CHAPTER VIII.

.” “Well,heiswhatMissBrookelikes,”saidtheRector.“Idon’tprofesstounderstandeveryyounglady’staste.” “Butifshewereyourowndaughter?”saidSirJames. “Thatwouldbeadifferentaffair.Sheisnotmydaughter,andIdon’tfeelcalledupontointerfere.Casaubonisasgoodasmostofus.Heisascholarlyclergyman,andcreditabletothecloth.SomeRadicalfellowspeechifyingatMiddlemarchsaidCasaubonwasthelearnedstraw-choppingincumbent,andFrekewasthebrick-and-mortarincumbent,andIwastheanglingincumbent.Anduponmyword,Idon’tseethatoneisworseorbetterthantheother.”TheRectorendedwithhissilentlaugh.Healwayssawthejokeofanysatireagainsthimself.Hisconsciencewaslargeandeasy,liketherestofhim:itdidonlywhatitcoulddowithoutanytrouble. Clearly,therewouldbenointerferencewithMissBrooke’smarriagethroughMr.CadwalladerandSirJamesfeltwithsomesadnessthatshewastohaveperfectlibertyofmisjudgment.ItwasasignofhisgooddispositionthathedidnotslackenatallinhisintentionofcarryingoutDorothea’sdesignofthecottages.Doubtlessthispersistencewasthebestcourseforhisowndignity:butprideonlyhelpsustobegenerousitnevermakesusso,anymorethanvanitymakesuswitty.ShewasnowenoughawareofSirJames’spositionwithregardtoher,toappreciatetherectitudeofhisperseveranceinalandlord’sduty,towhichhehadatfirstbeenurgedbyalover’scomplaisance,andherpleasureinitwasgreatenoughtocountforsomethingeveninherpresenthappiness.PerhapsshegavetoSirJamesChettam’scottagesalltheinterestshecouldsparefromMr.Casaubon,orratherfromthesymphonyofhopefuldreams,admiringtrust,andpassionateselfdevotionwhichthatlearnedgentlemanhadsetplayinginhersoul.Henceithappenedthatinthegoodbaronet’ssucceedingvisits,whilehewasbeginningtopaysmallattentionstoCelia,hefoundhimselftalkingwithmoreandmorepleasuretoDorothea.Shewasperfectlyunconstrainedandwithoutirritationtowardshimnow,andhewasgraduallydiscoveringthedelightthereisinfrankkindnessandcompanionshipbetweenamanandawomanwhohavenopassiontohideorconfess.