Пробный камень
II
Herintellectualindependencegaveatouchofcomradeshiptotheirintimacy,prolongingtheillusionofcollegefriendshipsbasedonajoyousinterchangeofheresies.Mrs.AubynandGlennardrepresentedtoeachothertheaugur’swinkbehindtheHillbridgeidol:theywalkedtogetherinthatlightofyoungomnisciencefromwhichfatesocuriouslyexcludesone’selders.
Husbandswhoarenotoriouslyinopportune,mayevendieinopportunely,andthiswastherevengethatMr.Aubyn,sometwoyearsafterherreturntoHillbridge,tookuponhisinjuredwife.HediedpreciselyatthemomentwhenGlennardwasbeginningtocriticiseher.Itwasnotthatsheboredhim;shedidwhatwasinfinitelyworse—shemadehimfeelhisinferiority.Thesenseofmentalequalityhadbeengratifyingtohisrawambition;butashisself-knowledgedefineditself,hisunderstandingofheralsoincreased;andifmanisattimesindirectlyflatteredbythemoralsuperiorityofwoman,hermentalascendencyisextenuatedbynosuchobliquetributetohispowers.Theattitudeoflookingupisastrainonthemuscles;anditwasbecomingmoreandmoreGlennard’sopinionthatbrains,inawoman,shouldbemerelytheobverseofbeauty.TobeautyMrs.Aubyncouldlaynoclaim;andwhileshehadenoughprettinesstoexasperatehimbyherincapacitytomakeuseofit,sheseemedinvinciblyignorantofanyofthelittleartificeswherebywomencontrivetopalliatetheirdefectsandeventoturnthemintograces.
