Пробный камень

           Theladieswhodirectlysuggestedthiscomparisonwereofakindaccustomedtotakesimilarriskswithmoregratifyingresults.Mrs.Armigerhadinfactlongbeenthetriumphantalternativeofthosewhocouldn’t“see”AlexaGlennard’slooks;andMrs.Touchett’sclaimstoconsiderationwerefoundedonthatdistributionofeffectswhichisthewonderofthosewhoadmireahighlycultivatedcountry.ThethirdladyofthetriowhichGlennard’sfancyhadputtosuchunflatteringuses,wasboundbycircumstancestosupporttheclaimsoftheothertwo.ThiswasMrs.Dresham,thewifeoftheeditoroftheRadiator.Mrs.Dreshamwasaladywhohadrescuedherselffromsocialobscuritybyassumingtheroleofherhusband’sexponentandinterpreter;andDresham’sleisurebeingdevotedtothecultivationofremarkablewomen,hiswife’sattitudecommittedhertothepubliccelebrationoftheirremarkableness.Fortheconceivabletediumofthisduty,Mrs.Dreshamwasrepaidbythefactthattherewerepeoplewhotookherforaremarkablewoman;andwhointurnprobablypurchasedsimilardistinctionwiththesmallchangeofherreflectedimportance.Astotheotherladiesoftheparty,theyweresimplythewivesofsomeofthemen—thekindofwomenwhoexpecttobetalkedtocollectivelyandtohavetheirquestionsleftunanswered.

           Mrs.Armiger,thelatestembodimentofDresham’sinstinctfortheremarkable,wasaninnocentbeautywhoforyearshaddistilleddulnessamongasetofpeoplenowself-condemnedbytheirinabilitytoappreciateher.