CHAPTER VI.

“Croyez-vousm’avoirhumiliéepourm’avoirapprisquelaterretourneautourdusoleil?Jevousjurequejenem’enestimepasmoins.” —FONTENELLE:PluralitédesMondes. ThatloftycriticismhadcausedGwendolenanewsortofpain.ShewouldnothavechosentoconfesshowunfortunateshethoughtherselfinnothavinghadMissArrowpoint’smusicaladvantages,soastobeabletoquestionHerrKlesmer’stastewiththeconfidenceofthoroughknowledgestillless,toadmiteventoherselfthatMissArrowpointeachtimetheymetraisedanunwontedfeelingofjealousyinher:notintheleastbecauseshewasanheiress,butbecauseitwasreallyprovokingthatagirlwhoseappearanceyoucouldnotcharacterizeexceptbysayingthatherfigurewasslightandofmiddlestature,herfeaturessmall,hereyestolerable,andhercomplexionsallow,hadneverthelessacertainmentalsuperioritywhichcouldnotbeexplainedaway—anexasperatingthoroughnessinhermusicalaccomplishment,afastidiousdiscriminationinhergeneraltastes,whichmadeitimpossibletoforceheradmirationandkeptyouinaweofherstandard.Thisinsignificant-lookingyoungladyoffour-and-twenty,whomanyone’seyeswouldhavepassedovernegligentlyifshehadnotbeenMissArrowpoint,mightbesuspectedofasecretopinionthatMissHarleth’sacquirementswereratherofacommonorder,andsuchanopinionwasnotmadeagreeabletothinkofbybeingalwaysveiledunderaperfectkindnessofmanner. ButGwendolendidnotliketodwellonfactswhichthrewanunfavorablelightonitself.ThemusicalMaguswhohadsosuddenlywidenedherhorizonwasnotalwaysonthesceneandhisbeingconstantlybackwardandforwardbetweenLondonandQuetchamsoonbegantobethoughtofasofferingopportunitiesforconvertinghimtoamoreadmiringstateofmind.Meanwhile,inthemanifestpleasurehersinginggaveatBrackenshawCastle,theFirs,andelsewhere,sherecoveredherequanimity,beingdisposedtothinkapprovalmoretrustworthythanobjection,andnotbeingoneoftheexceptionalpersonswhohaveaparchingthirstforaperfectionundemandedbytheirneighbors.Perhapsitwouldhavebeenrashtosaythenthatshewasatallexceptionalinwardly,orthattheunusualinherwasmorethanherraregraceofmovementandbearing,andacertaindaringwhichgavepiquancytoaverycommonegoisticambition,suchasexistsundermanyclumsyexteriorsandistakennonoticeof.ForIsupposethatthesetoftheheaddoesnotreallydeterminethehungeroftheinnerselfforsupremacy:itonlymakesadifferencesometimesastothewayinwhichthesupremacyisheldattainable,andalittlealsotothedegreeinwhichitcanbeattainedespeciallywhenthehungryoneisagirl,whosepassionfordoingwhatisremarkablehasanideallimitinconsistencywiththehighestbreedingandperfectfreedomfromthesordidneedofincome.Gwendolenwasasinwardlyrebelliousagainsttherestraintsoffamilyconditions,andasreadytolookthroughobligationsintoherownfundamentalwantoffeelingforthem,asifshehadbeensustainedbytheboldestspeculationsbutshereallyhadnosuchspeculations,andwouldatoncehavemarkedherselfofffromanysortoftheoreticalorpracticallyreformingwomenbysatirizingthem.Sherejoicedtofeelherselfexceptionalbutherhorizonwasthatofthegenteelromancewheretheheroine’ssoulpouredoutinherjournalisfullofvaguepower,originality,andgeneralrebellion,whileherlifemovesstrictlyinthesphereoffashionandifshewandersintoaswamp,thepathosliespartly,sotospeak,inherhavingonhersatinshoes.Hereisarestraintwhichnatureandsocietyhaveprovidedonthepursuitofstrikingadventuresothatasoulburningwithasenseofwhattheuniverseisnot,andreadytotakeallexistenceasfuel,isneverthelessheldcaptivebytheordinarywireworkofsocialformsanddoesnothingparticular. ThiscommonplaceresultwaswhatGwendolenfoundherselfthreatenedwitheveninthenoveltyofthefirstwinteratOffendene.Whatshewasclearuponwas,thatshedidnotwishtoleadthesamesortoflifeasordinaryyoungladiesdidbutwhatshewasnotclearuponwas,howsheshouldsetaboutleadinganyother,andwhatweretheparticularactswhichshewouldassertherfreedombydoing.Offendeneremainedagoodbackground,ifanythingwouldhappentherebutonthewholetheneighborhoodwasinfault. Beyondtheeffectofherbeautyonafirstpresentation,therewasnotmuchexcitementtobegotoutofherearliestinvitations,andshecamehomeafterlittlesalliesofsatireandknowingness,suchashadoffendedMrs.Arrowpoint,tofilltheinterveningdayswiththemostgirlishdevices.ThestrongestassertionshewasabletomakeofherindividualclaimswastoleaveoutAlice’slessons(ontheprinciplethatAlicewasmorelikelytoexcelinignorance),andtoemployherwithMissMerry,andthemaidwhowasunderstoodtowaitonalltheladies,inhelpingtoarrangevariousdramaticcostumeswhichGwendolenpleasedherselfwithhavinginreadinessforsomefutureoccasionsofactingincharadesortheatricalpieces,occasionswhichshemeanttobringaboutbyforceofwillorcontrivance.Shehadneveracted—onlymadeafigureintableauxvivansatschoolbutshefeltassuredthatshecouldactwell,andhavingbeenonceortwicetotheThéatreFran?ais,andalsoheardhermammaspeakofRachel,herwakingdreamsandcogitationsastohowshewouldmanageherdestinysometimesturnedonthequestionwhethershewouldbecomeanactresslikeRachel,sinceshewasmorebeautifulthanthatthinJewess.MeanwhilethewetdaysbeforeChristmaswerepassedpleasantlyinthepreparationofcostumes,Gr