Мидлмарч

           Hetookthem,saying—

           "Iamverymuchobligedtoyou,sir,"andwasgoingtorollthemupwithoutseemingtothinkoftheirvalue.ButthisdidnotsuitMr.Featherstone,whowaseyinghimintently.

           "Come,don’tyouthinkitworthyourwhiletocount’em?Youtakemoneylikealord;Isupposeyouloseitlikeone."

           "IthoughtIwasnottolookagift-horseinthemouth,sir.ButIshallbeveryhappytocountthem."

           Fredwasnotsohappy,however,afterhehadcountedthem.Fortheyactuallypresentedtheabsurdityofbeinglessthanhishopefulnesshaddecidedthattheymustbe.Whatcanthefitnessofthingsmean,ifnottheirfitnesstoaman’sexpectations?Failingthis,absurdityandatheismgapebehindhim.ThecollapseforFredwasseverewhenhefoundthatheheldnomorethanfivetwenties,andhisshareinthehighereducationofthiscountrydidnotseemtohelphim.Neverthelesshesaid,withrapidchangesinhisfaircomplexion—

           "Itisveryhandsomeofyou,sir."

           "Ishouldthinkitis,"saidMr.Featherstone,lockinghisboxandreplacingit,thentakingoffhisspectaclesdeliberately,andatlength,asifhisinwardmeditationhadmoredeeplyconvincedhim,repeating,"Ishouldthinkithandsome."

           "Iassureyou,sir,Iamverygrateful,"saidFred,whohadhadtimetorecoverhischeerfulair.

           "Soyououghttobe.