Chapter 76

           "Tomercy,pity,peace,andloveAllprayintheirdistress,Andtothesevirtuesofdelight,Returntheirthankfulness.......ForMercyhasahumanheart,Pityahumanface;AndLove,thehumanformdivine;AndPeace,thehumandress.—WILLIAMBLAKE:SongsofInnocence.

           Somedayslater,LydgatewasridingtoLowickManor,inconsequenceofasummonsfromDorothea.Thesummonshadnotbeenunexpected,sinceithadfollowedaletterfromMr.Bulstrode,inwhichhestatedthathehadresumedhisarrangementsforquittingMiddlemarch,andmustremindLydgateofhispreviouscommunicationsabouttheHospital,tothepurportofwhichhestilladhered.Ithadbeenhisduty,beforetakingfurthersteps,toreopenthesubjectwithMrs.Casaubon,whonowwished,asbefore,todiscussthequestionwithLydgate."Yourviewsmaypossiblyhaveundergonesomechange,"wroteMr.Bulstrode;"but,inthatcasealso,itisdesirablethatyoushouldlaythembeforeher."

           Dorotheaawaitedhisarrivalwitheagerinterest.Though,indeferencetohermasculineadvisers,shehadrefrainedfromwhatSirJameshadcalled"interferinginthisBulstrodebusiness,"thehardshipofLydgate’spositionwascontinuallyinhermind,andwhenBulstrodeappliedtoheragainaboutthehospital,shefeltthattheopportunitywascometoherwhichshehadbeenhinderedfromhastening.