Middlemarch

CHAPTER LIX.

They said of old the Soul had human shape, But smaller, subtler than the fleshly self, So wandered forth for airing when it pleased. And see! beside her cherub-face there floats A pale-lipped form aerial whispering Its promptings in that little shell her ear.”

News is often dispersed as thoughtlessly and effectively as that pollenwhich the bees carry off (having no idea how powdery they are) whenthey are buzzing in search of their particular nectar. This finecomparison has reference to Fred Vincy, who on that evening at LowickParsonage heard a lively discussion among the ladies on the news whichtheir old servant had got from Tantripp concerning Mr. Casaubon'sstrange mention of Mr. Ladislaw in a codicil to his will made not longbefore his death. Miss Winifred was astounded to find that her brotherhad known the fact before, and observed that Camden was the mostwonderful man for knowing things and not telling them; whereupon MaryGarth said that the codicil had perhaps got mixed up with the habits ofspiders, which Miss Winifred never would listen to. Mrs. Farebrotherconsidered that the news had something to do with their having onlyonce seen Mr. Ladislaw at Lowick, and Miss Noble made many smallcompassionate mewings.

Fred knew little and cared less about Ladislaw and the Casaubons, andhis mind never recurred to that discussion till one day calling onRosamond at his mother's request to deliver a message as he passed, hehappened to see Ladislaw going away. Fred and Rosamond had little tosay to each other now that marriage had removed her from collision withthe unpleasantness of brothers, and especially now that he had takenwhat she held the stupid and even reprehensible step of giving up theChurch to take to such a business as Mr. Garth's. Hence Fred talked bypreference of what he considered indifferent news, and ”a propos ofthat young Ladislaw” mentioned what he had heard at Lowick Parsonage.

Now Lydgate, like Mr. Farebrother, knew a great deal more than he told,and when he had once been set thinking about the relation between Willand Dorothea his conjectures had gone beyond the fact. He imaginedthat there was a passionate attachment on both sides, and this struckhim as much too serious to gossip about. He remembered Will'sirritability when he had mentioned Mrs. Casaubon, and was the morecircumspect. On the whole his surmises, in addition to what he knew ofthe fact, increased his friendliness and tolerance towards Ladislaw,and made him understand the vacillation which kept him at Middlemarchafter he had said that he should go away. It was significant of theseparateness between Lydgate's mind and Rosamond's that he had noimpulse to speak to her on the subject; indeed, he did not quite trusther reticence towards Will. And he was right there; though he had novision of the way in which her mind would act in urging her to speak.

When she repeated Fred's news to Lydgate, he said, ”Take care you don'tdrop the faintest hint to Ladislaw, Rosy. He is likely to fly out asif you insulted him. Of course it is a painful affair.”

Rosamond turned her neck and patted her hair, looking the image ofplacid indifference. But the next time Will came when Lydgate wasaway, she spoke archly about his not going to London as he hadthreatened.

”I know all about it. I have a confidential little bird,” said she,showing very pretty airs of her head over the bit of work held highbetween her active fingers. ”There is a powerful magnet in thisneighborhood.”

”To be sure there is. Nobody knows that better than you,” said Will,with light gallantry, but inwardly prepared to be angry.

”It is really the most charming romance: Mr. Casaubon jealous, andforeseeing that there was no one else whom Mrs. Casaubon would so muchlike to marry, and no one who would so much like to marry her as acertain gentleman; and then laying a plan to spoil all by making herforfeit her property if she did marry that gentleman--and then--andthen--and then--oh, I have no doubt the end will be thoroughlyromantic.”

”Great God! what do you mean?” said Will, flushing over face and ears,his features seeming to change as if he had had a violent shake.”Don't joke; tell me what you mean.”

”You don't really know?” said Rosamond, no longer playful, and desiringnothing better than to tell in order that she might evoke effects.

”No!” he returned, impatiently.

”Don't know that Mr. Casaubon has left it in his will that if Mrs.Casaubon marries you she is to forfeit all her property?”

”How do you know that it is true?” said Will, eagerly.

”My brother Fred heard it from the Farebrothers.” Will started up fromhis chair and reached his hat.

”I dare say she likes you better than the property,” said Rosamond,looking at him from a distance.

”Pray don't say any more about it,” said Will, in a hoarse undertoneextremely unlike his usual light voice. ”It is a foul insult to herand to me.” Then he sat down absently, looking before him, but seeingnothing.

”Now you are angry with _me_,” said Rosamond. ”It is too bad to bear_me_ malice. You ought to be obliged to me for telling you.”

”So I am,” said Will, abruptly, speaking with that kind of double soulwhich belongs to dreamers who answer questions.

”I expect to hear of the marriage,” said Rosamond, playfully.

”Never! You will never hear of the marriage!”

With those words uttered impetuously, Will rose, put out his hand toRosamond, still with the air of a somnambulist, and went away.

When he was gone, Rosamond left her chair and walked to the other endof the room, leaning when she got there against a chiffonniere, andlooking out of the window wearily. She was oppressed by ennui, and bythat dissatisfaction which in women's minds is continually turning intoa trivial jealousy, referring to no real claims, springing from nodeeper passion than the vague exactingness of egoism, and yet capableof impelling action as well as speech. ”There really is nothing tocare for much,” said poor Rosamond inwardly, thinking of the family atQuallingham, who did not write to her; and that perhaps Tertius when hecame home would tease her about expenses. She had already secretlydisobeyed him by asking her father to help them, and he had endeddecisively by saying, ”I am more likely to want help myself.”