Пробный камень

           InthislightshewascherishedbythatdominantportionofHillbridgesocietywhichwasleastindulgenttoconjugaldifferences,andwhichfoundaproportionatepleasureinbeingforonceabletofeastopenlyonadishliberallyseasonedwiththeoutrageous.SomuchdidthisendearMrs.Aubyntotheuniversityladiesthattheyweredisposedfromthefirsttoallowhermorelatitudeofspeechandactionthantheill-usedwifewasgenerallyaccordedinHillbridge,wheremisfortunewasstillregardedasavisitationdesignedtoputpeopleintheirproperplaceandmakethemfeelthesuperiorityoftheirneighbors.Theyoungwomansoprivilegedcombinedwithakindofpersonalshynessanintellectualaudacitythatwaslikeadeflectedimpulseofcoquetry:onefeltthatifshehadbeenprettiershewouldhavehademotionsinsteadofideas.Shewasinfacteventhenwhatshehadalwaysremained:ageniuscapableoftheacutestgeneralizations,butcuriouslyundiscerningwhereherpersonalsusceptibilitieswereconcerned.Herpsychologyfailedherjustwhereitservesmostwomenandonefeltthatherbrainswouldneverbeaguidetoherheart.Ofallthis,however,Glennardthoughtlittleinthefirstyearoftheiracquaintance.Hewasatanagewhenallthegiftsandgracesarebutsomuchundiscriminatedfoodtotheraveningegoismofyouth.InseekingMrs.Aubyn’scompanyhewaspromptedbyanintuitivetasteforthebestasapledgeofhisownsuperiority.