Мидлмарч

           ThemassofhisfeelingaboutDorothea’smarriagetoLadislawwasduepartlytoexcusableprejudice,orevenjustifiableopinion,partlytoajealousrepugnancehardlylessinLadislaw’scasethaninCasaubon’s.HewasconvincedthatthemarriagewasafataloneforDorothea.Butamidthatmassranaveinofwhichhewastoogoodandhonorableamantoliketheavowaleventohimself:itwasundeniablethattheunionofthetwoestates—TiptonandFreshitt—lyingcharminglywithinaring-fence,wasaprospectthatflatteredhimforhissonandheir.HencewhenMr.Brookenoddinglyappealedtothatmotive,SirJamesfeltasuddenembarrassment;therewasastoppageinhisthroat;heevenblushed.Hehadfoundmorewordsthanusualinthefirstjetofhisanger,butMr.Brooke’spropitiationwasmorecloggingtohistonguethanMr.Cadwallader’scaustichint.

           ButCeliawasgladtohaveroomforspeechafterheruncle’ssuggestionofthemarriageceremony,andshesaid,thoughwithaslittleeagernessofmannerasifthequestionhadturnedonaninvitationtodinner,"DoyoumeanthatDodoisgoingtobemarrieddirectly,uncle?"

           "Inthreeweeks,youknow,"saidMr.Brooke,helplessly."Icandonothingtohinderit,Cadwallader,"headded,turningforalittlecountenancetowardtheRector,whosaid—

           "—I—shouldnotmakeanyfussaboutit.Ifshelikestobepoor,thatisheraffair.Nobodywouldhavesaidanythingifshehadmarriedtheyoungfellowbecausehewasrich.