasassincereasthebarkofadog,orthecawingofanamorousrook.WoulditnotberashtoconcludethattherewasnopassionbehindthosesonnetstoDeliawhichstrikeusasthethinmusicofamandolin? Dorothea’sfaithsuppliedallthatMr.Casaubon’swordsseemedtoleaveunsaid:whatbelieverseesadisturbingomissionorinfelicity?Thetext,whetherofprophetorofpoet,expandsforwhateverwecanputintoit,andevenhisbadgrammarissublime. “Iamveryignorant—youwillquitewonderatmyignorance,”saidDorothea.“IhavesomanythoughtsthatmaybequitemistakenandnowIshallbeabletotellthemalltoyou,andaskyouaboutthem.But,”sheadded,withrapidimaginationofMr.Casaubon’sprobablefeeling,“Iwillnottroubleyoutoomuchonlywhenyouareinclinedtolistentome.Youmustoftenbewearywiththepursuitofsubjectsinyourowntrack.Ishallgainenoughifyouwilltakemewithyouthere.” “HowshouldIbeablenowtopersevereinanypathwithoutyourcompanionship?”saidMr.Casaubon,kissinghercandidbrow,andfeelingthatheavenhadvouchsafedhimablessingineverywaysuitedtohispeculiarwants.Hewasbeingunconsciouslywroughtuponbythecharmsofanaturewhichwasentirelywithouthiddencalculationseitherforimmediateeffectsorforremoterends.ItwasthiswhichmadeDorotheasochildlike,and,accordingtosomejudges,sostupid,withallherreputedclevernessas,forexample,inthepresentcaseofthrowingherself,metaphoricallyspeaking,atMr.Casaubon’sfeet,andkissinghisunfashionableshoe-tiesasifhewereaProtestantPope.ShewasnotintheleastteachingMr.Casaubontoaskifheweregoodenoughforher,butmerelyaskingherselfanxiouslyhowshecouldbegoodenoughforMr.Casaubon.Beforeheleftthenextdayithadbeendecidedthatthemarriageshouldtakeplacewithinsixweeks.Whynot?Mr.Casaubon’shousewasready.Itwasnotaparsonage,butaconsiderablemansion,withmuchlandattachedtoit.Theparsonagewasinhabitedbythecurate,whodidallthedutyexceptpreachingthemorningsermon.