CHAPTER XII.

wouldbegoodfornothing.” “Middlemarchhasnotaveryhighstandard,uncle,”saidRosamond,withaprettylightness,goingtowardsherwhip,whichlayatadistance. Lydgatewasquickinanticipatingher.Hereachedthewhipbeforeshedid,andturnedtopresentittoher.Shebowedandlookedathim:heofcoursewaslookingather,andtheireyesmetwiththatpeculiarmeetingwhichisneverarrivedatbyeffort,butseemslikeasuddendivineclearanceofhaze.IthinkLydgateturnedalittlepalerthanusual,butRosamondblusheddeeplyandfeltacertainastonishment.Afterthat,shewasreallyanxioustogo,anddidnotknowwhatsortofstupidityherunclewastalkingofwhenshewenttoshakehandswithhim. Yetthisresult,whichshetooktobeamutualimpression,calledfallinginlove,wasjustwhatRosamondhadcontemplatedbeforehand.EversincethatimportantnewarrivalinMiddlemarchshehadwovenalittlefuture,ofwhichsomethinglikethisscenewasthenecessarybeginning.Strangers,whetherwreckedandclingingtoaraft,ordulyescortedandaccompaniedbyportmanteaus,havealwayshadacircumstantialfascinationforthevirginmind,againstwhichnativemerithasurgeditselfinvain.AndastrangerwasabsolutelynecessarytoRosamond’ssocialromance,whichhadalwaysturnedonaloverandbridegroomwhowasnotaMiddlemarcher,andwhohadnoconnectionsatalllikeherown:oflate,indeed,theconstructionseemedtodemandthatheshouldsomehowberelatedtoabaronet.Nowthatsheandthestrangerhadmet,realityprovedmuchmoremovingthananticipation,andRosamondcouldnotdoubtthatthiswasthegreatepochofherlife.Shejudgedofherownsymptomsasthoseofawakeninglove,andshehelditstillmorenaturalthatMr.Lydgateshouldhavefalleninloveatfirstsightofher.Thesethingshappenedsooftenatballs,andwhynotbythemorninglight,whenthecomplexionshowedallthebetterforit?Rosamond,thoughnoolderthanMary,wasratherusedtobeingfalleninlovewithbutshe,forherpart,hadremainedindifferentandfastidiouslycriticaltowardsbothfreshsprigandfadedbachelor.AndherewasMr.Lydgatesuddenlycorrespondingtoherideal,beingaltogetherforeigntoMiddlemarch,carryingacertainairofdistinctioncongruouswithgoodfamily,andpossessingconnectionswhichofferedvistasofthatmiddle-classheaven,rankamanoftalent,also,whomitwouldbeespeciallydelightfultoenslave:infact,amanwhohadtouchedhernaturequitenewly,andbroughtavividinterestintoherlifewhichwasbetterthananyfancied“might-be”suchasshewasinthehabitofopposingtotheactual. Thus,inridinghome,boththebrotherandthesisterwerepreoccupiedandinclinedtobesilent.Rosamond,whosebasisforherstructurehadtheusualairyslightness,wasofremarkablydetailedandrealisticimaginationwhenthefoundationhadbeenoncepresupposedandbeforetheyhadriddenamileshewasfaroninthecostumeandintroductionsofherweddedlife,havingdeterminedonherhouseinMiddlemarch,andforeseenthevisitsshewouldpaytoherhusband’shigh-bredrelativesatadistance,whosefinishedmannersshecouldappropriateasthoroughlyasshehaddoneherschoolaccomplishments,preparingherselfthusforvaguerelevationswhichmightultimatelycome.Therewasnothingfinancial,stilllesssordid,inherprevisions:shecaredaboutwhatwereconsideredrefinements,andnotaboutthemoneythatwastopayforthem. Fred’smind,ontheotherhand,wasbusywithananxietywhichevenhisreadyhopefulnesscouldnotimmediatelyquell.HesawnowayofeludingFeatherstone’sstupiddemandwithoutincurringconsequenceswhichhelikedlesseventhanthetaskoffulfillingit.Hisfatherwasalreadyoutofhumorwithhim,andwouldbestillmoresoifheweretheoccasionofanyadditionalcoolnessbetweenhisownfamilyandtheBulstrodes.Then,hehimselfhatedhavingtogoandspeaktohisuncleBulstrode,andperhapsafterdrinkingwinehehadsaidmanyfoolishthingsaboutFeatherstone’sproperty,andthesehadbeenmagnifiedbyreport.FredfeltthathemadeawretchedfigureasafellowwhobraggedaboutexpectationsfromaqueeroldmiserlikeFeatherstone,andwenttobegforcertificatesathisbidding.But—thoseexpectations!Hereallyhadthem,andhesawnoagreeablealternativeifhegavethemupbesides,hehadlatelymadeadebtwhichgalledhimextremely,andoldFeatherstonehadalmostbargainedtopayitoff.Thewholeaffairwasmiserablysmall:hisdebtsweresmall,evenhisexpectationswerenotanythingsoverymagnificent.Fredhadknownmentowhomhewouldhavebeenashamedofconfessingthesmallnessofhisscrapes.Suchruminationsnaturallyproducedastreakofmisanthropicbitterness.TobebornthesonofaMiddlemarchmanufacturer,andinevitableheirtonothinginparticular,whilesuchmenasMainwaringandVyan—certainlylifewasapoorbusiness,whenaspiritedyoungfellow,withagoodappetiteforthebestofeverything,hadsopooranoutlook. IthadnotoccurredtoFredthattheintroductionofBulstrode’snameinthematterwasafictionofoldFeatherstone’snorcouldthishavemadeanydifferencetohisposition.Hesawplainlyenoughthattheoldmanwantedtoexercisehispowerbytormentinghimalittle,andalsoprobablytogetsomesatisfactionoutofseeinghimonunpleasanttermswithBulstrode.FredfanciedthathesawtothebottomofhisuncleFeatherstone’ssoul,thoughinrealityhalfwhathesawtherewasnomorethanthereflexofhisowninclinations.Thedifficulttaskofknowinganothersoulisnotforyounggentlemenwhoseconsciousnessischieflymadeupoftheirownwishes. Fred’smainpointofdebatewithhimselfwas,whetherheshouldtellhisfather,ortrytogetthroughtheaffairwithouthisfather’sknowledge.ItwasprobablyMrs.WaulewhohadbeentalkingabouthimandifMaryGarthhadrepeatedMrs.Waule’sreporttoRosamond,itwouldbesuretoreachhisfather,whowouldassurelyquestionhimaboutit.HesaidtoRosamond,astheyslackenedtheirpace— “Rosy,didMarytellyouthatMrs.Waulehadsaidanythingaboutme?” “Yes,indeed,shedid.” “What?” “Thatyouwereveryunsteady.” “Wasthatall?” “Ishouldthinkthatwasenough,Fred.” “Youaresureshesaidnomore?” “Marymentionednothingelse.Butreally,Fred,Ithinkyououghttobeashamed.” “Oh,fudge!Don’tlectureme.WhatdidMarysayaboutit?” “Iamnotobligedtotellyou.YoucaresoverymuchwhatMarysays,andyouaretoorudetoallowmetospeak.” “OfcourseIcarewhatMarysays.SheisthebestgirlIknow.” “Ishouldneverhavethoughtshewasagirltofallinlovewith.” “Howdoyouknowwhatmenwouldfallinlovewith?Girlsneverknow.” “Atleast,Fred,letmeadviseyounottofallinlovewithher,forshesaysshewouldnotmarryyouifyouaskedher.” “ShemighthavewaitedtillIdidaskher.” “Iknewitwouldnettleyou,Fred.” “Notatall.Shewouldnothavesaidsoifyouhadnotprovokedher.”Beforereachinghome,Fredconcludedthathewouldtellthewholeaffairassimplyaspossibletohisfather,whomightperhapstakeonhimselftheunpleasantbusinessofspeakingtoBulstrode.