Мидлмарч

           Still,ladies,still!Itisagem,and‘Fullmanyagem,’asthepoetsays,hasbeenallowedtogoatanominalpridebecausethepublicknewnobetter,becauseitwasofferedincircleswheretherewas—Iwasgoingtosayalowfeeling,butno!—Sixpounds—sixguineas—aGuydoofthefirstordergoingatsixguineas—itisaninsulttoreligion,ladies;ittouchesusallasChristians,gentlemen,thatasubjectlikethisshouldgoatsuchalowfigure—sixpoundsten—seven—"

           Thebiddingwasbrisk,andWillcontinuedtoshareinit,rememberingthatMrs.Bulstrodehadastrongwishforthepicture,andthinkingthathemightstretchthepricetotwelvepounds.Butitwasknockeddowntohimattenguineas,whereuponhepushedhiswaytowardsthebow-windowandwentout.Hechosetogounderthemarqueetogetaglassofwater,beinghotandthirsty:itwasemptyofothervisitors,andheaskedthewomaninattendancetofetchhimsomefreshwater;butbeforeshewaswellgonehewasannoyedtoseeenteringthefloridstrangerwhohadstaredathim.ItstruckWillatthismomentthatthemanmightbeoneofthosepoliticalparasiticinsectsofthebloatedkindwhohadonceortwiceclaimedacquaintancewithhimashavingheardhimspeakontheReformquestion,andwhomightthinkofgettingashillingbynews.Inthislighthisperson,alreadyratherheatingtobeholdonasummer’sday,appearedthemoredisagreeable;andWill,half-seatedontheelbowofagarden-chair,turnedhiseyescarefullyawayfromthecomer.